Covington planning commission recommends sale of portion of South Monroe Street to applicant Jerry Braswell

The City of Covington Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend that the City Council approve the revocation and sale of a roughly 300-by-50-foot (14,991-square-foot) portion of South Monroe Street (case 26-05-01) to applicant Jerry Braswell.

The recommendation, made at the commission's meeting, moves the matter to the City Council for a final decision. The commission's action included an acknowledgement of public works' request to reserve a drainage servitude to address sheet-flow toward Simpson Creek.

The pocket of street land under consideration lies between Squares 1403 and 1404, between West 14th and West 15th Avenues. Chair opened the item by identifying the applicant and the parcel; the applicant, Jerry Braswell, said he had no additional comments beyond materials included in the commission packet.

A nearby property owner, Michael Bob, who said he owns Square 1404, spoke during public comment and objected to the idea of a single purchaser taking the street to adjacent property lines. "I'm not okay with that," Bob said, expressing concern that a buyer could acquire the entire street and choose not to sell portions to neighboring owners. He noted his family has owned the square for more than 100 years.

A staff member explained the city's options for street revocation and sale had been expanded by legislation to allow exchanges and sales, not just strict reversion to adjoining owners. The staff member said the petition before the commission is from a single property owner seeking to buy the entire street rather than the traditional petition from adjacent property owners. The staff member also noted public works' request that the city reserve a drainage servitude to protect sheet-flow to Simpson Creek.

The applicant told the commission he had waivers from adjacent property owners indicating agreement to close the street and said he planned to divide the parcel among owners as previously discussed. "I've got waivers from every property owner saying, yes, they would like to close this street," Braswell said. He added that if the sale is approved he would handle the division and related costs.

Commissioners raised no substantive objections and agreed a formal recommendation to the City Council was appropriate. The commission made a motion to recommend revocation and sale; the roll call vote recorded unanimous support from the present commissioners, and the commission forwarded the recommendation to the City Council for final action.

The meeting packet included letters from property owners indicating no objection to closure, and staff noted parties could negotiate a memorandum of understanding before council review. The Planning Commission's recommendation does not itself transfer title; final disposition will occur only if and when the City Council acts.

The commission also used the meeting to remind members to complete required ethics and harassment-prevention training and set its next meeting for June 15. The meeting was then adjourned.