§ 21-15 Acquisition of property.

Whenever the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore provides, by ordinance, for the laying out, opening, extending, widening or straightening of any highway, street, square, lane or alley in Baltimore City, such ordinance may provide that the Department of Public Works shall proceed to acquire the property necessary, in accordance with Sections <cite data-doc="City of Baltimore, Md., Charter" data-path="VII|§44A">44A</cite>, <cite data-doc="City of Baltimore, Md., Charter" data-path="VII|§44B">44B</cite>, <cite data-doc="City of Baltimore, Md., Charter" data-path="VII|§44C">44C</cite>, and <cite data-doc="City of Baltimore, Md., Charter" data-path="VII|§44D">44D</cite> of <cite data-doc="City of Baltimore, Md., Charter" data-path="VII">Article VII of the Charter of Baltimore City</cite> (1964 Revision) as amended <em>{Article VII, §§ 43 to 46 of City Charter (1996 Edition)}</em>, and Sections <cite data-doc="City of Baltimore, Md., Code" data-path="|26|§56">56</cite> through <cite data-doc="City of Baltimore, Md., Code" data-path="|26|§70">70</cite> of <cite data-doc="City of Baltimore, Md., Code" data-path="|26">Article 26</cite> of the Baltimore City Code as amended <em>{Article 26, <cite data-path="3">Subtitle 3</cite> of City Code (Edition 2000}</em>; or the ordinance may provide that the property necessary to be acquired for such laying out, opening, extending, widening or straightening, may be acquired by proceedings in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, under Article - <cite data-doc="Md. Code" data-path="grp">Real Property, Title 12 of the Annotated Code of Maryland</cite>, and that, after the damages to be awarded shall have been ascertained by such proceedings, then the Department of Public Works may proceed to assess the benefits for the laying out, opening, extending, widening or straightening, in the same manner as if the damages had been assessed by it under Sections <cite data-doc="City of Baltimore, Md., Code" data-path="|26|§60">60</cite>, <cite data-doc="City of Baltimore, Md., Code" data-path="|26|§61">61</cite>, and <cite data-doc="City of Baltimore, Md., Code" data-path="|26|§62">62</cite> of <cite data-doc="City of Baltimore, Md., Code" data-path="|26">Article 26</cite> of the Baltimore City Code (1976 Edition) as amended <em>{Article 26, §§ <cite data-path="3|§3-5">3-5</cite> to <cite data-path="3|§3-10">3-10</cite> of City Code (Edition 2000)}</em>, and it shall state in the report the amount of damages assessed by the proceedings in Court to the various owners, and the expenses of the court proceedings, and its own proceedings.

Before any such benefits and damages are assessed, there shall be filed with the Department of Public Works, a profile map or plat showing the grade of the proposed highway, street, square, lane, cul-de-sac, or alley with respect to the abutting property, which map or plat shall be included by the Department of Public Works, in the return of its proceedings.