A. 
Any person aggrieved by an action of the Town Manager under the provisions of this article may, within 10 working days of receipt of written notice of such action, appeal such action to the Board of Rental Housing Appeals by filing a notice of appeal with the Town Clerk. Except in the case of the revocation of a license, an appeal shall not operate to stay the action of the Town Manager unless the action is stayed by order of the Board for good cause shown.
B. 
Within 30 working days of the filing of the notice of appeal, the Board shall conduct a hearing, at which time an opportunity to be heard shall be given to the person aggrieved. The hearing shall be open to the public, and records and minutes shall be maintained by the Board.
C. 
Unless otherwise provided by Board rules or regulations, the Board or Board panel shall by order, within 15 working days after such hearing, either reverse, modify or affirm the action appealed and shall issue its findings, opinions and orders in writing and provide a copy thereof to the parties involved. Any appellant dissatisfied with the decision of the Board may appeal the decision to the Circuit Court of Carroll County; however, this appeal shall not stay any findings, opinions or orders of the Board.
The Board of Rental Housing Appeals of the Town of Hampstead is hereby created and designated as the "Board of Rental Housing Appeals." The number of members of such Board shall be three, with one or more alternates. The Board shall be comprised of one member of the Town Council, one member of the Planning and Zoning Commission and one member of the Board of Zoning Appeals as appointed by the Mayor.
A. 
The Board shall have the powers to hear and decide appeals where it is alleged that there is an error in any order, requirement, decision or determination made by an administrative official in regard to the enforcement of this chapter of the Town Code or of any ordinance adopted pursuant thereto.
B. 
In exercising the above-mentioned power, the Board may, in conformity with the provisions of law and this chapter and amendments thereto, reverse or affirm, wholly or partly, or may modify the order, requirement, decision or determination appealed from and may make such order, requirement, decision or determination as ought to be made.
C. 
The Board is also empowered to adopt and promulgate such rules and regulations as it shall deem necessary in the conduct of its hearings and the issuance of its decisions or testimony pertaining to its hearings.
The Board shall be organized and its rules shall be amended, if necessary, in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. Meetings of the Board shall be held at the call of the Chairman, and at such other times as the Board may determine. The Chairman or, in his absence, the Acting Chairman may administer oaths and compel the attendance of witnesses. For assistance in reaching decisions relative to appeals, conditional uses or variances, the Board may request testimony at its hearings for purposes of securing technical aid or factual evidence from any county agency. All meetings of the Board shall be open to the public. The Board shall keep minutes of its proceedings and shall keep records of all its official actions, all of which shall be filed in the office of the Board and shall be a public record.
[Amended 11-13-2007 by Ord. No. 439]
An appeal to the Board may be taken by any person aggrieved by the Town Manager in the enforcement of this chapter of the Town Code. Such appeal shall be taken within 10 days after the decision by filing with the Town Manager and with the Board a notice of appeal, specifying the grounds thereof. The Town Manager shall forthwith transmit to the Board all the papers constituting the record upon which the action appealed from was taken.
Upon the filing of an application before the Board, the following action shall be taken preparatory to holding a hearing thereon:
A. 
The Board shall fix a reasonable time for a hearing of the application or appeal.
B. 
Notice of the hearing shall be advertised at least once in a newspaper having general circulation in the Town of Hampstead, and such advertisement shall be made at least 20 days prior to such hearings.
C. 
Property upon which the application or appeal is concerned shall be posted conspicuously by a zoning notice no less in size than 22 inches by 28 inches at least 14 days before the date of the hearing.
D. 
Notification by certified mail shall be made to the appellant or petitioner and to the owners of those properties and the addresses certified on the notice of appeal by the appellant or petitioner as being contiguous to the property with which the hearing is concerned.
E. 
The Board, upon application in writing by any interested party filed with the Town Manager no less than 10 days prior to the date of scheduled hearing, shall visit the specific property involved prior to the hearing. The Board, in its discretion, may otherwise visit the specific property prior to or after the hearing.
The Board, following such action above, shall hold such hearing. At the hearing, any party may appear and be heard in person or by agent or attorney.
Any person or persons, jointly or severally, aggrieved by a decision of the Board, or by a zoning action by the local legislative body or any taxpayer or any officer, department, board or bureau of the Town of Hampstead, may appeal to the Circuit Court for Carroll County as provided for by state law. The Court may affirm, reverse, vacate or modify the decision complained of in the appeal to the extent and as provided for by state law.
A filing fee shall accompany each application for an appeal to the Board as may be determined by the Mayor and Council of the Town of Hampstead.