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<br />
<br /> On motion by Ms. Richards, seconded by Ms. Daugherty, the ordinance entitled "AN
<br />ORDINANCE TO AMEND AND REORDA1N SECTIONS 31-56, 31-57, 31-59, 31-60,
<br />31061, 31-62, 31-153, ~qD 31-156, OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF
<br />CHARLOTTESVILLE, 1990, AS AIVlENDED, RELATING TO UT]I,ITY P~A_TES" was
<br />offered and carried over to the next meeting for consideration.
<br />
<br />PUBLIC HEARING: SELECTION OF CDBG PRIORITY NEIGHBORHOOD
<br />
<br /> Ms. Claudette Grant, Grants Administrator in the Department of Community
<br />Development, explained that every three years a priority neighborhood is chosen which
<br />receives approximately $200,000 in CDBG funding. Following such designation, a
<br />neighborhood based committee is appointed by Council to recommend how the funds will be
<br />used Ms. Grant noted that the Ridge Street Task Force has been meeting for a year and has
<br />made several recommendations for improvements to the Ridge Street neighborhood,
<br />including zoning changes. Ms. Grant listed the neighborhoods designated as target
<br />neighborhoods: Rose Hill, Starr Hill, 10th and Page, Jefferson Park Avenue, Ridge Street,
<br />Fifeville, and Belmont. Ms. Grant noted that Jefferson Park Avenue has recently qualified as
<br />a target neighborhood because students in that neighborhood are classified as low income.
<br />
<br /> Mr. Cox said he would recuse himself from the discussion since he is a property owner
<br />in the Ridge Street neighborhood.
<br />
<br />The public hearing was opened,
<br />
<br /> Mr. Kenneth Martin, 222 Lankford Avenue, Chairman of the Ridge Street Task Force,
<br />said that the Task Force has been meeting since March of 1997, and has recommended
<br />zoning changes, public safety, traffic, and infrastructure improvements. Mr. Martin requested
<br />that Ridge Street be designated as the next priority neighborhood.
<br />
<br /> Ms. Joan Fenton, a business owner on West Main Street, said that she believes the
<br />Ridge Street corridor is beneficial to downtown and supported designating Ridge Street as a
<br />priority neighborhood.
<br />
<br />As there were no further speakers, the public hearing was closed.
<br />
<br /> Ms. Daugherty said that it is clear that the groundwork has been done regarding
<br />recommendations for Ridge Street, and made a motion to approve it as the priority
<br />neighborhood for CDBG funds.
<br />
<br /> Ms. Richards seconded the motion and said that she is impressed with the work done
<br />and recommendations of the Ridge Street Task Force.
<br />
<br /> Mr. Toscano asked if the land use recommendations of the Ridge Street Task Force
<br />have been forwarded to the Planning Commission, and Mr. Ron Higgins, Acting Director of
<br />Community Development, said that the Planning Commission is scheduled to discuss the
<br />recommendations in the fall.
<br />
<br /> Ridge Street was approved as the priority neighborhood for CDBG funds, with Mr.
<br />Cox abstaining from the vote.
<br />
<br />PUBLIC HEARING: NOISE ORDINANCE FOR DOV~2qTOWN BUSINESS DISTRICT
<br />ORDINANCE
<br />
<br /> Mr. Clyde Gouldman, City Attorney, explained that the proposed noise ordinance was
<br />developed as a result of citizen complaints about music late at night on the downtown mall.
<br />Mr. Gouldman said that the mall is a mixture of commercial, entertainment and residential,
<br />and is the primary commercial district in the City. Mr. Gouldman said the objective of the
<br />ordinance is to provide relief to the residents, but to maintain a balance since the mall is a
<br />mixed use area. The proposed ordinance establishes a noise ordinance between 11:00 p.m.
<br />and 6:00 a.m., at a level of 75 decibels at a distance of 25 feet from the source of the sound.
<br />
<br />
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