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Council approves vacation of Highland Street right‑of‑way; utility easement reserved
Summary
The Sumner City Council unanimously approved Ordinance No. 2926 on May 19 to vacate a portion of Highland Street after staff said the road has been lost to history; the ordinance reserves utility easements and does not require compensation from adjacent owners.
The Sumner City Council voted unanimously on May 19 to adopt Ordinance No. 2926, which partially vacates a segment of Highland Street (near 140 Second Avenue East) and returns the right‑of‑way to adjacent property owners while reserving utility easements.
Deputy City Attorney Doug Ruth summarized the city’s justification for the vacation, saying Highland Street “was lost to history” after parallel roads were constructed and homes were placed over the former right‑of‑way. He told the council there are no utilities under the vacated segment and that the roadway “doesn't provide for any transportation” function, while also noting the ordinance includes a reservation for utilities and that property owners will not be required to provide compensation to the city in the vacation process.
The ordinance had been publicly noticed, a hearing held and the committee recommended a do‑pass. There were questions at the hearing about a proposed Rivergrove pedestrian bridge and the potential need for utilities at the location; staff said those matters were considered in the review. The clerk called a roll and the ordinance passed unanimously.
The vacation is effective upon adoption and includes language preserving utility easements for future needs. No council member recorded a dissenting vote on the matter during the meeting.
