The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutA002 - Council Action Form, July 7, 1981 COUNCIL ACTION FORM NO: 07-07-81 SUBJECT: City owned land adjacent to Coy Street BACKGROUND: The City Council requested a staff report regarding City owned land adjacent to Coy Street and possible disposition of this property. In researching the matter, we find that this parcel of land was dedicated for street purposes in 1949, but has never been utilized for a street. Attached for your information is a map showing the subject parcel . This 60 x 140' parcel was dedicated for street purposes in 1949. It is assumed that the purpose was to provide another north-south street between Coy and Tripp. Subsequent development in the Village Drive area north of the Coy subdivision did not provide for a street extension. Existing housing has closed any route to the north from Coy Street in the area of the dedicated parcel . A north-south street to connect Coy Street and Tripp Street could be developed at the time the area to the west is subdivided. Although never developed as a street, the dedicated parcel does provide access to one property immediately north of the Coy subdivision. That property runs the full width of the Coy subdivision and is shown on the attached map. The property is owned by Frank and Helel Blair who have expressed some concern over the disposal of this parcel , since access to the back portion of their property would be limited. The existing housing on their Franklin frontage prohibits vehicular access to the back of the lot from Franklin Avenue. The right-of-way parcel in the adjoining properties are all zoned R-3. Attached also for your information is a memorandum from Eden Schmidt of the Community Development Department outlining development possibilities for the parcel if the street were to be vacated. If the City Council wishes to dispose of this parcel , a two step process is necessary. First of all , the street must be vacated and secondly, the parcel can be conveyed to anyone wishing to purchase it. It is recommended that prior to the conveyance of this property the Council seek an appraisal as to its value. Rather than an auction situation where the Council would sell to the highest bidder, it is proposed that the City advertise the fact that it will entertain for discussion and negotiations, proposals and inquiries from persons interested in acquiring by Quit Claim Deed the City's right, title and interest in the described property. This would allow the City more control as to the purchaser, and perhaps future development of the parcel . MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION: It is recommended that the Council authorize an appraisal of the parcel of property to ascertain the fair market value. It is further recommended that Council establish a hearing date for first reading of an ordinance to vacate the street and publish legal notice therefore. Hearing date to be July 21, 1981. Once the ordinance vacating the street is passed, the City can then seek proposals for the purchase of said property. COUNCIL ACTION: PROPERTY PLAT CITY OF AMES, JOWA ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT DATE N in in t� ~ ti N.89°-45'-03"E. _ T go -�-- �—�— ' 3 w , � f•— I I Mien• n11��o ' ' 1 W 6 5 ' o� o�- 4 3 2 1 SCALE Imo= Ioo' — r7 M 1 0_ - ---�- --1-- 01 60L4L - -1- (ASSUMED W.) 428.1 ' ' COY STREET to °° Z v> 7 8 9 10 II 12 13 j_N 168.1' ------J O FND I.P. S.E. COR. N.I/2 r SET I. P. S.W. 1/4 N.E. 1/4 SEC.8- 83-24 Cc .xnencine- at the S.E. Corner, N z SW4 NE4 Section 8, T83N, R24W and running II thence Wes%-. 168. 1' to a point 60' East of the S.E. Corner, Lot 13, Vivian G. Coy Subdivision, thence North 191.86' to a point on the East line of South Franklin Street opposite the North line of Coy Street extended, thence West 428. 1' to the point of beginning. Thence continuing West 60.0' , thence North 010 15' 53" West 139.28' , thence North 890 45' 03" East 60.0' , thence South 010 11' 50" East 139.55' to the point of beqinninq. All located in the City of Ames, Story County, Iowa and containing 8,364. 9 square feet. Existing Zoning: R-3 CERTIFICATION I hereby certify that this plat, map, survey or report was made by me or under my direct personal sunervision in June, 1981 for the City of Ames , Iowa, and that I am a duly registered land surveyor under the laws f the State of Iowa. i flat ` Reg. No. 3515 elta /z/'0Q�" "'/o7 e a d estwic R. L.S. RECORDED: BOOK PAGE DATE CAsk r City of Ames • • M E M O R A N D U M TO s Paul Wiegand FROM, Eden Schmitt DAT Eo June 24, 1981 SUBJECT, Development Possibilities for a Parcel of Land Owned by Frank Blair, Located West of Franklin Avenue and North of Coy Street The parcel in question is an unplatted interior lot 77.25 feet by 563.9 feet, located west of Franklin Avenue and north of Coy Street, between the Vivian G. Coy Subdivision and the West Campus Village Addition and a part of Verwers Kenfield Addition. A single-family dwelling is located on the eastern protion of the parcel and fronts on Franklin Avenue. The rear portion of the property has no direct access to a public street. The entire parcel is zoned R-3 (medium-density residential) which permits a maximum of 22 dwelling units per acre. The zoning ordinance requires that a buildable lot have 35 feet of frontage on a public street. Assuming that the single-family dwelling on the eastern portion of the parcel is to remain as a single-family dwelling on its own lot and the rear portion of the parcel is to be developed separately, access to a public street must be found for the rear portion of the parcel. A 60-foot wide unimproved public right-of-way stub from Coy Street abuts the rear portion of the Blair property. Utilization of this unimproved right-of-way would permit two options for development. The first option would require construction of a public street to City standards on the right-of-way, culminating in a cul-de-sac on the Blair property. (City policy prohibits a public street to end in a dead end.) Depending upon the amount of land necessary for the cul-de-sac, the remaining lot area would permit a maximum of 8 or 9 dwelling units to be constructed on the rear portion of the Blair parcel. The second option for the development of this property would involve the vacation of the unimproved right-of-way and its purchase by Frank Blair. If the vacated right-of-way was combined with the land- locked rear portion of the lot, Mr. Blair would have 60 feet of frontage on a public street and a driveway could be put in from Coy Street to serve any units on the rear parcel. The land area in the vacated right-of-way could also be added to the rear parcel lot area to determine the allowable density. Assuming that 138 feet of the eastern portion of the parcel becomes a separate lot for the existing single- family dwelling, the remainder of the site together with the vacated right-of-way would allow a maximum of 21 units to be constructed. Actually, because of setback limitations, probably less units on the site would be more likely. A front yard setback of 25 feet from the south property line and a rear yard.setback of 25 feet from the north property line would restrict the buildable area to a 27-foot strip down the middle. MEMORANDUM Paul Wiegand June 24, 1981 Page 2 Unless separate access to the rear portion of the lot can be obtained, that part of the lot cannot be used for residential purposes. Without access, the owner has the option of continuing to use the parcel as it has been used, as a very deep interior lot, or it could be divided and given or sold to adjacent property owners. Presently, many of the lots that abut this parcel use it for garden space or other extensions of their backyards. Presumably, this property might have some value for these adjacent property owners. Another option for use of the rear portion of this parcel might be to combine it with the undeveloped property to the west of the Coy Street-Village Drive area. The Blair parcel might not be actually built upon, but it could be used by the developers of the vacant property to the west in computing allowable density. Platting of the Blair parcel would probably be necessary if it were developed residentially, since the zoning ordinance requires that a parcel be platted if more than two buildings are to be located on a parcel of land. In addition, the division of the rear portion of the lot for use by adjacent property owners would also require platting, since any division of a parcel into three or more parts requires platting by State Law. cc: Patrick J. Switz STAFF REPORT UNDEVELOPED RIGHT-OF-WAY NORTH OF COY STREET The Engineering Division of the Public Works Department was asked to prepare a plat and description of a parcel of property in Vivian G. Coys Subdivision that was dedicated for street purposes in 1949 but has never been utilized. The request is part of the review of the need for the City to retain this property for street purposes. At the time of the development of Vivian Coy Subdivision it must have been felt that a north-south street paralleling Franklin between Coy Street and Tripp Street was needed. Thus a 60' x 140' parcel was dedicated for street use. Subsequent development in the Village Drive area north of Vivian Coy Subdivision did not provide for a street extension. Existing housing has closed any route to the north from Coy Street in the area of the dedicated parcel . A north-south street to connect Coy Street and Tripp Street could be developed at the time the area to the west is subdivided. Although never developed as a street, the dedicated parcel does provide access to one property immediately north of Vivian Coy Subdivision. That property runs the full width of the Coy Subdivision and is shown on the attached plat. The property is owned by Frank and Helen Blair who have expressed some concern over the disposal of the dedicated parcel since access to the back portion of their property would be limited. The existing housing on their Franklin frontage prohibits vehicular access to the back of the lot from Franklin Avenue. The Community Development Department indicates that the right-of-way parcel and the adjoining properties are zoned R-3 which indicates that the right-of-way parcel is a buildable lot. Since the property most affected by the proposed vacation and sale of the unused right-of-way is the Blair property, the Community Development Department has reviewed possible developmental alternatives for this parcel . Their report is attached. If the City wishes to dispose of this parcel of right-of-way, definite procedures are necessary. City Attorney, John Klaus has outlined the process in the attached memo. Because of their interest, it would seem to be appropriate to send a notice to Mr. and Mrs. Blair whenever any action is anticipated on this issue. Respectfully submitted, Paul D. Wiegand, P.E. Municipal Engineer PDW/dj