Minutes 11/09/1971 - Laserfiche WebLink

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%071 was On motion of Mr. Irvine Smith and seconded by Mr. Johnson, the following ordinance approved on first reading by the following vote: "AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE CODE OF THE CITY OF PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA, 1961, CHAPTER 51, ARTICLE I THEREOF, BY ADDING THERETO SECTION 31-32.2 PERTAINING TOTHE PROHIBITION OF SIGNS AND BILLBOARDS ALONG LONDON BOULEVARD." Ayes: Nays: Holley, Johnson, King, Irvine Smith, Raymond Smith, Turner, BArnes None 71-508 "Basically, the Weed Control Program of the City as administered by the Parks Department is divided into three areas of concern: 1. Maintenance of City-owned Property. Because of continued rain for approximately the last month, we have not been able to maintain schedules for this work. The schedules are less than desirable under normal conditions due to limited personnel and equipment available. Intervals between cutting City-owned property range from 7 to 9 weeks. More frequent cutting would be pleasing to residents in the areas. It is anticipated that all of our properties that can be cut with tractors will have been done by the end of this year. Each of these properties has been cut from 1 to 4 times already this season. Areas which must be cleared of debris and trash {deposited by citizens) and those that must be worked by hand will have to be cleared as labor is available. 2. Controlling Maintenance of Private Property. Notices are being sent continually to owners of properties in violation of our weed and debris ordinance. Approximately 2,000 such notices are sent per year. Approximately 50% of these property owners are repeat violators. After much prodding and time consumptior in many instances, approximately 5/4 of these property owners clear their properties. Properties not cut by owners in most instances are cleared by City forces and costs are charged with taxes against-the owner. Each time we use our emp'loyees to clear these properties, maintenance on City-owned property is delayed. At the present time, there are approximately 100 pieces of property in violation on which one or more notices have been sent and action is pending, either by the owner or by the City. 5. Violations on Tax-Delinquent Property. Herein lie the greatest problems encountered in our Weed and Debris Control Program. There are properties in the City on which taxes are delinquent for more than 50 years. They range from 1959 to the present. Taxes due on many of these properties far surpass the market value of the land. If we keep the weeds cut; we are spending taxpayers' dollars that are not recoverable to maintain property that doesn't belong to the City. If we don't cut .the weeds, the taxpayers are subjected to unsightly and often unsafe conditions. We are not in a position financially to continue building indebtedness against these properties which we have no hope of collecting. There are approximately 120 pieces of tax-delinquent property that should be cleared at the present time. I recommend that Council instruct the City Attorney to take whatever legal action necessary to acquire all property within the City which is tax-delinquent for more than $ years. These properties can then be disposed of so that the City can derive revenue from them in paid taxes and keep them properly maintained through enforcement of the weed and debt!is ordinance." On motion of Mr. King and seconded by Mr. Raymond Smith, the report to be received as information, was adopted by the following vote: Ayes: Holley, Johnson, King, Irvine Smith, Raymond Smith, Turner, Barnes- Nays: None MaF~? Barnes requested that the City Attorney research the possibility of a graduated fine ~hsubsequent offenses by the same individual. UNFINISHED BUSINESS - 71-445 -The following ordinance, approved on first reading at last meeting, was taken up and read: "ZONING<~AMENDMENT ORDINANCE Z 71-27" On motion of Mr. Irvine Smith and seconded by Mr. Turner, the ordinance was adopted by the following vote: Ayes: Holley, Johnson, King, Irvine Smith, Nays: None Raymond Smith, Turner, Barnes