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Council refers Willow Street and Woodside Drive petitions to Transportation & Transit Committee
Summary
Citizen petitions to close Willow Street (near Kahn Elementary) and Woodside Drive were referred to the Transportation & Transit Committee for further study; staff briefed council on statutory procedure and concerns about conformity with city policy.
Council on April 1 directed staff to send two citizen‑initiated street‑closure petitions — Willow Street and Woodside Drive — to the Transportation & Transit Committee for additional review and recommendations.
Why it matters: Street‑closure requests involve property rights, public access and long‑term connectivity. The state statute (G.S. 136‑2.99) requires a resolution of intent, public notice and a 30‑day appeal window if the council orders a closure. Council action determines whether the public process begins and what findings staff will present.
What staff said Transportation staff described the statutory process and city policy: a complete application requires signatures from adjacent owners plus departmental review and a draft resolution of intent to set a public hearing. Staff said they did not move Woodside Drive forward earlier because the petition was inconsistent with the comprehensive plan and the petitioner lacked underlying property rights; Woodside was dedicated as part of a subdivision in the 1950s and does not have underlying fee to convey.
Willow Street (a stub near Kahn Elementary) had an incomplete application and an adjacent property owner on the west side opposed closing; staff noted the statutory split would divide the right of way to adjacent lots, not to the school parcel. Councilors asked detailed questions about how closures are allocated by law and whether public benefits could offset private gain; staff said compensation (appraised value reported as about $256,000 for Woodside Drive) could be considered as a public benefit.
Committee referral and next steps Council voted to send both petitions to the Transportation & Transit Committee for the April 24 meeting to allow staff and councilors to examine policy gaps and potential options for handling nonconforming closure petitions.
