Survey Authority

Baltimore City Code art. 26, subtit. 1

in effect

Baltimore City Code, Article 26, § 1-1 Right of entry.

§ 1-1. Right of entry. Civil engineers and surveyors, and their assistants, when they are in the employ of the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, shall have the right to enter upon any private lands or property for the purpose of making surveys, running lines of levels, or obtaining any needful information or data for the preparation of plans, reports, or new legislation necessary for any proposed public sewerage system, water work, establishment of corporate boundaries, or any extension of the same, highways or improvements thereto, or any public undertaking. (Ord. 91-775; Ord. 84-129; Ord. 75-914.)

Baltimore City Code, Article 26, § 1-2 Setting landmarks.

§ 1-2. Setting landmarks. Civil engineers and surveyors, and their assistants, when acting under the authority of § 1-1 of this subtitle: (1) shall not damage or destroy any property or lands entered by them in the performance of their work; but (2) they shall have the right to set stakes, markers, or monuments or other suitable landmarks or reference points where necessary. (Ord. 48-461.)

Baltimore City Code, Article 26, § 1-3 Not to be impeded.

§ 1-3. Not to be impeded. (a) Prohibited conduct. No owner, occupant, or agent of private lands so entered: (1) shall obstruct, impede, or annoy civil engineers or surveyors, or their assistants, in the performance of their work under this subtitle; nor (2) shall any such owner, occupant, or agent, destroy, obliterate, or remove any stakes, markers, monuments, or other landmarks set or placed by such civil engineers or surveyors. (b) Penalties. Any owner, occupant, or agent violating the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, be subject to a fine of not less than $25, nor more than $100, or to imprisonment for not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days, or both, in the discretion of the Court. (Ord. 48-461.)

Baltimore City Code, Article 26, §§ 1-4 to 1-5 {Reserved}

Baltimore City Code, Article 26, § 1-6 Authority of DoT.

§ 1-6. Authority of DoT. The Department of Transportation has full power and authority: (1) to ascertain and fix and to mark on the ground, with stones or other landmarks, the true lines of any of the private, public, or proposed streets, lanes, and alleys; and (2) to so ascertain, fix, and mark any boundary line of any lot or parcel of ground, improved or unimproved, within the City. (Ord. 15-435; Ord. 76-139; Ord. 50-1392; Ord. 1863-006.)

Baltimore City Code, Article 26, § 1-7 At owner’s request.

§ 1-7. At owner’s request. In any and all cases where this work is done at the request of any property owner, other than the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore: (1) the Department of Transportation shall fix and determine the cost of the work; and (2) the property owner or owners shall pay to the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore the entire cost of the work in advance. (Ord. 15-435; Ord. 76-139; Ord. 50-1392.)

Baltimore City Code, Article 26, § 1-8 Record of lines.

§ 1-8. Record of lines. The Department of Transportation shall keep in its files an official, signed record of every line that is ascertained, fixed, or marked on the ground, in exercise of the power and authority granted by this subtitle. (Ord. 15-435; Ord. 76-139; Ord. 50-1392; Ord. 1863-006.)

Baltimore City Code, Article 26, § 1-9 Disturbing landmarks.

§ 1-9. Disturbing landmarks. Anyone who unlawfully removes, mutilates, or in any manner disturbs any of the landmarks, monuments, survey points, or markers established throughout the City of Baltimore by the Department of Transportation or any City official, department, bureau, board, commission, or other City agency for the purpose of fixing and marking any elevation, line, or lines pertaining to the municipal survey system or to the location of streets, lanes, and alleys, or to any of the lots or other locations within the City, is guilty of a misdemeanor and, on conviction, is subject to a fine of not more than $100 for each offense. (Ord. 15-435; Ord. 76-139; Ord. 30-941; Ord. 04-144.)

Source: City of Baltimore Department of Legislative Reference, City of Baltimore Law Library (codes.baltimorecity.gov; Open Law Library bulk XML)URL: https://codes.baltimorecity.gov/us/md/cities/baltimore/code/26/1Fetched: 10/25/2026