Minutes 02/11/1958 - Laserfiche WebLink

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$6 58-48 - "Item #7 on the agenda is a request by Councilman Baker. I am not aware of the nature of the items to be discussed." Mr. Baker made a motion -te elect a ~ive member commit.tee of real estate agents liv- ing withi~ the corporate Iimits ~ .the Cit~ of Portsmouth who ~Dll be delegated t~e responsibility of bringing in a report either confirming or rejecting the fair market assessment set by the Tax assessor. ~tion of ~Lr. Hinton to lay on the table was adopted. 58-49 - "At the request of Mr. Baker, I placed on the agenda the question of rebuild~ ing on the: site forme~ty occupied by the Monroe'Hotel 'and other buildings~ For your ~nformation, the Building Inspector informs me that there have been no ~ans filed at his office nor has there been a request made for a building permit. Vnen such a request is made and the proper plans filed, they will be completely checked by the B~lilding Inspector lo see that they conform to all laws and building regulations within the City." Motion of Mr. Baker to suspend the rules to hear from n.C. Barclay, Sr. and Julian Mr. Barclay and Mr. Lawrence spoke requesting the City to vacate a 3" section along the east side of Court Stirrer,: between High and Queen Streets, adjacent to the property line. Motion of Mr. Baker to place the following ordinance on first reading, was adopted: "AN ORDINANCE TO kMEND THE CODE OF THE CITY OF PORTSMOUTH, 1951, BY ADDING THERETO A NEW SECTION TO BE KNOWN AS SECTION 26-1.1, TO CLOSE THE EASTERN THI~EE INCHES OF COURT STP~EET~, BETWEEN HIGH AND QUEEN STREETS" ommend its adoptions" 58-50 - "I submit the attached resolution concerning the Harris-O'Hara Bill and rec- "~EREAS, present Federal Statutes and Court decisions pertaining thereto provide a reaaonable basis for the effective regulation of gas rates of producers, and WHEP~AS, amendments proposed in ER 6790 and HR 8791 (Harris-O-Hara Bill) appear to weaken the effectiveness of the present 'statutes, with the re- suit that unwarranted increases in rates charted for natural gas may re- sult from the passage of the proposed legislation to a greater extent than would be possible under present laws: NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Portsmouth, Virginia, this eleventh day of February I958, that HR 6790, HR 6791 (Harris- O'Hara Bill) and'all similar legislation now and hereafter ~roposed in Congress be opposed; and be it Further RESOLVED that copies of this Resolution be sent to Virginia Senators and Repre- 'sentatives in Congress and to Hon6rable H. Lester Hooker of the Virginia State Corporation Commission." On motion of ~Lr. Weiseman said resolution was adopted. 58-51 "I recommend the sum of $10,000.00 be placed on first reading for the purpos of de£raying the Annexation costs." Motio~ cT Mr. Hinton to place an appropriation of $10,000.00 for said purpose on first reading, was adopted. lution w~s adopted: 58-52 - Mr. Baker presented the follow~ng resolution and,' On hiS;motion, said reso- "WHEREA~, on the 24th day of October, 1957. a group of representative business and professional men from North Carolina and Virginia met with Congressman Herbert Bonnet of North Carolina at Elizabeth City,N.C., and together, decided ~o sp~nsor through a two-state committee a study~ of the feasibility of widening and deepening the Dismal Swamp Canal for the purpose of creating heavy ind~ try'industrial sites wherein deep sea, rail and highway transportation are readily available; and, WHEREAS, there ~s an abundance of land readily available; highway and rail transportation are already in existence; and we are advised that there is ample fresh water Tot industrial purposes within a feasible distance of the Dismal Swamp location and that there ls available coal and limestone in great quantities which require only transportation t~ any steel mill site within this area, or to any other industry requiring coal or other minerals, ana that the only ph~sichl thing l~cking is the digging of a proper canal upon which may be situated heav~ industry of all kinds; and WHEREAS, those interested in this canal are uninformed ~s to the following: 1. Should the canal be dug to sea levei and be a free flowing canal from Elizabeth City to the Portsmouth area; What would be the result of (a) letting salt water into the Pas- quntank River and the Albemarle and Currltuck Sounds, on fish and wild life, our swamp forests and marsh lands.and such other related matzer~ upon which our local econom~ is partially based; (b) draining the Dismal Swamp area (it being the highest point between Portsmouth and Elizabeth City) so that the peaty soils will dry out and possibly burn; so ghat future water supply would be affected; and other effects.' 2. Should the canal have locks at each end, so as ~o avoid draining the swamp or letting sea water flow into the Pasquotank River, Albemarle