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Green River planning commission discusses shrinking Elgin streets to typical residential width
Summary
At its March 18 meeting, the Green River Planning Commission discussed requests from Elgin property owners to reduce 80-foot rights-of-way to a more typical residential width, citing utility relocation, survey work, tax consequences and the need for broad owner notification; no formal vote was taken.
The Green River Planning Commission on March 18, 2025 discussed a proposal to reduce the width of several rights-of-way in the Elgin townsite so lots align with typical residential dimensions. The item was introduced as a discussion; the applicants, Edward Bennett and Ken Johnson, were not present and the commission did not take formal action.
Commissioners and staff described Elgin’s streets as unusually wide for residential lots. “All streets are 80 feet wide except 6th Street, which is 40 feet wide,” Speaker 4 said, noting typical residential streets measure about 48 feet curb-to-curb with sidewalks. The request stems in part from a recent lot purchase and a need to relocate a power pole that would otherwise sit in front of a house, Speaker 5 said: “the power pole has to be moved from the line where the line goes right now because Kent doesn't want to go in right over his house.”
Officials said narrowing a right-of-way would add land to adjacent lots and require new meets-and-bounds descriptions and resurveying. Speaker 4 explained the city would need to notify “every single property owner that’s affected or impacted within 300 feet” before a vote. Commissioners discussed who would bear survey costs and warned that piecemeal changes could create irregular boundaries; one suggestion was to pursue a uniform plat adjustment to avoid a jagged line that benefits only owners who can afford resurveying.
The commission also noted practical complications: many Elgin lots are 25 feet by 115 feet, and shrinking roads across the entire townsite could have different effects than changing a few streets. Speaker 5 flagged two small triangular parcels the City of Green River already owns between Elgin and the railroad; reducing the right-of-way on adjacent streets would increase city-owned land on those parcels.
No motion was made to approve any ordinance or vacation at the meeting. Speaker 4 said she would bring detailed mapping, survey options and notice logistics to the next meeting so the commission could consider a formal vote.
Next step: staff will prepare plat and survey options and bring them back to the commission for a future agenda.
