City staff, applicant and planning commission brief council on proposed L‑shaped alley vacation near 300 West and Paxton Avenue

Planning staff briefed the Salt Lake City Council on a petition to vacate an L‑shaped alley near 300 West and Paxton Avenue and replace it with a recorded access easement for adjacent property owners. The planning commission unanimously recommended forwarding a positive recommendation to the council, but transportation staff stated the proposed easement was not a suitable substitute for a public alley.

Why it matters: Vacating a public alley and substituting private easements changes public access rights and city control of right‑of‑way. Staff told the council the alley had contributed to public safety problems (camping, theft and fires) and that property owners had gated portions of the alley in response; because publicly owned alleys must remain open, the property owners sought a legal vacation followed by sale to abutting owners with a recorded access easement to preserve vehicle access to the remaining properties.

What staff reported: The subject alley was platted in 1890; an eastern portion was previously vacated in…