99-73 VACATING PORTION OF A STREET - 1100 AND 1200 BLOCKS OF WEST DECATUR STREET

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i ' � COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT MEMORANDUM NO. 99-164 July 7, 1999 TO: Honorable Mayor Terry M. Howley and City Council Members FROM: James L. Williams, Jr., City Manager�"�� Cecil A. Collins, Jr., Director of C unity Development "� Max Forgey, Senior Planne�/� SUBJECT: Ordinance Authorizing Vac ion of Decatur Street The petitioner proposes to vacate Decatur Streets between Oakland and Fairview Avenues. The Millikin campus is relatively small and must expand in order to accommodate projected growth in enrollment and expansion of academic and athletic programs. The e�sting campus is also landlocked, with a cemetery to the north, railroad tracks to the east, and two busy thoroughfares—Fairview Avenue and Main Street—to the west and south, respectively. Criven the layout of the e�sting campus, further development south of Main Street was inevitable. Millikin University has conducted a major program of land acquisition to the south of the campus, buying dozens of properties, many of them dilapidated. The attractiveness and viability of the West Decatur neighborhood is due in no sma11 part to the presence of Millikin University and its amenities. These acquisitions include many properties along Wood and Macon and they specifically include all properties, except one, on both sides of Decatur Street. The safety and traffic issues were reviewed at the Traffic and Parking Committee meeting on 7une 9 and need not be recited here—Decatur Street is not a busy thoroughfare, and its traffic can be safely and efficiently diverted. Nevertheless, the closure of this street will cause inconvenience to some motorists. There have been two appraisals of this right of way-Fitzjarrald Saunders, representing Millikin University, determined a value of$15,800; the City's appraiser, Roby and Associates, valued the property at $15,100. Staff recommends splitting the difference and accepting consideration of $15,450. Stai�recommends approval ofthis petition as proposed.