HOWARD COUNTY, MARYLAND

LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

COUNTY COUNCIL

ORIGIN & FUNCTIONS

Elected by the Voters to four-year terms, the County Council consists of five members. Voters in each Councilmanic District elect one Council member. Annually, the Council chooses its Chair and Vice-Chair (County Charter, secs. 201-203).

BOARD OF APPEALS
The Board of Appeals hears appeals on the assessment of any special benefit tax; and on an application for zoning variation, exception, or amendment to a zoning ordinance map. It also hears appeals on the issuance, renewal, denial, revocation, suspension, annulment, or modification of any license, permit, approval, exemption, waiver, certificate, registration, or other form of permission or of any adjudicatory order.

Appointed by the County Council to five-year terms, the Board of Appeals consists of five members (County Charter, Art. V, sec. 501; Code Land Use Article, secs. 4-101 through 4-406).

CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION
The County Code requires that the County Council establish a Charter Revew Commission every eight years to review the County Charter and propose changes to the County Council (County Code, Article X, sec. 1002).

Appointed by the County Council, fifteen County residents make up the Commission.

COUNCILMANIC REDISTRICTING COMMISSION
After each federal decennial census, the County Charter requires that the County Council revise the County's Councilmanic Election Districts (County Charter, Art. II, sec. 202).

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