04-14-08 Common Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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REGULAR MEETING APRIL 14, 2008 PUBLIC HEARINGS BILL NO. 19-08 PUBLIC HEARING ON A BILL TO VACATE THE FOLLOWING DESCRIBED PROPERTY: THE ALLEY TO BE VACATED IS THE FIRST EAST/WEST ALLEY NORTH OF PORTAGE AVENUE FROM LELAND AVENUE EAST TO THE FIRST NORTH/SOUTH ALLEY WITH A DISTANCE OF 120 FEET, MORE OR LESS AND A WIDTH OF 12 FEET Councilmember Varner, Chairperson, Public Works and Property Vacation Committee, reported that this Committee met this afternoon and it was the consensus of the Committee to send this bill to the full Council with a favorable recommendation. Ms. Karen Ainsley, Near Northwest Neighborhood Inc., 1007 Portage Avenue, South Bend, Indiana, made the presentation for this bill. Ms. Ainsley advised that the Near Northwest Neighborhood is currently rehabilitating the property adjacent north of this alley. They are petitioning to close the alley to increase vehicular safety. The proximity of the alley to the Leland & Portage Avenue intersections increases the potential for accidents. Closing the alley will improve the quality of life. There is currently a great deal of undesirable traffic that utilizes this cross alley. There is a public safety concern as the alley is used for the sale of drugs and prostitution. She urged the Council’s favorable recommendation. This being the time heretofore set for the Public Hearing on the above bill, proponents and opponents were given an opportunity to be heard. Ms. Mary Ellen Grontkowski, 720 Portage Avenue, South Bend, Indiana, spoke in opposition to this bill. Ms. Grontkowski advised that the closing of this alley would greatly affect her getting in and out of her property; she stated that selfishly this is her driveway. Ms. Grontkowski advised that if this alley is closed she will be forced to have to back out of her property onto Portage Avenue. She advised that trying to back out onto Portage in the morning hours is extremely difficult, if not impossible. She noted that this alley is the first exit from the intersection Portage and Leland. If this alley is closed she along with others on the street would have to travel a good distance north in the north-south alley before getting to the next east-west alley exit to be able to turn south, because the north-south alley is too narrow to turn around in. Ms. Grontkowski advised that in the twenty (20) years that she has lived at this address there have been no accidents at this location. Ms. Grontkowski stated that crime will not decrease because of an alley being closed. She encouraged the neighbors to write down license plate numbers and give them to the Police Department, so they can check the neighborhood for illegal activity. She stated that she has done this in the past and it worked quite effectively. She urged the Council to vote unfavorably. There being no one else present wishing to speak either in favor of or in opposition to this bill, Councilmember Puzzello made a motion for favorable recommendation to full Council concerning this bill. Councilmember Dieter seconded the motion. The motion was defeated by a roll call vote of three (3) ayes (Dieter, Puzzello, LaFountain) and six nays (Henry Davis, Oliver Davis, Varner, White, Kirsits, Rouse) Councilmember Rouse made a motion to send this bill to the Council with an unfavorable recommendation. Councilmember Oliver Davis seconded the motion which carried by a voice vote of six ayes (Henry Davis, Oliver Davis, Varner, White, Kirsits, Rouse) and three (3) nays (Dieter, Puzzello, LaFountain). 7