(a) Change of Name, Vacating or Narrowing Streets by Petition. Council, on petition by a person owning a lot in the Municipality requesting that a street or alley in the immediate vicinity of such lot be vacated or narrowed, or the name thereof changed, upon hearing, and upon
being satisfied that there is good cause for such change of name, vacation, or narrowing, that it will not be detrimental to the general interest, and that it should be made, may, by ordinance, declare such street or alley vacated, narrowed or the name thereof changed. Council may include in one ordinance the change of name, vacation, or narrowing of more than one street, avenue or alley.
(b) Change of Name, Vacating or Narrowing Streets Without Petition.
(1) Council may, when there are two or more streets, avenues or alleys of the same name in the Municipality, by ordinance and without petition therefor, change the name of any such street, avenue or alley so as to leave only one to be designated by the original name.
(2) When, in the opinion of Council, there is good cause for vacating or narrowing a street or alley, or any part thereof, and that such vacation or narrowing will not be detrimental to the general interest, it may, by ordinance and without petition therefor, vacate or narrow such street or alley or any part thereof.
(c) Notice; Exception. Notice of the intention of Council to vacate any street, alley, avenue, or part thereof shall be given as provided in subsection (d) hereof, except when written consent to such vacation is filed with Council by the owners of the property abutting the part of the street or alley proposed to be vacated, in which case such notice shall not be required.
(d) Publication of Notice. No street or alley shall be vacated or narrowed unless notice of pendency and request of the petition under subsection (a) hereof is given by publishing, in a newspaper published or of general circulation in the Municipality, for six consecutive weeks preceding action on such petition, or where no newspaper is published or generally circulated in the Municipality, by posting the notice in three public places therein six weeks preceding such action. Action thereon shall take place within three months after completion of the notice.
(e) Effect of Order of Vacation. The order of Council vacating or narrowing a street or alley which has been dedicated to public use by the proprietor thereof shall, to the extent to which it is vacated or narrowed, operate as a revocation of the acceptance thereof by Council, but the right-of-way and easement therein of any lot owner shall not be impaired by such order.
(f) Effect on Public Utility Easements. When any street, alley or public highway, or a portion thereof, is vacated or narrowed by the Municipality pursuant to the provisions of this subchapter or the provisions of Ohio R.C. Chapter 723, and the relocation of any conduits, cables, wires, towers, poles, sewer lines, steam lines, pipelines, gas and water lines, tracks, or other equipment or appliances of any railroad or public utility, whether owned privately or by any governmental authority, located on, over or under the portion of the street, alley, or highway affected by such vacation or narrowing, is not required for purposes of the Municipality, including urban renewal, any affected railroad or public utility shall be deemed to have a permanent easement in such vacated portion or excess portion of such street, alley or highway for the purpose of maintaining, operating, renewing, reconstructing, and removing such utility facilities and for purposes of access to such facilities. (1998 Code Secs. 94.40 to 94.45)