Program overview

You can ask the City to vacate its rights to any public right of way, which closes the street or alley and makes it available for another use.

A street or alley vacation can solve problems caused by an unneeded public right of way. For example, if the City vacates an alley between two lots, the owner of the lots has more opportunities to develop the property.

The City charges a $300.00 nonrefundable fee for each street or alley to be vacated.

Process

The process may take three months, possibly longer if it is complex or controversial. Here are the steps:

1. The petitioner completes the application and submits it to the City Clerk. Complete the street or alley vacation application
2. The City Clerk sends the application to Transportation Engineering & Design in Public Works.
3. Public Works staff and public and private utility companies review the application.
4. After review, the Planning Commission holds a public hearing. Anyone can attend and comment on the proposed vacation.
5. After considering the testimony, the Planning Commission makes a recommendation to the City Council.
6. The Business, Inspections, Housing & Zoning Committee then considers the vacation and makes a recommendation to the Council.
7. The City Council must adopt a resolution approving the vacation.

Important information

• Ownership: The City does not determine who will get ownership of the vacated land. The petitioner is responsible for title searches or title insurance.
• Dead ends: The City does not permit the creation of dead-end streets or alleys. For any partial vacation, the petitioner must develop an alternate route or cul-de-sac.
• Utility easements: The City may maintain public or private utility easements within the vacated property, which may affect building construction on part or all of the property.
• Rerouting utilities: The petitioner must pay all costs of relocating any public and private utilities within the right of way if the petitioner does not want the City to reserve utility easements.
• Future use of property: The petitioner must inform the City of any planned development of the vacated right of way to ensure that those plans won't conflict with utility easements or remaining right of way.