Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Street Vacation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Neighbors persuade council to keep 'house of the forest' alley intact; vacation request pulled
Summary
After a public hearing, council voted to deny a street vacation adjacent to 804 South A Street following residents' appeals to retain the wooded gravel alley for access and wildlife; staff will explore restoring the alley and utility easement implications.
Oskaloosa — The City Council on Nov. 17 declined to vacate a roughly 148.5-by-66-foot segment of South A Street adjacent to 804 South A Street after neighbors asked the city to preserve the area as a gravel alley and wooded frontage.
Property owner Jorge Sanchez Chavez told council he calls the frontage "the house of the forest" and asked that the petition to vacate be withdrawn so the space could remain as is. "I decided to vacate the whole thing because it was, like, not in use," Sanchez said, but he and neighbors later concluded they would rather keep the area accessible and wooded.
A neighbor who identified herself as Christina said she has maintained the gravel area for years and that the city uses it for tree-service parking; she also reported a recurring smell suggesting a possible gas issue and said she had contacted MidAmerican but that the source had not been located. Christina said, "I have never had an issue" with shared use and favored keeping the alley.
Staff advised that two utility companies have infrastructure in the street, and that easements would be required for maintenance if the street were vacated; MidAmerican requested an easement with building restrictions. Council members discussed restoring the area as a gravel alley, adding a dead-end sign, and addressing utility access and safety concerns.
After public comment and discussion, council voted to not vacate the right-of-way and directed staff to consider options to preserve access and to explore improvements such as graveling and signage while coordinating with utility easement needs.
Next steps: staff will follow up on utility easement details with MidAmerican and explore low-impact restoration options for the alley and signage to assist access.
