Back in April, North Judson Town Council members started taking steps to address an unresolved request to vacate an alley that was initially submitted in the 1980s.
When members met Monday night, they conducted the second reading of the ordinance that would relinquish the town’s ownership of a 16-foot alley between Dahlke and Lyle Streets. Once the alley is vacated, it will be evenly divided up amongst neighboring property owners.
The second reading of the ordinance passed unanimously. Councilwoman Jane-Ellen Felchuck asked if members could consider the ordinance on third reading as well.
However, Clerk-Treasurer Andrew Rowe explained that wasn’t possible since there has to be two published notifications about the ordinance and the next notice won’t appear in the paper until the 25th. The council will have to wait until their first meeting in June to officially adopt the ordinance.
The reason the alley wasn’t vacated even though the request received Plan Commission approval in December of 1986 and Town Council approval in January of 1987, is because it was never officially recorded. In order to keep the same issue from happening again, town officials need to be sure that the ordinance makes it to the County Recorder once it is approved.
