Prior to the exercise of the power of a municipality incorporated in this state to vacate the public right-of-way for a road, street, alley, or other dedicated public way, open or unopen, as a condition of exercise of such power to vacate, the governing body may require abutting landowners who will directly benefit from such vacation to pay to such municipality a vacation of right-of-way fee equal to the fair market value of the land which will be added to the holdings of such abutting landowners. Such fair market value shall be determined by the governing body of the municipality after a public hearing, notice of which shall be published in a daily newspaper of general circulation at least five days prior thereto and mailed to such address or addresses as may be set forth in the application by abutting owners for the vacation of right-of-way unless a waiver of such notice to abutting landowners is filed by such abutting landowners with the clerk of the municipality and noted in the minutes of the municipal governing body at the time of adoption of the resolution vacating such right-of-way, or unless the abutting landowners paying such fee appear, personally or by counsel, at such public hearing. In no event shall the said vacation of right-of-way fee exceed the assessed value per square foot of all subdivision lots or tracts abutting the right-of-way to be vacated applied to square foot area of the real property to be added to holdings of each abutting landowner paying such fee; provided, however, the determination of such a fee in a lesser amount by the governing body of the municipality shall be conclusive as to its amount.
Structure Code of Alabama