Council vacates unused Southwood Boulevard right-of-way after public hearing

After a brief public hearing, the Kokomo Common Council voted to vacate a platted but undeveloped right-of-way located just west of Isaac Walton Road on Southwood Boulevard.

Attorney David Barrett, representing the petitioner, told the council the right-of-way "was platted. It's never actually been developed, and it runs through that piece of property. And they're just saying we need to vacate that so that it doesn't exist so that he can build on that big piece of property." Barrett said adjoining property owners were notified as required.

Nearby residents Cheryl Engelharns, 2806 East Southway Boulevard, and Kendra Geltner, 2808 East Southway Boulevard, identified themselves during the hearing. The attorney and council members emphasized the vacation would not affect adjoining property owners’ property rights other than removing the city right-of-way designation.

Councilman Grieco moved to suspend the rules and pass Ordinance 72-02 on first and second reading; following a second and voice vote, the motion carried and Ordinance 72-02 was passed. Council discussion included a statement that the city engineering department had determined there was no reason for the city to maintain the right-of-way.

The action removes the city's maintained right-of-way designation so the parcel can be used by the property owner for development. The council closed the public hearing before taking the ordinance vote.

Meeting context: this item began with a public hearing during which the petitioner’s attorney and two neighboring residents spoke; the council later suspended rules and approved the ordinance on first and second reading.