2556                               County Local Laws

shall be heard in the first instance by the zoning hearing officer and on ap-
peal, de novo, by the county board of appeals. Zoning reclassifications shall
be granted or denied in accordance with appropriate zoning regulations, but
no reclassifications shall be granted except on the basis of an affirmative
finding that there was a mistake in the zoning map or that the character
of the neighborhood has changed to such an extent that the zoning map
should be changed. Notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary, the
county board of appeals may impose such additional restrictions, conditions
or limitations upon such reclassification as may be deemed appropriate
to preserve, improve, or protect the general character and design of the
lands and improvements being zoned or rezoned, or of the surrounding
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, construction, landscaping, or other
improvements, alterations, and changes made or to be made on the sub-
ject land or lands to assure conformity with the intent and purpose of this
article and of the County's zoning ordinance.

(8) In all cases heard by the county board of appeals, its decision
shall be final unless further appeal be taken therefrom in the manner
provided in Section 2-102.

Section 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Ordinance
shall take effect forty-five (45) days from the date it becomes law.

APPROVED AND ENACTED: July 29, 1970.

Bill No. 79-70

An Ordinance to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section 1-
223 (a) (2) of the Anne Arundel County Code (1967 Edition and
Supplements), Title 1, "Administration", Subtitle 2, "Personnel", Arti-
cle III, "Employees' Retirement Plan", changing the date beyond which
a participant in the County Retirement Plan may receive credited past
service.

Section 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNTY COUNCIL OF
ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MARYLAND, That Section 1-223 (a) (2)
of the Anne Arundel County Code (1967 Edition and Supplements) be, and
it is hereby repealed and re-enacted, with amendments, to read as follows:

Section 1-223

(a) (2) "Credited past service", means service credited to a partici-
pant under the employees' retirement system of the state. A participant will
not receive credited past service unless he elects to become a participant
of this retirement plan before [August 31,1969] July 1,1970.

Section 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Ordinance
shall take effect forty-five (45) days from the date it becomes law.

APPROVED AND ENACTED: July 29, 1970.

Bill No. 80-70

An Ordinance to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Sections
1-215 (a) (4), (b) (5), (c) (2), (d) (1), (2) and (3) and (e) (1)
of the Anne Arundel County Code (1967 Edition and Supple-