The Public Works Department advised Charleston’s city council to vote no on three ordinances that propose the city vacate three alleys throughout town.

The city council will also vote to approve or disapprove a large subdivision concept plan east of University Village, the annual application to participate in the State of Illinois Federal Surplus Program and a grant for the rehabilitation of a building in the Tax Increment Finance District.

“Curt Buescher has advised us that vacating the alleys at this time is not a plausible action for the city,” said Mayor John Inyart. “Unless we were never going to do any utility work there, we cannot vacate.”

The council will vote on these decisions at its meeting at 7:30 tonight in City Hall.

The parking alleys, which run between Hayes and Garfield avenues, Hayes and Grant avenues, and Adams and Washington avenues, contain utility lines for sewer and water.

Vacating the alleys would allow those who own property in the alley to expand building up to the pavement, eliminating the setback that requires a several foot distance from the pavement.

“If we had to dig a trench or something to access a utility, we could compromise the safety of our workers or even do damage to the property of the buildings,” said City Manager Scott Smith.

The ordinances to vacate the three alleys were put on file at the Nov. 4 City Council meeting in order to investigate the utilities in the area.

In other agenda items, the council will vote on a concept plan for a 50-home subdivision called Ridge Estates.

The subdivision is made up of single family homes all with three to four bedrooms, two car garages and brick accents.

The homes will be rented on an income appropriate basis, meaning renters will have to be pre-approved to rent.

“This is something new for Charleston because most developments are multi-family homes or apartment complexes,” Inyart said. “This is (a) nice option for people who would otherwise be forced to live in an apartment.”

The developers plan to build the subdivision off Woodfall Drive, just east of University Village near Lincoln Avenue.

In addition, the city will vote to approve its annual application to the State of Illinois Federal Surplus Program.

The program allows its participants to purchase used state and federal items, which includes lists of everything from chairs to computers. Smith said the FEMA trailers bought recently were provided through this program.

“It’s a good thing for the city to be a part of,” he said. “The three trailers we bought are being used as a fire department command center, a place where park umpires and staff can stay, and the third might be converted into a smoke trailer for fire department training.”

Finally, the city will vote to grant petitioner Ed Carter $47,545 of TIF District funds to rehabilitate a property at 720 Jackson Ave.

The building, which stands in the middle of two other properties sharing two walls, will be partly demolished in order to repair the three set.

Inyart said the rehabilitation has been needed for five to six years.

“It has been a source of concern and complaint for quite some time,” he said. “Now, the property has changed hands to a motivated owner who has plans to fix it.”

The TIF funds are funds separate from the city’s budget that are used to rehabilitate areas within the districts that are deemed to be in disrepair.

After the properties are rehabilitated, its taxes increase and the difference between the properties initial tax and the new tax is put back into the fund.

“We make an effort to support the cleanup of our town, and the TIF allows us to do that,” Inyart said.

Krystal Moya can be reached at 581-7945 or at