Staff recommends accepting the Right-of-Way and have the Mayor sign the Warranty Deed.

In 2024, Certificate of Survey 3844, Tract 2 was annexed into the City.  With the annexation, the south half of Central Avenue, fronting the property, was annexed up to the centerline of Central Avenue.  Multiple property owners to the north were asked if they would be willing to dedicate a portion of Central Avenue, which consists of road tracts, along their property.  Bradley W. Hardt, owner of Certificate of Survey 2007, Tract 2A, agreed to dedicate the necessary right-of-way along Central Avenue and deed it to the City of Billings.  The City commissioned Performance Engineering to prepare an exempt subdivision plat to create a right-of-way tract to be deeded to the City at no cost. The attached exhibit shows the dedication on the north side of Central Avenue highlighted in green.  Other areas along Central Avenue generally consist of County road easements and road tracts.

With this right-of-way, the City would have right-of-way to develop Central Avenue to City standards at this location.  Attached is a copy of the exempt plat and warranty deed.   Council is asked to accept the warranty deed for the additional right-of-way on the north side of Central Avenue.

City Council may:

• Approve, accepting the additional right-of-way for the principal arterial street known as Central Avenue or;
• Disapprove and have Central Avenue, though a principal arterial, be constrained by inadequate right-of-way.

The exempt plat cost the City less than $5,000 and acceptance of the warranty deed has no significant financial impact to the City.  There will be a slight reduction in property tax due to the land being deeded to the City.