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Panama City planning board approves partial vacation of alleyway in Case 02508
Summary
The Panama City Planning Board voted 5-0 to approve staff’s recommendation to vacate the northern portion of an alleyway (Case 02508), while deferring any action on the southern portion pending further deed research and coordination with an adjacent property owner.
The Panama City Planning Board voted 5-0 on Feb. 10 to approve staff’s recommendation to vacate the northern portion of an alleyway in Case 02508, while leaving the southern section for further study.
Staff told the board that the City Commission had earlier asked for the entire alleyway to be vacated, but that new information and old deed language affecting the southern extension prompted staff to recommend only the portion north of Second Court for abandonment at this time. “Given what we know at this time, we think it's safe to move forward with just the…northern portion that's north of Second Court,” staff said during the hearing.
The alleyway appears on the city’s utility map and extends farther south than the portion under consideration, staff said. Staff also reported they are working with an adjacent property owner to research old deed language affecting the southern extension and asked the board to recommend the partial vacation to the City Commission so the northern section can be recorded while research continues on the southern section.
Resident Charles Ray, who said he has lived on the adjacent property since 1990 and whose family owned the lot since 1943, questioned the existence of the alley in practical terms and said he has paid taxes on the parcel for decades. “I've been paying taxes on here since I've been living there,” Ray said. Staff explained that once adopted, the ordinance would be physically recorded with the County Clerk of Court after signatures from the mayor, city clerk and city attorney are obtained.
Staff told the board the City Commission will consider the matter, with a first hearing scheduled the next morning and a second reading slated for “the 25th this month,” after which the adopted ordinance would be recorded. Staff said they do not perform a mass notification after recording, but will provide an executed copy to interested property owners on request.
Board members voted in favor of the staff recommendation. Roll call recorded “yes” votes from Board member Carroll, Board member Stamps, Board member Barker, Board member Rich and Chairman Neubauer; the motion passed 5-0.
The board’s recommendation will be forwarded to the City Commission for final action and recording. Staff offered to provide executed documents to residents who request them after the ordinance is recorded.
