10-22-18 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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REGULAR MEETING October 22, 2018 are some individuals who have been meeting but we have to make sure as many individuals as possible are part of those discussions. We also need a timeline and strategy so that every two (2) months we should be getting a report in terms of where we are at and what needs to happen as we move forward. I definitely will be supporting this particular bill but a number of efforts and work must continue. Again, we have to open those discussions and look at the broad-based perspective. The City of South Bend is clearly the main provider at the time along with other institutions. We have to look at mental health and a number of social agencies to come together to address this issue. We have to look beyond South Bend and invite Mishawaka and St. Joseph County to be a part of the discussions as well. Councilmember Oliver Davis interjected, You talked about being open. I would just encourage our Administration, as we look at these other meetings, to make sure our attorney knows and is included on this. Any of these legal issues regarding writing up things that will affect homeless issues, it would be nice for him to get information prior to our meetings so we can ask him questions and go over it. The more things we get ahead of time and not have anyone of us to be caught by surprise, I think, it would result in better teamwork. Thank you. Councilmember Tim Scott made a motion to send Bill No. 53-18 to the full Council with a favorable recommendation. Councilmember Oliver Davis seconded this motion which carried by a voice vote of nine (9) ayes. Councilmember Oliver Davis left the meeting at 8:11 p.m. I 54-18 PUBLIC HEARING ON AN ORDINANCE TO VACATE THE FOLLOWING DESCRIBED PROPERTY: ALLEY 14' IN WIDTH RUNNING 132' FROM W. OR S. RIGHT OF WAY OF W. MADISON STREET TO NW/SE ALLEY RUNNING BETWEEN N. TAYLOR AND N. WILLIAMS STREETS. Councilmember John Voorde, chair of the Public Works and Property Vacation Committee, reported that they met this afternoon and send this bill forward with a favorable recommendation. Joseph Weatherly, 420 West Madison Street, South Bend, IN, served as the petitioner. Mr. Weatherly stated,I would like to vacate the alley that neighbors both of my properties for a couple of reasons. Possibly in the future I might like to build a garage on that property. Right now the property is quite small so we would like to make the yard a little bigger. We hope to maybe use it as a driveway and maybe a cut-out. This being the time heretofore set for the Public Hearing on the above bill, proponents and opponents were given an opportunity to be heard. Amy Mitchell, 411 Lincoln Way West, South Bend, IN, stated, We have a very busy alley. It is dangerous to go out onto William.We could go out on Taylor but if you want to cross over Lincoln Way, it is impossible. So we take the small alley, go out on Madison,hit the light and then we can go onto William. There is an apartment house that is next to me. There are six (6) apartments. There's another apartment house. There are four (4) apartments in there but that is vacant right now. But the other place was vacant too but they redid it. So there is a lot of traffic in that alley. We do need the three (3), the short alley and the long alley. Thank you. This being the time heretofore set for the Rebuttal on the above bill, the petitioner was given an opportunity to rebut. Mr. Weatherly stated, That smaller alley does get a little busy too. I was really hoping to close it off to protect me and my family going between both the properties we own now. Right now it is kind of used as a dog park. People walk their dogs too and don't clean up after them. Right now I'm doing the yard maintenance on both properties trying to keep it really nice. I think if we could have that whole area contained it would brighten the neighborhood up a little bit. Councilmember Gavin Ferlic asked, In the short alley they are referring to, that is the one (1) you would like to vacate, correct? It's not another portion of that alley? They actually use the portion of the alley you would like to vacate? 12