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<section article="ggp" article_name="General Provisions" number="5-833" title_number="5" title_name="Maryland Public Ethics Law" subtitle_number="8" subtitle_name="Local Government Provisions">
  <level label="a">
    <text>In this part the following words have the meanings indicated.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>“Agent” means an individual or a business entity hired or retained by an applicant for any purpose relating to the land that is the subject of an application if the individual or business entity is:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>an accountant;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>an attorney;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>an architect;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>an engineer;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>a land use consultant;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vi">
        <text>an economic consultant;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vii">
        <text>a real estate agent;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="viii">
        <text>a real estate broker;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ix">
        <text>a traffic consultant; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="x">
        <text>a traffic engineer.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>“Agent” includes:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>as to a corporation described in paragraph (1) of this subsection, its officers, directors, and majority stockholders who are engaged in substantive activities pertaining specifically to land development in Prince George’s County as a regular part of their ongoing business activities;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>as to a partnership or limited partnership described in paragraph (1) of this subsection, its general partners and limited partners who are engaged in substantive activities pertaining specifically to land development in Prince George’s County as a regular part of their ongoing business activities; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>as to a joint venture described in paragraph (1) of this subsection, the principal members of the joint venture who are engaged in substantive activities pertaining specifically to land development in Prince George’s County as a regular part of their ongoing business activities.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>“Applicant” means an individual or a business entity that is:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>a title owner or contract purchaser of land that is the subject of an application;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>a trustee that has an interest in land that is the subject of an application, excluding a trustee described in a mortgage or deed of trust; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>a holder of at least a 5% interest in a business entity that has an interest in land that is the subject of an application but only if:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>the holder of at least a 5% interest has substantive involvement in directing the affairs of the business entity with an interest in the land that is the subject of an application with specific regard to the disposition of that land; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>the holder of at least a 5% interest is engaged in substantive activities specifically pertaining to land development in Prince George’s County as a regular part of the business entity’s ongoing business activities.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>“Applicant” includes:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>any business entity in which a person described in paragraph (1) of this subsection holds at least a 5% interest; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the directors and officers of a corporation that actually holds title to the land, or is a contract purchaser of the land, that is the subject of an application.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>“Applicant” does not include:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>a financial institution that has loaned money or extended financing for the acquisition, development, or construction of improvements on any land that is the subject of an application;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>a municipal corporation or public corporation;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>a public authority;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>a public utility regulated by the Public Service Commission in any instance where the utility is engaged in or conducting regulated activities that have been approved by the Public Service Commission or are allowed under Division I of the Public Utilities Article; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>the directors and officers of any entity that does not hold title to the land, or is not the contract purchaser of the land, that is the subject of an application.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>“Application” means:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>an application for:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>a zoning map amendment;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>a special exception;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>a departure from design standards;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>a revision to a special exception site plan;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>an expansion of a legal nonconforming use;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vi">
        <text>a revision to a legal nonconforming use site plan; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vii">
        <text>a request for a variance from the zoning ordinance;</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>an application to approve:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>a comprehensive design plan;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>a conceptual site plan; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>a specific design plan; or</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>participation in adopting and approving an area master plan or sectional map amendment by appearance at a public hearing, filing a statement in the official record, or other similar communication to a member of the County Council or the Planning Board, where the intent is to intensify the zoning category applicable to the land of the applicant.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>“Business entity” means:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>a corporation;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>a general partnership;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>a joint venture;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>a limited liability company;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>a limited partnership; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>a sole proprietorship.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>“Candidate” means a candidate for election to the County Council who becomes a member.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <text>“Continuing political committee” means a committee specifically created to promote the candidacy of a member running for any elective office.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="h">
    <text>“Contributor” means a person or business entity that makes a payment.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="i">
    <text>“County Council” means the County Council of Prince George’s County.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="j">
    <text>“County Executive” means the County Executive of Prince George’s County.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="k">
    <text>“District Council” means the County Council of Prince George’s County sitting as the District Council for the Prince George’s County portion of the Maryland–Washington Regional District.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="l">
    <text>“Member” includes any candidate or person duly elected or appointed who takes the oath of office as a member of the County Council for Prince George’s County and who thereby serves on the District Council.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="m">
    <text>“Payment” means a payment or contribution of money or property or the incurring of a liability or promise of anything of value to a treasurer of a candidate, a candidate’s continuing political committee, or a slate to which the candidate belongs.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="n">
    <level label="1">
      <text>“Pendency of the application” means the time between the acceptance of a filing of an application by the appropriate agency and expiration of the time under which an appeal on the application may be taken.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>“Pendency of the application” does not include a period during which:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>action on the application is under judicial review; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>judicial review may be requested.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="o">
    <text>“Political action committee” means a political committee that is not:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>a political party;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>a central committee;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>a slate; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>a political committee organized and operated by, and solely on behalf of, an individual running for any elective office or a slate.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="p">
    <text>“Slate” means a group, combination, or organization of candidates created under the Election Law Article.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="q">
    <level label="1">
      <text>“Treasurer” has the meaning stated in § 1–101 of the Election Law Article.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>“Treasurer” includes a subtreasurer.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
