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Dorchester County Unincorporated
City Zoning Code

ARTICLE VI

Official Zoning Maps

§ 155-28 Adoption; filing of copies.

The boundaries of the districts are shown on the Official Zoning Maps of Dorchester County, Maryland, which, together with all notations and explanatory matter thereon, are hereby made a part of this chapter. The Official Zoning Maps shall be properly attested and, together with amendments thereto, shall remain on file with the Clerk of the Dorchester County Circuit Court, and an additional copy shall be kept at the office of the Director of Planning.

§ 155-29 Changes or modifications.

If, in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, changes are made in district boundaries or other matter portrayed on the Official Zoning Maps, such changes shall be entered on the Official Zoning Maps promptly after the amendment has been approved by the County Commissioners. No changes of any nature shall be made on the Official Zoning Maps or matter shown thereon except in conformity with the procedures set forth in this chapter. Any unauthorized change of whatever kind by any person shall be considered a violation of this chapter and punishable as provided under § 155-11C of this chapter.

§ 155-30 Replacement; preservation of original.

In the event that any or all of the Official Zoning Maps become damaged, destroyed, lost or difficult to interpret because of their illegibility or nature or number of changes and additions, the County Commissioners may, by resolution, adopt new Official Zoning Map or Maps. The new Official Zoning Map or Maps may correct drafting or other errors or omissions in the prior Official Zoning Map or Maps, but no such correction shall make a substantive change in the Official Zoning Maps. The new Official Zoning Map or Maps shall be properly attested, and a notation of the date of adoption shall be entered on the map or maps. Unless the prior Official Zoning Map or Maps have been lost or totally destroyed, the prior map or maps and any significant parts thereof remaining shall be preserved, together with all available records pertaining to the adoption and amendment of the prior map or maps.

§ 155-31 Interpretation of district boundary lines.

A. 
Rules for interpretation. Where uncertainty exists as to the boundaries of districts as shown on the Official Zoning Maps, the following rules shall apply:
(1) 
Boundaries indicated as approximately following the center lines of existing or proposed roads, highways, alleys or waterways shall be construed as following such center lines.
(2) 
Boundaries indicated as approximately following property lines or election district boundary lines shall be construed as following such property lines or election district boundary lines.
(3) 
Boundaries indicated as following approximately the incorporated limits of municipalities shall be construed as following such incorporated limits.
(4) 
Boundaries indicated as approximately following county boundary lines shall be construed as following such county boundary lines.
(5) 
Wherever a district adjoins a river or other body of water, the district boundary lines shall be deemed to extend to the center line of such body of water.
(6) 
Boundaries indicated as parallel to or extensions of features indicated in Subsection A(1) through (5) above shall be so construed.
(7) 
Where a boundary line is indicated as obviously not coinciding with property lines, center lines, municipal incorporated or jurisdictional limits or other features as indicated in Subsection A(1) through (6) above, the boundary shall be determined by the scale of the map or notations thereon.
(8) 
Boundaries indicated as approximately following the critical area boundary line shall be construed as following such boundary line. The exact boundary of critical area is indicated on the State of Maryland's tidal wetland maps.
B. 
Interpretation by Board of Appeals. Where physical or cultural features existing on the ground are at variance with those shown on the Official Zoning Maps or under circumstances not covered under this section, the Board of Appeals shall interpret the district boundaries upon application by the property owner affected or by the Director of Planning.
C. 
Parcels divided by district boundary lines. Where a district boundary line divides a parcel which was in single ownership at the effective date of this chapter, the Board of Appeals may permit, as a special exception, the extension of the district regulations for either portion of the parcel, not to exceed 100 feet beyond the district line into the remaining portion of the parcel.