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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-02-75~8~5 Minutes of the regular meeting of the Pulaski Town Council held September 2, 1975 at 4:00 P. M. in the Council Chambers in the Municipal Building. There were present: Mayor Raymond F. Ratcliff, presiding. Councilmen: Arthur L. Meadows, Andrew L. Graham, James M. Neblett, C. William Hickam, Jr., William A. House, Blair B. Brockmeyer, Bob J. Clark, Mason A. Vaughan Also present: Town Manager: J. E. Marshall Clerk: Gladys R. Dalton Town Attorney: Garnett S. Moore Visitors: J. R. Schrader, Jane Graham, Debbie Hudson James F. Logan, Garnett M. Ritter, James P. Ratcliffe The invocation was given by Councilman Graham. The minutes of the regular meeting of August 18th were approved as recorded. James F. Logan stated he was present along with Mr. Ritter and Mr. Ratcliffe in protest to the construction of two houses on the south side of 16th Street, NW, a matter which had been cited in a letter to Town Manager Marshall on August 25th. Mr. Logan stated they felt the anstruction to be in violation of the Town's Zoning Ordinance. He stated he did not live near the site of the construc- tion, but that Mr. Ritter lives on the opposite side of the street and ZONING Mr. Ratcliffe's property is on one side of the site in question and COMPLAINT Carl Smith's property on the other. Also, Councilman Meadows' pro- RE: HC-USES perty was almost directly opposite the site. Mr. Logan stated the ON SIXTEENTH lots are in Residential R-2 District which requires a minimum lot STREET', NORTH width of at least seventy-five feet, and a minimum lot area of at least ten thousand square feet, and neither of the lots in question meet either requirement. Also, that the builder may have claimed an exemption under Section 11-2-3, Nonconf orming Lots, of the Town Zoning Ordinance, .but this paragraph states that a lot which is less in area or width than the minimum may be used under certain condi- tions. However, in this situation, both the area and width are less than seventy percent of the minimum requirements, and he main- tained permits should not have been granted. Mr. Logan also stated ~~~s September 2, 1975 it was felt this construction would downgrade the quality of the neighborhood, and he felt one of the purposes of the Zoning Ordinance was to prevent crowding in the Town. Mr. Logan also stated, along with Mr. Ritter and Mr. Ratcliffe, that perhaps nothing could be done about the present situation inasmuch as construction had progressed too far, but they asked t ZONING that Council reconsider the Zoning Drdinance so this would not COMPLAINT happen in the future. It was pointed out by 7lbwn Manager Marshall that the two (2) building permits were issued pursuant CONTINUED to Section 11-2-3 of the Ordinance. There was some discussion relative to a layman's understanding of the wording of Section COUNCIL TO 11-2-3, and Councilman Hickam moved that Section L1-2-3 of the CONSIDER Town Zoning Ordinance be considered and a revision made in the REVISION OF ordinance in order that the average layman can understand the WORDING IN wording of same. The motion was seconded by Councilman Vaughan, ORDINANCE and carried on the following recorded vote : C. William Hickam, Jr. - aye William A. House - aye Andrew L. Graham - aye Bob J. CLark - aye Blair B. Brockmeyer - aye Arthur L. Meadows - aye Mason A. Vaughan - aye James M. Neblett - aye Councilman Hickam reported the Street Committee had met briefly and discussed the downtown parking situation, and PARKING METERS that the Committee is presently considering an anti-feeding DISCUSSED ordinance for the downtown parking meters. No final report could be made at that time. Councilman Graham reported the Utilities Committee had met and considered a recent letter from the Consulting Engineers, Wiley & Wilson, in which it was recommended that the firm of UNDERGROUND Underground TV Inspection, Inc. of Durham, N. C. be employed TV INSPECTION INC. OF N.C. to make a TV inspection of the sections of the sewer system TO MAKE TV INSPECTION OF designated for closer inspection to determine actual conditions. SEWER LINES FOR PULASKI The estimated cost of approximately $10,400, which will be paid from a Grant, would include the necessary cleaning of the pipe prior to inspection where such cleaning is necessary.. Mr. Graham stated it was the recommendation of the Committee that the Town Manager advise the Engineers that they are authorized to employ E5`"1 September 2, 1975 the North Carolina company to make the inspection,and so moved. The motion was seconded by Councilman Neblett, and carried on the following recorded vote: C. William Hickam, Jr. - aye William A. House - aye Andrew L. Graham - aye Bob J. Clark - aye Blair B. Brookmeyer: - aye Arthur L. Meadows - aye Mason A. Vaughan - aye Jemes M. Neblett - aye Councilman Brookmeyer reported the Pollution-Sanitation POLLUTION Committee met on August 28th and discussed the possibility of up- COMMITTEE TO MEET ON dating the Town's ordinance on "Weeds". He stated another meeting WEED INFO FROM LEAGUE will be held on this as soon as the inf ormation from the League OFF ICE Office is received which was requested by Town Manager Marshall. Councilman Brookmeyer stated he had met with Town Manager Marshall and two members of the State Air Pollution Control Board STATE AIR relative to the situation existing on Spruce Street involving the POLLUTION BD. TO Compton Lumber Company,. and they will be giving the Town a written REPORT ON SITUATION report on this later. Mr. Brookmeyer advised the Board members AT COMPTON LBR, CO. indicated the air quality in Pulaski was good. •~~ Councilman Brookmeyer inquired relative to the status CONSOLIDATIO~f Consolidation. And Mayor Ratcliff suggested that the members of Council be thinking about this and a meeting will be held at their convenience. Councilman Vaughan asked Town Attorney Moore to present a Resolution for Council's consideration having to do with the trad- ing of 7.4 acres of land on Draper Mountain to Foy Aust in exchange RESOLUTION of 7.93 acres of land (including that portion of land south of the READ ON EXCHANGE OF Mountain land; six (6) lots on Altoona Heights and the Dunnagan lot LANDS - NOTICE OF adjacent the Central School lot on West Main Street). The Resolution PUBLIC HEARING BE GIVEN FOR was read by the Attorney and Councilman Vaughan moved its adoption. MEETING OF COUNCIL ON The motion was seconded by Councilman Neblett. During the SAME discussion which followed, Councilman House stated the Council holds public hearings when a street or alley is closed, and it was his feeling that Council should hold a public hearing on the exchange of properties. Several of the Councilmen expressed their opinions relative to the exchange, stating they felt it to be a very fair exchange. Councilman Neblett withdrew his second, and the motion died. Councilman Hickam then moved that the matter be reconsidered ~~~~ September 2, 1975 at the next meeting of Council. The motion was seconded by Council- man Brockmeyer and carried. Councilman House moved that proper notice be placed in the local newspaper that the Council will consider the exchange of lands at its next regular meeting. Motion was seconded by Councilman Meadows,-and carried. Councilman House had no report. Councilman Clark brought up several administrative matters: grassing of softball field at Macgill Village Recrea- ADMINISTRATIVE tion Park; status of the request for a road through the landfill; MATTERS - condition of house on Macgill Street - weeds and windows being MACGILL VILLAGE, broken out, and the fact that windows in the town owned property ROAD THRU LANDFILL, ' f ormerly known as the Gemme1L Warehouse on Newbern Road, are broken & WEEDS, BROKEN ' out. WINDOWS Councilman Meadows reported the Ordinance Committee met and considered the request for a taxi rate increase from Blue & REPORT OF White Cabs, and in view of the fact only this company had re- ORDINANCE COMM, quested a rate increase, the Committee felt the other taxicab RE: TAXI RATE owners should be contacted relative to the request, and advised INCREASE that a report would be made Later on this. Councilman Meadows reported that his Committee ATTORNEY TO recommended that Town Attorney prepare an ordinance for Council's PREPARE ORD. FOR RAZING consideration to provide for the razing or repair of unsafe, BUILDINGS dangerous or unsanitary buildings and structures and to provide for a procedure for the abatement of nuisances.-within the corporate limits. Councilman Neblett reported the Safety Committee had met STUDY OF REPORT with the Citizens Review Committee and Town Manager Marshall and OF CITIZENS REVIEW ~~ COMM. - NO FINAL studied the report recently submitted by the Citizens Review REPORT FROM SAFETY COMM., Committee, however no action has been finalized as of todate. Town Manager Marshall reported to Council on having received the day of the meeting a letter from the New River Valley DISTRICT ~~4 planning Dd~strict Commission, together with pamphlet briefly ex- TO SPONSOR VA. ALCOHOL plaining the Virginia Alcohol Saf ety Action Program as proposed by SAFETY ACTION ' PROGRAM the Highway Saf ety Division. It appears that Chapter 601. Section 1 18.2-271.1 of the Code of Virginia recently enacted by the General September 2, 1975 1~~~+t..~t7 Assembly, states that a person arrested for driving while intoxicated may now be given the option of entering a treatment program (V~,SAP) in lieu of fine and/or revocation of his license at the court's decision. He further stated no such program is available in the 4th Planning District. However, a Highway Safety Project Planning Grant is being prepared for submission to the Highway Safety Division, Richmond to provide for funds for the development of NOMINATING COMM TO necessary background material methodologies, implementation,and BRING IN NAME OF evaluation procedures to allow for the institution of an Alcohol PERSON TO REP. TOWN Saf ety Action Program in the New River Valley Planning District. ON VASAP Mr. Marshall stated further the letter requested that someone be appointed to represent the Town and that a letter supporting the VASAP feasibility study be forwarded to the District Planning Commission office. The Nominating Committee will bring in a name at the next meeting. Council agreed to hold a special meeting Tuesday, September SPECIAL 9, 1975 at 5:00 P. M. to give Sadler Hosiery Mills an opportunity to MEETING FOR file a petition requesting the closing of an alley. SADLER HOS. MILL"S In answer to a recent inquiry, Town Manager Marshall PETITION reported that the Loving Field complex, in particular, softball LOVING FIELDfield does meet national requirements thus enabling teams to qualify MEETS NATL. REQR. for league tournaments. Town Manager Marshall reported that on August 19th a member of the staff met with the Consulting Engineers and representatives of the State Water Control Board to discuss the procedures for the TOWN. MGR. submission of the application for Step Two Grant for the sewage REPORTS ON MEETING: WITH treatment plant; the Consulting Engineers are presently preparing STATE WATER CONTROI. BD. material pursuant to the Step Dne Grant and anticipate a completion RE: STEP ONE & STEP TWO of this by January of 1976, and if the facilities plan is presented GRANTS to the State Water Control Board by 1976 they would expect approval of the plan from the Environmental Protection Agency by March of 1976. The completed facilities plan will outline what portion of the sewage facilities will require upgrading which may involve re- habilitation of sewer lines and expansions of the sewage treatment J~~ September 2, 1975 plant or a combination of both. It was suggested by the Water Control Board that the preparation of the Step Two application could begin and they would review any preliminary m3.terials submitted to their office. The Step Two Grant would include preparation of plans and specifications to upgrade items which are recommended in the facilities plan, and it is hoped to submit the plans and specifications no later than December 1, 1976. The Consulting Engineers, Wiley & Wilson, have been requested to prepare the inf ormation xeecessary for the Step Two Grant application. Councilman Graham moved that the four employes who EMPLOYES OVER are beyond the age of sixty-five and wish to be allowed to 65 MUST SUBMIT REQ. FOR continue to work as fulltime employes for the fiscal year, submit CONTINUED EMPLOYMENT their request to the Council. The motion was seconded by Council- man Clark, and carried on the following recorded vote: C. William Hickam, Jr. Andrew L. Graham Blair B. Brockmeyer Mason A. Vaughan - aye William A. House - aye Bob J. Clark - aye Arthur L. Meadows - aye James M. Neblett At 6:25 P. M. Councilman Vaughan moved that Council adjourn. The motion was seconded by Councilman Clark, and carried. APPROVED: - aye - aye - aye - aye 1 L- -Mayor Ratcli ATT ST: ~ ~~/v Clerk of ouncil 1