2018                             LAWS OF MARYLAND                        [CH. 874

limits. Hereafter in this sub-title such counties and municipal corpo-
rations are referred to as "county" or "counties" or "municipal cor-
poration" or "municipal corporations" as the case may be. THIS
SUB-TITLE IS EFFECTIVE ONLY IN THE COUNTIES OF
ANNE ARUNDEL, CARROLL, CECIL, CHARLES, FREDERICK,
HARFORD, HOWARD, MONTGOMERY, KENT, PRINCE
GEORGE'S, AND ST. MARY'S.

(b) The purpose of an ordinance or resolution in any county or
municipal corporation shall be (1) to safeguard the heritage of the
county or municipal corporation by preserving the district therein
which reflects elements of its cultural, social, economic, political, or
architectural history; (2) to stabilize and improve property values
in such a district; (3) to foster civic beauty; (4) to strengthen the
local economy; and (5) to promote the use and preservation of his-
toric districts for the education, welfare, and pleasure of the resi-
dents of the county or municipal corporation.

39.    For the purposes of this sub-title each county and each
municipal corporation may establish, change, lay out, and define
districts which are deemed to be of historic or architectural value,
following the procedure in such county or municipal corporation
applicable to the establishment or change of areas and classifications
of zoning.

40.    A county or a municipal corporation may create a commis-
sion to be called "The Historic District Commission". The commis-
sion shall have a membership of from three to seven persons all of
whom are qualified by interest and agree to serve on this commis-
sion and all of whom are residents of the county or municipal cor-
poration as the case may be. The members shall be appointed for
terms of three years each except that in making the initial appoint-
ments some appointments shall be established for less than three
years in order that as these initial terms expire all appointments
shall be for three years and shall not expire at the same time. Mem-
bers of any commission are eligible for reappointment. Any vacancy
on a commission shall be filled by the appointing authority for the
unexpired term of the particular position. County or municipal
authorities may consult private societies or agencies to request the
names of possible members on a commission.

41.    Before the construction, alteration, repair, moving, or demo-
lition of any structure is made within the county or municipal cor-
poration, if any changes are involved which would affect the exterior
appearance of a structure visible or intended to be visible from an
adjacent public way in the district, the person, individual, firm, or
corporation proposing to make the construction or change shall file
with the commission an application for permission to build, alter,
repair, move, demolish, or make the addition. Every such application
shall be referred to and considered by the historic district commis-
sion and no permit for any such change may be granted until the
commission has acted thereon as hereinafter provided.

42.    In reviewing the plans for any such construction or change
the commission shall give consideration to (1) the historic or
architectural value and significance of the structure and its relation-
ship to the historic value of the surrounding area; (2) the relation-
ship of the exterior architectural features of the structure to the
remainder of the structure and to the surrounding area; (3) the