Town of Bel Air v. Bodt

Summary

The court held that the validity of a municipal zoning-referendum petition is governed solely by the town charter, which permitted the Commissioners to determine facial validity before signature verification. The submitted document was invalid because it did not request a referendum on an entire ordinance, and the later cover page did not cure that defect. The court also held that the Commissioners could make the determination by a verbal motion recorded in the official minutes, vacated the circuit court's judgment, and remanded for a conforming declaratory judgment.