§ 33-2-105. OFFICIAL CHESAPEAKE BAY CRITICAL AREA MAP.

(a)

Map as a geodatabase. The county shall maintain the official county Chesapeake Bay Critical Area Map as a geodatabase, that contains information provided to the county by the state.

(b)

Use. The official county Chesapeake Bay Critical Area Map geodatabase shall be used to depict in electronic and printed formats the locations and boundaries of:

(1)

The Chesapeake Bay Critical Area;

(2)

Critical area land use classifications for all existing and newly included land areas in the critical area;

(3)

The digitally generated and georeferenced shoreline and landward boundary of tidal wetlands provided to the county by the state from which the critical area boundary line was generated; and

(4)

Digitally generated and georeferenced modified buffer areas subject to § 33-2-403 of this title.

(c)

Critical area boundary line. The critical area boundary line on the map extends to whichever of the following measurements is greater in extent:

(1)

1,000 feet from the digitally generated and georeferenced shoreline or landward boundary of tidal wetlands provided to the county by the state, or

(2)

The limit of any digitally generated and georeferenced critical area 1,000-foot boundary expansions delineated from the county's approved 1988 official Chesapeake Bay Critical Area Map.

(d)

Maintenance manual.

(1)

The map shall be maintained and updated in accordance with the official county Chesapeake Bay Critical Area Map Geodatabase Maintenance Manual.

(2)

In order to maintain map quality and integrity, the county may:

(i)

Correct any cartographic errors of the critical area boundary or a critical area land use classification or boundary that occurred during conversion of information on the official county Chesapeake Bay Critical Area Map to an electronic format;

(ii)

Periodically adjust the critical area 1,000-foot boundary expansions located along Pottery Farm Road and Bowleys Quarters Road as needed to maintain the relationships between those boundaries and the county's geographic information system cadastral geodatabase;

(iii)

Periodically adjust the boundaries of critical area land use classifications and modified buffer areas as needed to maintain the relationships between those boundaries and the county's geographic information system cadastral geodatabase; and

(iv)

Update the critical area land use classification boundaries on the map to reflect any growth allocation changes approved by the county and the Critical Area Commission.

(3)

By June 30 and December 31 each year, the county shall electronically transmit all map updates to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources for incorporation into the statewide base map.

(4)

The county may also transmit electronic map updates to the Critical Area Commission at other times of the year, as needed to maintain the integrity of the map.

(5)

All electronic map updates submitted in accordance with paragraph (4) of this subsection shall be accompanied by a letter of explanation from the county.

(e)

Accuracy.

(1)

The representation of critical area expansion boundaries along Pottery Farm Road and Bowleys Quarters Road, critical area land use classification boundaries, and modified buffer area boundaries depicted on the official county Chesapeake Bay Critical Area Map relative to property boundaries is based upon the best available information at the time of mapping and mapping updates.

(2)

When property boundary survey information is available, a map user may cartographically adjust on a site plan any map boundary noted in paragraph (1) of this subsection to maintain the relationship between the map boundary and a surveyed property boundary.

(3)

The Department of Environmental Protection and Sustainability shall make the final determination about the accuracy of official county Chesapeake Bay Critical Area Map information on a site plan.

(f)

Incorporated by reference. The official county Chesapeake Bay Critical Area map is incorporated by reference.

(1988 Code, § 26-439) (Bill No. 8-96, § 4, 3-23-1996; Bill No. 94-02, § 2, 7-1-2004; Bill No. 122-10, § 13, 1-16-2011; Bill No. 51-15, § 3, 8-16-2015 )