City Council
MEETING DATE: 3/22/2017
TITLE:
Title
Resolution of Intention to Vacate Certain Streets, Alleys, Public Highway and Utility Easements: Vacation No. 2017-01.
End
FROM:
John A. Corella, P.E. - City Engineer
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt a Resolution declaring its intention to vacate all or portions of Lot “B” (Hillery Road, formerly First Street), Lot “G” (Allen Avenue), and Lot “Y” (Hillery Road, formerly First Street), as shown on the map of Cathedral City, filed in Book 13, at Pages 24 through 26, inclusive, of Maps, Records of Riverside County, California, together with the vacation of public highway and/or public utility uses on portions of Lots 44, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, and 55, as shown on said map of Cathedral City, and public alleys located within Lots 45 and 48 of said Cathedral City, all located within the east half of Section 33, Township 4 South, Range 5 East, San Bernardino Meridian, at the northwest quadrant of East Palm Canyon Drive and Date Palm Drive; and set a Public Hearing date of April 26, 2017 to hear comments and testimony.
Body
BACKGROUND:
The redevelopment of downtown as a key destination area has long been a focus of the City of Cathedral City’s (City) economic development goals. The City Urban Revitalization Corporation (CURC), a non-profit public benefit corporation, was established with the purpose of easing the burdens of local government and assisting the City in its economic development goals.
CURC has acquired a large portion of the Eastside block (the common name for the real property at the northwest corner of Date Palm and East Palm Canyon) and desires to maximize its development potential.
In 2015, the first steps in this effort were achieved when Vacation No. 2015-01 was processed which conditionally vacated portions of Grove Street, Dawes Street, Allen Avenue, a public alley and public highway and utility uses on portions of various other lots in the Eastside block.
DISCUSSION:
CURC is now requesting that the City also consider the vacation of several other streets, alleys and easements in the same general area. These streets, alleys and easements are described in Exhibit “A” and shown on the sketch marked Exhibit “B”, which are in the proposed Resolution of Intention.
Vacation Procedure:
The vacation procedure begins with the adoption of the attached resolution of Intention, which describes the streets, alleys and easements to be considered for vacation, schedules a public hearing date, and directs the publication, posting and noticing of the hearing, all in accordance with the State Streets and Highways Code.
Staff has already sent out letters to the various utility companies to solicit their comments or objections to the requested vacation. All of the streets, alleys and easements to be vacated have existing utility facilities such as power lines and poles, telephone lines and facilities, cable TV wires, water mains, hydrants and services, sewer mains and laterals.
Any final vacation resolution will contain conditions requiring the removal, relocation or undergrounding of these utilities before the final vacation resolutions can be recorded to make the vacations effective.
A noticed public hearing is required to be held to hear testimony on the proposed vacation. At that time, a full Engineer’s report will be presented, along with any special conditions of approval and other findings to be made.
At the hearing, an environmental finding will be made, and a report as to the vacation’s conformance with the General Plan will be presented, if needed. Any comments or objections received from the utility companies or the public will be included in the Engineer’s report. Any interested person can participate in the hearing.
The attached resolution of Intention sets the public hearing date for Wednesday, April 26, 2017 at 6:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no direct financial impact as a result of the passage of this resolution.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Resolution of Intention for Vacation 2017-01
2. Exhibit A: Legal Description
3. Exhibit B: Vicinity Sketch