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Planning commission recommends council approve alley vacation at 2680 South Chadwick after divided vote
Summary
The commission forwarded a positive recommendation to Salt Lake City Council to vacate an alley at 2680 South Chadwick, citing lack of use and consent from more than the required 75% of abutting property owners; the recommendation passed 5-2.
The Salt Lake City Planning Commission recommended that the City Council adopt an ordinance to vacate a north–south alley adjacent to 2680 South Chadwick Street, forwarding the measure after a 5–2 vote on Jan. 8.
Planner Ben Buckley told the commission the alley is about 12 feet wide and roughly 810 feet long, runs from approximately 140 feet south of Stratford Avenue to 2700 South, and was platted in 1909 as part of Highland Park plat A. Buckley said the application provided signed consent from 84% of the adjoining property owners, exceeding the 75% consent threshold required for alley vacations.
Buckley described extensive encroachments and poor access along the corridor: fences and vegetation block access at former entry points, a garage and an accessory shed encroach into the alley, and a cinder block wall runs down part of the alley. He said there is a history of active enforcement cases for encroachments. The applicant, Taylor Thomas, told commissioners some property owners who did not sign were rental owners or were temporarily unavailable and that he believes he could have reached a higher signature percentage.
Commissioners debated the strength of the "lack of use" finding when obstructions are the reason an alley is unused. One commissioner said an alley’s lack of use should not automatically meet the standard when encroachments, possibly constructed years earlier, have rendered it inaccessible. That commissioner said they are generally skeptical of alley vacations because they restrict future land-use options for future property owners. Another commissioner noted that many alleys in this plat and vicinity have already been vacated.
Commissioner Shear (movant) made the motion to forward a positive recommendation; Commissioner Mike Christiansen seconded. The commission recorded five yes votes and two no votes (Commissioner Scott and Commissioner Berry voted no). The commission’s recommendation is advisory; City Council will hold a public hearing and make the final decision. If the council approves the vacation, city staff said the standard practice is to split the vacated alley in half and transfer each half to the adjacent property owners.
