Scott Swanson
Of The New Era
Real estate was the primary concern for the City Council at its Sept. 26 meeting.
Council members voted unanimously, with member Dick Hill absent, to sell a piece of surplus property at 11th Avenue and Poplar Street for $25,000 to Ryan Mehlhoff Construction LLC of McMinnville. The company will pay closing costs and any needed insurance, City Manager Craig Martin said.
Martin told council members that the property had been listed by the city at $28,500, but there were no takers.
The lot, zoned for single-family development, was deeded to the city in the 1970s as part of an infrastructure improvement project when the city was doing some work on its sewer and water systems in the area, according to Martin.
The council held a public hearing on whether to surplus the properties during its regular meeting on April 25.
Also on Tuesday, the council completed the vacation of a portion of 10th Avenue north of Juniper Street and began the process of vacating another section between Ironwood Street and Juniper.
Councilors approved the vacation of the land that was platted as a city street when the houses in the area were developed, Martin said. He said there is no point in continuing it as a street and that the city is willing to give it up to landowners whose property abuts it.
The council also initiated the vacation of 10th Avenue abutting 1101 Juniper, directly across from the portion on the request of David and Orletta Gibbs. The Gibbses have agreed that the city can retain a water easement through the property.
The matter will be the subject of public hearings at both the Planning Commission and the City Council before the council decides what to do, said Carol Lewis, community development director.
In other action, the council heard from member Jim Bean that Dean Kyle has resigned from the city Traffic Committee.
Bean, who chairs the committee, said he encouraged residents to apply for the open position.
Council member Jim Gourley noted that school zone traffic signs have not been changed near the junior high, though they were supposed to be changed by July 1.
Police Chief Bob Burford and Public Works Director Mike Adams said the city is working on getting them changed.
The new signs would replace the current 20 mph signs with signs that would permit 25 mph travel during non-school hours designated by the schools.
Bean questioned why the sign on Mountain View needs to be changed at all. Residents in the area have complained to his committee about what they described as excessive speeds in the area.
“The residential limit is 25 mph,” Bean said. “It blows my mind that we can’t have it 20 mph for two or three blocks when there is so much at stake.”
Adams said City Engineer Joe Graybill has requested a grant to improve Mountain View and that the city hasn’t heard anything yet on that.
“No news is good news,” he said.