Nebraska § 17-558 - Streets; improving; vacating; abutting property; how treated.

§ 17-558. Streets; improving; vacating; abutting property; how treated.

(1) Cities of the second class and villages shall have power to open, widen, or otherwise improve or vacate any street, avenue, alley, or lane within the limits of the city or village and also to create, open, and improve any new street, avenue, alley, or lane. All damages sustained by the citizens of the city or village, or by the owners of the property therein, shall be ascertained in such manner as shall be provided by ordinance.

(2) Whenever any street, avenue, alley, or lane is vacated, such street, avenue, alley, or lane shall revert to the owners of the abutting real estate, one-half on each side thereof, and become a part of such property, unless the city or village reserves title in the ordinance vacating such street or alley. If title is retained by the city or village, such property may be sold, conveyed, exchanged, or leased upon such terms and conditions as shall be deemed in the best interests of the city or village.

(3) When a portion of a street, avenue, alley, or lane is vacated only on one side of the center thereof, the title to such land shall vest in the owner of the abutting property and become a part of such property unless the city or village reserves title in the ordinance vacating a portion of such street, avenue, alley, or lane. If title is retained by the city or village, such property may be sold, conveyed, exchanged, or leased upon such terms and conditions as shall be deemed in the best interests of the city or village.

(4) When the city or village vacates all or any portion of a street, avenue, alley, or lane, the city or village shall, within thirty days after the effective date of the vacation, file a certified copy of the vacating ordinance or resolution with the register of deeds for the county in which the vacated property is located to be indexed against all affected lots.

(5) The title to property vacated pursuant to this section shall be subject to the following:

(a) There is reserved to the city or village the right to maintain, operate, repair, and renew public utilities existing at the time title to the property is vacated there; and

(b) There is reserved to the city or village, any public utilities, and any cable television systems the right to maintain, repair, renew, and operate water mains, gas mains, pole lines, conduits, electrical transmission lines, sound and signal transmission lines, and other similar services and equipment and appurtenances, including lateral connections or branch lines, above, on, or below the surface of the ground that are existing as valid easements at the time title to the property is vacated for the purposes of serving the general public or the abutting properties and to enter upon the premises to accomplish such purposes at any and all reasonable times.

Upon vacation, one-half of street on each side reverts to adjoining landowners. Dell v. City of Lincoln, 170 Neb. 176, 102 N.W.2d 62 (1960).

Possibility of reverter did not operate to deprive city of rentals from oil and gas produced from under its streets. Belgum v. City of Kimball, 163 Neb. 774, 81 N.W.2d 205 (1957).

On vacation of plat, streets and alleys revert to owners of adjacent property. Hoke v. Welsh, 162 Neb. 831, 77 N.W.2d 659 (1956).

Municipality may vacate any street, avenue, or alley. Barger v. City of Tekamah, 128 Neb. 805, 260 N.W. 366 (1935).

Cities of second class and villages, and not Railway Commission, have power and authority to open streets and to regulate and control railway crossings in such municipalities. Chicago, R. I. & P. Ry. Co. v. Nebraska State Railway Commission, 88 Neb. 239, 129 N.W. 539 (1911), rehearing denied, 89 Neb. 853, 132 N.W. 409 (1911).

This section granted village board unlimited power to vacate streets in every possible case and deprives county boards of jurisdiction to vacate such streets. Van Buren v. Village of Elmwood, 83 Neb. 596, 119 N.W. 959 (1909).

Where village board by ordinance vacates streets, etc., and declares such vacation to be expedient for the public's good, such acts have the effect of a judgment and only such irregularities as are jurisdictional will render the proceedings void. Enders v. Friday, 78 Neb. 510, 111 N.W. 140 (1907).

Where village board vacates street, avenue, alley, or lane, the land reverts to owners of adjacent real estate, one-half on each side thereof. Village of Bellevue v. Bellevue Improvement Co., 65 Neb. 52, 90 N.W. 1002 (1902).