A vacation or abandonment is the official process to remove a public right-of-way or public easement—such as a street, alley, or utility easement—from City ownership or public use.
Once vacated, the area is no longer available for public access and usually becomes part of the adjacent private property, as verified by original maps and deeds.
For example, if an alley behind several buildings is no longer needed, the City Council may approve its vacation. The adjoining property owners can then incorporate that land into their parcels, and the City no longer maintains the alley (e.g., street sweeping or pavement repair).
Have questions?
Email Development Engineering or call (916) 627-3436.
What Can Be Vacated/Abandoned
Public rights-of-way and easements that may be eligible for vacation include:
- Roads and streets
- Alleys
- Public utility easements (e.g., power, gas)
- Public service easements (e.g., traffic signals, streetlights)
Vacations are processed under the California Streets and Highways Code, the California Subdivision Map Act, and City ordinances. Each request requires City Council approval and is finalized when recorded with the Sacramento County Recorder’s Office.
Process
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Submit an application
Property owners whose land includes or borders a public right-of-way, or easement may submit a vacation/abandonment application. If other planning entitlements are requested, both processes may proceed together. -
City review
Staff review the request to ensure it will not impact public access, utilities, or neighboring properties. -
City Council approval
If approved, the City Clerk prepares a Resolution of Vacation, which becomes effective once recorded with the Sacramento County Recorder.
Application Fee
An invoice will be sent to the applicant once the submittal package has been deemed complete and an application number (VAC##-###) assigned to the project. Fees are based on the approved Private Development Fee Schedule.
Typically, the Planning Commission (PC) approves a vacation for consistency with the City’s General Plan during the entitlement application process. If this approval is not obtained at that time, the applicant will be required to attend a PC hearing to obtain General Plan consistency approval.