§ 32-3-505. PROCEDURES.

(a)

Department of Permits, Approvals and Inspections.

(1)

With the exception of a reclassification petition exempt under § 32-3-509 of this subtitle, the Department of Permits, Approvals and Inspections shall transmit copies of all zoning reclassification petitions accepted for filing to the Board of Appeals within 5 days after receipt.

(2)

As required by this section and rules of practice and procedure established by the Board of Appeals, the Department of Permits, Approvals and Inspections shall make the facilities and staff of the department available to the Board of Appeals for the purpose of:

(i)

Reviewing all the petitions for compliance with applicable statutes and regulations;

(ii)

Preparing the appropriate advertisements;

(iii)

Causing the advertisements to be published; and

(iv)

Posting the individual properties involved in the petitions.

(b)

Transmittal of comments and petition. Not later than 5 days before Period I of the cycle, the Department of Permits, Approvals and Inspections shall transmit the petition and appropriate comments to the Board of Appeals.

(c)

Petition pertaining to land in the critical area.

(1)

In the case of each petition pertaining to land in the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area as defined in § 33-1-101 of the Code, the Department of Permits, Approvals and Inspections shall simultaneously transmit a copy of the petition and comments to the Director of Environmental Protection and Sustainability.

(2)

The Director of Environmental Protection and Sustainability may adopt and amend regulations to be used by the Board of Appeals when reviewing petitions for compliance with applicable statutes and regulations.

(d)

Petition referred to the Department of Planning.

(1)

The Department of Permits, Approvals and Inspections shall transmit the petition and comments to the Director of Planning within the first 5 days of Period I of the cycle.

(2)

Within 15 days after the petition is transmitted to the Director of Planning, the Director of Planning shall:

(i)

Publish a listing of all the petitions, together with a map showing the locations of all properties under petition, in two newspapers of general circulation in the county once a week for a period of at least two weeks; and

(ii)

Publicly display, for a period of at least three weeks, a copy of the listing and a graphic representation of the issue in a manner determined by the Director of Planning in the county office building or other appropriate place for public inspection.

(1988 Code, § 2-356) (Bill No. 103-02, § 2, 7-1-2004; Bill No. 72-04, § 1, 8-11-2004; Bill No. 122-10, §§ 12, 30, 1-16-2011; Bill No. 55-11, §§ 1, 2, 10-16-2011)