Council approves vacation of three unused right‑of‑way segments near Beaver Dam Village with recorded turnaround condition

Crown Point — The City Council on March 3 voted to vacate three unused street right‑of‑way segments near Beaver Dam Village, but required the petitioner to provide a recorded turnaround easement approved by the fire department before the transaction is completed.

Daniel Travis, the petitioner, told the council the strips of undeveloped right‑of‑way do not meet city standards and that returning them to private ownership would restore property to the tax rolls. The city’s attorney and staff confirmed the state statute process for right‑of‑way vacations returns vacated land to original adjacent owners and that the council is the only body that can approve such petitions.

Why it mattered

Neighbors at Beaver Dam Village said the right‑of‑way provides the only access to a private clubhouse, pond and recreation area, and they asked the council to ensure vehicle and emergency access would remain intact. The council and city staff addressed those concerns by conditioning approval on a fire‑department‑approved turnaround and a recorded easement so the city retains control over the turnaround area.

Public comments

Multiple residents from Beaver Dam Village said the area is used for community events, salt deliveries and by children who fish and skate on the pond. Residents asked the council to preserve access and to ensure first‑responder access for medical and fire emergencies. One resident said the paved portion of the lane is about 12 feet wide and that brush overgrowth makes the physical roadway narrower, but staff said the legal right‑of‑way is shown on surveys as 30 feet in width.

Council action and conditions

After public comment, the council motioned to approve the petition to vacate the subject parcels, with the condition that the petitioner create and record a turnaround easement to standards established by the fire department. The minutes record the motion passed on roll call with yes votes from Scott Ward, Zach Ryan, Andrew Terrence, Bob Clemens, Laura Sarmuth and Chad Jeffrey.

What the approval does — and does not — do

Staff clarified that vacating the three right‑of‑way strips returns those specific remnants to the petitioner or original donating parcels; it does not immediately change the city’s plans for other adjacent parcels or public land. City counsel noted that the turnaround easement must be documented in recordable form before the vacation ordinance is finalized.

Ending

The council approved the vacation request with the turnaround condition. Staff said they will prepare the ordinance and the legal description for the turnaround easement, and the petition will not be finalized until the easement recording and fire‑department approval are complete.