Theodore R. McKeldin, Governor                    1471

urer, and shall have all of the priorities and lien rights of county
taxes. Whenever the Board of County Commissioners shall be re-
quired to make any special assessment against abutting land for
street improvement, whether for the construction and/or reconstruc-
tion of roadways, sidewalks, curbs or gutters and/or storm drainage,
any or all of them, and such lot is located at the intersection of two
streets and is what is known as a corner lot, the Board of County
Commissioners shall have the power to make an assessment for the
number of feet in the front of such lot, where the said improvement
abuts on the front of such lot, and in case the improvement abuts on
the side of such a lot, the assessment made for such improvement
against the lot shall be for one-half of the number of linear feet of
the side of said lot, not to exceed a total exemption of fifty linear
feet, and for the purpose of assessment the short side of such lot
shall be considered the front of such lot, and in cases where the two
sides are equal, the Board of County Commissioners shall determine
which is front and which is the side of such lot, and such determina-
tion shall be final and conclusive; and, provided, that in cases of lots
abutting on more than two streets and of lots of irregular or unusual
shape, and in cases of lots abutting on two or more streets where in
one or more of such streets, roadways, sidewalks, curbs, gutters or
storm drainage and street improvements, or any or all, have been or
are about to be, constructed under such circumstances as not to sub-
ject such lots to a special assessment by the Board of County Com-
missioners, the Board of County Commissioners shall have full power
and authority to adjust assessments to be made against such lots for
the cost of improvements herein authorized abutting such lots to
such an amount as shall be just and equitable, and the cost of im-
provements thus exempted shall be included in the assessments to be
made against the abutting property included in the project, and such
adjustments as may be made by the Board of County Commissioners
shall be final and conclusive.

(c)   The Board of County Commissioners is hereby authorized,
when in its judgment it is deemed expedient and necessary, to con-
struct, reconstruct, maintain and operate a system for the control
and disposition of surface waters within the boundaries of Prince
George's County and for such purpose said Board is given all of the
power and authority, including the right to condemn, and the right
and authority to negotiate with any public agency and to make con-
tracts with such agencies, including the government of the United
States or any bureau or department thereof., PROVIDED THAT A
PETITION REQUESTING SUCH A SYSTEM SHALL BE PRE-
SENTED TO THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS SIGNED BY THE
OWNERS OF AT LEAST 20% OF THE ASSESSED VALUATION
OF THE REAL PROPERTY LOCATED IN THE AREA AF-
FECTED.

(d)  The said Board, in the exercise of its discretion may define and
identify the specific areas in which said construction, reconstruction,
maintenance, and operation of said systems shall be put into effect.
The Board upon petition, or its own motion may determine that the
creation of said areas are in the interest of public health, welfare and
safety and are in need of a storm water or surface drainage system.

(e)  The Board of County Commissioners may, upon its own motion,
OR BY REFERENDUM IF THE SAID BOARD SHOULD SO DE-
TERMINE, establish, within the boundaries of Prince George's Coun-