Minutes 10/28/1997 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

MARTINSVILLE CITY COUNCIL TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1997 WltEREAS, a public hearing was conducted by the Council of the City of Martinswille, Virginia, at its regular meeting held on October 28, 1997, in accordance with the requirements of Section 15.1-835 of the 1950 Code of Virginia, as mended, to determine if the citizens of the City of Martinsville desire that the City request the General Assembly to amend its Charter to authorize City Council to establish design overlay districts in areas of the City identified on an adopted comprehensive plan as having historic value or unique architectural value, NOW, TllEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of Martinsville, Virginia, in regu/ar session held on October 28, 1997, that the General Assembly be, and it hereby is, requested to amend the Charter of the City of Martinsville, Virginia, so that subsection (32) under Section 2 of Chapter 1 of said Charter be amended to read as follows: (32) (a) For the purpose of guarding against the calamities of fires, the city council may, from time to time, designate such portions and parts of the city as it deems proper within which inflammable buildings may not be erected. It may prohibit the erection of wooden buildings or buildings of inflammable material in any portion of the city without its permission, and may provide for the removal of such buildings or additions which shall be erected contrary to such prohibition at the expense of the builder or owner thereot~ or if any building in process of erection or already built appears clearly to be unsafe, the council may cause such building to be taken down, after reasonable notice to the owner; it may provide for the disposition of garbage and waste; provide precautionary measures against danger from fires; provide for the removal of buildings or structures of any kind, erected in violation of ordinances, at the expense of the builder or owner; and may do all other things law~A to be done, looking to the health and safety of the inhabitants of the city. (b) The council may, by proper ordinance, divide the city into zones; speciJS; the Idnd and character of buildings which may be erected in the different zones; and may, after recommendation pore the planning commission and public notice and hearing pursuant to Secaon 15.1-43L establish design overlay districts to encourage compatible development in areas of the city identified on an adopted comprehensive plan as having historic value or unique architectural value arwl located within an area destytated on an adoptedplan for conservation, rehabilitation or redevelopmerit. In such areas, the council shall adopt specific standards as to new construcaon or rehabilitation within view fi'om public streets andprovide for a design review process. City council may estaHish a fee applicable to such design review process which shall not exceed the actual cost of such review process. Council next considered acceptance and appropriation of $16,000 from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development for the Southside Neighborhood Planning Grant. City Manager Reynolds noted that the planning effort provided by these funds would require $6,000 in local match funds, for a total project cost of $22,000. Mr. Reynolds noted that the project was well under way, and that the first orientation meeting with