The City of Atlantic’s Planning and Zoning Commission will meet this (Tuesday) evening in the Council’s Chambers at City Hall. On the agenda for their 5:30-p.m. session, is the consideration of two alleys to be vacated. In the New Business portion of their agenda, the Commission will discuss the proposed vacating of an alley located between Birch and Locust, and 13th and 14th Streets.

The alley was the subject of a dispute between two property owners. During a civil lawsuit that City was involved in, Judge James Richardson failed to overturn the City’s opinion that the alley was a property alley, and therefore would have no reason to maintain the strip of land. City Administrator John Lund says since the Judge did not specify WHO owns the land, the City is back to square one, with no idea who owns it. In the absence of such a determination, he says, it is assumed the City has some jurisdiction. If the Commission does not object, the City, according to Lund, feels it would be reasonable to abandon any claim or title to the affected strip of land.

Old Business will include discussion pertaining to the vacating of an alley west of 1315 Birch. At their last meeting on June 14th, the matter was tabled because the Commission had questions for City Administrator John Lund, who was not able to attend the meeting, and out of concerns for neighbors.

In the City’s analysis, it was noted officials inspected the property and proposes that only the southern part of the alley, south of the creek, be vacated. Lund recommends the Commission pass a motion to abandon part of the alley, or the entire alley, depending on a response from abutting property owners.