Canada's Tavern, Inc. v. Town of Glen Echo

I dissent because, in my opinion, the majority has misinterpreted § 111-57 (c) of the Montgomery County Code, 1965, and has not perceived the correct legislative intent of that statutory provision.

In seeking to ascertain the legislative intent in a statutory enactment, we properly assume that the legislators are familiar with the existing law — both statutory and decisional — and enact the legislation within the framework of that law. Giant Food, Inc. v. Gooch, 245 Md. 160, 225 A. 2d 431 (1967) ; St. Joseph Hospital v. Quinn, 241 Md. 371, 216 A. 2d 732 (1966) ; Gibson v. State, 204 Md. 423,…