Roseville council tables petition to vacate Aldine right-of-way, refers matter to parks commission

The Roseville City Council on July 21 postponed final action on a petition by adjacent property owners to vacate a 30-foot strip of platted Aldine right-of-way, referring the matter to the Parks and Recreation Commission for further study. The petition followed an earlier city-initiated vacation effort that failed to receive the required supermajority. Neighbors, some of whom had petitioned to vacate, and a larger group of residents who use the informal dirt path on and around the right-of-way, spoke to the council during a lengthy public hearing. Speakers on both sides described decades of informal use, tree preservation concerns, property-line questions and safety and connectivity for schoolchildren. Public works staff confirmed a recent land survey showed much of the informal shortcut lies on private property west of the platted right-of-way. Staff also noted the 30-foot Aldine link appears as a “constellation” link in the parks plan (a conceptual connection) and how the Pathway Master Plan scoring ranks the link lower on the city’s formal pathway list. After hearing public comments and clarifications from staff and the city attorney about legal options for retaining right-of-way as parkland, Councilmember Ian Graff moved to table the petition and refer the matter to the Parks and Recreation Commission. The motion passed 4–1, with Councilmember Bauer recorded in opposition. Council members cited three recurring concerns: (1) the unknown impact of constructing an ADA‑compliant pathway through a heavily wooded, sloped corridor; (2) the effect on mature trees if a formal path were built; and (3) the need for a solution that balances public access with adjacent homeowners’ property concerns. Staff said any formal path within the 30-foot right-of-way could require retaining walls and other work that raise costs and tree impacts. The Parks and Recreation Commission will review the parcel, pathway feasibility and alternatives — including a low-impact, woodland trail or a prescriptive easement that would formalize public use across private land — and will make a recommendation to the council.