City Declines To Close Street After Public Outcry

    Tuesday night’s community input session and further discussion during a meeting of the Umatilla City Council showed little public interest in closing Owens Lane, as residents in the area seeking the road remain fully open and council members agreeing. Instead, expect the city to take a more aggressive look at maintaining the clay road that runs between Ocala Street and Lake Street, alongside Umatilla Elementary School.
    Closure of the north section of the road had become a top in recent months, with officials citing traffic, maintenance, and safety issues.
    However, no citizens spoke on the record in favor of closing the street Tuesday, and several spoke in favor of keeping it open. As a result, the council took no action on a potential closure, and instead there was a consensus that the road will get another look by city staff and planners to see what can be done to improve conditions in the area.