The Township shall consider written requests from owners of contiguous property or properties to vacate a street, public way or portion thereof. Criteria for vacating a roadway shall include whether the roadway serves as a through street or dead ends; the Township's future plans for the roadway, if any; whether the roadway will consolidate properties under common ownership; whether a hardship exists and the source of such hardship; whether vacating the roadway will cause noncontiguous properties to be landlocked; and other considerations.

Upon submission of a written request, the Township's Zoning Officer or Planner shall conduct an initial evaluation of the request to vacate. Such initial evaluation may include a visual examination of the roadway. Should the Zoning Officer or Planner recommend the request, the requestor shall submit payment in the initial amount of $1,000 which shall be placed into escrow. Thereafter, the Township shall charge against the escrow account for the professional fees necessary to delineate the area of the roadway to be vacated, identify or locate any utilities or utility easements, and prepare associated documentation for Township Council's review and approval. Should the initial escrow amount be insufficient to cover the Township's costs, the requestor shall replenish the escrow within 14 days of the Township's request. Failure to replenish the escrow shall delay any further action by the Township. Any remaining escrow balances shall be refunded to the requestor within 30 days of Council's adoption of an ordinance vacating the roadway.

Prior to introducing an ordinance for Council's approval, the Township may place special restrictions on the parcel of roadway being vacated or require the intended new owner thereof to correct any on-site conditions that are inconsistent with the Township's land use regulations.

Where the roadway being vacated is being consolidated with a larger parcel that is or is contiguous to a parcel being considered for a major subdivision, the Township may require payment for the value of the roadway being vacated based upon the increase in value to either the major subdivision or the parcel to which the roadway will be conjoined. Payment shall be based upon a valuation conducted by the Tax Assessor and shall be due at the time a deed is tendered. At the time of the roadway deed transfer and contemporaneously therewith, the requestor, at his or her expense, shall also prepare, execute and file a deed consolidating the roadway parcel with the conjoined parcel.

Where a vacated street is bounded on either side by a different zoning district, the former center line of the vacated right-of-way shall be considered the zoning district boundary line. The Township may charge against the requestor's escrow account for the costs of determining the zoning district boundary line which shall be conducted when the Township's surveyors delineate the area of the roadway to be vacated.