1782                             Laws of Maryland                      [Ch. 793

public facilities, present and future transportation patterns, com-
patibility with existing and proposed development for the area, the
recommendation of the planning commission and the board of
municipal and zoning appeals, and the relation of such proposed
amendment to the jurisdiction's plan; and may grant the amend-
ment based upon a finding that there was a substantial change in
the character of the neighborhood where the property is located or
that there was a mistake in the existing zoning classification. The
provisions of [subsection] sub-subsection (d) of this section relative
to public hearings and official notice shall apply equally to all changes
or amendments.

(d) Hearings and notice.—The provisions of [Sec. 2.04] sub-
section 2.04 relative to public hearings and official notice shall apply
equally to all changes or amendments.

2.06. Hearing examiners.

(a)    The city council may appoint from time to time full and
part-time hearing examiners as in its discretion may be deemed neces-
sary and appropriate and may delegate to the said hearing examiner
or examiners the power to hold and conduct public hearings in any
specific case as required and set forth in [Sec. 2.05] subsection 2.05
above. Such hearing shall be conducted in such a manner and subject
to such rules and regulations as may be provided by the local legis-
lative body.

3.05. General powers and duties.

(b)    Plans for major geographic sections.—The planning commis-
sion may from time to time approve and publish a plan as defined in
[Sec. 305(a)] subsection (a) of this section for one or more major
geographic sections or divisions of the jurisdiction.

4.01. Grant of powers.

(b) The local legislative body of a county or municipal corpora-
tion, upon the zoning or rezoning of any land or lands pursuant to
the provisions of this article, may impose such additional restric-
tions, conditions, or limitations as may be deemed appropriate to pre-
serve, improve, or protect the general character and design of the
lands and improvements being zoned or rezoned, or of the surround-
ing or adjacent lands and improvements, and may, upon the zoning
or rezoning of any land or lands, retain or reserve the power and
authority to approve or disapprove the design of buildings, construe-

"Subdivision" means the division of a lot, tract, or parcel of land

into two or more lots, plats sites, or other divisions of land for the

purpose, whether immediate or future, of sale or of building develop-
ment It includes resubdivision and, when appropriate to the con

text, relates to the process of resubdiving or to the land or ter-

ritory subdivided.

"Variance" means a modification only of density, bulk, or area
requirements in the zoning ordinance where such modification will
not be contrary to the public interest and where owing to conditions

peculiar to the property, and not the results of any action taken by

the applicant, a literal enforcement of the ordinance would result in
unnecessary hardship.