City Plan Commission forwards package of alley and right-of-way vacates to council

The City Plan Commission voted July 6 to forward a package of alley and right-of-way vacates to the City Council after a 40-day publication period, Commission members said at a meeting in City Hall Council Chambers.

City Administrator Icky described the parcels as unused or improperly platted, saying of one stub off Jesse Court: "It's just a stub... It's grass right now." Staff told the commission they had sent letters to adjoining property owners and that the Board of Public Works recommended forwarding the matter to council for final action.

The package includes the Jesse Court right-of-way south of Delmore Drive; an alley south of East 9th Street west of North Kai Street; an alley south of River Street west of South Nass Street (which staff said functions as a driveway for the Fredericks property and appears to have an agreement with Meyer Heating and Cooling); and an alley east of South Kai Street south of Logan Avenue on the south side of the railroad tracks. Administrator Icky characterized the last as a platting cleanup: the alley is shown on the original plat but "never got vacated."

A committee member asked whether the Board of Public Works had debated the matter; Administrator Icky replied that no one attended that Board meeting and reiterated that staff had reached out to adjoining owners. He also noted that public service will coordinate any necessary utility easements where overhead or other facilities exist.

The commission moved and seconded a recommendation to the City Council and voted to forward the package; the chair said the 40-day publication notice must run before council consideration, and staff estimated the earliest council action would be in August or September. On the question of emergency or utility access if an alley were vacated, a member asked, "So what happens if a tree falls... and they don't have access to the alley?" Administrator Icky replied that public service is working on easements and that some parcels already have easements or use city easements.

In a brief procedural matter at the start of the meeting, the commission also moved to place the April 13 meeting minutes on file; that motion carried. The meeting ended after a motion to adjourn carried.

Votes at a glance: The commission approved placing the April 13 minutes on file (motion carried); it approved forwarding the list of alley and right-of-way vacates to the City Council after the 40-day publication period (motion carried); and it voted to adjourn. These actions were recorded during the July 6 meeting.