Villages of C P3-CS030612 MEMORANDUM
FROM THE
DEPARTMENT OF ENGINEERING
To:
From:
Date:
RE:
Bob Hagar, City Attorney
Ken Griffin, P.E., Director of Engineering/Public Works
June 12, 2003
Abandonment of excess right-of-way for Deforest Road
In 1992, the plat for the Villages of Coppell Phase IIIB was filed. At the time it was filed there was an existing
development at the far east end of Deforest Road near the Elm Fork of the Trinity River. Therefore, the
developer was required to dedicate an additional 10 feet of right-of-way for the future expansion and
improvement of Deforest Road.
In 2001, the plat of Windsor Estates was filed allowing for the development of the property at the far east end
of Deforest Road. The developer of that subdivision, in lieu of extending Deforest Road to the far east end of
the property adjacent to the Villages of Coppell Phase IIIB, chose instead to curve the road northward and
create larger lots that backed up to the Elm Fork of the Trinity River. Because of the decision to curve
Deforest Road northward, the City of Coppell has been lett with a 10-foot strip of right-of-way adjacent to the
south side of the Windsor Estates Addition and adjacent to Lots 27-35, Block A of the Villages of Coppell
Phase IIIB addition.
Because of the current configuration of Deforest Road, the 10-foot strip of right-of-way has no value to the City
of Coppell. I have been approached by one of the residents that live in the Villages of Coppell inquiring about
his ability to abandon the right-of-way of which the City has no future use for. At least one utility company has
utilities along that area, so therefore, any abandonment would still have to retain the underlying area as a utility
easement.
In looking at the logistics of trying to abandon right-of-way adjacent to just one lot, it is my opinion that that
does not make the most sense. One, we have a 10-foot strip of right-of-way of which we have no future use for,
and two, if we abandon a portion of that, then we are left with a separated 10-foot portion of right-of-way that is
not connected to any other right-of-way within the City.
My recommendation would be to abandon the 10-foot strip of right-of-way adjacent to all the properties in the
Villages of Coppell Phase IIIB back to the owners of the lots in the Villages of Coppell Phase IIIB at no cost to
those residents. The reason I say "no cost" is because on at least three of the lots the property lies within a
floodplain and has no value to them as far as moving fences or utilization of the area. The other lots, while they
potentially could move their fences if they so chose, would not be allowed to develop the area because of
retaining the underlying area as an easement.
The second clarification, of which I need direction, is whether or not we abandon the entire 10-foot back to the
Villages of Coppell Phase IIIB residents. Again, the entire 10-foot was dedicated off of land owned by the
original developer of Villages of Coppell Phase IIIB. The Windsor Estates development did not dedicate any of
this right-of-way.
I have included a couple of drawings with this memo to help clarify some issues. I will be available to discuss
this issue with you at your convenience.
"CITY OF COPPELL ENGINEERING - EXCELLENCE BY DESIGN"