120                                             LAWS OF MARYLAND                                   Ch. 79

revenues, increases juvenile delinquency, aggravates
traffic conditions and causes numerous traffic problems;
that the prevention and elimination of these conditions
is a matter of public concern of the State of Maryland
and Rock Hall, Kent County. It is further found and
declared that the existence of these conditions makes it
necessary to acquire private property for redevelopment,
renewal, and rehabilitation and such acquisition is
hereby declared to be for a public purpose; now,
therefore,

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That new Sections 610A through 610M, inclusive,
to be under the new subheading "Redevelopment — Urban
Renewal", be and they are hereby added to the Public
Local Laws of Kent County being Article 15 of the Public
Local Laws of Maryland (1968 Edition and 1975 Supplement,
as amended) to read as follows:

Article 15

REDEVELOPMENT - URBAN RENEWAL

610A. DEFINITIONS

(A)    IN THIS SUBHEADING THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE
THE MEANINGS INDICATED.

(B)    "FEDERAL GOVERNMENT" MEANS THE UNITED STATES
OF AMERICA OR ANY AGENCY OR INSTRUMENTALITY, CORPORATE OR
OTHERWISE, OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

(C)    "SLUM AREA" MEANS ANY AREA WHERE DWELLINGS
PREDOMINATE WHICH, BY REASON OF DEPRECIATION,
OVERCROWDING, FAULTY ARRANGEMENT OR DESIGN, LACK OF
VENTILATION, LIGHT OR SANITARY FACILITIES, OR ANY
COMBINATION OF THESE FACTORS, ARE DETRIMENTAL TO THE
PUBLIC SAFETY, HEALTH OF MORALS.

(D)    "BLIGHTED AREA" MEANS AN AREA IN WHICH A
MAJORITY OF BUILDINGS HAVE DECLINED IN PRODUCTIVITY BY
REASON OF OBSOLESCENCE, DEPRECIATION OR OTHER CAUSES TO
AN EXTENT THEY NO LONGER JUSTIFY FUNDAMENTAL REPAIRS AND
ADEQUATE MAINTENANCE.

(E)    "URBAN RENEWAL PROJECT" MEANS UNDERTAKINGS AND
ACTIVITIES OF A MUNICIPALITY IN AN URBAN RENEWAL AREA FOR
THE ELIMINATION AND FOR THE PREVENTION OF THE DEVELOPMENT
OR SPREAD OF SLUMS AND BLIGHT, AND MAY INVOLVE SLUM
CLEARANCE AND REDEVELOPMENT IN AN URBAN RENEWAL AREA, OF
REHABILITATION OR CONSERVATION IN AN URBAN RENEWAL AREA,
OR ANY COMBINATION OR PART OF THEM IN ACCORDANCE WITH AN
URBAN RENEWAL PLAN. THESE UNDERTAKINGS AND ACTIVITIES
MAY INCLUDE:

(1) ACQUISITION OF A SLUM AREA OR A BLIGHTED
AREA OR PORTION OF THEM;