Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Right Of Way Closure Urban Design topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commission forwards recommendation to planning commission on closing portion of NW 12th Street, asks for a broader plan
Summary
The Downtown Design Commission recommended approval to the Planning Commission for a certificate of closure of a 50-by-17.29-foot portion of NW 12th Street near NW 12th and Francis, but members asked that the closure be considered as part of a longer-range plan for the whole street rather than a piecemeal approach.
The Downtown Design Commission on July 17 recommended that the Planning Commission consider approval of a certificate of closure for a 50-by-17.29-foot portion of NW Twelfth Street at the corner of Francis Avenue, but commissioners urged that any street-right-of-way reduction be viewed in the context of a longer-term plan for the entire block rather than granted on a lot-by-lot basis.
Planning Department staff explained the parcel sought to be closed sits in a section of Twelfth Street that was originally platted with a 100-foot right of way in 1902. Over the last century parking lots and building placements have encroached into that right of way, and staff recommended denial of the closure in a narrow, lot-by-lot approach because allowing a single parcel to be developed to the sidewalk could produce an inconsistent street wall.
The applicant’s representatives, including Weston Dennis of Dennis Studio Architects, told the commission the closure would allow an additional townhouse unit or private yard area and that the owner has an active interest in increasing density and creating an urban edge. Dennis said the owner is also discussing nearby property redevelopment and that the closure could help create a more walkable, urban condition similar to nearby redevelopment projects.
Commissioners stressed two themes in their discussion: (1) the city should avoid creating isolated anomalies where a single parcel is built to the sidewalk while adjacent lots retain large setbacks or parking, and (2) if the right of way is to be reduced, it should be done comprehensively, ideally for the entire street segment, with expectations for sidewalk alignment, street trees, landscaping and curb/sidewalk reconstruction. A motion forwarding a recommendation of approval to the Planning Commission passed, with language encouraging that the closure be considered as part of broader planning for the corridor and that future subdivision and certificate-of-approval review include streetscape expectations.
Staff explained the closure process is two-step: city approval of a certificate that removes public use, followed by a district-court vacating process where utilities, easements and title adjustments are dealt with. Commissioners noted the applicant would typically bear the cost of the district-court process and any relocations or improvements required as a condition of vacating.
