Report Prepared by: Julie Nelson, Associate Planner, Development Services Department
Title
SUBJECT: Adoption of Resolution Setting a Public Hearing for Monday, August 3, 2020, to Vacate a 25-Foot-Wide Access Easement in Foothill Drive (Extended), a 25-Foot-Wide Temporary Access Easement Along the East Side of G Street at Foothill Drive (Extended), and a 15-Foot-Wide Road Right-of-Way Consisting of 1,432 Square Feet Located Approximately 1,100 Feet East of G Street, North of Merrill Place (Extended) (Vacation #20-02)
REPORT IN BRIEF
Set a public hearing for August 3, 2020, to vacate a 25-foot-wide access easement in Foothill Drive (extended), a 25-foot-wide temporary access easement along the east side of G Street at Foothill Drive (extended), and a 15-foot-wide road right-of-way consisting of approximately 1,432 square feet located approximately 1,100 feet east of G Street, north of Merrill Place (extended).
RECOMMENDATION
City Council - Adopt a motion adopting Resolution 2020-35, a Resolution of the City Council of the City of Merced, California, declaring its intention to vacate a 25-foot-wide access easement in Foothill Drive (extended), a 25-foot-wide temporary access easement along the east side of G Street at Foothill Drive (extended), and a 15-foot-wide road right-of-way consisting of approximately 1,432 square feet located approximately 1,100 feet east of G Street, north of Merrill Place (extended) (Vacation #20-02), and setting time and place for Public Hearing.
Body
ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve as recommended by staff; or,
2. Approve, subject to modifications by the City Council; or,
3. Deny; or,
4. Refer back to staff for reconsideration of specific items (specific items to be addressed in the motion); or,
5. Continue to a future meeting (date and time to be specified in motion).
AUTHORITY
Government Code Section 66477.5 (c) specifies the procedures for vacating land previously dedicated for public use, such as for parks and other public facilities. The City of Merced Administrative Policies and Procedures No. A-6 provides direction to staff for processing vacation requests, and City Council Resolution No. 86-90 establishes a policy concerning costs associated with the vacation.
CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES
Not applicable.
DISCUSSION
The proposed vacation would involve vacating two access easements generally located at G Street and Foothill Drive (extended) and a road right-of-way, generally located east of G Street on Merrill Drive (extended) (see Attachment 1 for general location of vacation areas). The access easement located in the future Foothill Drive east of G Street was intended to provide access to the park site east of an approximately 30-acre parcel fronting G Street. The 25-foot-wide temporary access easement on the east side of G Street was dedicated to provide access to a proposed subdivision that had been approved on the east side of G Street until all rights of-way had been obtained and improvements constructed. The exact location of the temporary access easements to be vacated and the legal descriptions are provided at Attachments 2 and 3). On December 13, 2019, a Parcel map for the approximately 30-acre parcel was recorded which dedicated the roadway access to the park via Foothill Drive (extended) and the right-of-way needed on G Street (Attachment 4). Because the land needed for public access has been dedicated by the Parcel Map, the existing easements are no longer necessary and should be vacated.
The road right-of-way east of G Street, north of Merrill Place (extended) was intended to be part of the future Palisades Drive that would run north and south between the future Foothill Drive and future Merrill Place (refer to Attachment 5 for legal description and exact location). Palisades Drive has been realigned therefore, the right-of-way is no longer needed.
Staff is requesting the City Council adopt the resolution at Attachment 6 setting the public hearing for Vacation #20-02 for Monday, August 3, 2020.
IMPACT ON CITY RESOURCES
There would be no impact on City resources as a result of this action.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Location Map
2. Abandonment Area - Foothill Drive (Park Access)
3. Abandonment Area - G Street & Foothill Drive
4. Parcel Map
5. Abandonment Area - Merrill Place
6. Draft City Council Resolution