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Public hearing on Hawkeye Addition street vacation spotlights access concerns and title research
Summary
Property owner John Morris asked the council to vacate unimproved platted streets in Hawkeye Addition to enable building on 23rd Street; neighbors warned the move could landlock parcels and staff said title and record research is ongoing, with no vacation action taken tonight.
At a public hearing on Nov. 20, property owner John Morris (speaker 11) asked the Keokuk City Council to vacate several platted, unimproved streets and alleys in the Hawkeye Addition, saying his priority is to clear title and build on what is now 23rd Street.
"My intention with vacating these streets, is to totally gain control of land that I believe I have control of currently and the city believes they have control of," Morris said, adding that he wants the council to determine how much to charge him for vacating the parcels and whether neighboring owners will receive easements.
Neighbors and property owners said they are concerned about losing access. Harry Brackenberry (speaker 17) said he owns adjacent acreage and does not want his three acres landlocked, and another resident, Clay (speaker 16), said he has maintained strips of city property for years and warned the council about public-safety and maintenance consequences.
Planning Commission staff (speaker 13) told the council the commission recommended vacating the requested streets except the commission advised leaving 25th Street to ensure access for one owner. Staff also reported they are still researching courthouse records and county abstracts to determine whether portions were ever formally accepted into the public street system; staff said a resolution and more information will come back to council at a future meeting.
The mayor/Chair closed the hearing with no vacation adopted that night; staff said they expect to bring a resolution back to the Dec. 4 council meeting after completing title research and reviewing a court case on Floral Hills referenced in staff materials.
Attribution note: direct quotes and claims in this article are drawn from John Morris (requester) and Planning Commission staff and from remarks by neighbors who spoke during the public hearing.
