Minutes 12/15/1970 - Laserfiche WebLink

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December 15, 197~ It has recently come to our attentin that the developer is planning townhouse~apartments for the strip between those sections and adjacent to the ditch. This would cause a safety and health hazard to those for who~ these structures are planned as well as to others in the area. It has been noted recently that because of rains, this ditch has had several feet of water in it, adding to the danger. It seems that perhaps the time is right to have the developer enclose the ditch at the time he is build- ing his new townhouse apartments. Apparently this is the same developer who was permitted to dig this ditch under arrangements with Chesapeake. The Planning Commission is expected to recommend approval of the project and we are not in opposition to their recorm~endation. It is our earnest desire, however, that your approval be contingent upon removing this hazard." 70-560 - The following letter from the Director of City Planning was read: "At its regular monthly meeting on August 4, 1970, the City Planning Commission acted upon a joint application for a group housing project approval and three "paper street" cosures involved therein in the matter of Charleston Townehouses north of Greenwood Drive at Interstate 264 in Cavalier Manor. All approvals were of a preliminary and conditional nature, pending finalization of the overall site plan for this large 240 housing units development on its 23 acre zoned Residential R-60. The Office of Planning now has reason to believe that the applicant has finalized his site plan and i~itial stage thereof to the satisfaction of all municipal offices involved in its review. Therefore, it is felt that the conditional recommendation of the Planning Commission resolved on August 4th, may be certified to you as a recommendation for action in closing the following three "paper streets" segments: Cutoff Avenue - from Greenwood Drive to the north side of Jackson Ave. Jackson Avenue - from the west side of Cutoff Avenue to the east side of ~aigh Road. Laigh Road - from the south side of Jackson Avenue to Interstate 264. Prior to any final action in these matters, the City Manager through his agents such as the Traffic Engineer and the Director of Utilities~ will have to aKcertain that conditional aspects of this recommendation have in fact been honored. Relocation of 12 inch waterline will be necessary." Motion of Mr. Smith (R) to refer to the City Attorney, was adopted, without dissenting vote. , 70-561 - The following statement from Attorney John S. Joannou was read. "l*%%ereas, ~emembers of the Police end,Fire Departments unselfishly devote their lives to public service, and as publicservants are placed in financial hardship eve.r~'time the City of Portsmouth ~nnexes land from a neighboring county, as they either have to move their hemes or join the Portsmouth Police or Fire Department and lose their retirement benefits. Therefore, In deep.appreciation of their services and con- tributions to the conum/nity and a realization of the tremendous hardships imposed on these public servants by annexation, a new ordinance entitled "Inclusion of~service in the Police or Fire Department of an annexed area as creditable service" is asked for; Any period of service with the Police or Fire Department of a Count~or City from which the City of Portsmouth annexed territory shall be included as creditable servi~e; provided such employee was (1) a paid full-time employee of such County or City Police or Fire Department, (2) a resident of the annexed territory, and ($) transferred directly from such County or City Department between the time the final annexation decree was intended ~nd sixty days after the date the annexation be- came effective." Motion of Mr. Smith (R) to refer to the City Manager and City Attorney for recommendation and report back ~t next meeting of Council, was adopted, without dissenting vote. 70-562 - The following resolution adopted by the Portsmouth Jaycees was read: "WHEREAS, there exists within the City of Portsmouth some housing conditions that are considered deplorable by any standards; and ~ERHAS, the Public Health Department is considered inadequately staffed and funded to properly inspect these deplorable housing conditions; and }~EP~AS, the decentralization of city agencies involved in the improvement of the city's "human resourses" can result in overlapping and conflicting progrems; and W~EREAS, landowners have recourse concerning the undesirable acts of tenants and may evict tenants for these acts; and WHEREAS, tenants have virtually no recourse when their housing fails to meet minimu~m living standards; NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT The City Council study the feasibility of adopting a schedule of fees that would be charged the owners of housing which requires more than one Public Health Department inspection per year; and that these fees be applied to increase the inspection staff. The City Council develop a coordinating body to optimize the efforts of those city agencies involved in '%uman resourses"; namely, the Public Health Department, the Planning Department, and the Redevelopment and Housing Authority. The City Council develpp a program that provides tenants with an avenue of recourse when their housin£ fails to meet minimum housing standards and provides protection from being evicted solely because the tenant has complained about housing code violations."