Ch. 334                                    2003 LAWS OF MARYLAND

(1) FOR WHICH NO PROPERTY TAX PAYMENT HAS BEEN MADE WITHIN 20
YEARS IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING THE DATE OF AN APPLICATION FOR A
CERTIFICATE OF RESERVATION FOR PUBLIC USE BY A UNIT OF STATE GOVERNMENT;
AND

(2) WHICH HAS NOT BEEN ACTUALLY POSSESSED BY A PERSON, UNDER
CLAIM OF TITLE OR OTHERWISE, FOR A CONTINUOUS PERIOD OF 20 YEARS
IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING THE DATE OF AN APPLICATION FOR A CERTIFICATE OF
RESERVATION FOR PUBLIC USE BY A UNIT OF STATE GOVERNMENT.

(N) "Vacant land" means land for which a patent never has been issued or for
which the applicant believes that a patent never has been issued.

[(n)] (O) "Verify" means to state in writing, under penalties of perjury, that the
matters and facts set forth in the document to which the statement relates are true
and complete to the best of the knowledge, information, and belief of the person
making the statement.

13-106.

(a)     (1) A governmental body may reserve vacant land OR ABANDONED LAND
by obtaining from the Commissioner a certificate of reservation for public use.

(2) Except as otherwise provided, the provisions of this title applicable to
the granting of land patents are applicable to the granting of certificates of
reservation.

(b)     (1) In order to reserve vacant land OR ABANDONED LAND for public use,
a unit of State government must notify and obtain the approval of the Board of Public
Works.

(2) If the Board approves the request, the unit shall immediately apply
for a certificate of reservation.

(c)     (1) (i) The application of a governmental body for a certificate of
reservation takes precedence over an application of a person for a patent to all or part
of the same land.

(ii) The application of a unit of State government takes precedence
over the application of any other governmental body.

(2) As a condition of granting a certificate of reservation, the
Commissioner may order a governmental body to pay the reasonable expenses of a
person whose application for a patent has been superseded.

(d)     If no objection to an application for a reservation of land is filed and the
Commissioner determines that a vacancy exists, the Commissioner may decide the
matter without holding a hearing.

(e)     (1) A certificate of reservation remains in effect:

(I) [until] UNTIL the Board of Public Works or, in the case of a
governmental body other than a unit of State government, the appropriate local

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