Council authorizes right‑of‑way vacation and utility easements to advance new courthouse project

Council unanimously approved an ordinance to vacate a portion of East Tab Street between Monroe and Adams and adjacent alleyways to support construction of the new Petersburg courthouse, then approved two easements for Dominion to provide overhead and underground power for the project.

City staff said the vacations and easements are necessary to move the courthouse project forward. Mr. Altman (city staff) asked that council also authorize the city manager to execute additional easements necessary for project completion; council approved that amendment to avoid returning to council for each minor easement step.

Vice Mayor Hill moved the ordinance to vacate the right‑of‑way and council approved it by roll call. The subsequent ordinances authorizing Dominion power easements were presented, public hearings closed with no speakers, and council approved both easements. The underground‑easement ordinance was amended to explicitly authorize the city manager to take the necessary administrative steps to grant easements for the courthouse project, including execution of deeds and other documents.

Council members framed the action as a project‑delivery step intended to keep the courthouse on schedule by reducing future procedural delays. The approved authorizations allow staff and the city attorney to implement the vacations and execute the utility easements without returning to council for each minor conveyance.