HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002-10-29 OrdinancePrepared by: John Adam, Assodate Planner, City of Iowa City, 410 E. Washington Street, Iowa City, IA 52240;
319-356-5236
ORDINANCE NO.
AN ORDINANCE VACATING THE TWENTY-
THREE-FOOT WIDE GRAND AVENUE COURT
RIGHT-OF-WAY, COMMENCING FROM THE
NORTH RIGHT-OF-WAY LINE OF MELROSE
AVENUE AND EXTENDING NORTHWARD FOR A
DISTANCE OF TWO HUNDRED NINETY-FIVE FEET
WHEREAS, the applicant, the University of Iowa,
has requested that the City vacate part of Grand
Avenue Court adjacent to Melrose Avenue; and
WHEREAS, said portion measures two hundred
ninety-five feet along the north-south axis, by twenty-
three feet along the east-west axis; and
WHEREAS, the City does not regard the street
as a crucial part of the general or local traffic
cimulation system; and
WHEREAS, the University of Iowa has
requested the vacation specifically for the
redevelopment of property on the west side of Grand
Avenue Court, which redevelopment includes the
improvement of portions of Grand Avenue Court; and
WHEREAS, it is in the City's interest to vacate
said public right-of-way, or portions thereof, that may
be a benefit to and be improved as a result of
redevelopment; and
WHEREAS, the property adjacent to the
proposed right-of-way contains a house listed on the
National Register of Historic Places and it is in the
City's interest to protect the City's, the State's and the
country's cultural and historic resources,
WHEREAS, the Planning and Zoning
Commission recommended vacation of this right-of-
way subject to the preservation of the house and
grounds at the abovementioned property,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF IOWA CITY,
IOWA:
SECTION I. VACATION: The City of Iowa City
hereby vacates the right-of-way legally described as
follows:
THAT PART OF GRAND AVENUE COURT IN
GRAND AVENUE COURT ADDITION TO IOWA
CITY, JOHNSON COUNTY, IOWA (FINAL PLAT
RECORDED IN BOOK 3, PAGE 101 AT THE
Ordinance No.
Page 2
JOHNSON COUNTY RECORDER'S OFFICE),
LYING NORTH OF MELROSE AVENUE AND
SOUTH OF THE NORTH LINE OF LOT 4 OF SAID
GRAND AVENUE COURT ADDITION EXTENDED
WESTERLY TO THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF
LOT 15 OF SAID GRAND AVENUE COURT
ADDITION, COMPRISING 6,785 SQUARE FEET,
MORE OR LESS.
SECTION II. REPEALER. All ordinances and
parts of ordinances in conflict with the provision of this
Ordinance are hereby repealed.
SECTION Ill. SEVERABILITY. If any section,
provision or part of the Ordinance shall be adjudged to
be invalid or unconstitutional, such adjudication shall
not affect the validity of the Ordinance as a whole or
any section, provision or part thereof not adjudicated
invalid or unconstitutional.
SECTION IV. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Ordi-
nance shall be in effect after its final passage, approv-
al and publication, as provided by law.
Passed and approved this day of
,2002.
MAYOR
ATTEST:
CITY CLERK
Approved by
T:!PCD~John A/Active Files\VAt02-00003 ordinance.doc
Ordinance No.
Page.
It was moved by and seconded by that the Ordinance
as read be adopted, and upon roll call there were:
AYES: NAYS: ABSENT:
Champion
Kanner
Lehman
O'Donnell
Pfab
Vanderhoef
Wilburn
First Consideration 10729/02
Vote for passage: AYES: Lehman, O'Donnel], Pfab, Champ'ion. NAYS: Kannet',
Vanderhoef, Wilbur-n. ABSENT: None.
Second Consideration
Vote for passage:
Date published
Marian Karr
From: WalkerslC@aol.com
Sent: Wednesday, October 23, 2002 11:35 AM
To: council@iowa-city.org
Subject: Special session 10/29/02 re: Grand Avenue Court
Dear Council Members:
I was shocked to open the paper this morning to see that you will have a
special session early next week to reconsider vacating a portion of Grand
Avenue Court. I was shocked on two counts:
1. Because it had previously been decided by the Council that the decision
to vacate would be postponed until a study had been made of the traffic in
that area.
2. Because the reconsideration has been moved up to such an early date that
it precludes the neighbors responding to this sudden reversal before the
special session.
I intend to respond to this recent development, to state new and old reasons
why the Council should not consider a vote to vacate part of the Avenue until
the agreed-upon traffic study is complete. However, due to the short notice,
neither I nor the other neighborhood representative are able to respond
before the special session.
In instances like this, it w~uld be helpful if the Council would take into
consideration that the ordinary citizens of Iowa City have to reorganize
their lives in order to respond to issues in which they are interested and
that it should allow sufficient time for them to do so. Contrary to
organizations like the City, the Council, and the University of Iowa, dealing
with these issues is not part of our job, we are neither paid for doing it
nor is our time already scheduled for it.
Thank you,
Jean Walker
337-5201