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99 <br /> <br /> Responding to a question from Mr. Caravati, Ms. Kelley said that the section <br />dealing with drug activity is geared to pervasive and prevalent activity. Ms. Kelley said <br />that staff will be developing a core list of corrective action. <br /> <br /> Ms. Richards asked about language in the ordinance, inclUding excessive land <br />coverage, deleterious land use, and obsolete layout. <br /> <br /> Ms. Kelley said that the language was taken directly from State law, and the City <br />may need to come up with a policy defming what those are in practical applications. <br /> <br /> Ms. Richards said she sees the possibility for arbitrariness and abuse of authority <br />in the language, and if Council adopts the ordinance, she would suggest following up <br />with definitions. <br /> <br /> Mr. Cox said it is hard to understand who will be affected by the blight ordinance, <br />low income homeowners or absentee landlords. Mr. Cox said he has some reservations <br />about a zero tolerance tone until he knows who it will impact. <br /> <br /> Mr. Tolbert said the way the ordinance is written it will require Planning <br />Commission and Council action and public input. Mr. Tolbert said the goal is not to <br />displace homeovmers, but give the City the last resort authority that we do not have now. <br /> <br /> Ms. Richards said Council has heard for years that the City has allowed certain <br />neighborhoods to become blighted, and she would hate to say that we could not adopt an <br />ordinance because ofhardslfips. Ms. Richards said there is a certain responsibility to <br />homeownership to keep the neighborhood from being neglected. <br /> <br /> Mr, Cox said it would be helpful to know what properties we are talking about <br />and to have a better sense of a typical situation rather than the abstract. <br /> <br /> Mr. Caravati said he would like to have a public hearing on this before taking <br />action, and before then staff could give examples of affected properties. <br /> <br /> Ms. Richards said she sees this as adding to the set of tools the City has. Ms. <br />Richards said she does not need to see the specific properties identified, but feels it <br />should be judged in the abstract. <br /> <br /> Mr. Lynch said it would be helpful to see some of the procedures, and suggested <br />that the proposed ordinance be provided to absentee landlords. <br /> <br /> Mr. Caravati said it would be a daunting task to provide the ordinance to absentee <br />landlords, but asked staff to provide it to the extent possible. <br /> <br /> Mr. Toscano asked if the Blue Ridge Apartment Council has seen the ordinance, <br />and Mr. Tolbert said it has not, but the Police and Commonwealth's Attorney have. <br /> <br /> Mr. Toscano said he would like to know which sections of the ordinance have not <br />been derived from State law, and Ms. Kelley said that all but the section dealing with <br />permits in historic districts. <br /> <br />It was agreed that the public hearing would be held on June 18th. <br /> <br />CONSENT AGENDA <br /> <br /> Mr. Caravati removed the ordinances amending the Douglas Avenue Contract, <br />making changes to the rent/real estate tax relief, and expanding permit parking zone 4, <br />and Ms. Richards removed the ordinance making permit parking policy changes. <br /> <br /> On motion by Mr. Toscano, seconded by Ms. Richards, the following consent <br />agenda items were approved by the following vote. Ayes: Mr. Caravati, Mr. Cox, Mr. <br />Lynch, Ms. Richards, Mr. Toscano. Noes: None. <br /> <br /> <br />