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<section article="gen" article_name="Environment" number="9-652" title_number="9" title_name="Water, Ice, and Sanitary Facilities" subtitle_number="6" subtitle_name="Sanitary Commissions">
  <level label="a">
    <text>After a service area has been created under § 9-648 or § 9-649 of this subtitle, the sanitary commission may obtain further surveys, plans, specifications, and estimates that relate to possible projects in a service area.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>The sanitary commission may create, within a service area:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Water service subareas;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Sewerage service subareas; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Solid waste disposal subareas.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>In creating a service subarea under this subsection, the sanitary commission shall consider whether that creation:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Best serves the needs of the communities in the whole service area; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Promotes convenience and economy of installation and operation of projects in the whole service area.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>When a plan for a proposed project is complete or when the sanitary commission proposes to create service subareas, the sanitary commission shall give notice and hold a public hearing at which time any individual will be given an opportunity to be heard in accordance with this section.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>The hearing shall be held within 5 days of the last date that notice of the hearing is published under subsection (f) of this section.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>For 3 consecutive weeks before the hearing, the sanitary commission shall publish notice of the hearing in at least 1 newspaper of general circulation in each member county in which the proposed project or service subarea is to be located.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <text>The notice shall include:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>The probable cost, based on the latest available estimates, of the proposed project or subarea;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A statement that the plans for the proposed project or subarea may be inspected at the office of the sanitary commission; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>A statement that any individual interested in the proposed project or subarea will be heard at the hearing.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="h">
    <text>A statement of probable cost included in a notice under this section does not require that the actual cost be the same.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="i">
    <text>After the hearing, the sanitary commission shall issue a decision on the proposal.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="j">
    <text>On receipt of a proper petition that protests the proposal, the sanitary commission shall hold a second hearing and give notice of that hearing.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="k">
    <text>A petition for a second hearing by the sanitary commission shall:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Be signed by at least 25 resident landowners who would be served by the proposed project or who reside in the proposed service subarea;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Be filed with the sanitary commission within 10 days after the sanitary commission issues a decision under subsection (i) of this section; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>State the objections of the petitioners.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="l">
    <text>If a proper petition for a second hearing is filed with the sanitary commission, the sanitary commission shall hold a second hearing, if any, within 15 days after the petition is filed.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="m">
    <text>The sanitary commission shall give notice of the second hearing, if any, by:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Mailing the notice to at least 1 petitioner; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Publishing a notice of the time and place of the hearing, at least 5 days before the second hearing, in at least 1 newspaper of general circulation in each county where the proposed project or service subarea is to be located.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="n">
    <text>After the second hearing, if any, the sanitary commission shall:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>By majority vote of the sanitary commissioners, determine whether the petitioner’s objections are reasonable; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Issue a written order that decides the issue.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="o">
    <text>The sanitary commission shall give notice of its order after any second hearing under this section by:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Mailing the order to at least 1 petitioner; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Publishing the order in at least 1 newspaper of general circulation in each member county where the proposed project or service subarea is to be located.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="p">
    <text>Persons aggrieved by the decision of the sanitary commission following a second hearing under this section may appeal to the member counties in accordance with this section.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="q">
    <text>An appeal to the member counties may be made under this section if:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>The appeal is signed by at least 20 of the petitioners for a second hearing before the sanitary commission; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Within 10 days after notice of the sanitary commission’s decision after the second hearing is published under this section, the appeal is filed with the governing body of each member county where the proposed project or service subarea is to be located.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="r">
    <text>The governing body of each member county of the proposed project or service subarea shall hear the appeal from the second hearing.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="s">
    <text>After an appeal under this section, the proposed project or service subarea may not be established unless the governing body of each member county affirms the proposed project or service subarea.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="t">
    <text>The decision of the governing bodies of the member counties is final.</text>
  </level>
</section>
