The Edmonds Citizens Planning Board voted to recommend removing a 10‑foot right‑of‑way dedication shown on the city's official street map adjacent to the vacant lot at 15730 70 Fifth Place West and asked the City Council to consider appropriate compensation if council chooses to vacate or otherwise transfer the land.

Jeanne McConnell, engineering program manager for the City of Edmonds, told the board staff had received an application from the property owner (identified in the packet as Mr. Altman) to amend the official street map to avoid a future requirement that would move the western right‑of‑way line 10 feet farther down a steep slope. "We have received an application to amend the city's official street map adjacent to the address 15730 70 Fifth Place West," McConnell said during her presentation. She explained the city's current official street map shows a potential 60‑foot right of way at that location while the actual existing right of way is 40 feet, and that dedication of 10 feet from each side would bring the total to 60 feet.

The planning board's staff report noted a 10‑foot dedication on the west side would place the right‑of‑way line farther down a steep slope in an area where staff said sidewalks, utilities and travel lanes already fit within the existing cross section. McConnell highlighted past ordinance actions affecting nearby parcels and told the board that, following review, staff recommended reducing the required width adjacent to 15730 to reflect a 50‑foot right of way on that segment rather than the 60 feet currently shown on the map.

Board members pressed staff on how the dedication would be used and on fairness to neighboring property owners. "The dedication on the west side, even if it was an additional 5 feet, is so far down the slope that it's not technically very usable right of way to the city," McConnell said. Planning board member Lauren asked whether the city might still seek dedications on the east side instead; McConnell said the east side would be the more feasible location for any future sidewalk improvements because the west side has steep slopes and slide debris.

Members also discussed whether the city should receive compensation if the city were to later vacate or otherwise transfer dedicated land. McConnell told the board that the street vacation process includes appraisal and potential compensation, but added that the official street map amendment code itself does not include compensation language and that any compensation question would be resolved at City Council and with the city attorney. "I don't know that that's even a possibility in this situation. But, of course, if that's what the planning board chose to recommend, that would get flushed out when we take this to council," she said.

After discussion, a board member moved that the planning board recommend amending the official street map to remove the 10‑foot west‑side dedication adjacent to 15730 70 Fifth Place West and that the City Council consider appropriate compensation. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously by the members present (5‑0).

Next steps: McConnell said the item is scheduled for City Council Committee A on July 1 and a public hearing before the full City Council on July 22, at which the council will make the final decision.