Council defers decision after heated public hearing over vacating 40th Fifth and Madison streets

The Sioux City City Council on a contested public hearing deferred action on a petition to vacate portions of Madison Street and 40 Fifth Street after several residents urged the council to preserve access to their properties.

Property owners and neighbors spoke at length about access, septic systems and prospective development. "If you take 40 Fifth Street away from that field, it is huge," said resident Brian Reynolds, who described losing access to his parcel and said the change would reduce his property's value. Another resident, Jamie Bridal, said her home would be landlocked for service access to a septic system if the street were vacated.

Planning staff and the Planning and Zoning Commission had recommended vacating Madison Street while denying the vacation of 40 Fifth Street. Staff walked the council through a map during the hearing and said topography and existing utilities were relevant to whether a future public street could be installed. "Coming up from 40 Fourth would not ... as far as a road, unlikely," staff said when describing the slope and utility layout in the area.

A potential buyer and developer for some parcels, who said he wanted to buy the street rights to build a house closer to the north side of a lot, said he would be open to granting easements for septic access if neighbors requested them. He also said he preferred to avoid extensive tree removal and other disturbances.

After testimony from multiple residents and engineers' comments about slope and sanitary sewer distances, the council agreed to defer the petition for one week and to visit the site so council members could better evaluate access, topography and utility connections. "I'm gonna drive out there," one council member said when moving to defer.

The deferment means the council asked for further fact-gathering and site visits before taking formal action on the street vacations. Staff will return with any additional analysis and mapping the council requests.