HARRY HUGHES, Governor

2557

BY adding to

Article 78A - Public Works
Section 58A and 64A
Annotated Code of Maryland
(1980 Replacement Volume)

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That section(s) of the Annotated Code of Maryland
be repealed, amended, or enacted to read as follows:

Article 78A - Public Works

56.

(a)  The General Assembly finds that onerous burdens
are placed on persons undertaking development and
construction projects by reason of the varying and time
consuming procedures in obtaining necessary permits from
State and local agencies. The General Assembly further finds
that the present methods for permitting public comment in
relation to such projects are cumbersome and time consuming,
and place undue hardship on members of the public, thereby
inhibiting the public's ability to present its views to
State and local permit granting agencies.

(b)  The General Assembly declares that it is desirable
TO ASSURE PROMPT, REASONABLE, AND DECISIVE ACTION ON, AS
WELL AS to provide for a consolidation of the fact-finding
processes involved in issuing these various permits in order
(1) to eliminate unnecessary delay, unreasonable expense,
and duplication of effort in obtaining necessary permits,
thereby fostering the development of projects which are in
the economic, social, and environmental interest of the
citizens of Maryland; and (2) to remove impediments to the
effective expression of public comment on these projects,
thereby safeguarding against the approval of projects which
are not in the economic, social, and environmental interest
of the citizens of Maryland.

(c)  The purpose of this subtitle is to coordinate AND
EXPEDITE administrative decision making by (1) consolidating
application procedures to assist those persons who must
obtain permits from one or more local and State agencies;
[and] (2) consolidating necessary hearings to assist State
and local agencies in obtaining all relevant information
pertaining to applications which must be acted upon by them;
AND (3) REQUIRING ACTION ON PERMIT APPLICATIONS WITHIN A
REASONABLE TIME WHETHER OR NOT SUBJECT TO CONSOLIDATED
PROCEDURES.

57.

(d)  "Permit" means a license, permit, certificate, or
other document of approval required to be obtained from a