Explanation: Capitals indicate matter added to existing law.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
* Warning: This is an unofficial, introductory copy of the bill.
The official copy considered by the City Council is the first reader copy.
Introductory*
City of Baltimore
Council Bill
Introduced by: The Council President
At the request of: Office of the Comptroller
A Bill Entitled
An Ordinance concerning
title
Real Estate Records - Modernization
For the purpose of modernizing the methods by which the Comptroller shall make certain information regarding the City’s real estate records available to the public; making certain stylistic changes; and conforming and correcting related provisions.
body
By repealing and re-ordaining, with amendments
Article 5 - Finance, Property, and Procurement
Subtitle 16 - Records and Inventory of Real Property
Baltimore City Code
(Edition 2000)
By repealing and re-ordaining, with amendments
Article 28 - Taxes
Section 8-2
Baltimore City Code
(Edition 2000)
Section 1. Be it ordained by the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, That the Laws of Baltimore City read as follows:
Baltimore City Code
Article 5. Finance, Property, and Procurement
Subtitle 16. Records and Inventory of Real Property
§ 16-1. Record of conveyances and contracts.
(a) Comptroller to [keep record book] maintain online database.
The Comptroller shall [keep a well-bound record book, and have therein recorded] maintain a publicly-accessible online database that includes:
(1) all deeds and leases made to the City, or sufficient extracts from [such] those deeds and leases [as will fully explain the same] to fully identify the nature of the City’s interest in the specific property; and [also]
(2) all contracts and agreements made in relation to the property of the City.
[(b) Form.]
[The records in said record book to be written on every other page, so that the page opposite the record may be left blank for any remarks that may be necessary to be made in regard to the disposition of said property.]
(b) Searchable index [(c) Index.]
The [said record book] database required by this section shall [also have an alphabetical index made] be searchable for [more] easy reference to [said] the deeds, leases, contracts, and agreements within the database.
§ 16-2. Comprehensive inventory required.
(a) Comptroller and Director of Finance to maintain.
The Comptroller and the Director of Finance must maintain jointly a comprehensive inventory of City-owned real property, which must be updated quarterly to reflect acquisitions and dispositions.
(b) Information required.
For each parcel of property, the inventory must provide the following information:
(1) a street address or, if there is no street address, a description sufficient to identify the location of the property;
(2) the date when the City acquired or took possession of the property;
(3) the purchase price paid by the City;
(4) the name of the grantor; and
(5) an estimate of the fair market value of the property, which must be updated every 3 years.
(c) Agencies to cooperate.
All City agencies that own, acquire, or dispose of real property must comply with requests of the Comptroller and the Director of Finance in maintaining the inventory.
(d) Inventory open to public inspection.
The inventory must be [kept in the office of the Comptroller and must be open] posted online for public inspection [during regular office hours].
Article 28. Taxes
Subtitle 8. Tax Sales
§ 8-2. Tax deeds copied, recorded.
[It shall be the duty of the] The Comptroller of the City shall, [upon receiving] on receipt of a deed from the Director of Finance of any property purchased by the City of Baltimore at any sale for taxes:
(1) to have [said] the deed:
(i) [copied into a book kept in his office for the purpose] scanned electronically into the database required by City Code, Article 5, § 16-1 {“Record of conveyances and contracts”}; and
(ii) [also] duly recorded among the land records in the Clerk’s office of the Circuit Court for Baltimore City; and
(2) when recorded, to [keep and file] retain the original deed in the Comptroller’s office.
Section 2. And be it further ordained, That the catchlines contained in this Ordinance are not law and may not be considered to have been enacted as a part of this or any prior Ordinance.
Section 3. And be it further ordained, That this Ordinance takes effect on the 180th day after the date it is enacted.