1686                             Laws of Maryland                      [Ch. 650

348A.

The County Commissioners of Charles County are hereby author-
ized to construct and improve roads and drainage incident to con-
struction or improvement on or along private roads after the ap-
proval of a petition of the majority of the property owners whose
property abuts on the road to be constructed or improved requesting
that the roads be taken into the County Road System. In the exercise
of the powers granted by this Section, the County Commissioners
may by proper ordinance, passed in accordance with the provisions
of Section 8 of Article 25 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1957
Edition, as amended), adopt all necessary rules and conditions for
the acceptance, construction and maintenance of roads and/or other
authorized improvements by the County. The ordinance may SHALL
also provide for annual benefit assessments to be levied against the
abutting properties for the purpose of reimbursing the County for the
cost of the improvements and the time and manner of payment, but
not to exceed ten years. Annual benefit assessments shall be a first
lien upon the property against which they are assessed, until paid,
subject only to prior State and County taxes, and if any property be
sold for State and County taxes, and there remains a surplus, then
the County Commissioners may upon petition to the Circuit Court
be allowed the payment of their lien.

348B.

For the purpose of giving notice to the general public as to the ex-
isting liens and charges against any property for benefit assessments,
the County Commissioners shall keep a public record of all names
of property owners and the locations of the property, and the amount
of the benefit charges among the land records of Charles County
under the supervision of the Clerk of the Circuit Court, and the re-
cordation with the Clerk of the benefit assessment shall be legal
notice of the liens.

The County Commissioners shall, on or before July 1, of each year
certify its benefit assessments hereunder to the Treasurer of Charles
County for collection from the property owners affected, and the
Treasurer shall add the benefit assessments to the State and County
property tax bills for collection subject to discount and interest
allowances or charges as now provided by law for Charles County
taxes on real property and upon failure of payment of the benefit
assessments, they may be deducted from any surplus in the hands
of the Treasurer after sale for nonpayment of State and County
property taxes under proper order of the Circuit Court. In the alter-
native, the Hen created in favor of the annual benefit assessments
may be enforced by bill in equity or by action at law. No deed or
conveyance of real property shall be transferred by the Assessor's
office until proof of payment of all benefit assessments has been ex-
hibited to the transfer clerk.

348D.

Before the powers granted by this Act can be exercised there must
first be the petition of the property owners as hereinbefore provided
requesting improvements, public hearing upon the petition after ten

348C.