3100

LAWS OF MARYLAND

Ch. 805

District guaranteed by both Prince George's and Montgomery
counties, as the construction bonds of the commission are
now guaranteed under the provisions of chapter 122 of the
Acts of 1918 and amendments to the chapter. The total
amount of bonds for the construction of storm water or
surface drainage systems outstanding shall at no time exceed
the sum of $1,000,000. No bond or part of any bond issued
pursuant to this section in and for Prince George's County
may be paid, appropriated, spent or in any manner applied to
the construction of a storm drainage facility or system
which is not included or in conformance with the current
approved capital improvements program of the commission.

5-1. Generally.

(a)  The construction or acquisition of [said] water
mains or sewers is hereby declared to be a benefit to all
property abutting upon the same and [said] THE commission,
for the purpose of assessing benefits for the construction
of water supply and sewerage systems, shall divide all
properties binding upon a street, road, lane, alley, right
of way or easement, in which a water pipe or sanitary sewer
is to be laid, into seven classes, namely, agricultural,
small acreage, industrial or business, subdivision
residential, multi-unit residential, multi-unit business,
and institutional. Immediately upon the commencement or
within twelve months after the completion of a water supply
or sewerage project the commission is empowered and directed
to fix and levy a benefit charge upon all property abutting
upon [said] THE water main or sewer, in accordance with the
classification, and shall in writing notify all owners of
[said] THE properties into which class their respective
properties fall and the charge determined upon, naming also
in [said] THE notice a time and place when and at which
[said] THE owners will be heard. Such notice may be mailed
to the last known address of the owner, or served in person
upon any adult occupying the premises, or in the case of
vacant or unimproved property, posted upon the premises.
The classification of any property as made by the commission
shall be final, subject only to revision at [said] THE
hearing. The commission may change the classification of
properties from time to time as [said] THE properties change
in the uses to which they are put. [Said] THE benefit
charge shall be levied for both water supply and sewerage
construction and shall be based for each class of property
upon the approximate cost of [said] THE construction as an
integral part of the whole system, and either the number of
front feet abutting upon the street, lane, road, alley,
right of way or easement in which the water pipe or sewer is
placed, or with respect to multi-unit classes, the number of
units in or on the property abutting [said] THE water main
or sewer line.

(b)  All front foot benefit charges heretofore levied
by [said] THE commission, whether by original levy or by
increase, as the same stood charged by [said] THE commission
against the respective properties on December the 31st,