Title
Resolution Closing a Portion of Boston Road
Body
Department: Planning
Council District: District #4
Public Hearing: Yes
Advertising Date/By: June 8 and 15, 2017/ City Clerk
Contact 1 and Phone: Sue Schwartz at 373-2149
Contact 2 and Phone: Steve Galanti at 373-2918
PURPOSE:
The abutting property owners have requested the closing of a portion of Boston Road. Staff requests that City Council hold a public hearing to receive public comment and to consider adoption of the street closing resolution.
BACKGROUND:
This request involves the right-of-way for Boston Road from a point 40 feet north of the centerline of Norwalk Street northward a distance of approximately 500 feet.
The petition was signed by the property owners bordering 1,000 feet (89%) of the 1,125 feet of total frontage along the right-of-way. The remainder of the frontage is along a lot owned by the City of Greensboro.
This street was dedicated as part of the “Shady Banks” subdivision as recorded in Plat 15 on Page 14 (1946).
The closing is being requested so that the land can be added to the abutting property to aid future development.
BUDGET IMPACT:
There will be no impact on the current or future budgets.
RECOMMENDATION / ACTION REQUESTED: The Technical Review Committee (TRC) feels circumstances here allow the City to make the two required determinations for a street closing: (1) that closing the street to vehicular traffic is not contrary to the public interest, and (2) that no property owner in the vicinity is deprived of reasonable means of ingress and egress.
In order to maintain “reasonable means of ingress and egress,” the applicant has been advised that the two resultant lots would need to be recombined so that each lot has frontage and direct vehicular access to a public street.
Therefore, the Technical Review Committee (TRC) recommended the closing with six conditions:
1. That there be a continuous right-of-way of 40 feet from centerline of Norwalk Street/Boston Road will be established along all parcels included in this request.
2. That the curb cut off Boston Road west of the requested closure of the portion of Boston Road shall be replaced with curb and gutter matching the existing curb line.
3. That if the portion of Boston Road requested to be closed is to be used as a driveway, then the driveway must remain clear of all obstructions.
4. That the City shall retain 20-foot utility easements over existing utility lines until such time as the lines are no longer needed for public use.
5. That the applicant shall dedicate to the City of Greensboro a 20-foot emergency vehicle access easement.
6. That the street closure is not effective until a plat is recorded dedicating the required easements and combining the properties along this portion of Boston Road with properties having road frontage on either Norwalk Street or Boston Road. The combination shall include the abutting portion of the property deeded to the City of Greensboro in Deed Book 5503, Page 55 so that a continuous right-of-way 40 feet from centerline of Norwalk Street / Boston Road is established.
The Planning Board recommended this closing, with the stated conditions, at its May meeting on a vote of 8-0-1. Accordingly, it is recommended that on June 20, 2017, the City Council hold a public hearing to receive public comment and to consider adoption of the resolution closing this portion of Boston Road.