Staff seeks council sign-off to close two alleys inside Jefferson Park for planned improvements

City public-lands staff presented a request to vacate and retain ownership of two alleys located entirely within Jefferson Park (District 5) so the city can consolidate parcels and proceed with planned park improvements funded by the Reimagine Nature general obligation bond.

"Please close the alley so we can do the park improvements," Amy Reed, an associate landscape architect, told the council after outlining the two alley segments and the final noticing requirements. Tyler Murdock, deputy director of Public Lands, said many parks are composed of multiple parcels and alleyways established before current zoning, and closing and consolidating those lots is required for permitting and construction of capital improvements.

Council members asked whether the administration could batch multiple park consolidations for efficiency; staff said they have compiled a long list of parks needing parcel consolidation but currently lack planning capacity to process them all at once. Staff said they would continue to bring closures on an individual basis while building internal capacity to group future items.

Staff noted the alleys are not necessary for vehicular travel and that closure helps mitigate injury risks tied to the park's detention-basin function. A final notice to affected parties will be sent as part of the closure process before a formal council decision.