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July 9, 1963
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<br />~t a regular meeting: of the- Ci~ty Council', he~d~ on July 9th, 1963, there were pre~en~:
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<br /> H. ~Irvine Smith, C. S; Atkinson, B. L. Barnes, John L. Dillou~, George D.. Eastes, W T. Leery, A. P.
<br />Johnson, Sr.,.~iZ~Msnager, and M~. A,. Eorb, ~r,, acting. City Attorney.
<br />
<br /> The meeting was opened with .prayer~by Mr~ Barnes .....
<br /> ,.~ : Minutes of regular meeting held on June 25th, 1963,' were read and .approved.
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<br /> 63~1'54 - The following annual report' of the Board o~ Minimum HousiDg ~or the Meat 1962-63 was
<br /> presented by Leo V. Shocklin, Chairman, and on motion o£ Mr.. Barnes received with t~an~s
<br />
<br /> "The Minimum Housing Board/of the City'of ~Po~tsmonth is pleased ~o present to you its annual report
<br /> for the fiscal year 1962-63. This repor~ will presen~ in narrative form, the activities of the Board from its
<br /> inception to the p~esent, along with its supervis~o~ o~ the enforcement of our City's Minimum Housing Code.
<br />Our City enacted its first Minimum Housing Code in May, 1957, after much discussion and debate.
<br />_Inspection and enforcement were begun in January,~ 1958, with one sanitarian, which was soon increased ~o two. Fre-
<br />quen~ changes iR personnel have slowed enforcement procedures, but bymj~usry,.1963, the old code had been applied
<br />to approximately two fifths of the entire City. These applications, were in areas-where the code c~uld achieve
<br /> some upgrading of the housing, and so for the mosD par~, were in older sections of the City. The attached statis-
<br /> tical summary indicates the amount of inspections, with rehabilitations, under the old code.
<br /> About two years after enactment, it began to be apparent that a stronger code was needed, if
<br /> blight prevention was to be one of the goals of the code. On August 31, 1962, the City Council passed a
<br /> ~esolution that this Board and the City Planning Commission meet jointly ~o study the code, and make recommenda-
<br /> tions for revisions and ammendments as in~.icated.
<br /> This the Board proceeded to'do,~and held its first joint meeting with the Planning Commission on
<br /> September 18, 1962. The joint body decided to invite representatives of the Portsmouth Real Estate Board
<br /> attend the study sessions as consultants. Members of the~ Real Es~a~e Board. were invited to attend ~nd were
<br /> presenter each subsequent study seselon.''At~ this point, the Housing Board wishes ~o express itsappreciation
<br /> the Real Estate Board for its interest and valuable assistance.
<br /> The joint boards held a series of workshop sessions, in which prior research was done by the sta£f.
<br /> Research included ~elopment-of comparative charts of code requirements' from cities all over the country. Codes
<br /> wore analyzed in three areas: (1) standards, (2) procedures, (B) enforcement.
<br /> Workshop sessioDs:~wer, e~;held on Oc'tober/2S,:'Novembe~.6, and' November ~$,. ~962. .Study materials
<br /> wore presented and gone over, with suggestions, additions, and improvements. Recommendations of the joint boards
<br /> we~e~assembled and; presentedto the:C~y Councii{du~in~:Novemb~r,~1962, and~the Council 'enacted the recommenda-
<br /> tions, aa amendments to our code, effective February 28, 1963.
<br /> The Housing Board believes our code is one of the mos~ effective in .She country. The Director of
<br /> Health has received inquiries from Winnepeg., Canada',and ~he .state o£ California concerning ~t. We wou~d like to
<br /> express appreciation to the Council, the Mayor, and the City Manager for their assistance and suppnrt. Time will
<br /> tel~·'how effectively:the code:~serves us.~ _ :. : ~ ~- - ' .
<br /> Enforcement under the new code began April 1, 1963. Accompanying data presents activit~ for the
<br /> months of April, May, and June. One difficulty has been in the employment of qualified personnel. At the time
<br /> of this writing (June 1963) there are two men full-time o~ this work, and' one vacancy. ~Appropriation has been
<br /> made for a new position on July l, but here also we may experience some difficulty in filling the position.
<br /> Our Board meets monthly on the call of the chairman, or any three members, to determine hardship
<br /> cases, grant exI~D~io~s, establish rules and regulations for enforcemenn of the code, and hear any appeals of
<br /> decisions made by the Director of Health. Enforcement procedure/is p~esently carried out as~follows~
<br /> 1. The dwelling is initially inspected, .and the owner ~s sent a certified letter advising him of
<br /> those conditions, if a~y~ noz~.complying with~the-minimum~-housing.code~ end',to notify this office
<br /> of his intentions.
<br /> 2. If we do no~ recei~e~an answer within,~0~da~s from~the notice, a,final notTce is sent the
<br /> owner, also by certified mail.
<br /> 3. If no reply is received within lO day~ from this notice, a summons is obtained.
<br /> 4. Ovfners who contact:the office are given' a reasonable- time to commence repairs ~ud to complete
<br /> them. Hardship caae$~ and extension requests are heard by the Board st regular intervals.
<br /> The Board also wishes to express~ its apprecia2ion to .our newspapers,for~their good news coverage
<br /> of this work. I2..is:.s pleasure far us ~o~ sergeI our city on ~his Board and' help make our city a better place to
<br />
<br /> 63-]_20 - The following communication from.the;Planning D~reczer was,read~ .
<br /> "The City Planning Commission has approved the revised site plan for s group housing:project for
<br />Portsmouth Gardens, Inc. at the northwest corner of Glasgow Street and Cambridge Avenue.
<br /> Th.is plan features:a_~2~-family apartment:buiiding~at each:end of .thia,'t~iangular site and
<br />provides adequate parking for all of the family ~u~its situate
<br />
<br />Motion of Mr, Barnes that the plat plan be approvedJas presented~y:was~adopted, without di'ssenting
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<br />vote.
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<br /> _~h~oilow~ng.reports from~the:City Manager were~read:
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<br /> 63-155.- "I submit:theattached .Resolu~ion~and,recommend its :adoptio~
<br />for the closing of a portion of Ninth Street (also known as North Street).
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<br />affected.
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<br /> Thi's appoints five v~ewers
<br />Yhis~.has:~been~reques.ted~hy she Belt Line Railroad and.Mr. Clinton C~ Boyc~, the property owners
<br />It has been approved by the Planning Commission" ~
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<br />On motion of Mr. Dillon the? following resolution was adopted without dissenting vote:
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