Council abandons 1.343-acre right-of-way to enable bank development; sewer easement retained

Temple City Council voted 5–0 Thursday to approve the vacation of roughly 1.343 acres of right-of-way that includes Hog Pen Creek Road and a portion of South Pea Ridge Road so the property can be redeveloped as part of a Chex BBQ subdivision project that will include a bank driveway connection.

Transportation staff member Mister Naylor explained that the city's authority to close or abandon streets stems from state transportation code (Chapter 311) and that a public hearing is required for such actions. Naylor said the abandonment will remove the connection of Hog Pen Creek Road to Adams and convert the area into a private driveway that connects to South Pea Ridge, with the goal of eliminating a conflict point at the Adams intersection. He added that the redeveloper will rework drainage and that the city will retain or otherwise maintain an existing sewer easement that crosses the area.

Naylor told council the property would be sold at fair market value; an appraisal is pending and the sale amount was "not specified" at the meeting. Councilmember Kuykendall moved to approve the abandonment; Councilmember Grant seconded. The council voted 5–0 to approve the item.

Why it matters: vacating the right-of-way allows the owner to consolidate parcels for redevelopment and to reduce a traffic conflict point at Adams, but the city retains utility and drainage interests and will require compliance with platting and construction standards.

Next steps: staff will finalize the appraisal, negotiate the sale price consistent with policy, and require platting and any needed easements and drainage work as part of the development process.