2013 Maryland Code
AGRICULTURE
§ 8-307 - Land-use rules and regulations -- Generally

§8-307.

(a) The supervisors of any district may formulate rules and regulations governing the use of land within the district in order to conserve soil and soil resources and prevent and control soil erosion. The supervisors may conduct public meetings and public hearings upon tentative rules and regulations as necessary.

(b) The district supervisors, by rules and regulations, may:

(1) Require necessary engineering operations, including the construction of terraces, terrace outlets, check dams, dikes, ponds, ditches, and other necessary structures;

(2) Require observance of particular methods of cultivation including (i) contour cultivating, contour furrowing, lister furrowing, sowing, planting, strip cropping, and seeding; (ii) planting of lands with water conserving and erosion preventing plants, trees, and grasses; and (iii) forestation and reforestation;

(3) Specify cropping programs and tillage practices to be observed;

(4) Require retirement from cultivation of any highly erosive area on which erosion may not be adequately controlled if cultivation is carried on; and

(5) Provide for other means, measures, operations, and programs that may assist conservation of soil resources and prevent or control soil erosion in the district, having due regard to the legislative findings set forth in § 8-102 of this title.

(c) The regulations shall be uniform throughout the district, except the supervisors may classify district lands with reference to factors such as soil type, degree of slope, degree of erosion threatened or existing, cropping and tillage practices in use, and other relevant factors, and may provide rules and regulations varying with the type or class of land affected, but uniform as to all lands within each class or type.

(d) Copies of land-use regulations adopted under the provisions of this section shall be printed and made available to all land occupiers within the district.

(e) Any agency administering any publicly owned lands shall observe the land-use rules and regulations in every respect.