3008

LAWS OF MARYLAND

Ch. 798

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,

Article - Courts and Judicial Proceedings

Section 4-401

Annotated Code of Maryland

(1980 Replacement Volume and 1980 Supplement)

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be repealed, amended, or enacted to read as follows: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 66B - Zoning and Planning

7.01.

(a) (1) The local legislative body may provide by
ordinance for the enforcement of this article and of any

ordinance or regulation made thereunder. [A} EXCEPT AS

PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION, A violation of
this article or of such ordinance or regulation is hereby
declared to be a misdemeanor, and such local legislative
body may provide for the punishment thereof by fine or
imprisonment or both. It is also empowered to provide civil
penalties for such violation.

(2) (I) IN ST. MARY'S COUNTY, THE COUNTY

COMMISSIONERS MAY PROVIDE BY ORDINANCE THAT AN INITIAL
VIOLATION OF AN ORDINANCE OR REGULATIONS MADE UNDER THIS
ARTICLE IS A CIVIL ZONING INFRACTION.

(II) IF THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ESTABLISH
A CIVIL ZONING INFRACTION, VIOLATIONS SHALL BE TREATED AS
PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (C) OF THIS SECTION.

Article 25 - County Commissioners

10D-2.

(A) IN ST. MARY'S COUNTY,, IF THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS,
PURSUANT TO § 7.01 OF ARTICLE 66B OF THE CODE, HAVE PROVIDED
A CIVIL PENALTY FOR A ZONING VIOLATION, SUCH VIOLATION MAY
BE TREATED AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION.

(C) (B) (1) (I) IN THIS SUBSECTION THE FOLLOWING WORDS
HAVE THE MEANINGS INDICATED.

(II)  "COMMISSION" MEANS THE PLANNING AND
ZONING COMMISSION.

(III)  "ZONING OFFICIAL" MEANS A COUNTY
EMPLOYEE WITH THE DUTY OF DISCOVERING AND PROSECUTING
VIOLATIONS OF ENFORCING THE ZONING ORDINANCE.

(2) FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS ARTICLE, A CIVIL
ZONING INFRACTION IS A CIVIL OFFENSE.