Ordinance 79-24 amends Section 3.4.5. of the Land Development Code (LDC), entitled “Vacations of plats, easements, and rights-of-way.”  This amendment makes three changes to this section of the LDC.  First, technical requirements for surveys and legal descriptions for easements and rights-of-way requested to be vacated are clarified.  Secondly, applicants will be required to attend a pre-application meeting with staff to review their request prior to filing an application with the City.  Lastly, this ordinance will require owners to provide a one-time payment into a tree fund, previously established by the City, as a condition of approval for a vacation.  The methodology for calculating the owner payment to the fund is specified in the ordinance to provide consistency and predictability regarding the amount of the contribution.  The justification for such contributions is based on the premise that the City has a duty to ensure that a public interest is realized for City assets that are relinquished for private use.  In lieu of a payment to the tree fund, at the discretion of the City, the owner may construct on- or off-site improvements that equals or exceeds the value of the tree fund payment.  Staff recommends approval of Ordinance 79-24.