726 ' LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 410

ing the same into several districts, and in each of said dis-
tricts may prescribe reasonable rules and regulations relat-
ing to the character and type of buildings to be constructed
therein, and the materials to be used in said buildings, and
no buildings shall be erected in said zone by any person,
firm or corporation, unless and until the said person, firm
or corporation, shall submit to the President and Commis-
sioners plans for said buildings, which shall include the
materials to be used in the construction of the same, and
if the said plans of any building or structure, and the ma-
terials proposed to be used for the same, shall not be in the
nature of a general improvement in the zone, or district,
in which said building or structure is to be erected, then
and in that event the President and Commissioners may
refuse to issue a permit for the same, but in no case shall
any excavation or construction begin until a permit shall
have been first had and obtained from the President and
Commissioners and a reasonable cost paid for the same, to
be fixed by the President and Commissioners.

The President and Commissioners are hereby authorized
and empowered in the Town at large, before the creation
of zones, or districts, and thereafter in said zones or dis-
tricts, to establish reasonable fees to be paid to the Town
for minor privileges and particularly for the erection of
signs or out-door advertising matter; that the President
and Commissioners are hereby authorized and empowered
to fix and determine whether or not any sign shall be
erected by the exercise of reasonable discretion, the char-
acter of the sign, size of same, necessity of the same in the
particular part of the Town where said sign or advertise-
ment matter may be desired to be erected; that the Presi-
dent and Commissioners are hereby authorized and empow-
ered to refuse to allow any sign to be erected in the resi-
dential sections of the Town of Elkton, which shall adver-
tise any matter not pertaining to the sale of real or per-
sonal property, the location of the office of any physician,
dentist or lawyer, or the holding of church services, the
business of an inn or tourist place, whether said sign is
desired to be erected by the side or over a pavement of the
Town or on private property, within fifty (50) feet of the
inner-margin of a pavement, and no sign of any kind shall
be erected in the Town of Elkton, at any place, without
having first had and obtained a permit from the President
and Commissioners and any person who shall erect a sign
without first having had and obtained a permit from the
President and Commissioners shall be deemed guilty of a
misdemeanor and may be punishable by a fine or imprison-