SPECIAL MEETING
September 4, 1962
A special meeting of City Council was held Monday, September 4, 1962 at 7:30 P.M. with Mayor Carroll presiding. Councilmen present were Messrs Hayes, Hill, Holpp, Hughes, Mowlds, Turner, Walls and Zartman.
GENERAL FOODS
The Special Meeting was called to order to consider adoption of a declaration of intent which would incorporate all proposals offered and made between General Foods Corporation and The City of Dover, including zoning proposals, and adoption of a resolution confirming the continued policy of the city to exclude farmland from taxation, as provided in the City Charter.
Messrs Nichols, Allen and Terry, attorneys for General Foods appeared before City Council to explain the considerations contained in the declaration of intent and explaining the zoning requirements. They asked that the area west of the railroad including the Eden Hill farm, the Schutte farm and a portion of the Kesselring farm be zoned as industrial park for light industry use, but they would not object to more restrictive uses as R-20 or agriculture. The declaration of intent included these zoning provisions together with the conditions under which electricity, water, sewer and trash and garbage collection would be provided.
On motion of Mr. Walls, seconded by Mr. Zartman, Council by unanimous vote approved the declaration and authorized its signing by the Mayor and Clerk.
On motion of Mr. Zartman, seconded by Mr. Mowlds, Council by unanimous vote adopted the following Resolution:
RESOLUTION RELATING TO THE EXEMPTION FROM ALL CITY TAXES OF FARM LANDS ANNEXED BY THE CITY OF DOVER
WHEREAS, the Charter of The City of Dover enacted on April 10, 1929 (Chapter 158, Volume 36, Laws of Delaware) established the boundaries of said City and provided that “no farm lands hereby included within these lands shall be subject to any City tax, unless the same shall be layed out as building lots and unless the same shall front upon some public street of the City; and all farm lands within the aforesaid limits which shall be layed out as building lots and which shall front upon some public street of the City shall be subject to be taxed to the depth of one hundred fifty feet from said street line for City purposes” (See Section 1); and
WHEREAS, by further acts of the General Assembly adopted June 29, 1949 (Chapter 314, Volume 47, Laws of Delaware) and July 9, 1959 (Chapter 136, Volume 52, Laws of Delaware), the City was authorized to extend its boundaries from time to time in the manner therein provided (See Section 1A), and pursuant thereto additional territories have heretofore been annexed by the City and other such additions have been and will hereafter be proposed; and
WHEREAS, in conformity with the intent of said Charter provisions, it had been and is understood by the City and the several owners of the territories heretofore annexed and those proposed to be annexed by the City, that farm lands so brought within the corporate boundaries of the City shall not be taxed as such except as provided in the Charter, and the City Council, deems it appropriate ans desirable that this policy be formally declared;
THEREFORE, it is hereby resolved and declared that it is the purpose, intent and policy of the City of Dover that no farm lands heretofore or hereafter annexed by the City shall, except to the extent and under the conditions specified in Section 1 of the City Charter, be subject at any time to any City tax, so long as such lands shall be used for farming or agricultural purposes, irrespective of how such farm lands may be zoned.
Adopted September 4, 1962
Council adjourned at 11:25 P.M.
F. Neylan
City Clerk
All ordinances, orders and resolutions adopted by City Council at its meeting of September 4, 1962 are hereby approved.
September 4, 1962 Crawford J. Carroll Mayor