Agenda Item # 8
Columbus Consolidated Government
Council Meeting
06/20/2017
Agenda Report # 156
TO: Mayor and Council
SUBJECT: Abandonment of Leonard Street
INITIATED BY: Engineering
Recommendation: Approval is requested to approve Resolution deleting from the
?Official Map of Consolidated Government of Columbus, Georgia? the improved
segment of Leonard Street between the east Right-of-Way o Forest Avenue and the
west Right-of-Way line of Wildwood Avenue, authorizing abandonment of the same
and its disposal in accordance with state law as set forth in the attached
resolution.
Background: On April 11, 2017, representatives from St. Paul United Methodist
Church, 2101 Wildwood Avenue, came before Council with a presentation on
expansion of their current facilities including the proposed closure and
abandonment of Right-of-Way for Leonard Street. Council requested review by
Public Safety and a Public Meeting be held concerning the proposed closure of
the City Street.
Analysis: A public meeting was held on May 8, 2017 with more than 55 in
attendance. Attached is a summary of comments that were received at the meeting
or in the mail at a later date. At the request of the residents in opposition
to the closure, a subsequent meeting with Mayor Teresa Tomlinson and residents
was held on May 15, 2017. A copy of the presentation was sent to the Columbus
Police Department, Columbus Fire and EMS and Muscogee county School District
for comments related to impact to operation and response times as a result of
the closure of the street. None of those had any concerns related to the
proposed closure. Staff recommends a conditional approval of the closure,
abandonment and disposal. Copies of the request from the neighborhood and
commitments by the church are incorporated. There is an average of 234 vehicles
on school weekdays, 217 vpd on Saturday and 150 vpd on Sunday.
Financial Considerations: Staff is currently obtaining appraisals of the value
of the Right-of-Way. Also St. Paul will also be responsible for any expenses
incurred as part of the closure.
Projected Annual Fiscal Impact Statement: The City will no longer be
responsible for maintenance of the street.
Legal Considerations: The Columbus Council has the sole authority to declare
City properties and Rights-of-Way as abandoned, reserving necessary utility
easements, and to approve the disposal of the same. The property will be
abandoned and disposed of in accordance with state law.
Recommendation/Actions: Approval is requested to approve Resolution deleting
from the ?Official Map of Consolidated Government of Columbus, Georgia? the
improved segment of Leonard Street between the east Right-of-Way of Forest
Avenue and the west Right-of-Way line of Wildwood Avenue, abandoning the same
and approving its disposal in accordance with the Resolution.
A RESOLUTION
NO._____
A RESOLUTION CHANGING THE OFFICIAL STREET MAP AND TAX MAPS OF THE CONSOLIDATED
GOVERNMENT OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA BY OFFICIALLY CLOSING AND ABANDONING A SEGMENT
OF LEONARD STREET RIGHT OF WAY BEGINNING AT THE EAST RIGHT OF WAY LINE OF
FOREST AVENUE AND RUNNING NORTH EASTWARD TO THE WEST RIGHT OF WAY LINE OF
WILDWOOD AVENUE; AUTHORIZING THE DISPOSAL OF THE SAID RIGHT OF WAY IN
ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE STATE LAW UPON CERTAIN STATED CONDITIONS; RESERVING
UTILITY EASEMENTS; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
WHEREAS, Whereas St. Paul United Methodist Church (St. Paul) owns the
property on both sides of the segment of Leonard Street identified above and
more particularly described below (the Street Segment); and
WHEREAS, St. Paul has requested that the City abandon and convey the Street
Segment to it for incorporation into its campus as part of its new construction
project; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Engineering has conducted traffic counts and
determined that the Street Segment is not critical to the flow of traffic in
the area and the City Fire Department and Police Department have reviewed the
proposed abandonment of the Street Segment and have no opposition; and
WHEREAS, St. Paul has agreed to take the following actions in connection with
its construction project:
1. St. Paul will hold neighborhood meetings at least once a month through the
end of the design stage which is scheduled to be sometime in August of this
year;
2. St. Paul will meet or exceed the 10 TDU requirements under the UDO related
to tree preservation and replacement and all other landscaping and buffer
requirements under the UDO applicable to the project. The final landscaping
plans will be made available to the neighbors when they are completed;
3. The existing chiller will be replaced with a brand new one as soon as
practical in the construction process and will add acoustical measures to help
reduce the sound of the new one;
4. The closed portion of Leonard Street will not be gated and it will be
available for pedestrian access between Wildwood and Forest;
5. The dumpster serving the Church will remain enclosed in its existing
location;
6. The current construction plans call for subsurface water detention. If an
alternative method is put forth for approval by the Engineering Department such
plans will be shared with the neighbors that are interested in seeing them;
7. Exterior lighting will be designed in accordance with the requirements of
the UDO and otherwise will be installed such that it is not directed at
neighboring homes; and
8. Columbus High students who are members of St. Paul will be able to continue
to use the Church?s parking lots on school days.
WHEREAS, the neighbors do not object to the closing of the street so long as
these conditions are met;
THE COUNCIL OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA, HEREBY RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION I.
The ?Official Street Map, Consolidated Government of Columbus, Georgia?
maintained in accordance with Section 18.1 of the Columbus Code and appropriate
Tax Map are hereby amended by deleting the following property from said maps:
"All that tract or parcel of land situate, lying and being in Land Lot 74,
Coweta Reserve, Columbus, Muscogee, County, Georgia, being more particularly
known as that portion of public right of way designated as Leonard Street lying
between Forest Avenue and Wildwood Avenue, being more particularly described as
follows:
COMMENCING at an iron pin located at the intersection of the North right of way
line of Leonard Street and the West right of way line of Forest Avenue;
thence N75?44'49"E for a distance of 61.16 feet to an iron pin located at the
intersection of the North right of way line of Leonard Street and the East
right of way line of Forest Avenue; said point also being the POINT OF
BEGINNING; thence along the North right of way line of Leonard Street N64?
53'01"E for a distance of 307.51 feet to an iron pin located on the West right
of way of Wildwood Avenue; thence S27?12'57"E for a distance of 30.02 feet to
an iron pin located at the intersection of the South right of way line of
Leonard Street and the West right of way of Wildwood Avenue; thence along the
South right of way line of Leonard Street S64?53'01"W for a distance of 308.56
feet to an iron pin located at the intersection of the South right of way line
of Leonard Street and the East right of way line of Forest Avenue; thence N25?
13'02"W for a distance of 30 feet to an iron pin and THE POINT OF BEGINNING.
Together with and subject to covenants, easements, and restrictions of record.
Said tract or parcel containing 0.212 acres, more or less."
A copy of the survey drawing entitled "Survey of Leonard Street " showing the
above-described property is attached to this Resolution as Exhibit A.
SECTION II.
This Council finds that the segment of right of way described in
Section I above no longer serves a substantial public purpose. This
abandonment is hereby declared to be in the best public interest. Accordingly,
said segment is hereby declared abandoned and removed from the Official Street
Map of Columbus, Georgia in accordance with O.C.G.A. Section 32-7-2(c). The
City Manager is authorized to transfer the property to the adjacent property
owner in accordance with the provisions of O.C.G.A. Section 32-7-4(a).
SECTION III.
A stipulation in the deed of transfer in the Street Segment will retain
an easement for public pedestrian access through the abandoned Street Segment.
SECTION IV
All existing utility easements in the Street Segment shall be reserved.
_____________
Introduced at a regular meeting of the Council of Columbus. Georgia, held the
_____ day of ________________ 2017, and adopted at said meeting by the
affirmative vote of _______________ members of Council.
Councilor Allen voting __________.
Councilor Baker voting __________.
Councilor Barnes voting __________.
Councilor Davis voting __________.
Councilor Garrett voting __________.
Councilor Henderson voting __________.
Councilor Huff voting __________.
Councilor Thomas voting __________.
Councilor Turner Pugh voting __________.
Councilor Woodson voting __________.
_______________________________ _________________________
Tiny B. Washington, Clerk of Council Teresa Pike Tomlinson, Mayor
Attachments
No attachments for this document.