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Plan Commission backs vacating 14-foot alley near North Broadway to accommodate shelter project
Summary
The Green Bay Plan Commission voted to approve a request to vacate a 14-foot public alley between North Broadway and Alma Street, subject to recorded shared-access and utility easements. The decision advances the proposal to City Council for final action on May 6.
The Green Bay Plan Commission on April 28 approved a request to vacate a 14-foot alley running between North Broadway and Alma Street, forwarding the item to the City Council for consideration on May 6.
City planning staff said the alley vacation was requested by NEW Community Shelter, Greg Crumples and Eduardo Martinez, who own the adjoining parcels. "This particular request deals with an alley vacation that's located between Mather Street on the south and James Street on the north," a planning staff member said during the meeting. Staff said utilities, fire and police departments were consulted and that Wisconsin Public Service raised no objection but noted existing poles and lines with prescriptive rights.
The commission approved the vacation with conditions intended to preserve public utilities and shared access. The conditions require a shared access and maintenance agreement to be recorded with the register of deeds immediately after the alley vacation is recorded; full-width utility easements to be granted to the city along the vacated alley as requested by the Department of Public Works; and a recorded "no-build" easement within the vacated right of way.
Planning staff explained standard practice for alley vacations: the vacated alley is split between adjacent property owners, and affected agencies are contacted to identify conflicts or required easements. Staff said DPW had no objection to the vacation provided utility easements are retained across the full width and length of the alley and that no buildings be placed within that easement area.
Commission discussion focused on ensuring the necessary easements and a recorded shared-access agreement were in place before property owners could alter access or construct driveways. The motion to approve carried with commissioners voting in favor; the record shows the item will be transmitted to City Council on May 6 for final action.
The commission noted the alley vacation supports a proposed NEW Community Shelter project that would use shared drive access to parcels behind existing homes, and staff emphasized the city code requirement that shared-access agreements be filed when property owners create shared driveways.
The commission's approval is a recommendation to City Council; final legal conveyances and any easement recordings will occur if council approves the ordinance vacating the alley.
