1126                             LAWS OF MARYLAND                        [CH. 669

boundary; and provided further, that no land so classified as agri-
cultural by this Commission shall be assessed a front foot benefit
when said agricultural land has constructed through it or in front of
it a sewer or water main, until such time as the water or sewer
connection is made, and when so made and for every connection
such land shall become liable to a front foot assessment for such
reasonable frontage not exceeding three hundred (300) feet, or may
be determined by said Commission, and shall be immediately assessed
at the rate of assessment determined by said Commission for agricul-
tural land. Front foot benefit charges for water supply and sewerage
construction shall be as nearly uniform as is reasonably practical
for each class or sub-class of property throughout each district for
any one year and no benefit charge, once levied, shall be increased;
provided, however, that whenever the Commission acquires an exist-
ing system other than a municipal system, the construction of which
has been added in whole or in part to the purchase price of land or
lots abutting upon said system and which contribution the Commis-
sion has determined to be a factor in the cost to the Commission of
such system, the Commission may, in its discretion, levy a front
foot assessment less than the uniform front foot assessment levied
in the remainder of the sanitary district in which said system is
located. The amount of the charge per front foot for each class of
property for both water mains and sewers may be reduced from time
to time by the Commission in its discretion, if costs and conditions
are deemed by it to justify such reduction. Said benefit charge shall
be paid annually by all properties located as above specified, for a
period of years co-extensive with the period of maturity of the bonds
out of the proceeds of which such construction was done. The Com-
mission shall at any time permit a connection with a water main or
sewer by the property owner whose property does not abut on said
water main or sewer and who has not previously thereto paid a bene-
fit charge for the construction of said water main or sewer, pro-
vided, said Commission shall classify said property and determine a
front foot charge to be paid by said property owner as though his or
her property abutted upon said water main or sewer; and in the
event of such connection being made, said property owner and said
property as to all charges, rates and benefits shall stand in every
respect in the same position as if the said property abutted upon a
water main or sewer. Said benefit charge shall be payable at the
office of the Commission immediately upon being levied, and shall be
overdue and in default after sixty (60) days from that day, at which
time the Commission may proceed to enforce payment thereof; and
the said benefit charge and any judgment or decree obtained as a
result of default in payment shall bear interest at the rate of one-
half of one per centum per month from and after the time said benefit
assessment or other charges are in default. The annual benefit
assessment or other charges as above specified shall be a first lien
upon the property against which they are assessed until paid, any
statute of limitations to the contrary notwithstanding, subject only
to prior State and county taxes, and if any property be sold for State
and/or county taxes or both by the Treasurer of said County; and
if after sale there is a surplus after all costs and expenses incident to
such sale shall have been paid, then the said Commission upon proper
petition to the Circuit Court for said county shall be allowed any
balance from said surplus, and shall be a preferred lienor to the
extent of its lien; and for the purpose of giving notice to the general