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1 • Thursday, June 6, 2019 - The Elmhurst Independent
Elmhurst’s Locally Owned and Operated Hometown Newspaper
VOL. 17 • NO. 24
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Independent Elmhurst
TAKE ONE
THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019
City approves vacating Walter Street for Elmhurst College Action will improve student safety, expand parking
By Dee Longfellow FOR THE ELMHURST INDEPENDENT
The Public Works & Buildings (PWB) Committee has been in discussions about the potential vacation of the public right-of-way of Walter Street from Prospect to Myrtle Avenue based on a request from Elmhurst College. The College felt the measure would not only improve the safety of students who regularly cross the street to move across campus, but also to increase the number of parking spaces available on the campus. The total area of the land parcel is 55,950 square feet. City staff reviewed the request and had no objection to vacating the street right-of-way. However, besides City water and sewer lines, there are utilities like ComEd and cable that require a public utility easement to be recorded for maintenance purposes. Engineering staff further discussed the proposed vacation with Fire Chief Thomas Freeman and Police Chief Michael Ruth, who both stated the vacation would not adversely impact their emergency responses. The current City policy is for staff to calculate the value of the property based on 50% of the Equalized Assessed Value (EAV) of the adjacent land, but an issue arose because most of the adjacent land is owned by Elmhurst College, and therefore, there is no EAV. As an alternative, a random sampling of 10 residential parcels in the area was taken and the average EAV for those properties was calculated at $8.53 per square-foot, or
50% EAV at $4.26. While that is in line with City policy, the most recent EAV calculations used and recommended by the PWB Committee was a value of 25% of the EAV, or $2.13.
The parcel, at 55,950 square feet, at 50% value is $238,347; 25% value is $119,173. Most of the Committee recommended the 25% value due to the continued good working relation-
ship the City and the College share Council for approval at the City for the betterment of both parties and Council meeting on Monday, May 20. The majority report was signed the community as a whole. This was the majority report that See WALTER STREET, Page 10 was presented to the Elmhurst City
School’s OUT for summer
Ms. Sundling’s 6th grade class at Visitation School went outdoors to celebrate the last day of school on Thursday, May 30.
SUBMITTED PHOTO Elmhurst Independent
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