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HomeMy Public PortalAbout1965_03_15 83 MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING OF LEESBURG TONIN COUNCIL, MARCH 15, 1965. . A regular meeting of the Leesburg Town Council was held in the Council Chambers, Leesburg, Virginia, on March 15., 1965. The meeting was called to •order by Mayor Pro-Tem Robert A. Orr, with Councilman Pumphrey leading the / group in prayer. Those present were .Councilmen C. Grey Dodd, C. Maloy Fishback, i' Maurice R. Lowenbach , Jr. , Robert A. Orr and John W. Pumphrey, with Mayor Rollins ' and Councilman Cole arriving later. Also present were Town Manager James W. Ritter, Jr. and Town Attorney George M. Martin. The Minutes of the regular meeting of March 1, 1965 and the special meeting of March 10, 1965 were approved with general consent. I Town Manager Ritter reported that it would be possible for the Town to pur- chase through the State a new Plymouth Police car at a cost of $1,778.00,. but that it would be necessary to notify the State not later than March 30th if Council • wishes to purchase this car. This would replace the old Police car , which is in very bad mechanical condition. This matter was referred to the Finance Com- mittee, which will meet on March 23. • Mr. Ritter also called attention to the written report submitted by him with regard to the flooding of basements on North Street and Harrison Street during the recent downpour of rain. • He reported that an inspection today revealed another 19 houses with outside areaway drains, 15 of which were found in Ayrlee Jo Subdivision. He stated that these drains contribute to the overloading and Oback-up conditions in the houses under discussion. L) Mayor Rollins took the Chair at this time and asked Mr. G. William Taylor C.) of the Sidney Z. Mensh Company to address Council. Mr. Taylor asked that Mr. Thomas W. diZerega; attorney for the Mensh Company, be allowed to present their case. Mr. diZerega stated that they had two purposes in appearing before Council at this time : (1) To report back to Council with regard to the water supply and pressure problem-in the subdivision, and (2) .to request permission of the Town ' to hook onto the sewer system additional homes in the subdivision as they are built and occupied. He presented a preliminary plan of the entire subdivision, explaining that eventually it is hoped that there will be 500 to 600 homes in the subdivision, these being built as the market calls for them. He stated that it would be impossible for the Mensh Company to make any long-range plans in regard I to construction of this subdivision without knowing whether they would be al- lowed to hook onto the sewer system. As for the water problem, they would pro- pose to erect a pumping station on the edge of Route 15 near the north side of the Creek and a standpipe or water tower on the western edge of the property at a high elevation. This would alleviate the problem in regard to water where the 370 foot contour is basically the limit to which proper pressure canbe obtained from the existing water system oT the Town. The Company would agree, in writing, that when they start construction of the. first house above the 370 foot level, they would start construction of this pumping station and the standpipe at the same time , posting bond with the Town to guarantee performance of the facility. Mr. diZerega stated that the area which they would develop first would be straight out the main street of the subdivision ; that there are approximately 200 lots which could be built on before it would be mandatory to construct these facili- ties. He would propose that the above-described agreement between the Company and the Town be entered into and bond posted at the time construction of the first house is started beyond this 370 foot level. Mr. Harry 0: Wright , Con- sulting Engineer for the Mensh Company, was present and stated that it is pro- posed to install a 200,000 gallon water tank, which would be on an automatic system. The pumping station would have two pumps in it. He stated that 200,000 gallons of water is about a day's supply for 600 houses. Mr. Jack Williams was present and was asked to comment as to whether he thought• that a 200,000 gallon tank was enough capacity, to which he replied that it was ample for the subdivi- sion, but not enough for the Town 's system. Councilman Fishback suggested that this matter be turned over to the Utility Committee to discuss with the engineer and then bring it back to Council. Mayor Rollins suggested that this subdivi- sion be approved by Council by sections. Present at the meeting were Mr. Lawrence Muse, Mrs. Louis Carr, Mrs. Marvin Greene and Mrs. Lester Moxley, all residents of the North Street and Harrison Street section of Town, these people all being present to ask Council for action . to correct the flooding conditions in their section of Town during heavy rain- storms. All of these people , along with others in the same section of Town, r MINUTES. OF MARCH 15, 1965 MEETING. experienced heavy flooding of sewer water backing up into their basements dur- ing a very recent heavy rainstorm. These people all expressed a desire to do everything that they could to cooperate with the Town to correct this situation and wanted .to know what they could do. Councilman Fishback pointed out that this situation had existed even before the houses on North Street were built . and that he did not believe the areaway .drains were contributing heavily to this problem. Councilman .Lowenbach .stated that he. thought it was up to .the Town to do something about a proper drainage system for this section of Town as soon as possible. Mr. Ritter stated that four places, three houses and one school, had been found to still have downspouts going into the sanitary sewer sys- tem which serves. this area.. .Mayor Rollins stated that notice should be given these owners to unhook these downspouts at once. Mr. Jack Williams outlined some .of the problems which. can contribute to a condition of this sort and ex- plained some of the. tests that could possibly be made in order to find the source of this flooding, but he explained that all were a rather lengthy process. Mr. Raymond Hough, former Utility Superintendent for the Town, stated that he had cut through roots in the sewer line which serves this area many times. Mayor Rollins directed that Mr. Ritter do everything possible to find out what the trouble is on this line and, if it means take up the line, to even do that. Councilman Orr asked if the Town had insurance to cover any losses due to such circumstances. Mr. Ritter stated that it did, .but that no claim had ever been made, so he did not know whether it would be covered or not. • Upon motion of Councilman Fishback, seconded by Councilman Dodd, the follow- ing resolution was unanimously adopted by Council : BE IT RESOLVED .by the Town Council of the Town of Leesburg, that the Town Engineer be instructed to prepare plans and specifications for a new sewer line paralleling the present 8-inch sewer line from Market Street north to King Street, to be included in the bond issue already approved by this Council. Councilman Cole moved that the owners of the Leesburg Shopping Center hence- forth cease and desist from pumping storm water into the Leesburg Town's sanitary sewer system, but this motion was withdrawn. Mayor Rollins called attention to the letters from the State Water Con- trol Board and the State Health Department , which letters stated that these two agencies were not in accord with the decision of this Council with re- gard to improvements to sewage treatment facilities. Mayor Rollins stated that a joint meeting with both agencies had been set up for Wednesday, March 17th at 3 :00 P.M. in Richmond and that Mr. Jack Williams would also be present. He said he believed it imperative that as many Council members as possible attend this meeting, along with Mr. Ritter, Mr. Martin and him. He said also that they would meet with Mr. Gordon Bennett , State Auditor of Public Accounts, at 11 :00 A.M. the same day. Mr. Cole read an article on river pollution to Council. Mr. Cole also read a copy of a letter from the Water Control Board relative to tests they had made on Tuscarora Creek in 1963. He pointed out that the Water Control Board had not made any tests since that time. Mr. Williams pointed out that in any consideration of connecting to the . Potomac Interceptor. Sewer , there were two important items to be considered. They are (1) this Sewer is not designed to take the Tuscarora Water Shed and (2) it would post $2,500,000 to build a line to it. Upon motion of Councilman Orr , seconded by Councilman Pumphrey, the follow- ing resolution was unanimously adopted by roll call vote : BE IT RESOLVED by the Town Council of the Town of Leesburg, that upon ' the recommendation of the Leesburg Planning Commission at their meet- . ing held on March 4., 1965, the Labru Subdivision is hereby approved, in accordance with the provisions of Section 5 of the Leesburg Sub- division Ordinance and that sidewalks for the said property be omitted due to the impracticability of its continuity. Mr. Cole asked what has been done regarding the sewer easement agreement with the National Children 's Rehabilitation Center. Mr. Ritter reported that nothing more had been done .in regard to this. Attorney George Martin stated 85 MINUTES OF MARCH 15, 1965 MEETING. that thechanges he had made in the agreement approximately a year ago were turned down by the Center 's attorney. Mr. Ritter was instructed to pursue this matter further. • . Mr. Cole asked Mr. Ritter to report. on his visit to the Misses Norris this afternoon. Mr. Ritter gave his report and, upon motion of Councilman Cole, sec- onded by Councilman Orr , the following resolution was unanimously adopted by Council : BE IT RESOLVED by the Town Council of the Town of Leesburg, that due to extenuating circumstances and upon securing the consent. of the Misses Norris, the Town Manager is hereby instructed to direct the Town forces towards cleaning the brush and undesirable growth on their • lot at the cost of the Town. There being no further business, the meeting adjourned with general consent at 10:10 P.M. 'refit1,4 Mayor d - ) 4/4.__/ In Clerk o the Council • . n U • •• • • • • • • • • • 1 1