Title
CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NO. O-1213-53 UPON SECOND AND FINAL READING: AN ORDINANCE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORMAN, OKLAHOMA, CLOSING THE NORTH TWENTY (20) FEET OF THE EIGHTY (80) FOOT RIGHT-OF-WAY IN THE 200 BLOCK OF WEST COMANCHE STREET LOCATED IN NORMAN ORIGINAL TOWN, CLEVELAND COUNTY, OKLAHOMA; AND PROVIDING FOR THE SEVERABILITY THEREOF.
Body
BACKGROUND: Norman Original Town plat was filed of record on December 8, 1890, with twenty-feet (20’) of right-of-way for the alley northwesterly of the church facility and eighty-feet (80’) of right-of-way for Comanche Street located southeasterly of the church facility. The First Baptist Church is interested in closing and vacating the north twenty feet (20’) of the Comanche Street right-of-way to improve the entrance to their existing building. Upon researching this area, most of the utilities are in the rear alley right-of-way north of the church structure. A City owned water main is located south of Comanche Street.
If this property were platted under the current Subdivision Regulations and Engineering Design Criteria, the required right-of-way for Comanche Street would be fifty-feet (50’) wide. Comanche Street will remain open and will continue to function under this proposal. Other considerations related to the public pedestrian sidewalk located on the north side of Comanche Street. A portion of the sidewalk will be realigned by the church, but will still allow pedestrians to walk east-west on the north side of Comanche Street.
DISCUSSION: City Council, at its meeting of April 23, 2013, approved a revocable license for First Baptist Church to occupy street right-of-way for placement of a new staircase and entrance along Comanche Street to serve the First Baptist Church. The revocable license allowed the church to begin construction of their project this summer. For the long term, the church would rather close and vacate that portion of the right-of-way so that they will not need to keep up with the revocable license. The utility companies and City staff are not opposed to the closure of a portion of the street right-of-way. The church has agreed to grant a pedestrian sidewalk easement as a condition on the vacation of the right-of-way. Also, the church will be responsible for realigning a portion of the sidewalk in the area of the proposed expansion for the church.
RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of the request to close the north twenty feet (20’) of an eighty foot (80’) right-of-way adjacent to Lots 1 through 16, Block 71, Norman Original Town with the submittal of a sidewalk easement during the vacation of the right-of-way.