Each petition shall be accompanied by eight copies of a metes
and bounds description and of a plat of the property to be annexed,
prepared by a professional land surveyor or property line surveyor
licensed in the State of Maryland. The plat shall show adjacent Town
boundaries, the names of owners of adjoining properties with title
references, the zoning of the property proposed to be annexed and
of all adjoining properties, and shall have a site map or detail showing
the location of the subject property on the County Master Plan and
shall be of a scale as requested by the Mayor.
The Mayor and Council, in its discretion, may request additional
information from the petitioner or petitioners, such as, but not limited
to, topographic information, traffic studies, environmental reports,
land use plans, permits or municipal service provision studies.
Upon the written request of any petitioner, signed by him or
her in person, or upon verbal request made by any petitioner at any
public hearing on the petition or at any legislative session at which
the resolution in connection therewith is being considered, the petition
may be withdrawn, or amended to exclude a given petitioner's
property.
Upon application to the Mayor and Council, a commercial establishment
desiring to locate within the Town or a property owner desiring to
be annexed into the Town may be granted an abatement of real property
or other Town taxes by a majority vote and formal resolution of the
Council.
Full or partial tax abatement incentives to property owners
desiring to be annexed into the Town may be granted for such periods
of time not to exceed 10 years as the Council finds is in the best
interests of the Town and is fair to the property owner desiring annexation.
In granting tax abatements pursuant to this Article, the Council
shall make specific findings as to why the tax abatements granted
are necessary and in the best interests of the residents of the Town.
Each grant of tax abatement shall be made by a separate resolution
duly offered and adopted at a public meeting of the Town Council.