Board backs vacation of alley between 254 and 256 Erie Street, sends recommendation to council

The Board of Works voted to recommend that city council approve a petition to vacate the alley in Block Four of the original town survey that runs between 254 and 256 Erie Street, planning staff said. The planning commission held a public hearing and forwarded a 7‑0 recommendation to the Board of Works, planning staff said. "Planning commission received a petition to vacate the alley... Petition was submitted to us to vacate this by Lee Lane on July 3," a planning staff member said. Planning staff told the board the alley is 16½ feet wide at the location, that surveys from 1941 and later mortgage‑location surveys show encroachments of about 1½ feet by the adjacent structures, and that title searches and county records contained no formal alley‑vacation deed. Staff said utilities in the alley are limited to gas and water services serving 256 Erie Street. Board members discussed the preference for keeping alleys open in general, but the board voted to approve the vacation recommendation and will forward it to city council, which must adopt an ordinance to complete the vacation process, planning staff said.