Maryland Corporations and Associations Section 5-6B-18.1

      (a)      The provisions of this section relating to no-impact home-based businesses do not apply to a cooperative housing corporation that has adopted, prior to July 1, 1999, procedures in accordance with its articles of incorporation or a proprietary lease or a provision of its bylaws for the prohibition or regulation of no-impact home-based businesses.

      (b)      (1)      Subject to the provisions of subsection (c) of this section, a provision in the articles of incorporation or a proprietary lease or a provision of the bylaws of a cooperative housing corporation that prohibits or restricts commercial or business activity in general, but does not expressly apply to no-impact home-based businesses, may not be construed to prohibit or restrict the establishment and operation of no-impact home-based businesses.

            (2)      Subject to the provisions of subsection (c) of this section, the operation of a no-impact home-based business shall be:

                  (i)      Considered a residential activity; and

                  (ii)      A permitted activity.

      (c)      (1)      (i)      Subject to the provisions of paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection, a cooperative housing corporation may include in its articles of incorporation, bylaws, or proprietary leases a provision expressly prohibiting the use of a residential unit as a no-impact home-based business.

                  (ii)      A provision described under subparagraph (i) of this paragraph expressly prohibiting the use of a residential unit as a no-impact home-based business shall apply to an existing no-impact home-based business in the cooperative project.

            (2)      A provision described under paragraph (1)(i) of this subsection expressly prohibiting the use of a residential unit as a no-impact home-based business may not be enforced unless it is approved by a simple majority of the total eligible voters of the cooperative housing corporation under the voting procedures contained in the articles of incorporation or bylaws of the corporation.

            (3)      If a cooperative housing corporation includes in its articles of incorporation, bylaws, or proprietary leases a provision prohibiting the use of a residential unit as a no-impact home-based business, it shall also include a provision stating that the prohibition may be eliminated and no-impact home-based businesses may be approved by a simple majority of the total eligible voters of the cooperative housing corporation under the voting procedures contained in the articles of incorporation or bylaws of the corporation.

            (4)      If a cooperative housing corporation includes in its articles of incorporation, bylaws, or proprietary leases a provision expressly prohibiting the use of a residential unit as a no-impact home-based business, the prohibition may be eliminated and no-impact home-based business activities may be permitted by the approval of a simple majority of the total eligible voters of the cooperative housing corporation under the voting procedures contained in the articles of incorporation or bylaws of the corporation.

      (d)      A cooperative housing corporation may:

            (1)      Restrict or prohibit a no-impact home-based business in any areas constituting those portions of a cooperative project possessed in common by the members; and

            (2)      Impose a fee for use of any areas constituting those portions of a cooperative project possessed in common by the members in a reasonable amount not to exceed $50 per year on each no-impact home-based business operating in the cooperative project.