§ 12.08.090. Policies for evaluating requests to vacate alleys.

A request to vacate all or any part of an alley may be submitted by any property owner adjoining the alley or by any member of the village board. Requests to vacate alleys shall be evaluated on a case by case basis. When evaluating a request for the vacation of an alley, the village board may consider any factor which it deems relevant including, but not limited to, the following:

A.

Alleys shall be vacated solely in accordance with applicable provisions of the Illinois Compiled Statutes and the Metamora Village code.

B.

In the event any public utilities are located within an alley or in the event the village board determines that an alley may in the future an appropriate location for such utilities, the vacation ordinance shall reserve an easement for the installation, operation, maintenance and repair of any such utilities both for the benefit of the village and for the benefit of the owner or operator of any publicly or privately operated utility.

C.

An alley will not ordinarily be vacated if the vacation would act to deny reasonable access by motor vehicle to any garage or other improved parking area located adjacent to the alley.

D.

In order to preserve access to public utilities which are or may be located in a vacated alley, the ordinance which vacates the alley will ordinarily prohibit the construction of permanent barriers in the vacated alley without the prior written consent of the village board. In particular, permanent barriers such as chain-link fences, wood fences or buildings will ordinarily be prohibited. Temporary barriers such as individual fence posts, railroad ties and rock will ordinarily be permitted.

(Ord. 1995-5 § 2, 1995)