THEODORE R. MCKELDIN, GOVERNOR 1045

sub-title "Vacant Lots", as said section was enacted by
Chapter 516 of the Acts of 1951, and to enact in lieu
thereof a new Section 600A to stand in the place and
stead of the section so repealed, providing that in cer-
tain circumstances the County Commissioners of Anne
Arundel County shall have power to abate a menace to
public health or safety on unimproved or vacant property
and to recover the costs of such abatement by a civil
action or to assess and recover the same as a special tax
upon said property.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of
Maryland, That Section 600A of the Code of Public Local
Laws of Anne Arundel County (1947 Edition), being
Article 2 of the Code of Public Local Laws of Maryland
(1930 Edition), title "Anne Arundel County", sub-title
"Vacant Lots", as said section was enacted by Chapter 516
of the Acts of 1951, be and it is hereby repealed and that
a new Section 600A be and it is hereby enacted in lieu
thereof to stand in the place and stead of the section so
repealed and to read as follows:

600A. The Board of County Commissioners of Anne
Arundel County shall have power, whenever the owner,
or person in charge of any unimproved lot or vacant prem-
ises shall fail, after written notice, to remove any menace
to the public health or safety arising from the growth of
weeds, the accumulation of refuse, the presence of stagnant
water or of combustible material, to enter upon the prem-
ises by its officers and agents and cause such menace to be
abated. Notice of the reasonable costs incurred in abating
such menace shall be delivered or mailed to the person in
charge of the property and to the person in whose name the
property is assessed for taxation. If the costs shall not be
paid within sixty days from the giving of such notice the
County Commissioners may recover the costs by civil action,
or may fix a date for a hearing to determine whether the
costs should be assessed against the property as a special
tax. Notice of such hearing shall be posted on the property
and sent by registered mail to the last known address of the
person in whose name the property is assessed for taxation.
If the name of the owner of the property be unknown, or
the owner be a non-resident of Anne Arundel County,
notice of the proposed assessment and of the date and place
of the hearing shall be published once a week for three con-
secutive weeks in some newspaper having general circula-
tion in the County. At the hearing, unless good cause to
the contrary be shown, the County Commissioners shall