HERBERT R. O'CONOR, GOVERNOR. 1279

A board of zoning appeals shall not have the power to make
or amend any regulation or map.

In exercising these powers the Board of Zoning Appeals
may, in conformity with the provisions of this Act and of
the zoning regulations, reverse or affirm, wholly or partly, or
may modify the decision appealed from. Before making its
decision, the Board of Zoning Appeals shall hold a hearing
upon the appeal, notice of the time and place of which shall
be sent by mail to the appellant and to the owners of all
properties contiguous to or across the road from the property
of the appellant, which notice shall be mailed not less than
seven (7) days previous to the time fixed for the hearing.

The action or decision of the Board of Zoning Appeals
shall be by resolution, which shall contain a statement of the
grounds of its action or decision and which or a copy of which
shall form part of the minutes of the Board.

SEC. 22. And be it further enacted, That no building or
other structure shall be erected or structurally altered in the
District without the issuance by the regularly constituted
authorities of a building permit, and no such permit shall
be given except in full conformity with the provisions of
this Act and of the regulations, including the maps, en-
acted and adopted by the District Council. Construction
or structural alteration of a building or structure within
the District shall not begin until and unless the building per-
mit be approved by the Commission as to zoning requirements
and as to the requirements of Section 26 of this Act; pro-
vided, however, that no building permit shall be refused for
buildings to be used exclusively for purposes of agriculture
upon land used exclusively for agriculture. The beginning of
any construction whatsoever of a building or other structure
within the District without securing the approval of the
building permit by this Commission as herein provided is
hereby declared a misdemeanor and punishable as other mis-
demeanors are punishable under Section 30 of this Act.

The District Council may provide in its zoning regulations
for the issuance of use and occupancy permits and for certi-
ficates by means of which zoning questions may be raised
previous to the complete preparation of all such structural
specifications of a building or structure as may be requisite
for a complete building permit.

SEC. 23. And be it further enacted, That no clerk of the
Circuit Court of the County, no administrative official, no li-
censing body or board nor any person whatever shall issue a
license or permit for any commercial or industrial purpose
or for the conducting of any commercial or industrial enter-