974                              Laws of Maryland                      [Ch. 440

missioners or county council of every county in the State and the
mayor and city council, by whatever name known, of every municipal
corporation in this State and the mayor and city council of Balti-
more City have power by ordinance or resolution to regulate the
construction, alteration, [repair] reconstruction, moving and demoli-
tion of such structures within their respective limits. Hereafter in
this [section] subtitle such counties and municipal corporations are
referred to as "county" or "counties" or "municipal corporation" as
the case may be.

(b) The purpose of an ordinance or resolution in any county or
municipal corporation shall be (1) to safeguard the heritage of the
county or municipal corporation by preserving the district therein
which reflects elements of its cultural, social, economic, political, or
architectural history; (2) to stabilize and improve property values
in such a district; (3) to foster civic beauty; (4) to strengthen the
local economy; and (5) to promote the use and preservation of his-
toric districts for the education, welfare, and pleasure of the resi-
dents of the county or municipal corporation.

8.03.

(a)  A county or a municipal corporation may create a commis-
sion 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 special interest, knowledge or training in such fields
as history, architecture, preservation or urban design and agree to
serve on this commission 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
appointments shall be for three years and shall not expire at the
same time. Members of any commission are eligible for reappoint-
ment. Any vacancy on a commission shall be filled by the appointing
authority for the unexpired term of the particular position. County
or municipal 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.

(b)   The Maryland Historical Trust may be designated by the com-
mission to make an analysis of and recommendation concerning the
preservation of structures of historic and architectural value within
the area served by the com/mission. Such report may include pro-
posed boundaries of districts and the use RECOMMENDED to be
permitted in the districts as well as identify and designate par-
ticular structures RECOMMENDED to be preserved.

8.05.

Before the construction, alteration, [repair] reconstruction, mov-
ing, or demolition of any structure is made within the county or mu-
nicipal corporation, if any changes are involved which would affect
the exterior appearance of a structure visible or intended to be visible
from an adjacent public way in the district, the person, individual,
firm, or corporation proposing to make the construction or change
shall file with the commission an application for permission to build,