Council opens public hearing on vacation of unimproved right-of-way adjacent to Edgewood Drive; second reading set for Aug. 11

City staff presented a petition and slide exhibits asking the council to vacate a 50-foot unimproved street right-of-way located between 703 and 715 Edgewood Drive. The request was described as long-standing: the right-of-way was platted in the 1950s for a future extension that never occurred.

The petitioner told the council the north and south adjacent property owners would each receive half of the vacated strip. Staff noted an overhead power line crosses the eastern end of the right-of-way and that utilities have requested an eight-foot utility easement be recorded across the vacated area. City staff said utilities will cap a stubbed water line at the meter in the street and asked property owners to work with their surveyor to file the easement dedication after the vacation ordinance is adopted.

Tyler read Ordinance 2025-24 and the staff presentation cited Indiana Code 36-9-2-5 as the city’s authority to vacate rights-of-way and Indiana Code 36-7-3-12 regarding required public notice. The plan commission sent a favorable recommendation by an 8-0 vote (Plan Commission petition docket number 2530), which the council acknowledged.

The council opened and closed the public hearing; no members of the public spoke. Council members did not take final action on July 28; the ordinance will be taken up for second reading at the Aug. 11 meeting. The ordinance text identifies conveyance to Munim and Hidujeda Mazik (exhibit A) and to Zachary Bolling (exhibit B) if adopted.