The City Council on Monday took no action on a request by Webster County to vacate a north-south alley between South Seventh and South Eighth streets that connects to Second Avenue South.

After the council meeting, Councilman Dave Flattery said there will be a fresh evaluation of the numerous utilities underneath the alley.

He added that the county, which wanted part of the alley to position an emergency generator to support its nearby office building in a former bank, will likely look for another location for it.

The alley is next to Anderson Station Inc. During a brief public hearing on the matter during Monday’s council meeting, Doyle Anderson, the owner of the gas station, stated his opposition to closing the alley.

”I use that alley,” he said. ”I have cleaned that alley for numerous years.”

In other business, the council approved an expansion of the Center City and Industrial Park Urban Renewal Area.

The update includes the Elanco US Inc. campus on the city’s northwest side. It also includes nine parcels on the northwest side that the City Council purchased to make space for future development.

Inclusion in the urban renewal area makes it possible for tax increment financing to be used to support projects there. Tax increment financing occurs when increased property tax revenue is set aside to be reinvested there.

The council also purchased a house at 522 Third Ave. N. from Barry Wood, of Fort Dodge, for $40,000. That house is the only one on a dead end at the bottom of a steep hill. The house will eventually be demolished. Removing the house is expected to make it easier to remove snow on that street.