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Council agrees to acquire McDowell Court and include it in 2025 street work after residents petitioned for public street status
Summary
After repeated resident requests and staff analysis, the council voted to acquire McDowell Court as public right‑of‑way and include reconstruction in the 2025 street program; residents had argued they lacked legal obligation to maintain the private drive.
The council approved a resolution authorizing acquisition of the private right‑of‑way for McDowell Court and directed its reconstruction as part of the city’s 2025 street program.
Public comment from a resident, who said the family purchased a McDowell Court home believing the street would be taken over by the city, framed the request as a safety and accessibility concern. Planning and public‑works staff reported that McDowell Court is one of two private roads in the city with the unusual circumstance that property owners have no standing developer agreement obligating maintenance; residents had petitioned the city repeatedly since the 1970s to accept the road.
City staff said reconstruction costs came in higher than earlier estimates but remain within the city’s budget for 2025 street projects. Alderman Charles Shellpepper, who sponsored the item, noted the council had previously voted to pursue right‑of‑way acquisition and that the current council was fulfilling that commitment. The council approved the resolution on a roll call vote with all present voting Aye.
Ending: The city will acquire the McDowell Court right‑of‑way, perform reconstruction under the 2025 street contract and notify residents about the work schedule; staff said final project scheduling will be coordinated with the affected homeowners.
