Staff recommends that the Council acknowledge the receipt of a petition to discontinue a portion of the alley within Block 191 of Original Townsite and set a public hearing for December 20, 2021.

The Montana Rescue Mission (MRM) is proposing to expand their campus at Minnesota Avenue and South 29th Street.  With the expansion, they would like to close off one-half of the east-west alley from South 28th Street to South 29th Street.  Attached is an exhibit showing the portion of alley proposed to be discontinued.  The L-shaped portion of the alley from South 28th Street to 1st Avenue South will stay in place and continue to be operational for emergency vehicles and solid waste pickup. 

The Montana Rescue Mission is proposing to fence off the portion of the alley in order to allow free and safe movement within the campus.  MRM originally wanted to vacate the alley, however, with the sanitary sewer main located in the alley, City staff prefers to keep this portion of alley as right-of-way.  Vacation of the alley would have changed ownership of the alley to MRM.  Discontinuance closes off the alley to public access but still remains public right-of-way and still allows for City maintenance of the sewer line.  

The Council may:

• Approve acknowledgment of petition to discontinue the above-mentioned alley and set a public hearing for December 20, 2021.
• Do not acknowledge the petition and terminate the discontinuance process.  If not approved, the petitioner would need to keep the alley open.

There is minimal cost to the City to acknowledge this petition and set a public hearing date.