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Council accepts petition to study partial vacation of Elgin Street
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Summary
The Green River City Council voted to accept a petition to study vacating portions of Elgin Street, citing overly wide 80‑foot plats and potential cost savings; the decision starts a review process with public workshops and surveys of utilities and stormwater impacts.
The Green River City Council voted April 14 to accept a citizen petition asking the city to study vacating portions of Elgin Street and to explore narrowing the street from its historic 80‑foot plat.
City staff explained the petition covers portions — not the entire street — and recommended a series of public workshops and engineering reviews before any formal vacation. A council member said the original 80‑foot width “was platted originally ... so you could turn a ting wagon around,” but added, “80 is excessive” for modern residential streets.
Supporters said reducing the width could reduce city maintenance costs and make streets safer by encouraging slower driving; opponents and staff noted tradeoffs, including existing utilities that run in the right‑of‑way and the need for surveys to set new property lines. Staff and residents warned that narrowing streets may require a formal survey and could shift maintenance responsibilities or utility ownership to property owners.
The council’s motion to accept the petition passed; members said acceptance authorizes further study, public hearings and workshops to review street cross sections, stormwater impacts and financing options such as special assessments to cover survey costs.
Next steps: the council directed staff to schedule public workshops, evaluate utility impacts and return with design options and cost estimates. No final vacation or replatting was approved; the action was to move the petition into the formal study and public hearing process.