The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1927-04-05
Question OF
Closing Alley
Is Argued
Property Owners Protest
That They Have Rights
Under Purchase.
MAY ABANDON
CHESTNUT ST. END
Compromise Likely to Provide
New Way Into Verona
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Before
Common Council

AOAHutUu SUuttCA
A compromise under which st.
Peters Church may obtain the full
width of Chestnut street between
Decatur and Verona avenues, and
yet the rights of owners of property
abutting on an alley which bisected
the property may be protected,
.lOomed up last evening toward the
END of the meeting of the Pleas
antyille Common Council as a
solution of problem which
arose over an ordinance under
which the alley would be closed at
the Chestnut street end.
The alley extends southerly from
the Shore road to Chestnut street,
but speakers in favor of the ordin-
ance vacating the southern end de-
clared that the southern end has
not been used very much of late
years. Opponents of the ordinance
declared that their rights as owners
of abutting property were defined
under the original purchase and
they had right of way into Chest
nut street and into Verona avenue.
The ordinance would make a dead
end in.a street so narrow that they
could use the alley without backing
in or out of it.
James N Butler appeared ON be-
half of owners Of property to the
rear of which the alley gave access
and stated that Building and Loan
and other mortgage investments
have been made on properties
affected; that the right of these
owners could not be taken away;
that the purchasers acted in good
faith that the alley would be for
ever kept open for their use from
Chestnut to Decatur and from
Verona to Chestnut; that the
original owner of the land set
aside the strip as an alley for COM
mon use; that ii has not a grant
by the city and therefore the city
cannot take it away; that the alley
cannot be closed or vacated except
by the consent of all the property
owners affected
Mr.. Leach, Mr. Fritsch, Mr..
Isaccs and Mr.. Flute who own
properties there opposed the ordin
ance.
Councilman Stephenson of the
street committee said he had been
over the property and found that
the Chestnut street end has not
been used and that the curb line
of the street had been built with
out taking any alley into consider
alton The owner of the property
on both sides of the alley on
Chestnut street has improved it
greatly by building a church and
now splendid new lyceuT.
1t was stated that the CHURCH is
only interested in closing the alley
to the back of its own property.
Solicitor Champion stated that
the ordinance vacates only the
public rights in the alley and does
not deprive private owners of
their rights to the alley. The city
has to consider whether the public
has any rights to it. Private rights
may be defended.
The ordinance was passed on
second reading.
All interested in the ordinance
began to examine maps of the
streets and alley and compromise
was proposed under which a new
entrance to the alley could be OBJ
tanned through from Verona for
width of fifteen feet. This would
preserve the passage clear and at
the same time give st. Peters
Church the full frontage of Chest
nut street. 1t is expected that
changes will be made in the ordin-
ance and presented at the next