REGULAR MEETING
March 13, 1950
The regular meeting of City Council was held on Monday, March 13, 1950 at 7:30 P.M. with Mayor Storey presiding. Members present were Messrs. Behen, Carroll, Culver, Lofland, Mikell, Petty and Wilson.
MINUTES
Minutes of the last regular meeting and special meeting of February 20 were accepted as read. Reading of the minutes of the Special Meeting of March 6, 1950 was dispensed with.
CITY MANAGER’S REPORT
Report of the City Manager for February, 1950 was accepted as read.
CHIEF OF POLICE’ REPORT
Report of the Chief of Police for February, 1950 was accepted as read.
CITY ALDERMAN’S REPORT
Report of the City Alderman for the month of February, 1950 were accepted as read. A check in the amount of $709.80 was remitted to the City.
BUSINESS IN RESIDENTIAL AREA
The City Manager reported on the result of a survey made of property owners in the vicinity of Columbia and Fairview Avenues on the request of Mr. Irving Garton to open a business in that area. Of 32 property owners concerned, 17 favored the business, 3 had no opinion, 6 opposed and 6 were not contacted. Council approved the issuing of a building permit to Mr. Garton to construct a grocery store at Columbia and Fairview Avenues.
LEASE ON CITY-OWNED HOUSING
Mr. Brown informed Council of the terms of the lease between the City of Dover and Mr. Noble S. Warren, owner of the land on which is situated emergency housing owned by the City of Dover. The lease runs for two years beyond the period of the housing emergency at a rental of $15.00 per year per housing unit. Mr. Warren has requested Council to remove the buildings or consider a new lease. Council decided that in view of the present need for housing, it could not consider a new lease or removal of the buildings at this time.
PARKING AND TRAFFIC
Mr. Benjamin Courtright suggested to City Council that traffic on Bank Lane between The Green and Governors Avenue be limited to one way from East to West and that on certain parts of The Green more permitted on the north side of Bank Lane.
Mr. Petty requested that consideration be given to permitting parking on the west side of State Street between Loockerman and The Green during the hours of 6 P.M. and 7 A.M.
The above matters were referred to the Chief of Police.
PARKING SURVEY
A letter from the Traffic and Planning Division of the State Highway Department in response to Council’s request for a 5 year traffic and parking survey of the City of Dover requested more information. Council directed the City Manager to answer the letter.
SEWER AND WATER LINES TO FAIRVIEW AVENUE
Mr. Brown informed City Council that the cost of constructing Sewer and Water lines to the site of Mr. Garton’s proposed store at Fairview and Columbia Avenues would be approximately $2000.00. Council disapproved construction of the lines in the view of older needs in other sections of the City.
SIGNS
The City Manager was authorized to approve requests for the erection of signs be Sears, Roebuck & Co. and the Hotel Richardson.
TREE COMMISSION
At the request of the Dover Club, Friends of Old Dover, Mrs. Neva Richardson was made a member of the Tree Commission, replacing Mrs. Caroline Hughes.
POLICE UNIFORMS
Council approved the acceptance of bids for summer uniforms for the Police Department. Estimated cost of the uniforms is $750.00.
ORDINANCES
By unanimous vote of all members present, Council adopted the following ordinance:
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING AN ORDINANCE ENTITLED “AN ORDINANCE REGULATING THE PARKING OF VEHICLES IN FRONT OF THE POST OFFICE PROPERTY FRONTING THE DOVER PLAZA AND FIXING PENALTIES FOR VIOLATION THEREOF.”
Be it ordained by the Council of the City of Dover in Council Met:
Section 1. That Section 1 of an ordinance entitled “An Ordinance Regulating the Parking of Vehicles in front of the Post Office property Fronting on Dover Plaza and fixing penalties for Violation thereof”, passed February 12, 1945, be and the same is hereby amended by striking out all of said Section 1 and inserting in lieu thereof the following:
Section 1. That from and after the passage and approval of this ordinance it shall be unlawful for any person to park any vehicle for more than fifteen (15) minutes between the hours eight o’clock in the forenoon and six o’clock in the afternoon on either side of the street, a part of Dover Plaza adjoining the property of the United States of America upon which the Post Office Building is erected, running from Federal Street in the City of Dover in a westerly direction to the lands late of Henry Ridgely, now of Wesley Methodist Church, in said City of Dover.
Section 2. That Section 3 of said ordinance be and the same is hereby amended by striking out the word “seven” in the third line of said Section 3 and inserting in lieu thereof the word “eight”.
Passed March 13, 1950.
Clerk of Council
Approved:
Mayor
By unanimous vote of all members present, Council adopted the following ordinance:
AN ORDINANCE REGULATING THE DIRECTION OF TRAFFIC UPON THAT PORTION OF DOVER PLAZA LEADING FROM THE EASTERLY EXTENSION OF LOOCKERMAN STREET IN A SOUTHERLY DIRECTION TO THE UNITED STATES POST OFFICE PROPERTY AND THENCE IN AN EASTERLY DIRECTION TO FEDERAL STREET AND FIXING PENALTIES FOR VIOLATION THEREOF.
Be it ordained by the Council of the City of Dover in Council Met:
Section 1. That from and after the passage and approval of this ordinance all vehicular traffic shall proceed in a southerly direction upon that portion of Dover Plaza leading from the easterly extension of Loockerman Street in the City of Dover to the lands of the United States of America upon which the Post Office Building is erected and in an easterly direction there from to Federal Street in said City of Dover, and it shall be unlawful for any person to drive or operate any vehicle in a westerly or northerly direction upon the aforesaid portion of Dover Plaza.
Section 2. Any person convicted of a violation of the provisions of this ordinance shall be fined not less than One ($1.00) Dollar nor more than Ten ($10.00) Dollars and upon failure to pay such fine and the costs of prosecution shall be imprisoned not more than ten (10) days.
Passed March 13, 1950.
Clerk of Council
Approved:
Mayor
By unanimous vote of all members present, Council adopted the following ordinance:
AN ORDINANCE REGULATING THE DIRECTION OF TRAFFIC UPON KENT AVENUE AND CERTAIN PORTIONS OF DELAWARE AVENUE IN THE CITY OF DOVER AND FIXING PENALTIES FOR VIOLATION THEREOF.
Be it ordained by the Council of the City of Dover in Council Met:
Section 1. That from and after the passage and approval of this ordinance all vehicular traffic upon Kent Avenue shall proceed in a northerly direction from Division Street to Delaware Avenue in the City of Dover between the hours of seven o’clock in the forenoon and five o’clock in the afternoon, and it shall be unlawful for any person to drive or operate any vehicle in a southerly direction upon said Kent Avenue between the aforesaid hours.
Section 2. That from and after the passage and approval of this ordinance all vehicular traffic shall proceed in a westerly direction upon that portion of Delaware Avenue extending from Kent Avenue to Maple Lane in the City of Dover between the hours of seven o’clock in the forenoon and five o’clock in the afternoon, and it shall be unlawful for any person to drive or operate any vehicle in an easterly direction upon the aforesaid portion of Delaware Avenue between the aforesaid hours.
Section 3. Any person convicted of a violation of any of the provisions of this ordinance shall be fined not less than One ($1.00) Dollar nor more than Ten ($10.00) Dollars and upon failure to pay such fine and the costs of prosecution shall be imprisoned not more than ten (10) days.
Section 4. The provisions of this ordinance shall not be applicable between the hours of five o’clock in the afternoon of Friday of any week and seven o’clock in the forenoon of the following Monday.
Passed March 13, 1950.
Clerk of Council
Approved:
Mayor
ORDINANCES
The City Solicitor was directed to draw up an ordinance providing for a Fire Prevention Bureau consisting of the City Manager, two Councilmen (not members of the Fire Department), the City Fire Marshall, the Chief of Police Engineer and two Assistant Chief Engineers of the Robbins Hose Company.
The City Solicitor was directed to prepare an amendment to the ordinance forbidding parking a distance of 40 feet back from certain intersections on The Green to prohibit parking a distance of 20 feet.
CONDEMNED WAREHOUSE
Council ordered the City Manager to direct Mrs. Henry Ridgely to comply with its order to safely repair or tear down a warehouse owned by her on North Street.
LOADING AND UNLOADING SPACE
Council denied the request of the Peninsula Electric Co. for a loading and unloading zone of 63 feet on New Street north of Loockerman St.
PARKING BUSINESS DISTRICT
Councilmen Culver and Smith and Chief of Police Turner were appointed a committee to study the possibility of limiting parking to two hours in streets adjoining the business district of Loockerman Street.
ASSESSMENT APPEALS
Councilmen Mikell and Carroll were appointed to hear assessment appeals on Monday, April 10, 1950, between the hours of 1 and 4 P.M.
Council adjourned at 10:00 P.M.
City Clerk