Theodore R. McKeldin, Governor                 1059

CHAPTER 649
(House Bill 680)

AN ACT to add new Sub-section (27-A) to Section 6 of the Charter
and Public Local Laws of Maryland (1949 Edition, being Article
4 of the Code of Public Local Laws of Maryland), title "Baltimore
City", sub-title "General Powers", said new Sub-section to follow
immediately after Sub-section (27) thereof, authorizing the Mayor
and City Council of Baltimore to formulate and adopt a plan or
plans to control and regulate within Baltimore City such open
natural streams, storm and surface water drains, runs and natural
storm and surface water drainage courses, public or private as in
its judgment is desirable, and to compel abutting property owners
of such water courses to wall up or by other methods to stabilize
and secure such abutting and adjacent property from the danger
of being inundated and to prevent the property from interfering
with the flow of drainage water; to compel the owner or owners
to maintain, rebuild and repair any wall or other stabilizing struc-
ture including the banks binding on said water courses and upon
neglect or refusal so to do, the City of Baltimore shall have the
authority to have the same done and to recover the costs thereof
by suit at law, which costs shall be a lien on the property of the
person or corporation abutting the water courses on which said
work is done, and authorizing and empowering the City of Bal-
timore to establish and regulate within Baltimore City the use
of any area or areas of land and future construction thereon ad-
jacent to, abutting on or in proximity to such water courses, public
or private, which are, due to the grade and elevation in relation to
the bed of said water courses, susceptible to flooding.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That new Sub-section (27-A) be and it is hereby added to Section 6
of the Charter and Public Local Laws of Maryland (1949 Edition,
being Article 4 of the Code of Public Local Laws of Maryland) title,
"Baltimore City", sub-title "General Powers", said new Sub-section
to follow immediately after Sub-section (27) thereof, and to read
as follows:

(27-A) STORM WATER COURSES AND FLOOD AREAS

(a) To formulate and adopt a plan or plans to control and regu-
late within Baltimore City such open natural streams, storm and
surface water drains, runs and natural storm and surface water
drainage courses, public or private, as in its judgment is desirable,
and for this purpose to change the course, lines, depth and boundaries
of said water courses, in whole or in part; to compel any person or
corporation owning property binding on said water courses within
Baltimore City to wall up or by other methods to stabilize and main-
tain such other property in so far as the same may bind the said
water courses with a good and sufficient wall, or by other stabilizing
methods and to such height as in its judgment the public good may
require, so as to secure the same and adjacent property in a reason-

Explanation: Italics indicate new matter added to existing law.

[Brackets] indicate matter stricken from existing law.
CAPITALS indicate amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken out of bill.