Council approves vacation of 30-foot roadway along Short Plat 2880 with easements retained

The West Richland City Council adopted Ordinance O525 on March 4, 2025, to vacate a 30-foot road right-of-way along the southern boundary of Short Plat 2880, conditioned on the city retaining a water utility easement and an access easement for a turnaround. Public Works Director Ross Castlady presented the staff report and recommended the vacation without compensation because the roadway was dedicated as part of the short plat (not fee simple to the city) and a prior agreement executed by the underlying owners addressed the transfer of rights.

Castlady told council the city posted the property and sent notice to franchise utilities; no utilities responded with objections. “The only thing that was received was from our own engineering department about a fire agent water service at the west end of the property to retain a water easement and then also to retain some access easement off the end of this, roadway,” Castlady said. He added the vacated right-of-way “was not fee simple right-of-way” and staff recommended vacating the road “conditioned on retaining the water easement and the access easement, without requiring compensation.”

Council discussion clarified ownership and vesting. Councilmember John Smart asked whether the vacated land would extend underlying lots north; Castlady answered that the vacated right-of-way had been dedicated by short plat 02/1980 and would vest in the adjoining property owners (Lots 1 and 2 of Short Plat 2880). Councilmember Moran asked about a recent updated ordinance language; Castlady said section 1 was revised to state explicitly that the vacated right-of-way “vests in Lots 1 and 2 of Short Plat 2880,” language that had been added to clarify ownership.

After closing the public hearing with no public comments, council moved to adopt Ordinance O525 conditioned on the city retaining the access and water easements described in the ordinance’s exhibits. The motion passed by voice vote; the transcript records the motion and the mayor’s announcement that the motion “carries.” The ordinance will take effect according to procedural rules in the ordinance and applicable municipal code.

The hearing and ordinance addressed local land-use and utility-access concerns; no franchise utility objections were recorded in the staff report provided to council.