MANSFIELD — To vacate or not to vacate — that is the question that city council considered Tuesday night during its regular meeting with regard to an unnamed alley between Vale Avenue and Springmill Street.
An investment company based in Fort Wayne, Indiana known as 4 Life Investments submitted a request to the city, asking that Mansfield vacate a portion of the aforementioned alley.
The company is planning on converting the former Club Exclusive building on Springmill Street into a bar and grill, which sits right next to the alley.
Per protocol, Jerry Starks of 4 Life Investments said he and his attorney mailed letters to those whose properties abut the alley, but only got one response. He did not get signatures from all the residents whose properties abut the alley, so he has begun a process in which his vacation request is published in the local newspaper for six weeks.
Council has the authority to approve or deny his request regardless of the publication process.
One woman whose property abuts the alley has issues with the bar and grill itself, specifically safety concerns and the potential for noise and “partying” late at night with the business open until 2:30 a.m.
“The problem is, we have no control over him opening this business,” said Sixth Ward Councilwoman Garnetta Pender. “What we’re going to decide is whether they close that alley off or not, whether it becomes private property or city property — that’s all we can do.”
Bianchi said letters were mailed to surrounding property owners, notifying them that the company’s variance request for the bar and grill would be discussed at a city planning commission meeting.
However, Tim Oney, owner of Tim’s Auto Repair, said he didn’t get his letter until after the meeting was held.
“My concern is the citizens of this neighborhood didn’t get the letters until afterwards,” said Third Ward Councilman Jon Van Harlingen. “They didn’t have an opportunity to voice their concerns or maybe their opinions on that.”
Oney has concerns that if the alley were to be closed off, that could cause more traffic on the alley that’s immediately adjacent to his auto repair shop on Springmill Street.
“If you close that alley down, what it’s going to do is bring all the traffic to mine,” he said. “Them two alleys are busy all day.”
Motorists use those alleys as cut-throughs to avoid the intersection at Bowman.
Bianchi noted if the alley becomes a private drive, it would have to be widened to accommodate ingress and egress of traffic.
Currently, it’s a one-car alley.
“There would have to be standard drive opening widths to accommodate two lanes of traffic,” he said.
Further, it would affect a surrounding resident’s property by expanding it about six feet in width, Bianchi said.
Bianchi feels it’s important for Starks to acquire the signatures of the owners whose properties abut the alley.
In other news, council approved the vacation of a portion of Blymyer Avenue from First Street to 20 feet north of First Street.
