Berkeley council approves vacating 18-foot alley in Elwood Heights for Mug and Drug expansion

The Berkeley City Council on June 1 approved a resolution vacating the northerly 18 feet of Lots 39 through 49 in the Elwood Heights subdivision to allow a commercial expansion by the applicant identified in the staff report.

Staff described the strip as a "paper alley" that, in practice, appears as paved parking. Community-development staff and counsel said the alley technically belongs to the city but has not been used as an alley for many years; the applicants supplied historical documents to complete the record dating back to the 1950s and 1960s.

"It's literally in the middle of the property," said a staff speaker describing an aerial included in the memo, noting faded pavement under parked cars that indicates the original alley alignment.

Staff said the project will require the relocation of some public utilities and that a new easement will be secured as part of the reconstruction process. Applicant counsel and city staff thanked the applicants for persistent document searches that helped assemble the record.

Council member Hennen moved to approve the resolution vacating the alley; Council member Patterson seconded. Miss Mitchell called the roll and the council voted to approve the resolution.

Public comment on the item was limited to a light-hearted suggestion from a resident; staff recorded no written objections, no phone inquiries and no emailed comments during the noticing period.

The resolution passed and staff said they will coordinate utility easements and construction-related work as the applicant moves forward with the planned expansion.