ROBERT L. EHRLICH, JR., Governor                             Ch. 375

CHAPTER 375
(House Bill 777)

AN ACT concerning

Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation - Easement

Termination

FOR the purpose of requiring that the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation
Foundation provide a landowner with the opportunity for a hearing before
deciding on a request for termination of an agricultural land preservation
easement whose purchase is approved by the Board of Public Works on or before
a certain date; allowing a landowner to appeal any Foundation denial of a
request for a termination directly to the circuit court of the county where the
land is located; requiring that the Foundation deposit certain money in a certain
fund if an easement is terminated; requiring that an appeal of a denial of a
termination be made on the record in accordance with certain State law;
requiring that agricultural land preservation easements whose purchase is
approved by the Board of Public Works on or after a certain date be held by the
Foundation in perpetuity; making stylistic changes; and generally relating to
the termination of agricultural land preservation easements.

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
Article - Agriculture
Section 2-514

Annotated Code of Maryland
(1999 Replacement Volume and 2003 Supplement)

BY adding to

Article - Agriculture

Section 2-514.1

Annotated Code of Maryland

(1999 Replacement Volume and 2003 Supplement)

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:

Article - Agriculture

2-514.

(a) It is the intent of the General Assembly that [the] ANY easement
[purchased under this subtitle] WHOSE PURCHASE IS APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF
PUBLIC WORKS ON OR BEFORE SEPTEMBER 30, 2004, be held by the Foundation for as
long as profitable farming is feasible on the land under easement, and an easement
may be terminated only in the manner and at the time specified in this section.

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