[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Common Council of the City of
Westminster as Ch. 19A of the 1972 Code, as amended through 1990. Subsequent
amendments noted where applicable.]
The Common Council of the City hereby finds that:
A.
Blighted area: general description. There exists in the
City a blighted area, as hereinafter defined geographically, in which area
a majority of the buildings have declined in productivity by reason of obsolescence,
depreciation and other causes to an extent that the buildings no longer justify
fundamental repairs or adequate maintenance.
B.
Boundaries. The blighted area is found to be the area
bounded by a line drawn as follows:
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Beginning at the intersection of the southeast side of Longwell Avenue
and the northeast side of East Main Street and running along the southeast
side of Longwell Avenue in a northeasterly direction to the southwest side
of Willis Street; then northwesterly, crossing Longwell Avenue to the northwest
side thereof at the corner of the southwest side of Willis Street; then crossing
Willis Street in a northeasterly direction to the northeast side thereof;
then proceeding westerly along the northeast side of Willis Street, more commonly
known as "City Hall Drive," to the southeast side of Locust Street; then crossing
City Hall Drive to the southeast corner of City Hall Drive and Locust Street;
then continuing in a westerly direction along the southwest side of Willis
Street, more commonly known as "Sherwood Avenue," to the northwest side of
Railroad Avenue, Maryland Route 27, northeasterly along Railroad Avenue for
a distance of forty-five feet, more or less; then continuing in a westerly
direction by a line parallel to the northeast side of Sherwood Avenue, if
extended, a distance of one hundred eighty feet, more or less, to the bed
of the Western Maryland Railroad tracks there situate; then southwesterly
along the Western
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Maryland Railroad bed of the railroad tracks to the southwest side
of Winter's Street; then westerly along the southwest side of Winter's Street
a distance of six hundred forty-five feet, more or less; then southwesterly
at a right angle to Winter's Street to the northeast side of West Main Street,
including within this line the Penney building; then easterly forty-five feet,
more or less, to a point which would intersect with a prolongation of the
northwest side of John Street, if extended; then crossing West Main Street
southwesterly and proceeding along the northwest side of Bond Street for a
distance of two hundred fifty-five feet, more or less, to the northeast side
of an alleyway known as "Union Alley" there situate; then easterly by a line
parallel to and a distance of two hundred twenty feet from the southwest side
of West Main Street including the outbuildings of the property fronting on
West Main Street, and proceeding along the northeast side of Union Alley for
part of the distance, four hundred ninety-five feet more or less, to the end
of Union Alley; then, crossing Union Alley in a southerly direction for a
distance of thirty feet, more or less; then by a line parallel to the last
line mentioned above, proceeding easterly seventy-five feet, more or less,
and crossing Liberty Street, Maryland Route 27, to the southeast side thereof;
then, along the southeast side of Liberty Street, Maryland Route 27, in a
southwesterly direction for a distance of fifty-five feet, more or less; then
proceeding in an easterly direction at right angles to Liberty Street and
following the property line between a building at 11 Liberty Street owned
by Albaugh-Babylon Grocery Company and the adjoining property, the Yingling
General Tire Company, for a distance of two hundred thirty feet, more or less,
to a point crossing the Western Maryland Railroad tracks to a point on the
rear line of the former Saint John's School and Church property situate; and
proceeding along the southwest side of a driveway there situate; then continuing
easterly along the northeast boundary of the Saint John's Cemetery property
and the rear lot lines of the properties fronting onto the southwest side
of East Main Street, crossing Longwell Avenue to the southeast side thereof,
then proceeding northeasterly along the southeast side of Longwell Avenue
to the southwest side of East Main Street; then easterly on the southwest
side of East Main Street forty-three feet, more or less, to a point which
would be formed by the southwest side of East Main Street out the southeast
side of Longwell Avenue, first herein mentioned if extended southerly, then
northeasterly, crossing East Main Street northeast side thereof and to the
point of beginning.
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All as shown on a plat titled "Downtown Renewal District Plan," prepared
for the City of Westminster by Gaudreau, Inc. and Land Design/Research, Inc.,
dated December 1976, which plan, for purposes of defining the renewal area
and the blighted area herein mentioned, is directed to be displayed for public
inspection in a prominent space in City Hall pending any hearing held pursuant
to or in consequence of the passage of this chapter.
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C.
Need for renewal established. The rehabilitation and
redevelopment or conservation of such area or combination thereof is necessary
in the interest of the public health, safety, morals and welfare of the residents
of the City.
The Mayor, by agents appointed by him, shall cause to be prepared a plan for urban renewal of the area defined in § 150-1 and shall exercise, on behalf of the City, the powers conferred on the City by the Acts of the General Assembly 1961, Chapter 341, relative to the preparation of a plan for an urban renewal project.
