# Land Use (GLU)

## Title 14. Definitions; General Provisions

### Subtitle 1. Definitions

#### Section 14-101

(a) In this division the following words have the meanings indicated.

(b) "Commission" means the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.

(c) "Commissioner" means a member of the Commission.

(d) "County" means a county of the State or Baltimore City.

(e) "County planning board" means a planning board for a county established under Title 20, Subtitle 2 of this article.

(f) "District council" means:

  (1) for a single county, the county council sitting as the district council of the county with respect to that portion of the regional district in the county under Sec. 22-101 of this article;

  (2) for the district council as a whole, the county councils of both counties sitting jointly as the bi-county district council of the regional district under Sec. 22-102 of this article; or

  (3) for a municipal corporation, the governing body of the municipal corporation sitting as the district council for the municipal corporation under an agreement authorized under Sec. 20-704(c) of this article.

(g) "Governed special taxing district" or "governed district" means a special taxing district that:

  (1) has an elected local governing body; and

  (2) performs general municipal functions.

(h)

  (1) "Local law" means an enactment of the legislative body of a local jurisdiction, whether by ordinance, resolution, or otherwise.

  (2) "Local law" does not include a public local law.

(i) "Metropolitan district" means the Maryland-Washington Metropolitan District established under Title 19 of this article.

(j) "Park" includes a public playground, play field, and any other recreational ground, space, or facility.

(k) "Person" means an individual, receiver, trustee, guardian, personal representative, fiduciary, representative of any kind, partnership, firm, association, corporation, limited liability company, or other entity.

(l) "Regional district" means the Maryland-Washington Regional District established under Title 20, Subtitle 1 of this article.

(m) "Road" includes a highway, freeway, boulevard, parkway, street, avenue, lane, alley, viaduct, bridge, trail, bicycle path, and any other way or part of a way.

(n) "Sensitive area" has the meaning stated in Sec. 1-101 of this article.

(o)

  (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, "state" means:

    (i) a state, possession, territory, or commonwealth of the United States; or

    (ii) the District of Columbia.

  (2) When capitalized, "State" means Maryland.

(p)

  (1) "Subdivision" means:

    (i) the process and configuration of land by which one or more lots, tracts, or parcels of land are divided, consolidated, or established as one or more lots or parcels, or other divisions of land, consistent with criteria established by the legislative body of the local jurisdiction; or

    (ii) the land so subdivided.

  (2) "Subdivision" includes resubdivision.

(q)

  (1) "Zoning law" means the legislative implementation of regulations for zoning by a local jurisdiction.

  (2) "Zoning law" includes a zoning ordinance, zoning regulation, zoning code, and any similar legislative action to implement zoning controls in a local jurisdiction.

### Subtitle 2. General Provisions

#### Section 14-201

This division applies only in Montgomery County and Prince George's County.

#### Section 14-202

(a) Except as otherwise provided in Title 20, Subtitle 7, Part I, Title 24, Subtitle 2, and Title 25, Subtitle 3 of this article, Article XI-E of the Maryland Constitution does not apply to the Commission, the metropolitan district, or the regional district.

(b) Neither the Commission, the metropolitan district, nor the regional district is a "municipal corporation" under Article XI-E of the Maryland Constitution.

#### Section 14-203

The requirement or authorization for a local jurisdiction to enact a local law to implement a provision of this division is not intended to alter in any way the form or legislative mechanism that the applicable enabling authority requires for the local jurisdiction to enact the local law, whether by ordinance, resolution, or otherwise, as of October 1, 2012.

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Md. Code Ann., Land Use (as displayed at mgaleg.maryland.gov, October 16, 2026)