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373
<br />
<br />July ~t.h. 3q62.
<br />
<br /> The chief objections voiced at the meeting are: (1) obnoxious odors; (2) depression of property values;
<br /> (3) interference with and reduction of the recreational space for the children.
<br /> tn the judgmmmt of ma,~ important men of the Industrial Committee of the Chamber of
<br /> Commerce, these objentious are not sustained.
<br /> The Portsmouth Ohamber of Commerce has ~ contact with representatives of the Nurro
<br /> Chemical Company since January, 1952. The plant was originally established in Burnsv511e, North Carolina. Its
<br /> employment, we believe, will be in excess of 75 employees.
<br /> We need any industry that employs citizens, because of the ~A-ational employment at
<br /> the Navy Yard over many decades.
<br /> The Portsmouth Industrial Foundation, through its Board of Directors, has agreed ~o as-
<br />sist in the financing of the ~ailding for theNurro Chemical Company. The Directors of the Foundatiouare im~or -
<br />tant men. At a meeting July 2nd, attended by the following men, C.N Davenport, I.G. Vass, Sol Fess~ H.Clyde
<br />Fitch, Sol Lasting, Logan Mallard, Jr., W. Wray Norse, C. E. Russell, Dr. M.A. Xise, T.E. Skeppstrom, Robert
<br />Auerbech,-Herbert Auerbach and Frank ~autz, it was definitely established by statements made by Dr. Kise of the
<br />Virginia Smelting Company and Mr. T.E. ~kgp~strom of the Proctor and Gamble Manufacturing Company, that the odors
<br />from a plant of this nature would be negligible and not comparable to ether odors in the ~icinity.
<br /> Mr. R. Steven Gibbs collaborated the opinion of the members of the committee and rep-
<br />receatatives from the local plants. Dr. Kise, being absent in Maine, has submitted a statement to the Council,
<br />which is attached ts this communication. The citizens of Portsmouth, in recent years, have been intensely inter~
<br />ested in acquiring new payrolls and creating additional employment. It is only by being alert now while times
<br />are good that we can overcome handicaps imposed on the community, if and when m~jor reductions in employment occu~
<br />at the Navy Yard.
<br /> 555 citizens have subscribed ~n cash and pledges to create a $250,000. ,industrial
<br />Foundation. Recognizing the need for empl,~ment, your Honorable Body subscribed a substantial sum toward this
<br />Foundation. The Fomudation owns about ~0 acres of land and has acquired over five acres ~n which to assist in
<br />erecting a building for the Nurro Chemical Company.
<br /> The City Councilmen of Portsmouth, the Supervisors of Norfolk County, Members of the
<br />General Assembly of Virginia, the Governor, the Un, ted States Senators and Congressmen in W~-~+.~- ~= ......
<br />peatedly supported the acquisition of additional payrolls in Tidewater. It was~-~he aforeme~i~one--~t~z-~s'~ho
<br />supported the movement to create the State Ports Authority. This Authority was created as a medium to properly
<br />advertise and promote Ports of Virginia. Its appropriatlom will be $g50,000.00 a biennium.
<br /> I hope that your Honorable Body will recognize the need for employment and payrolls
<br />and.approve the recommendation of the Planning Commission on the question of rezoning these five (5) acres for
<br />the Nurro Chemical Company so .that we may acquire new industry and give confidence to thOse citizens who have
<br />been devoting their time, energy and money, Unselfishly over m~y years, to the public interest."
<br />
<br /> The following people spoke against the rezoning of Item #3 in the Notice:
<br />
<br /> ~alter J. Lane, Edgar Allan Poe, R.L. Lester and R. Winston Bain, Attorney for the
<br />residents of Pe£~ Gardens, wh, presented the following petition:
<br />
<br /> "We, the undersigned petitioners, being home. owners and taxpayers iua certain neigh-
<br />borhood known as Pe~-~ Gardens, pray and petition the Portsmouth Zoning Commission as follows, to wit:
<br /> I~EREAS, we the undersigned petitioners having received notice by a certain public
<br />announcement iu the fern of a poster being placed cua telephone pole on Columbus Avenue by %he Port~uouth Plan-
<br />ming Commission that a certain five (5) acres tract of land located east of Belt Line Railroad and south Of
<br />Seaboard Airline R~!road that the above-mentioned Five: (5) acre tract -he rezone~ from light industry to heavy
<br />industry.
<br /> AND WHEREAS, we the Undersigned. are home owners and residents of Perry Gardens, locat-
<br />ed on the opposi2e side of Columbus Avenue, and whereas we feel that as property owners end taxpayers we are
<br />being injured by this said above-mentioned rezoning will cause our property to decrease in value, ami whereas, we
<br />purchased these homes in good faith, and feel that we are within our rights as taxpayers in the City of Portsmouth
<br />to prOtect our investments in our homes from a monetary standpoint as well as our rights to gmard the safety of
<br />our families we petition and pray as follows:
<br /> That the above-mentiene~ tract of la-~ be not allowed to be rezoned from light indus-
<br />try to heavy industry.
<br />
<br />sion, was adopted.
<br />
<br /> (Signed) ~alter J. Lane, 26OSWise St. and numerous
<br />others."
<br />Notion slur, Warren to censured Item#1 of the recommendation of the Planning Commis-
<br />
<br /> ~otion of Er. Sturtevant to concur in Item#2 of the recommendation of the Planning
<br />Commission, was adoptad.
<br />
<br />sion, was adopted.
<br />
<br />Notion of ~r. Grimes to concur in Item #3 of the recemmendatian o f the Planning Commt~
<br />
<br /> Mr. Weisemsn, reporting for the Transportation Committee, recommended that au ordinauct
<br />~be adopted re-routing the Comm~nitF buses from London ~t. to Queen St.
<br />
<br />adopted.
<br />
<br />Notion of Mr. Bilisoly to suspend the rules to adopt the or--ce on one reading, was
<br />
<br />motion of Mr. Bilisoly, the following ordinance was adopted, and by the following
<br />
<br />.AN ORDINANCE .TO AMEND ~ BE-ORDA]N AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND AND ~E-ORDAiN
<br />SECTION ~6-57 OF THE Ct2~f CODE, RELATING TO ROUTES OF FRE COI~I]NITY
<br />BUS L32~E,
<br />
<br />Ayes:
<br />
<br />Nays$
<br />
<br />Duke, Bilisoly, Grimes, Ho~ghton, Howard, Smith, Sturtevant,
<br />Warren, Weiseman, Wilson
<br />None
<br />
<br />
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