696                               LAWS OF MARYLAND                        [CH. 342

feet more or less into the Patuxent River to intersect the boundary
between Calvert and St. Mary's Counties; thence running easterly
along said boundary down the Patuxent River and into Chesapeake
Bay 53,800 feet more or less to the easternmost boundary of the
waters contiguous to St. Mary's County; thence southerly along
said boundary 28,700 feet more or less; thence leaving said bound-
ary and running South 73 degrees West 21,000 feet more or less
to a point near the Western shore of Chesapeake Bay (North 14-5,000
feet, East 975,000 feet); thence leaving said Bay and running West
35,000 feet (North 145,000 feet, East 940,000 feet); thence North
25,000 feet (North 170,000 feet, East 940,000 feet); thence North 26
degrees 33 minutes 54 seconds East 5590.17 feet (North 175,000 feet,
East 942,500 feet); thence North 33 degrees 41 minutes 24 seconds
East 4506.94 feet to the point of beginning. Coordinates in paren-
theses are referred to the origin of the Maryland Coordinate System,
bearings are referred to the meridian of the same system.

159A.

Sanitary districts (in addition to the sanitary district created
by Section 159 of this subtitle) may be created, and sanitary dis-
tricts (including the sanitary district created by Section 159 of this
subtitle) may be enlarged as follows:

(a)    Finding of commission and consent of county governing
body. Upon compliance with the procedure hereinafter set forth,
the creation of a new sanitary district or the enlargement of an
existing sanitary district shall be effected within the discretion of
the Commission, upon a finding that such establishment or enlarge-
ment is necessary to the public health, safety and welfare of the
residents within such new or enlarged sanitary district and upon
a finding that such establishment or enlargement is feasible from
an engineering and financial standpoint, subject to the consent of the
County Commissioners of St. Mary's County.

(b)    Whenever twenty-five property owners, residing in any
locality in St. Mary's County, shall in writing petition the Commis-
sion to have said locality (the boundaries whereof shall be definitely
stated in said petition) constituted as a new sanitary district or
added to an existing sanitary district to which such locality is con-
tiguous, the Commission, if it approves, shall cause to be made a
preliminary engineering survey of the project to determine the
feasibility and probable cost of providing such area with utilities,
whether water, sewer or otherwise. If the Commission disapproves
of the project or is unable or unwilling to undertake or obtain such
preliminary engineering survey, it shall so inform the petitioners
by mail giving to each of said petitioners an estimate of the cost of
making or obtaining such a preliminary engineering survey, and
no further action shall be taken on said project unless and until
the persons signing the petition therefor cause the estimated cost
of such preliminary engineering survey to be paid to the Commission,
which shall then proceed to make or obtain such preliminary en-
gineering survey. Upon any locality becoming a sanitary district
or a part of an existing sanitary district, pursuant to the provisions
of this section, the Commission shall repay from the first funds
available for such purpose, including the issuance of bonds, any
sums furnished by any of the petitioners to defray the cost of the
preliminary engineering survey. Upon completion of the preliminary