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Marion council vacates southern 120 feet of alley between 13th and 14th; school district to be offered half
Summary
The council approved vacating the southern 120 feet of a north–south alley between 13th and 14th streets (between 5th and 6th avenues). The Marion Independent School District indicated interest in purchasing its half; the council also set a Sept. 4 hearing to consider selling the vacated half.
Council approves vacation of southern 120 feet of north–south alley; school district indicated intent to purchase its half.
On Aug. 21 the Marion City Council approved Resolution No. 32,521 to vacate the southern 120 feet of the north–south alley between 13th and 14th Streets and between 5th and 6th Avenues. The council also approved Resolution No. 32,522 to set a public hearing on Sept. 4, 2025 regarding sale of the vacated southern half of the alley.
City planning staff told the council the alley is 10 feet wide by 120 feet long; the property owner to the west had been encroaching into the alley with a fence and parked vehicles. The east side of the alley is owned by the Marion Independent School District, which has told staff it intends to purchase its half of the vacated alley if the council approves the sale. Staff said city policy is to offer the vacated alley to both adjacent property owners for purchase.
From aerial imagery staff documented encroachment beginning in 2005 and enlarging over time. Planning staff also said there was no curb cut or existing approach that would support public-use alley function at that location and that, in their view, the alley is not needed for public purposes.
If the vacation is approved and the sale proceeds as planned, the owner who had been using the alley will be required to relocate vehicles and fences to their half of the property once ownership is finalized.
The council approved both resolutions by voice vote. Staff will proceed with the public-notice and sale process, giving both adjacent property owners an opportunity to buy their pro rata portion of the vacated alley.
(See transcript citations below.)
