Charcoal Street vacation in Troy causes opposite reaction between neighbors

By Charles Bolinger

Editor • In June, Troy City Engineer Tom Cissell discussed vacating the city’s right-of-way on a former section of South Charcoal Street south of East Center Street. According to Cissell, Charcoal used to connect Center and East High Street but most of that section was abandoned long ago and homes have been built on that ground since. A stub is what remains. A drain pipe comes from the next block and empties into a ravine. 

He proposed that the stub be split 50-50 between the homeowners on either side of the ravine. In exchange for that vacation, the city will maintain an easement because the pipe culvert comes off the city’s property now. 

At the July 6 city council meeting, City Administrator Jay Keeven talked about the street vacation process again.

“It’s between two lots. As you know, when we vacate property like that, we have to vacate it to both property owners in equal amounts,” Keeven told Mayor David Nonn and the council. “One of the property owners has said emphatically that he doesn’t want it — he doesn’t want to mow it, he doesn’t maintain it, he doesn’t want to deal with it, so [City Attorney Fred Keck] has written an agreement that he doesn’t want his share while the other owner said, ‘Yes, I’d like to have it all if he doesn’t want it.’”

Keeven said this all requires a public hearing, which should happen on Aug. 3 before that evening’s city council meeting. The next Troy City Council meeting is July 20 at 6:30 p.m. in city hall, located at 116 E. Market St.