* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:18] MEANING DAUGHTER AND THE LIFE PRIOR ABOUT REVEREND ROBERT JOHNSON OF AMADEUS AND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. AND YOU DO SUCH A GOOD JOB AND KEEP RIGHT ON GOING WITH IT. AND HE WON'T TELL YOU, LET YOU DO DRESS. SHALL WE BOW? HERE'S SOME PRAYER, OH, WISE EVERLASTING. HE TURNED TO GOD, OUR FATHER AND THE PRECIOUS NAME OF OUR SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST. WE ENTERED INTO THIS BUSINESS MEETING TO GOD. WE A FEW IN MIND, KNOWLEDGE AND YOU AS OUR CREATOR AND OUR MAKER AND ALVA GOD AND ALL LORD, WE THANK YOU FOR THE LEADERSHIP OF THIS GREAT BODY. WE THANK YOU LORD FOR THE PEOPLE THAT COME TO SHARE THEIR VIEWS, THEIR CONCERNS THAT FACE THEIR VARIOUS COMMUNITIES AND OUR LORD, AS WE DIALOGUE TOGETHER, GIVE US UNDERSTANDING AND GIVE US WISDOM HOW WE MAY BETTER ADDRESS THE NEEDS AND THE CONCERNS OF THIS, OUR GREAT CITY AND PEOPLE IN THE MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS. WE PRAY. AMEN. HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE. THE FIRST THING IS AN ANIMAL ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT. IT'S A MONTHLY REQUESTED PETITION OF CITIZENS. IS THERE ANYBODY HERE TONIGHT IS HERE FOR THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE? THIS IS NOT THE, UH, HISTORIC DISTRICT ISSUE FOR ANYTHING. NOBODY MIGHT BE THINKING. OTHERWISE THIS IS JUST SOMEBODY THAT'S HERE TO SPEAK ON ANY ISSUE. NOBODY HERE. OKAY. IN THAT CASE, WE'LL GO ON TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR, WHICH IS A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE REGARDING PREVENTION OF DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT OF HISTORIC STRUCTURES AND OTHER MISCELLANEOUS AMENDMENTS TO THE HISTORIC DISTRICT COORDINATES. YES, MA'AM GOOD EVENING. WE'LL BE GOOD SO FAR. THANK YOU ALL. IT'S BEEN A SORT OF A LONG ROAD TO GET TO THIS POINT TO, UH, TO GET TO THE POINT, TO HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING, TO PRESENT. WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT PREVENTION OF DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT OF HISTORIC STRUCTURES FOR AWHILE. AND, UM, AND HERE WE FINALLY GOTTEN TO THIS POINT, SO I'M EXCITED THAT, UM, THAT WE'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK AND ARE ABLE TO, TO TALK ABOUT THIS TONIGHT. UH, FIRST THE, UM, FIRST THING I'D LIKE TO SAY IS WE'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE ORDINANCE AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE TONIGHT TO DO. I'LL MAKE A SHORT PRESENTATION SHORT. I PROMISE ON, UM, EXACTLY WHAT THE ORDINANCE ENTAILS. I'VE TRIED TO TAKE EACH SECTION OF THE ORDINANCE AND SORT OF BOIL IT DOWN TO A SENTENCE OR TWO TO GIVE THE GIST OF WHAT EACH SECTION IS ABOUT. UM, ALSO JUST TO LET YOU KNOW THAT IT HAS BEEN ATTORNEY WARD ASKED THE QUESTION HAS BEEN AVERAGE DULY ADVERTISED AS IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING. SO WE'LL JUST TAKE RIGHT OFF ON THE POWERPOINT PRESENTATION. FIRST, THIS IS AN ORDINANCE TO PREVENT THE DEMOLITION OF HISTORIC PROPERTIES DUE TO NEGLIGENCE OF PROPERTY OWNERS WHO JUST DON'T SIMPLY DO REASONABLE MAINTENANCE TO THEIR STRUCTURES. UM, THE ORDINANCE, UH, SETS FORTH SOME STANDARDS, UM, UH, REQUIRE THAT REQUIRE THAT THE PROPERTY OWNERS PROTECT THE HISTORIC PROPERTIES FROM DECAY OR DETERIORATION. AS I SAID, BY JUST SIMPLY EXERCISING SOME REASONABLE MAINTENANCE FLY-INS THEIR DETERIORATION OF ANY EXTERIOR FEATURES. SO AS TO CREATE ANY HAZARDOUS OR UNSAFE CONDITIONS TO LIVE PELL OR OTHER PROPERTY, UH, DETERIORATION OF EXTERIOR WALLS, FOUNDATIONS, OR OTHER VERTICAL SUPPORT THAT CAUSES LEANING SAG AND SPLITTING [00:05:01] LISTING DETERIORATION OF FLOORING OR FLOOR SUPPORTS ROOFS OR HORIZONTAL MEMBERS THAT CAUSE LEANING SAGGING, SPLITTING, AND THEN INEFFECTIVE WATERPROOFING OF EXTERIOR WALLS, ROOFS FOUNDATIONS, INCLUDING BROKEN WINDOWS AND DOORS, AND BASICALLY THE JEST OF IT. AND THE, THE, THE, UH, FOCUS IS TO TRY TO PREVENT, TO KEEP THE HOME WEATHER TIGHT, TO PREVENT CONTINUED DETERIORATION, WHERE YOU BEGIN TO LOSE YOUR HISTORIC STRUCTURE, WHERE IT BECOMES MORE COST-EFFECTIVE TO TAKE IT AWAY THAN TO FIX IT. AND WE WANT TO GET TO BEFORE WE GET TO THAT POINT, MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MAINTAINING THE, UH, AT THE FABRIC THAT IS THERE. UM, THE PETITION AND ACTION IS THE, UH, ORDINANCE REQUIRES THE EASIER IF I LOOKED AT THE ORDINANCE AS I WAS GOING THROUGH THE NEXT SECTION OF THE ORDINANCE OF PETITION AND ACTIONS REQUIRE THAT THE PRESERVATION COMMISSION FILE PETITION WITH THE CHIEF BUILDING INSPECTOR TO INVESTIGATE AND MAKE A DETERMINATION, WHETHER A STRUCTURE IS ACTUALLY UNDERGOING DEMOLITION BY THE COLLAPSE OF THE CHIEF BUILDING INSPECTOR WOULD THEN SERVE NOTICE TO THE PROPERTY OWNER. A HEARING WOULD BE HAILED TO RECEIVE EVIDENCE AND THE PROPERTY OWNER AT THAT TIME COULD MAKE A CLAIM OF UNDUE ECONOMIC HARDSHIP. THIS IS PROVIDED FOR UNDER THE GENERAL STATUTES THAT GIVE US THE AUTHORITY TO HAVE THIS TYPE OF ORDINANCE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT ECONOMIC CARTOON, JUST A SECOND. AND THEN THE CHIEF BUILDING INSPECTOR WOULD MAKE A FINAL, WOULD MAKE DETERMINATION AND ISSUE FINDINGS AND DECIDE WHETHER THE BUILDING IS UNDERGOING DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT METHOD. THIS PART OF THE ORDINANCE HAS BEEN MODELED VERY CLOSELY AFTER THE MINIMUM HOUSING CODE. THE NOTIFICATION PROCESS IS VERY STRINGENT TO ENSURE THAT THE PROPERTY OWNERS HAVE AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE CORRECTIONS BEFORE ANY FINES ARE ASSESSED. SO THAT HAS BEEN MODELED VERY MUCH AFTER AN ORDINANCE THAT WE ALREADY HAVE IN PLACE. THERE ARE SAFEGUARDS TO PROTECT PROPERTY OWNERS FROM UNDUE ECONOMIC HARM, THE HPC TALKING, OR CLAIMS THAT HE HAS AN ECONOMIC HARDSHIP, THE HPC, WHICH THE PROPERTY OWNER WOULD AT THAT TIME SUBMIT SUPPORTING EVIDENCE TO SUBSTANTIATE THEIR CLAIM OF UNDO. THE HPC WOULD MAKE A RULING WITHIN 60 DAYS. AND IF THEY FOUND THAT THERE IS A, AN ECONOMIC HARDSHIP, THEY WOULD WORK WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER TO DEVELOP A PLAN TO HELP PROPERTY OWNER, TRY TO CORRECT THE PROBLEMS THAT HAVE BEEN FOUND WITH THE, WITH THE STRUCTURE AND WORK WITHIN THEIR FINANCIAL MEANS. AND THERE'S A LOT OF AVENUES THAT WE WOULD WORK THROUGH GRANTS, UH, RELAXING, SOME OF THE STANDARDS, WHATEVER THE, UM, THE PLAN WE COULD COME UP WITH TO HELP THE PROPERTY OWNER TO, UM, UM, CORRECT THE PROBLEMS THEN. AND THAT'S WHAT THE HPC WOULD DO WITH THAT. AND THEN FINALLY TYPE THINGS. THERE WAS AN APPEAL PROCESS AND APPEAL MAY BE MADE TO THE BOARD OF, UH, ADJUSTMENT AGAIN, UH, AND LOOK AT IT IN TERMS OF THE PROCESS, MADE SURE THAT THERE WAS ALL NEW PROCESS OF PROPER NOTIFICATION. UM, IF YOU WERE TO OTHER CITY POWERS, NOTHING IN THIS ORDER ARTICLE WILL DIMINISH THE CITY'S AUTHORITY TO DECLARE A BUILDING UNSAFE. IF WE THINK THAT THE BUILDING DOESN'T SAY, THEN WE STILL HAVE THAT HOUR OR THIS DESIGN. AND FINALLY, UH, IF WE GO THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS AND A PROPERTY OWNER STILL CHOOSES NOT TO MAKE THE CORRECTIONS THAT THE BUILDING INSPECTOR HAS DIRECTED THAT HE DO THE CITY, THE CITY CAN LEVY A FINE A $50 A DAY, FINE FOR NON-COMPLIANCE. UM, AND THAT IS IT IN A NUTSHELL, TRULY, IN A NUTSHELL, THE ORDINANCE, UM, THE ORDINANCE HAS HAD BEEN REVIEWED BY THE STORE PRESERVATION COMMISSION AND THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD, AND THEY RECOMMENDED APPROVAL TO THIS BOARD. UH, THIS PUBLIC HEARING AGAIN, WAS AVAR DULY ADVERTISED, AND WE DID MAKE A PRESENTATION TO THE DOWNTOWN RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION. I THINK THAT'S THE MAJORITY OF THE FOLKS THAT ARE HERE THIS EVENING AND, UM, AND EXPLAIN THE PROCESS TO THEM. THEY UNDERSTAND THE ORDINANCE AGAIN, THIS WILL ONLY APPLY TO THE DOWNTOWN HISTORIC DISTRICT. IT DOES NOT APPLY TO THE OTHER NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS THAT WE HAVE. AND, UM, AND THAT IS DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT. NOW I CAN STOP ON THAT PART. WE HAVE A COUPLE OF MORE SMALLER ORDINANCES THAT DEAL WITH THE DOWNTOWN SIDEWALKS STRAIGHT FROM TRUE THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. DO WE WANT TO STOP AND SEE IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS ON PREVENTION OF DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT? OH YES, WE WEIRD. IS THERE ANYBODY HERE THAT IS AGAINST THIS ORDINANCE? IF YOU DO RAISE YOUR HAND, IS THIS A PUBLIC HEARING? SO, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN COME [00:10:01] UP AND SPEAK IF YOU WANT TO, IF YOU FORWARD ON YES, IT WILL BE THE SAME. THAT ALL LOVE YOU FOR IT. WE'VE ALL SEEN IT AND WE'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH IT. YOU ALL HAVE SEEN IT VERY FAMILIAR WITH IT. SO, UH, AND THE RESPECT FOR TIME AND, UH, TRIED TO CHEAT ON HIS HEAD COLD WAS I CAN'T SEE SMELL NO HERE, YOU DON'T PROBABLY HAVE A NOTICE. I DON'T MAKE ANY MORE SENSE NORMALLY DO, BUT ANYWAY, UH, YEAH, IF EVERYONE HERE IS FORD, UH, NO ONE'S AGAINST ALL THAT MAKE THE MOST. WE CLOSED THE PUBLIC HEARING AND FURTHER DISCUSSION. EXCUSE ME, DISCUSSION OF THAT. IF NOT. OH, THE MARYLAND ADOPTED SECOND. OKAY. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION OF THAT? YES. I DID NOT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO SCOTT UNTIL THIS AFTERNOON. I REVIEWED THE ORDINANCE YESTERDAY. I SUGGESTED SEVERAL CAGES TO SCOTT. HE MADE THE CHANGES AND PROVIDED ANNETTE WITH A COPY OF THE CHANGES. UH, WE HAVE THE ORDINANCE AS IT'S BEEN MARKED UP, WHICH THE BOARD CAN GO AHEAD AND ACT ON, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE YOU AWARE THAT THERE ARE SOME CHANGES THEN ONCE THEY MADE THE CHANGE IS THE SO-CALLED PRIORITIZING OF THE VARIOUS RELEVANT, WHICH WOULD FALL UNDER THE PROGRAM BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN NEGLECTED. I SUGGESTED TO SCOTT AND HE AGREED WITH ME THAT WHEN YOU HAVE A LEGAL PROBLEM. OKAY. SO MOST OF THEM REALLY EXPLAINING IT. YEAH, BASICALLY. UM, THE ATTORNEY, THE CITY ATTORNEY LOOKED AT IT AND FELT LIKE THAT THE PRIORITIES ESTABLISHED SECTION THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT THERE MAY BE SOME LEGAL ISSUES WITH THAT AND ASKED THAT WE STRIKE THAT SECTION. WE PROBABLY WILL DO SOMETHING SIMILAR. WE'RE JUST ADMINISTRATIVELY, BUT IT WILL NOT BE WRITTEN INTO THE TEXT OF THE ORDINANCE. UM, AND THEN OTHERWISE THERE WERE JUST SOME CORRECTIONS IN TERMS OF, UM, SOMATIC KIND OF THINGS, HISTORIC STRUCTURES, JUST SOME SIMPLE LANGUAGE KIND OF THINGS. BUT SUBSTANTIVELY THE ONLY THING THAT REALLY CHANGED WAS TAKEN OUT THE PRIORITIES ESTABLISHED MARILYN WITHDRAWING, MY FIRST MOTION AND MAKING STEPS TO MOTION. THAT'S UP TO MOTION TO ADOPT THE ORDERS WITH THE NECESSARY. WELL, IT HASN'T BEEN ABOUT A SEVEN. I MEAN, BY THE CITY ATTORNEY, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, IS THAT OKAY, WE HAVE A QUESTION AND THE AUDIENCE CAN'T SEE IT. THE LADY IN THE CORAL COLORED DRESS HELD HER HAND UP. WHO'S GOT A QUESTION. UM, AND WHEN WE GET THE PRESENTATION, WHAT WE HAVE LOOKED AT SAM WAS TRYING TO MAKE IT AS FAIR AS POSSIBLE AND GO ABOUT IT IN A WAY WHERE WE'RE DEALING WITH THE WORST STRUCTURES FIRST OFF, BECAUSE WHEN I ADD A SACK AND I ADVOCATE FOR, AND WE CAN'T TAKE ON MORE WORKLOAD THAN EXEC ED. SO WE WERE JUST TRYING TO SET THOSE APART AND TO BE REAL CLEAR WORK PLAN. AND WE FEEL LIKE IT WAS STILL ADMINISTRATIVELY, YOU KNOW, DO IT LIVE, BUT IT WON'T BE WRITTEN INTO THE ORDINANCE. THE ATTRACT IS ABOUT LIKE, IF THEY COULD HAVE BEEN, FOR SOME REASON THAT WENT TO COURT. SO IT'S NOT GONNA CHANGE THE WAY WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE GOING TO GO ABOUT ADMINISTERING THE WARD, UM, OR, OR FROM THE, UM, . UM, I THINK THAT IN A BACK-END ANSWER, MAYBE THE CITY ATTORNEY WANTS TO CHIME IN, BUT I THINK THAT IF WE STILL GO ABOUT THE PROCESS OF ESTABLISHING A SYSTEM FOR LOOKING AT STRUCTURE, SORT OF, WE WERE LOOKING AT DOING A PERFORMANCE BASED THING, THINGS THAT HAD X, X, X TYPE OF STRUCTURAL DEFECTS, WE GET POINTS. IF THEY WERE ON THE MIDDLE HOUSING CODE LIST, THEY'D GET POINTS. SO IT WOULD, IT WOULD GIVE IT SOME KIND OF ASSISTANCE FOR WHY IS IT WE'RE DEALING WITH THIS STRUCTURE AT THIS TIME. AND IF WE HAVE THAT AND HAVE IT WRITTEN DOWN SO THAT PEOPLE CAN SEE IT AND UNDERSTAND IT, I THINK THAT I THINK THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO DEFEND OURSELVES. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT, I CAN'T HEAR VERY WELL. DO YOU FEEL BY, DO YOU FEEL LIKE THAT THE CITY WOULD BE PROTECTED, UM, FROM ANY KIND OF ACCUSATIONS THAT WE WERE BEING PREJUDICED OR NOT GOING ABOUT IT IN A FAIR WAY? IF WE ADMINISTRATIVELY HAD POLICIES THAT SAID, [00:15:01] WE'RE GOING TO DEAL WITH, UH, STRUCTURES AND THAT IS, YOU KNOW, ANYBODY CAN SUE THE CITY OR ANYBODY ELSE AND ALLEGE ANYTHING THEY WANT TO LA, I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE A PROBLEM HANDLING IT AS YOU SUGGESTED. I THINK IT WOULD BE A PROBLEM IF THAT LANGUAGE WERE LEFT IN THIS ORDINANCE. I DIDN'T TELL SCOTT TO DO SO, BUT HE DECIDED TO CALL DAVID LAWRENCE AT THE INSTITUTE OF GOVERNMENT. DAVID AGREED TO WHAT I TOLD HIM. OKAY. ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS BEFORE WE VOTE ON IT? GO AHEAD. ARE YOU SAYING IF WE FIND AN ECONOMIC HARDSHIP? OKAY. UM, THEN WHAT WE WOULD DO IS STAFF IS WE WOULD LOOK AT THE OPPORTUNITY FOR BRANDS. DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OUT THERE, BUT WHEREVER WE ARE IN THAT TIMELINE, IF THERE'S GRANT OPPORTUNITIES, WE CAN CERTAINLY GO AFTER THAT. SOMETIME THERE ARE THINGS THROUGH THE PRESERVATION FOUNDATION, ET CETERA. UM, WE WOULD LOOK AT PERHAPS, UH, AS THE ORDINANCE SUGGESTS RELAXING THE STANDARDS SO THAT WE GO ABOUT DEALING WITH THE WORST PIECES OF WHATEVER THE PROBLEMS ARE WITH THE HOUSES FIRST. UM, SO THERE MAY NOT BE A MONEY MONETARY THING AT ALL, BUT, UM, WE, UH, DID ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS. THERE MAY NOT, THERE MAY NOT BE A MONEY PIECE. THERE MAY BE GRANTS AVAILABLE. THERE MAY NOT BE GRANTSVILLE, BUT THE POINT IS RIGHT. WELL THEN WE WOULD SIMPLY GO, BUT DO OUR BEST TO WORK WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER, TO TRY TO HELP THEM BE ABLE TO MAKE THE CORRECTIONS TO THE, TO THE GREATEST EXTENT POSSIBLE, MR. MAYOR, A NET IN A CASE OF FINANCIAL HARDSHIP, WOULD IT BE REASONABLE THAT UNDER THE ORDINANCE, AS PROPOSED, THE CITY COULD MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO DO WHATEVER WAS NECESSARY TO BRING IT INTO COMPLIANCE AND THEN PUT A LIEN ON THE PROPERTY. WE HAVE DONE THAT WITH, THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF HOUSING CODE, SIMILAR KIND OF THINGS, DONE SOME VERY MINIMAL THINGS TO BRING THE HOUSE AND SAY COMPLIANCE. SO WHAT'S THE CITY MANAGERS, BLISS, AND ALLOWING US TO DO THAT. UM, SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY OF A FINANCIAL SITUATION ARISING. WE DON'T KNOW THAT IT WILL, BUT THERE'S THAT POSSIBILITY IN WHICH A PROPERTY OWNER CANNOT BRING IT UP TO THE LEVEL AT WHICH IT SHOULD BE. BUT WE DO HAVE A MECHANISM BY WHICH WE CAN SOLVE THAT PROBLEM. UH, EVEN IF WE CAN'T FIND A OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BECAUSE LIKE SHE SAYS THAT MONEY IS GETTING HARD TO COME BY, BUT WE DO HAVE A MECHANISM EXISTING WHEREBY THE CITY COULD BRING IT TO A MINIMUM STANDARD AND PLACE A LIEN UPON THE PROPERTY TO GET THE CITY'S MONEY BACK. WE ARE VERY MUCH INTERESTED IN GETTING THESE PLACES UP TO STANDARD. SO THEY'RE, THERE WE'LL FIND A WAY TO DO IT. YES, MA'AM UM, VERY EARLY ON DISCUSSION. AND THERE WAS A SUGGESTION THAT USED AS A ROTATING TYPE TO HELP THAT INDIVIDUAL VERSUS, OR PEOPLE WHO HAVE PROBLEMS. THAT'S STILL A VIABLE POSSIBILITY. I WOULD HAVE TO DEFER TO THE CITY MANAGER, THE CITY ATTORNEY, COULD WE DIRECT THOSE FUNDS DIRECTLY TO, WELL, THAT'D BE A MATTER THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE DECIDED IF THEY'RE CIVIL FINES, THEY'D COME TO THE CITY AND WHETHER OR NOT THEY'D BE USED FOR OTHER PURPOSES, THAT WOULD BE A MATTER FOR THE BOARD TO DECIDE IN THEIR BUDGET APPROPRIATIONS. BUT YOU'RE SAYING YOU COULD EARMARK FOR THAT, IS THAT THE MAYOR, MATT AND JACKSON, BEFORE WE VOTE. THE OTHER THING TOO, IS ONE OF THE OTHER IDEAS FOR THIS ORDINANCE WAS THAT ALLOWS THE STAFF TO HOPEFULLY CATCH A PROBLEM BEFORE IT GETS SO DETERIORATED THAT IT CAN'T BE REPAIRED, RIGHT? THAT'S, THAT'S THE BIG THING, YOU KNOW, WE CAN CATCH IT BEFORE IT GETS SO BAD, THEN IT SHOULDN'T BE, I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THAT MANY HARDSHIPS. UH, I WOULD ALSO THINK THAT IF SOMEONE WAS BUYING A HOME IN HISTORICAL DISTRICT, UH, THEY WILL PROBABLY HAVE THE PRIDE KNOWING WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO PAY FOR IT TO MAINTAIN IT SO THAT IT CAN EVENTUALLY RECOUP THAT MONEY THAT THEY PAID FOR IT. UH, BUT ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS IS IT IS TO HELP KEEP THE PROPERTY FROM DETERIORATE SO BAD THAT YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO MAINTAIN IT OR GET IT BACK UPSTAIRS. WELL, ABOVE THE QUESTION, [00:20:01] CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG. SINCE I SAID THAT THE STATE CONGENITAL STATUTES, UH, OTHERWISE PROVIDE FOR THE HARDSHIP EXCEPTION, I GUESS WHAT I MEANT THAT WHAT YOU SAID, LET ME READ YOU WHAT IT SAID. OKAY. GOVERNING BOARD OF ANY MUNICIPALITY MAY MAKE, IT MAY ENACT AN ORDINANCE TO PREVENT THE DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT OF ANY DESIGNATED LANDMARK. AND WE HAVE NO DESIGNATED LANDMARKS OR ANY BUILDING OR STRUCTURE WITHIN AN ESTABLISHED HISTORIC DISTRICT, SUCH ORDINANCE SHALL PROVIDE APPROPRIATE SAFEGUARDS TO PROTECT PROPERTY OWNERS FROM UNDUE ECONOMIC COST. SO THAT'S THE BASIS FOR THE PROVISION, WHICH IS, AND DOESN'T YOU EXACTLY HOW YOU HAVE TO DO IT. SO SANFORD SCRATCHED HIS HEAD AND COME UP WITH IDEAS. THEY WERE IN THE ORDER. SO THE BOTTOM LINE IS THE ORDINANCE HAS BEEN PUT TOGETHER WITH THE INTENTION TO GIVE US A TOOL, TO TRY TO KEEP THESE HOUSES FROM SITTING THERE AND JUST COMING APART. WE'LL TRY TO DO THE BEST THAT WE CAN WITHIN THE LAW TO MAKE IT TURN OUT THE WAY ALL OF US HERE, YOU HAVE THIS MOMENT TO DO SO WELL, I'M NOT, IS IT ECONOMIC HARDSHIP? THAT'S SOMETHING TO BE LIFTED. YEAH, THAT'S IT. OKAY. UH, COLORADO LAND PLEASE. MA'AM UM, YES, YES, YES, YES. NOW FOR THE OTHER PART OF YOUR UM, BASICALLY WHAT WE HAVE DOWNTOWN IS PROBABLY IN THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, YOU'VE SEEN MORE AND MORE OF IT. WE'RE FOLKS ARE PUTTING THINGS OUT ON THE SIDEWALK. THEY'RE PUTTING BENCHES, THEY'RE PUTTING DISPLAYS OF MERCHANDISE, UH, SIDEWALK SIGNS, OR ARE OUT THERE. AND I THINK EVERYONE WOULD AGREE THAT IT ADDS TO THE STREAK. IT MAKES IT MORE FESTIVE LOOKING PLACE. IT MAKES IT A PLACE THAT INVITES PEOPLE TO COME. BUT BASICALLY RIGHT NOW, AS THE ORDINANCE STANDS, IT DOESN'T ALLOW THOSE THINGS. AND, AND WE AS STAFF DON'T WANT TO GO OUT THERE AND SAY, YOU CAN'T HAVE ANY OF THIS STUFF CAUSE THAT'S IN THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY. SO WHAT WE'VE DONE WORKING WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS TO AMEND THE PARTS OF THE ORDINANCE THAT, THAT DON'T ALLOW OBSTRUCTIONS, THEY CALL STREET FURNITURE AND THOSE KIND OF THINGS, OBSTRUCTIONS. SO YOU'VE GOT FOUR ORDINANCES AMENDMENTS IN FRONT OF YOU. ONE IS A SECTION 66 DASH 61 OBSTRUCTIONS 66 DASH 63, THAT DEALS WITH DISPLAYS OF MERCHANDISE AND THEN PORTABLE SIDEWALK SIGNS, UH, UNDER THE LAND USE ORDINANCE. AND THEN THE SECTION APPENDIX E THAT DEALS WITH THE DOWNTOWN HISTORIC DISTRICT. UM, AND THEN AGAIN, IN A NUTSHELL, TRY TO TELL YOU WHAT THESE THINGS SAY, OR IF WE WANT TO AMEND CHAPTER 66 TO ALLOW THE DISPLAY OF MERCHANDISE AND STREET FURNITURE AND THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT. SO WE LIMITED IT TO C1, C2, WHICH DEALS WITH THAT BASIC CORE DOWNTOWN, UH, PORTABLE SIDEWALK SIGNS, A FRANK SIGNS. I DISCUSSED THIS WITH THE ZONING ADMINISTRATOR. HE FELT LIKE THINGS OUTSIDE OF THE DISTRICT HAD A LITTLE DIFFERENT CHARACTER AND SHOULD BE DEALT WITH DIFFERENTLY. SO HE IS LOOKING TO AMEND SECTION 15 DASH 3 24, THE LAND USE ORDINANCE TO REQUIRE PORTABLE SIDEWALK SIGNS OUTSIDE THE HISTORIC DISTRICT TO BE WITHIN FIVE FEET OF A BUILDING. SO YOU CAN SEE IN A TYPICAL STRIP MALL TYPE DEVELOPMENT, THAT THAT'S MORE APPROPRIATE. THAT, THAT SIGN BE A LITTLE CLOSER TO THE BUILDING. UH, PORTABLE SIDEWALK SIGNS INSIDE THE HISTORIC DISTRICT. THIS AMENDMENT WOULD REQUIRE THAT THEY BE PLACED IN GENERAL ALIGNMENT WITH THE STREET TRAYS. AND SO NOT AS NOT TO INTERFERE WITH PASSENGERS EXITING THE CAR. SO THAT WAY THE SIDEWALK SIGNS ARE OUT THERE. THEY'RE ALL IN A GENERAL ALIGNMENT THERE'S UNIFORMITY. IT LOOKS NICE. YOU HAVE CLEAR PASSAGE FOR PEOPLE WALKING DOWN THE STREET, ANY DISPLAYS OF MERCHANDISE. I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T PUT THIS IN THE SLIDE. ANY DISPLAYS OF MERCHANDISE AND STREET FURNITURE THAT WOULD BE OUT THERE. WE'RE LIMITING THAT TO NO MORE THAN 30 INCHES FROM THE EDGE OF THE BUILDING. AND ALSO THE LANGUAGE IS VERY SPECIFIC SO THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE PROPERTY OWNER OR THE BUSINESS RIGHT THERE IN FRONT. SO WE DON'T HAVE JUST ANYBODY COME AND PUT IN DISPLAYS OF MERCHANDISE OUT THAT THAT PROPERTY OWNER IS ALLOWED TO PUT DISPLAYS OF MERCHANDISE AND STREET FURNITURE. AND IT, BUT IT CANNOT COME OUT MORE THAN 30 INCHES FROM HIS BUILDING. AND GENERALLY THAT WOULD BE THE DEPTH OF A CHAIR OR A STREET BENCH OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. UM, SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO ALLOW FOLKS TO HAVE WHAT IT IS THEY HAVE OUT THERE, BUT WE CAN PUT SOME LIMITATIONS CAUSE SOME FOLKS GET A LITTLE OVERZEALOUS AND YOU'VE GOT SIDEWALKS WHERE YOUR KNEE, ANDREA, AND DOWN TO TRY TO GET THROUGH WHERE THEY'VE GOT ALL THEIR STUFF OUT [00:25:01] THERE. IT LOOKS PRETTY, BUT WE STILL NEED TO HAVE GOOD, CLEAR PASSAGE FOR PEOPLE TO WALK UP AND DOWN THE SIDEWALK. SO GENERALLY THESE FOUR SMALL ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS, THAT'S THE NET EFFECT OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS BIKES. YES. ACTUALLY THEY HAVE SORT OF IN VOLUNTARILY BEEN DOING THIS FOR OVER A YEAR. THIS IS SOMETHING WE HAVE DISCUSSED WITH THEM. UH, THEY KIND OF CAME TO ME WITH THE STANDARDS. THEY KNEW THAT THERE NEEDED TO BE STANDARDS. UM, AND, AND AGAIN, WE GOT JUST A FEW PEOPLE WHO JUST GO JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN, THAN WHAT'S REASONABLE. SO WITH SOME STANDARDS IN HAND, AS STAFF, WE CAN WALK OUT THERE AND SAY, THESE ARE OUR STANDARDS AND THIS IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO. AND, AND FOLKS GENERALLY COMPLY AT THAT POINT. MY WIFE TRIES TO PUT IT LAST OUT IN THE STREET. SHE'S GOT TO BE WITHIN FIVE FEET OF THE HOUSE. I APPRECIATE Y'ALL HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR YEAH, SHE'LL SAY I'M NOT IN THE STORE. SHE'D DO IT ANYWAY. SO UNTIL I'M REPRESENTING HER ON THE COMMENTS ON THAT MAYOR, EMMA IS PUBLIC HEARING. IF NO ONE HAS NOT. OKAY, SAME AS ANYBODY. ANYBODY GOT ANY COMMENTS ON DESIGN BUSINESS? HAVING THAT MOTION, WE CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING. THERE'S NO SEPARATE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION. IF NOT ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. NOW LIKE A MOTION, MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ADOPT TO SECTION 66 61 OR THE ARTICLE OBSTRUCTION OF CHAPTER 66TH STREET, SIDEWALKS AND OTHER PUBLIC PLACES. ANY OF THE DISCUSSION CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE, MAN. YES, YES, YES. DO YOU NEED TO GET THROUGH EACH ONE OF THOSE OR, BUT THAT'S EVERYTHING I TALKED ABOUT IS THE ALL FOUR. SO IF YOU JUST DO THE SAME THING FOR, I GUESS MARILYN, I MAKE THE MOTION, WE ADOPT THE ORDERS TO ME, A SECTION 66 DASH 63, THE ARTICLES OF STRUCTURING OF CHAPTER SIX, SIX STREETS, SIDEWALKS, AND OTHER PUBLIC PLACES. PART OF THE DISCUSSION OF THAT. NOT HOLD ON, PLEASE. YES, YES. YEAH. MAY I LIKE TO ALSO MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE OWNERS TO THE MEN'S SECTION 15 DASH 3, 2 4 PORTABLE SIDEWALK SIGNS, ARTICLE 17. SOUNDS THAT A LAND USE ORDINANCE, THE CITY OF NEWARK FURTHER DISCUSSION PLEASE. MA'AM YES, YES, YES. YES. WELL, WHILE YOU'RE ON A ROAD, YOU GOT ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT? WELL, YOU STARTED OUT MORE LEGISLATORS IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY. I GUESS THAT WAS IT. WE APPRECIATE, WE APPRECIATE Y'ALL AND I'D LIKE TO THANK Y'ALL FOR THE FACT THAT I SAID IT OLDER AGAINST THE BATTERY LIVES, WHICH IS HARD TO BELIEVE, BUT TRUE. YOU GOT A JOB. YOU DO? I DIDN'T KNOW THE QUESTION NUMBER SIX. OKAY. OKAY. MIKE, YOU LISTED, WE'LL BE BACK IN SESSION THEN. GO AHEAD. IF YOU HAD A QUESTION. [00:30:02] YEAH, MIKE, THIS QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, THE HOUSE THAT'S INVOLVED NEXT TO THE BREAD CUP MAN WHO HAS GOT THREE LEVELS, THREE TIMES I'VE ASKED THAT THE LATEST SON BE CONTACTED FOR ANY NEGOTIATIONS AND ALL, AND AS OF TWO DAYS AGO, HE HASN'T MISSED CONTACT AT ALL, BUT HIS MOTHER HAS THOUGHT, I'D APPRECIATE IT. IF WE COULD DO AT LEAST WHAT THEY'RE REQUESTING. OKAY. I'LL PUT MR. BARNETT IN MY CAR AND TAKE HIM OVER THERE. CAUSE I'VE TOLD HIM TWO TIMES TO GET BY THERE AND DO IT. SO I'LL TAKE HIM. I KNOW IT'S NOT MY AREA, BUT IT'S A FRIEND OF MINE AND HE'S REAL CONCERNED THAT HIS MOTHER, THAT HE WANTS TO HELP HER HANDLE. THAT IS THAT'S THE ONE NEXT TO THE BREAD COMPANY HAS GOTTEN HIS THREE LEVELS, CONCRETE SLAB OUT THERE. ALL THESE ACIDS IS BE INVOLVED IN. YEAH. DO I HEAR A SECOND CHECK? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION PLEASE? MA'AM YES, YES, YES, YES. I DON'T HAVE ANY ONE DOWN THIS WAY. NOPE, NO, NO, NO. I'VE GOT ONE. I'D LIKE TO REAPPOINT JOHN WEYERHAEUSER TO THE DDA. ZACK, A LITTLE GOOD JOB. WELL, I DON'T REAPPOINT. I JUST, UH, WHAT DO YOU CALL IT? LET'S BE TACTICAL ABOUT IT. SO ALL IN FAVOR OF RENOMINATED, JOHN WAREHOUSE SAY HE'S ON THERE AGAIN. STILL GOT IT. OKAY. ANYBODY ELSE? NO, SIR. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING THAT'S BALLAD. I TOLD ROBERT I HAD FOUR, BUT I WAS SKIPPING. WE'LL TALK ABOUT RIGHT. WE DON'T HAVE ANY ATTORNEY THAT WE HAVE NOTHING FOR THE CITY MANAGER TO YOU HAVING BREAKS. I MEAN, HE CAN'T BOUNCE IT OFF. ONE THING, ONE THING TO BEAR QUICKLY, AND I PROMISE YOU, I WILL NOT BE BACK WITH ANOTHER ONE OF THESE TONIGHT, TONIGHT, OR AT LEAST WITH IT NOT BEING IN THE AGENDA. NO IDEA. BUT ANYWAY, UH, I PUT BEFORE YOU A RESOLUTION THAT I RECOMMENDED THE BOARD ADOPT THAT BASICALLY THE ORDINANCE YOU, YOU ADOPTED, UH, ON MARCH THE 13TH FOR THE STORM WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT AND DISCHARGE CONTROL, UH, AND NITROGEN REDUCTION IN THE NEUSE RIVER. WE, AS I SAID, WE WERE PUTTING TOGETHER A STORM WATER MANAGEMENT MANUAL. THAT'LL BE A TOOL WE'LL USE TO, UH, ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM AS WELL AS THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY AND EVERYONE ELSE BE A GAUGE OF HOW THEY GET TO WHERE THEY'RE GOING. AND SO THEY'LL HAVE SOME HAVE SOMETHING TO GO BY THAT WE'RE ALL TALKING THE SAME LANGUAGE AND ALL THIS DOES IS ADOPT THAT MANUAL. WE WILL BE HAVING A PUBLIC HEARING THE NEXT MEETING ABOUT THE LAND USE CHANGE. OKAY. UM, SO THIS WILL PUT, THIS WILL IN FACT PUT US TO WHERE WE CAN START ADMINISTERING THIS PROGRAM AND GET THIS TOOL IN THE HANDS OF THE DEVELOPERS. DANNY, I INCLUDED AFTER FURTHER ABUSE, WE DIDN'T HAVE TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES, PARENTS ETHICAL AND CRAFT FROM WHICH I PREPARED. VERY GOOD. SO WITH THE ADOPTION OF THIS, WE'RE READY TO GET I'LL MOVE WITH DR. RESOLUTION BACKUPS OR OTHER DISCUSSION THAT IF NOT, PLEASE MA'AM YES, YES, YES, YES. YEAH. I HAVE ONE OF THE THINGS JUST BEFORE I GOT A NOTE FROM ONE OF THE REPRESENTATIVES FROM FIFTH WARD WHO WAS AT THE MEETING THAT WE HAD THE OTHER NIGHT, GOD CITYWIDE CLEAN UP CAMPAIGN. AND THIS IS STEVIE OF COURSE IS VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT. AND UM, THEY HAVE ALREADY BEGUN. SHE WAS COORDINATING WITH, UH, THE VIVID STATION BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE AND THE RIVERSIDE ASSOCIATION. AND THEY HAVE ALREADY MOPPED OFF THE NEIGHBORHOODS IN WHICH THEY'RE GOING TO BE SERVING. SO THEY'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT. SO WE NEED TO GET BUSY AGAINST THE, I GUARANTEE YOU, WHEN THEY GET DOWN, YOU EAT OFF THE STRIP. I'M JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO EVERYBODY GETTING PUMPED UP ABOUT IT. THEN, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST DANNY AND I HAD TO TALK TO HIM [00:35:01] TODAY ABOUT THE SIGN. WE WOULD TALK ABOUT WHAT THE SIZE OF THE EMPHASIS COMING INTO ME WHEN ALL THAT SORT OF STUFF. AND SO WE DO HAVE SOME THINGS UNDERWAY AND WE KNOW WHERE THEY MIGHT GET HALF. THAT'S GOOD. IT'S THERE. WHAT IS OUR NEXT MEETING DISCUSSING? IS IT WHAT DAY? NEXT WEEK? 23RD, 23RD. THAT'S WHAT WE SUPPOSED TO GET TOGETHER AGAIN. THAT'S FINE. NOW Y'ALL DID GET A COPY OF THE, UH, THE NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH. SO YOU ASKED ABOUT A GROUP OF NAMES OF PEOPLE THAT ARE ALREADY OUT THERE. IT'S LIKE, OH, WELL I THINK WE CAN KIND OF MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET OKAY, SO THERE'S NOT ANYMORE DISCUSSION OR . * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.