Agenda Date: 04/21/2026
Subject:
Title
Ordinance 06-2026: An ordinance on second reading vacating public right-of-way at 5400 S. Delaware Street for the Thompson Thrift multi-family project
Body
|
From: |
James L. Becklenberg, City Manager |
|
Prepared by: |
Nathan Enck, Development Review Engineer III |
|
Presentations: |
Nathan Enck, Development Review Engineer III |
|
|
Tyler Curtis, Civil Engineer II Russell Lee, Ripley Design |
PURPOSE:
The applicant is requesting to vacate a portion of the right-of-way (ROW), located at 5400 S. Bannock Street. This request seeks to vacate specific ROW along the western frontage of S. Bannock Street to align with the Powers Place Subdivision and establish a consistent 56-foot section throughout the corridor. Pursuant to Section 10-9-7.6 of the Unified Land Use Code (the “ULUC”), a public hearing is being held to determine if the proposed ROW Vacation meets the applicable review criteria
LONG-TERM OUTCOME(S) SERVED:
High-Quality Governance
DISCUSSION:
This request seeks to vacate specific ROW along the western frontage of S. Bannock Street to align with the Powers Place Subdivision and establish a consistent 56-foot section throughout the corridor. Staff have found the following review criteria are met for the vacation of this ROW:
1. Utility Notification. The applicant has provided evidence of notification of all public and private utilities that may have interest in the area to be vacated;
2. Owner Signatures. Where required by the Director, the applicant has obtained the notarized signatures of property owners abutting affected portions of the street or easement(s) proposed for vacation, indicating support or objection for the application, if the Director believes that access to any such property may be compromised by the vacation request;
3. No Public Purpose and in Public Interest. The public street no longer serves a public purpose, and the vacation of the public street is in the public interest, which shall be based on a consideration of the following:
a. Whether the public benefits from the use of the subject public street as part of the city street system;
b. Whether the proposed action is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan;
c. Whether the proposed vacation is consistent with the minimum block size requirements and other applicable street connectivity standards of this Code;
d. Whether the proposed action would deny access to private property;
e. The effect of the proposed action upon public safety;
f. The effect of the proposed action upon the safety of pedestrians and vehicular traffic;
g. The effect of the proposed action upon the provision of services including, but not limited to, emergency service and waste removal;
h. The necessity to relocate public and private utilities; and
i. The effect of the proposed action on the design and character of the area; and
4. Streets. The Council shall not vacate a public street except if the following additional criteria are met:
a. The loss of the street will not foreclose reasonably foreseeable future bicycle/pedestrian use;
b. The loss of the street will not foreclose non-motorized access to adjacent land uses or transit stops;
c. The loss of the street is necessary for the construction of a high-density, mixed-use project containing both residential and non-residential uses or creating close proximity of residential and non-residential uses; and
d. There is no reasonably foreseeable need for any type of transportation corridor for the area.
BACKGROUND:
The subdivision adjacent to the proposed ROW vacation was initially platted in 1911 (Interurban Addition) with Replats and Vacations in 1915 (Weber’s Resubdivision), 1917, 1919 (Vacation of Part of Interurban Addition), 1957 (Resolution), and 1958 (Royal Gardens Addition).
In 1962, a 25-foot right-of-way was dedicated via Warranty Deed (Book 1385, Page 525); however, this dedication encroaches 19 feet further into the adjacent property than the standards set by the Littleton Transportation Master Plan (TMP) <https://www.littletonco.gov/Government/Departments/Public-Works-Engineering/Public-Works-Projects/Bicycle-and-Pedestrian-Master-Plan> and the Powers Place Subdivision. The existing S. Bannock Street ROW was predominantly 50’ in width from W. Rafferty Gardens Avenue to W. Powers Avenue, and an additional six feet (6’) ROW was dedicated to the city through the Powers Place Subdivision. It is the City’s position that a uniform 25-foot ROW dedication was intended for the length of Bannock Street to Powers Avenue.
The applicant has worked closely with all outside agencies on any outstanding comments and has addressed all the comments or the agencies have conditionally approved the application.
Prior Actions or Discussions
The applicant has completed the following steps in the entitlement process, per the ULUC:
Preapplication Meeting: September 25, 2025
Application Submitted: October 23, 2025
Neighborhood Meeting: December 5, 2025
City Council Meeting: April 7, 2026; passed on first reading.
FISCAL IMPACTS:
N/A
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Based on staff analysis, the proposed Street and Easement Vacation is in compliance with the approval criteria in Littleton City Code section 10-9-7.6, as detailed in the staff report. Therefore, staff recommends approval of Ordinance 6, Series 2026.
ALTERNATIVES:
Council may approve, approve with conditions, or deny the request to vacate the right-of-way along South Bannock Street
PROPOSED MOTION:
Proposed Motion
I move to approve Ordinance 06-2026 on second reading vacating public right-of-way at 5400 S. Delaware Street for the Thompson Thrift multi-family project.