2722                               Municipal Charters

16.202—Purpose

For the purpose of promoting the health, safety, morals and general
welfare of Howard County, the Zoning Board is hereby empowered to
regulate and restrict the height, number of stories and size of buildings
and other structures; the percentage of lot area that may be occupied; the
size of yards, courts and other open spaces; the density of population and
the location and use of buildings, structures and land for trade, industry,
residence or other purposes.

16.203—Zoning Districts and Zoning Regulations

For any or all of the purposes of this title the Zoning Board may divide
the County into districts of such number, shape and area as may be
deemed best suited to carry out the purposes of this title, and within such
districts it may regulate and restrict the erection, construction, recon-
struction, alteration, repair or use of buildings, structures or land. All such
regulations shall be uniform for each class or kind of building or structure
or use throughout each district but the regulations in one district may
differ from those in other districts. Such district boundaries and regula-
tions shall be made in accordance with a comprehensive plan and shall
be designed to lessen congestion in the streets; to secure safety from fire,
panic and other dangers; to promote health, safety, and the general wel-
fare; to provide adequate light and air; to provide for the best utilization
of land; to avoid undue concentration of population; to facilitate the
adequate provision of transportation, water, sewerage, schools, parks and
other public requirements. Such regulations shall be made with reasonable
consideration, among other things, to the character of the district and its
peculiar .suitability for particular uses, and with a view to conserving the
value of buildings and encouraging the most appropriate use of land
throughout the County.

The Zoning Board may provide for copies of the comprehensive zoning
map and a compilation of all zoning regulations to be published and made
available at cost to any person.

16.204—Amendment of Zoning Regulations and Zoning Districts

Zoning regulations, districts, boundaries and restrictions may from
time to time be amended, supplemented, changed, or repealed by the Zoning
Board. The Zoning Board shall provide for the manner in which such
regulations and restrictions and the boundaries of such districts shall be
determined, established, and enforced, and from time to time amended,
supplemented, changed, or repealed. However, no such regulations, restric-
tion or boundary or amendment thereto or repeal thereof shall become
effective until after a public hearing in relation thereto, at which parties
in interest and citizens shall have an opportunity to be heard and, if a
district boundary is to be amended or changed, unless the property subject
of the zoning petition shall be posted with the time and date of the
beginning of the hearing for at least fifteen (15) THIRTY (30) days
prior to the said hearing. At least fifteen (15) THIRTY (30) days' notice
of the time and place of the beginning of such hearing shall be published
in an official paper or a LEAST TWO NEWSPAPERS of general
circulation in Howard County. Provided, however, that before the Zoning
Board shall take any final action in a zoning district or regulation deter-
mination, establishment, change, supplement, amendment or repeal, it
shall consider the report of the Planning Board.