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Residents warn of safety, parking impacts as Boone council takes up Eighth Street alley vacation
Summary
City Council public hearing on vacating a north–south alley abutting 926 Eighth Street drew multiple business owners and residents who raised safety, parking and process concerns; council declined final action and directed staff to schedule an easement hearing instead.
A Boone City Council public hearing on a proposal to vacate a north–south alley abutting 926 Eighth Street drew lengthy public comment from property owners and downtown businesses who said the change could create safety risks for delivery trucks and reduce scarce customer parking.
Property owner Laura Ulrich said her tenants at the building that abuts the alley were told the north half of the parking lot they use might be closed, and said the notices and outreach around the proposal had been incomplete. “My tenants are all stressed out. They’re gonna lose their parking in the future, which could potentially cost me the lease of my building,” Ulrich said.
Other speakers raised operational safety concerns. Erin Drake said changing the alley’s direction or removing part of it would force delivery trucks to make blind turns and increase the risk of vehicle collisions or injuries. “If you vacate that part of the alleyway … the likelihood that those trucks are gonna hit at least a parked car is almost 100%,” Drake said. Semi-truck driver Harry Randolph said he did not see a way for a tractor-trailer to make the proposed turn without striking parked vehicles.
Joe Hall of Hall Plumbing said the alley is used as an egress for his driveway and that frequent deliveries would block his business’s access if the alley configuration changed.
Council members and staff responded point-by-point. A staff speaker said the city inspected an existing sewer line that crosses the area and plans to rehabilitate it with a polyethylene lining if needed; the city also said that any sale of city-owned property would require separate public process. The city confirmed it paid $70,000 for an adjacent empty lot that is under discussion for future sale and development.
Planning and zoning had recommended against vacating the alley, citing truck traffic and circulation concerns, council members said during debate. One council member suggested an easement allowing businesses to run HVAC ducts or exhaust hoods over city property as an alternative to vacation.
Council did not take a final vote on vacating the alley. Instead, members discussed drafting and scheduling a separate hearing on an easement (height and vehicle clearance to be defined) so staff, property owners and businesses could identify technical constraints and proposed easement language. A council member said staff would set an easement hearing for a future meeting and calculate required clearances for box vans or semis before any final action.
The lengthy public-comment period highlighted competing downtown priorities: support for new commercial activity and outdoor seating for a proposed restaurant, on one hand, and ongoing access, parking and safety concerns from adjacent property owners and service businesses on the other.
The public hearing on the alley closed after the council heard comments and asked staff to return with technical specifications and a proposed easement date.
What’s next: Council instructed staff to prepare an easement proposal and to set a future hearing; no alley vacation ordinance or resolution was adopted at this meeting.
