Terms Used In Maryland Code, LOCAL GOVERNMENT 10-312

  • County: means a county of the State or Baltimore City. See
  • Deed: The legal instrument used to transfer title in real property from one person to another.
  • including: means includes or including by way of illustration and not by way of limitation. See
  • Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). Source: OCC
  • Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
(a) A county may provide for the protection of county property.

(b) A county may provide for:

(1) the acquisition by purchase, lease, condemnation, or otherwise of property required for public purposes in the county; and

(2) the disposal of any real or leasehold county property, if the county property is no longer needed for public use.

(c) A county may lease as lessor any county property to further the public purposes of the county, on any terms and compensation that the county considers proper.

(d) A county may provide for the financing of any housing or housing project wholly or partly, including the placement of a deed of trust, mortgage, or other debt instrument on the property to ensure repayment of funds used to purchase, construct, rehabilitate, or otherwise develop the housing project.

(e) (1) A county may grant any franchise or right to use a franchise, including any right or franchise in relation to any highway, street, road, lane, alley, or bridge.

(2) A county may grant a franchise for a cable television system as provided in § 1-708 of this article.

(3) For any franchise granted under this subsection, a county may:

(i) impose franchise fees; and

(ii) establish rates, rules, and regulations.

(f) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, before the county makes any disposition, grant, or lease of county property, the county shall publish notice of the disposition, grant, or lease once a week for 3 successive weeks in at least one newspaper of general circulation in the county and shall include the terms and the compensation to be received and give opportunity for objections.

(2) A county may grant an easement for a public utility without giving notice under this subsection.