Minutes 03/25/2014 - Laserfiche WebLink

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March 25, 2014 Discussion: • The Zoning Ordinance no longer designates districts as being zoned "commercial", and as currently written, this Section of the City Code is not enforceable. • VDOT permits bicycles on all sidewalks, unless prohibited by local ordinance. • Sidewalks are key to our bicycle network, allowing for trips to be completed safely, especially by children and new bicyclists. • The Seawall width is over 14', which is greater than the minimum and recommended width of paths to safely accommodate both pedestrians and bicyclists. As such, allowing bicyclist to use bicycle on the Seawall does not create safety issues for either the cyclist or the pedestrians. • These Code changes will permit bicyclists along and adjacent to the Seawall, as described above, and along sidewalks, unless temporary or permanent signs indicate such use is prohibited. • Portsmouth is a multimodal city expanding safe facilities for bicyclists and pedestrians as included in the adopted Master Transportation Plan. Financial Impact: • None Recommended Action: • Adopt the amendments to Sec. 5-66 and Sec. 6-5. Vision Principles: Quality of Life and Change and New Directions. 1. Mark Geduldig-Yatrofsky, P. O. Box 50141, spoke in support of this item. Motion by Ms. Psimas, and seconded by Mr. Moody, to adopt the following ordinance, and was adopted by the following vote: "ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTERS 5 AND 6 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA (2006) PERTAINING TO THE RIDING OF BICYCLES ON THE SEAWALL AND ADJACENT AREAS ALONG THE ELIZABETH RIVER AND ON SIDEWALKS IN THE CITY." Ayes: Cherry, Edmonds, Meeks, Moody, Psimas, Randall, Wright Nays: None 14 - 119 -Adoption of an ordinance accepting a supplemental budget allocation in the amount of $250,000 from the Virginia Department of Social Services and appropriating said funds in the FY 2013-14 Social Services Fund for use by the Department of Social Services to provide adoption assistance services and payments. Vision Principles: Neighborhoods and a Sense of Community, Quality of Life and Lifelong Learning Community. Background: • The purpose of adoption is to place children who have been permanently and legally separated from their birth parents with a new family. It is a social and legal process which gives new parent(s) the same rights and obligations as biological parents. Adoption procedures are governed by Chapter 12 of the Code of Virginia. • Adoption assistance provides the adoptive parents with the necessary assistance to adopt and care for the child who has special needs and who meets eligibility criteria. It is not intended to cover the full cost of rearing the child. Rather, it supplements the resources of the adoptive parents. The types of adoption assistance may include: o Basic maintenance payments to help meet the child's needs for housing, food, clothing, transportation and/or personal incidentals. o Enhanced maintenance payments to help address the child's additional supervision and support needs from the adoptive parents when necessary to ensure the safety and well-being of the child. o Health insurance through the Medicaid program for an eligible child. o Payment for non-recurring expenses directly related to the placement and legal adoption of the child.