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CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA <br />CITY COUNCIL AGENDA <br />Agenda Date: November 18, 2002 <br />Action Required: 1" Reading Approval of Alley Closing <br />Staff Contacts: James E. Tolbert, AICP, Director <br />Ron Higgins, AICP, Planning Manager <br />Reviewed By: Gary O'Connell, City Manager <br />yOTTEgG <br />G'IMA'1� • <br />Background: Most of the adjoining owners along this right-of-way have filed a petition/request to <br />close a portion of the 12' right-of-way in the 800 block of Stonehenge Avenue and Rockland <br />Avenue (`Belmont", block 62) between Rialto and Meridian Streets a distance of approximately <br />480'. <br />Discussion: Three of the property owners did not sign the petition. Discussions with those notified <br />reveal an interest in keeping the alley open for access to backyards as is currently happening. One of <br />these has had her attorney write to us regarding the closing, since the public hearing (attached). • <br />1. The alley right-of-way became dedicated to public use sometime around the 1896 subdivision <br />plat. <br />2. According to the City Assessor, the fair market value is approximately $3.00 per square foot. <br />Looking at value from another perspective: the closing of this street or alley could add to the <br />value of abutting property, in the amount of $17,280, although it would not create any <br />additional development rights for the existing lots. <br />3. The closing would not "land -lock" any parcel, but could result in inconvenience to adjacent <br />properties as they use it for access to the rear of their properties. <br />4. There are no City utilities within the alley right-of-way. <br />5. No drainage easement is needed for this property. <br />6. The only public use for which this property could be useful, is some type of pedestrian <br />connection from Rialto to Meredian. <br />Budgetary Impact: None estimated. <br />Recommendation: The Planning Commission at their Joint Public Hearing on Tuesday, October 8 <br />2002 voted to recommend to City Council approval of this alley right-of-way closing as there will be <br />no public benefit realized by having it remain public. <br />Attachments: --Site Location Map <br />--Letter from Norman Lawson, Attorney for Grace Fisher • <br />--Original Petition <br />--Policy on closing streets, alleys or rights-of-way. <br />