AgdaPkt 2011-12-12 - Laserfiche WebLink

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7.A. - Page 1 RE PO RT To the Honorable Mayor and City Council From the Cit Mana er December 12, 2011 SUBJECT General Vacation of Public Right-of-Way and Dedication of City Easements — Walnut Street RECOMMENDATION Conduct a Public Hearing and by resolution: 1. Vacate portions of Walnut Street, and 2. Accept dedication of a public utility easement BACKGROUND Kaiser Permanente is completing the construction of a replacement hospital. The tenant improvements associated with the new hospital include roadway realignment, signage, striping, underground utilities, and streetscape improvements. Due to these improvements and the new configuration of the roadway, a portion of a new emergency drop off area will encroach into the public right-of-way. This public hearing is held so that City Council may hear evidence from persons interested in the matter and determine, from the evidence, whether or not the street areas proposed for vacation are necessary for present or prospective public use. ANALYSIS Walnut Street, considered a local street, has a 100-foot wide right-of-way dedicated to the City. A right-of-way of this width is typically reserved for busy arterial and collector streets, not local streets. Additionally, Walnut Street has been identified for width reduction in the City's Precise Plan due to its atypical configuration. Formal notification of the roadway vacation was provided to all utility companies that occupy the right-of- way, consistent with public notification procedures. Kaiser requested the City vacate a portion of the Walnut Street right-of-way to accommodate their new emergency drop-off and entrance that encroaches into the City's right-of-way. Kaiser has identified an area of approximately 12,400 square feet of the right-of-way for abandonment. Kaiser will be the exclusive benefactor of this portion of this vacation and abandoning it will relieve the City of maintenance responsibilities. The City will reserve this area as a public utilities easement. No permanent structures will be constructed in this area, just the vehicle drop-off. The original right-of-way was granted by right-of-way easement dedication, therefore the City does not have fee ownership of the area proposed for abandonment. For this reason the City's interest in this property may be relinquished but cannot be sold.