SPIRO T. AGNEW, Governor                        213

(1967 Replacement Volume), title "Zoning and Planning", subtitle
"Historic Area Zoning", be and it is hereby repealed and re-enacted,
with amendments; and new Section 40A be and it is hereby added
to said Article, title and subtitle of said Code to follow immediately
after Section 40 thereof, and all to read as follows:

40.

A county or a municipal corporation may create a commission
to be called "the historic district commission." The commission
shall have a membership of from three to seven persons all of
whom are qualified by interest and agree to serve on this com-
mission and all of whom are residents of the county or municipal
corporation as the case may be. The members shall be appointed
for terms of three years each except that in making the initial
appointments some appointments shall be established for less than
three years in order that as these initial terms expire all appoint-
ments shall be for three years and shall not expire at the same time.
Members 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 mu-
nicipal authorities may consult private societies or agencies to
request the names of possible members on a commission. The Com-
mission shall have the right to accept and use gifts for the exercise
of its functions.

The Commission may purchase architectural easements in con-
nection with structures located in or adjacent to the historic
district. Such easement shall grant to the Commission, the residents
of the historic district, and the general public the perpetual right
to have the exterior appearance of any structure upon which it is
applied retained in substantially the same character as when the
easement took effect.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall take effect
July 1, 1968.

Approved April 10, 1968.

CHAPTER 163
(Senate Bill 631)

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section 657 (b)
of Article 43 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1967 Supple-
ment), title "Health", subtitle "Sanitary Districts", to provide
that, in Allegany County, the Sanitary Commission shall be
authorized to levy and collect a pro rata benefit charge for the
remainder of a fiscal year in which a water supply or sewerage
project is completed before assessing the annual benefit assess-
ment charge.

40A.