1762 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 992

property, the strict application of such regulation or amend-
ment would result in peculiar and exceptional practical dif-
ficulties to or exceptional or undue hardship upon the owner
of said property, to authorize, upon an appeal relating to such
property, a variance from such strict application so as to re-
lieve such difficulty or hardship, provided such relief can be
granted without a substantial impairment of the intent, pur-
pose and integrity of the zone plan as embodied in the zoning
regulations and maps.

A Board of Zoning Appeals shall not have the power to make
or amend any regulation or map.

In exercising its powers a Board of Zoning Appeals may, in
conformity with the provisions of this Act and 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 opposite the property affected measured at right angles
to the intervening street or streets 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 a Board of Zoning Appeal 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 or other records of the board.

X. The zoning regulations heretofore duly and validly en-
acted by the Boards of County Commissioners of Montgomery
and Prince George's Counties and in force at the date of the
taking effect of this Act, including the maps which at said date
accompany and are a part of said regulations, shall be deemed
to have been made, enacted and in force under this Act and
shall be and continue in force and effect until and as they
may be amended by said District Councils respectively as
authorized by this Act.

Y. No building or other structure shall be erected or struc-
turally altered in the District without the issuance of a
building permit, and no such permit shall be given except in
conformity with the provisions of this Act and of the regula-
tions enacted by the respective District Councils. Construc-
tion or structural alteration of a building or structure shall
not begin until and unless the building permit be approved
by the Commission as to zoning requirements and as to the
requirements of Section 2-O of this Act; provided, however,
that no building permit shall be required for buildings and
structures to be used exclusively for purposes of agricul-
ture upon land used exclusively for agriculture. The begin-