850 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 649

notify the Mayor of Baltimore City of such adoption. Upon
receiving such notice and approving said resolution, the Mayor
shall appoint five persons (or such additional number of per-
sons as1 the General Assembly may provide in said public local
law), as Commissioners of the Baltimore Redevelopment Com-
sion. The Commissioners shall serve for such terms1 and shall
receive such compensation the General Assembly may provide
in said public local law.

(b) The Baltimore Redevelopment Commission, when cre-
ated, shall have, power and authority to acquire land in slums
and blighted areas in Baltimore City by purchase, lease or
condemnation, and to reconvey any such land by sale or lease
. for redevelopment, in accordance with a redevelopment plan
for Baltimore City, provided that such redevelopment plan
has first been approved by the Commission on City Plan of
Baltimore City; and provided further that no such slum or
blighted area to be acquired shall be less1 than eight acres or
more than eighty acres. The term "slum" shall mean any
area where dwellings predominate, which by reason of depre-
ciation, overcrowding, faulty arrangement or design, lack of
ventilation, light or sanitary facilities, or any combination of
these factors, are detrimental to the public safety, health or
morals1. The term "blighted area" shall mean an area in
which a majority of the buildings have declined in produc-
tivity by reason of obsolescence, depreciation or other causes
to an extent they no longer justify fundamental repairs and
adequate maintenance.

(e) The Baltimore Redevelopment Commission shall have
authority to use the power of eminent domain to acquire any
land needed for any redevelopment project; provided, how-
ever, that the Baltimore Redevelopment Commission shall
have first obtained options upon or shall have purchased at
least 50 percentum of such land area required for any such
redevelopment project. Property already devoted to a public
use may be acquired by the Baltimore Redevelopment Com-
mission; provided, however, that no real property belonging
to the State of Maryland or the Mayor and City Council of
Baltimore may be acquired without the consent of said State or
of said City, as the case may be. No property taken by the
Baltimore Redevelopment Commission, by exercise of the
power of eminent domain, shall be taken without just compen-
sation, as agreed upon between the parties, or awarded by a
Jury.

(d) The Baltimore Redevelopment Commission shall have
power to petition the United States of America for loans of
money and to receive from the United States of America such