(a)      As used in this subtitle the term "municipal corporation" shall include all cities, towns and villages, now or hereafter created under any general or special law of this State for general governmental purposes, which are subject to the provisions of Article XI-E of the Maryland Constitution, which possess legislative, administrative and police powers for the general exercise of municipal functions, and which carry on such functions through a set of elected and other officials. The term is not to include any special tax area or district, sanitary district, park or planning district, soil conservation district or other public agency exercising specific powers within a defined area but which does not exercise general municipal functions and the term is not to include the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore. Nothing herein contained shall be construed to confer upon any municipal corporation, as herein defined, located within any such tax area or district, the power by incorporation, charter amendment, annexation or otherwise to exercise or perform, divest or duplicate, within its corporate limits any of the special powers or duties theretofore conferred upon the board, commission, authority or public corporation, created or appointed in accordance with law, to administer any such special tax area or district except that, subject to the consent or approval of the board, commission, authority or public corporation having jurisdiction, any municipal corporation may provide within its corporate limits parks, gardens, playgrounds and other recreational facilities, nor shall any provision of this subtitle be construed to empower any municipal corporation as herein defined, by incorporation, charter amendment, annexation, or otherwise, to exclude the area within its corporate limits from the levy of taxes upon property in such area or the imposition therein of special benefit assessments or service charges for the support of any such board, commission, authority or other public corporation. No local law conferring special powers or duties on any such board, commission, authority or public corporation shall be construed to divest any municipal corporation exercising the same powers or performing the same duties within its corporate limits, in accordance with law, of its right to continue the exercise of such powers or the performance of such duties, it being the intent hereof to avoid duplication in the rendition of public services. The General Assembly hereby finds, determines and declares that the term "municipal corporation" in Article XI-E of the Maryland Constitution does not embrace or include any such special tax area or district or the board, commission, authority or public corporation administering the same.

      (b)      The term "municipal corporation" does not embrace or include the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, or the Washington Suburban Sanitary District under the jurisdiction of such Commission; the term "municipal corporation" does not embrace or include the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, or the Maryland-Washington Metropolitan District or the Maryland-Washington Regional District under the jurisdiction of such Commission.

      (c)      (1)      A municipal corporation which is subject to the provisions of Article XI-E of the Maryland Constitution may not amend its charter or exercise its powers of annexation, incorporation or repeal of charter as to affect or impair in any respect the powers relating to sanitation, including sewer, water and similar facilities, and zoning, of the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission or of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission. Except that where any area is annexed to a municipality authorized to have and having then a planning and zoning authority, the municipality shall have exclusive jurisdiction over planning and zoning and subdivision control within the area annexed; provided nothing in this exception shall be construed or interpreted to grant planning and zoning authority or subdivision control to a municipality not authorized to exercise that authority at the time of such annexation; and further provided, that no municipality annexing land may for a period of five years following annexation, place that land in a zoning classification which permits a land use substantially different from the use for the land specified in the current and duly adopted master plan or plans or if there is no adopted or approved master plan, the adopted or approved general plan or plans of the county or agency having planning and zoning jurisdiction over the land prior to its annexation without the express approval of the board of county commissioners or county council of the county in which the municipality is located.

            (2)      If the county expressly approves, the municipality, without regard to the provisions of Article 66B, § 4.05(a) of the Code, may place the annexed land in a zoning classification that permits a land use substantially different from the use for the land specified in the current and duly adopted master plan or general plan of the county or agency having planning and zoning jurisdiction over the land prior to its annexation.

      (d)      As used in this subtitle, the term "qualified to vote" or "qualified voter" shall mean those persons who under the terms of a municipal charter shall be authorized to vote in elections within that municipal corporation.

      (e)      As used in this subtitle, the term "municipal charter" shall include the existing charter and all local laws of the General Assembly relating to the incorporation, organization, government, or affairs concerning administration and services, of said municipal corporation.