A majority of the landowners or the owners of a majority of the land affected by a watershed association may submit a petition to dissolve the watershed association to the county commissioners, county council, or Mayor and City Council of Baltimore City in which the watershed association was organized. A complete list of the creditors of the watershed association certified under oath by the board of directors shall accompany the petition. On receipt of a petition under subsection (a) of this section, the county commissioners, county council, or Mayor and City Council of Baltimore City shall: set a date for a public hearing on the petition; and give notice of the time, place, and purpose of the hearing at least 30 days before the hearing by: notice mailed to each creditor of the watershed association and each landowner; and publication in a newspaper of general circulation in each county affected by the watershed association. The county commissioners, county council, or Mayor and City Council of Baltimore City may deny or approve a petition for dissolution after a public hearing under this section. On approval of a petition for dissolution, the county commissioners, county council, or Mayor and City Council of Baltimore City shall give notice of the dissolution in the same manner as required under subsection (b) of this section. After payment of all debts, any balance in the county treasury to the credit of the dissolved watershed association shall be distributed to the landowners in proportion to the original assessments.

Notwithstanding § 25–901 of this subtitle, on a written petition for dissolution by any member of the most recently elected or appointed board of directors of a watershed association in Washington County considered inactive as provided in subsection (b) of this section, the County Commissioners of Washington County promptly shall: consider all available information to determine the current operating status and foreseeable operating potential of the watershed association; and approve or deny the petition for dissolution. For the purpose of this section, a watershed association in Washington County is considered inactive if for at least 5 years the watershed association has not complied substantially with a majority of the ordinary operating procedures required under this title, including: the maintenance of ongoing and current information in the watershed file at the office of the clerk of the county; election of a board of directors and officers of the board; an annual meeting of landowners in the area affected by the watershed association; the submission of an annual report by the board of directors to the clerk of the county; the development, approval, filing, execution, or maintenance of a work plan applicable to property owned by the watershed association; and the submission and regular updating of the watershed association’s easement record in the office of the clerk of the circuit court in the applicable county. This subsection applies only after the County Commissioners of Washington County approve a petition for dissolution under this section. If any balance remains in the county treasury to the credit of the dissolved watershed association, the county commissioners shall: satisfy all outstanding debts of the watershed association; and retain any remaining balance. The county commissioners shall provide for the transfer of any interest in real property held by the watershed association to the county in which the property is located.