Couple Ask City To Vacate Unused Conklin Right Of Way

Daniel and Leasa Glover said they are tired of the mud and overgrown trees on city property next to their home.

They live on 17th Avenue where it meets Rockwood Boulevard.

The city owns a strip of land adjacent to their home that is dedicated as Conklin Street, although that’s a little misleading. The undeveloped land is overgrown with trees and turns to mud every winter.

“There is no road. It’s all trees,” Leasa Glover said. “It needs to be cleaned up.”

The Glovers are petitioning the city to relinquish public ownership of 155 feet of the Conklin Street right of way. If the City Council approves the request, the Glovers would buy half the strip next to their property.

Another adjacent property owner would be able to purchase the other half.

A hearing is scheduled for Oct. 6 before the council.

The Conklin Street right of way was never developed as a street even though it was dedicated as such on the subdivision plat.

Glover said he needs to obtain approval for the street vacation from the city public works department and other utilities to make sure the right of way isn’t being used for services such as water and electrical power.

He said he plans to clean up the property and landscape it. It will give him a larger lot and more privacy.

When the ice storm hit last fall, the Glovers had to borrow a chain saw to clean up the downed trees and limbs.

They currently use the strip of land to get into their garage, but during the winter, the driveway on city property turns to mush.

The public works department has encouraged homeowners to seek vacations of unused street rights of way scattered throughout the city.

, DataTimes