After hearing from worried homeowners, the city of Warrenton will continue to own and maintain sections of two streets it had proposed to vacate.City officials had negotiated a deal to allow the removal of portions of Celia Lane and Pinckney Road near the intersection of Highway U and Main Street. In exchange, the developer who owns several plots of land around the streets agreed to donate an easement for a sidewalk extension on Highway U. The plan was intended to make Highway U safer for pedestrians.However, residents of a small neighborhood on Celia Lane said the change would put them at risk. Those residents currently have road exits to the north and south on Pinckney Road, and to the east on Celia Lane. The east and south exits would have been closed, leaving only the north exit, which homeowners say is on a hill that ices in the winter and has poor visibility to see cross traffic. The preferred exit the one to the east, from Celia Lane onto Highway U, residents said.Ward 2 Alderman Gary Auch said after hearing from the residents, he intended to vote against vacating the streets when the issue came before the board of aldermen Tuesday, June 20.“One of the most difficult things we do is deal with growth and protecting property owners’ rights,” Auch said. “This is an issue that impacts the quality of life of the residents who live in that area. The main access, clearly is Celia Lane. … To close Celia Lane, I think, deprives them in some way of the enjoyment of their property.”Auch said he would still be willing to support closing the exit to the south on Pinckney Street and allowing that section of road to be removed.Keeven Family Partnership, which owns several adjacent plots of land at the southwest corner of Highway U and Main Street, had requested the streets be removed in order to combine those plots. Having one large plot would make the property more marketable for development projects, said Gene Keeven.“I know the city wants to expand. The Old Town wants to expand. We’re trying to help,” Keeven said. “The purpose is to level that whole corner.”The developer does not yet have a specific project for that property, Keeven said. Aldermen asked if the Keevens would be willing to donate a sidewalk easement now and negotiate vacating the streets once they have a specific project in mind, but didn’t not receive a commitment to that effect.The board voted unanimously against vacating the streets, with Alderman Mike Shilharvey absent.CITY OF WARRENTON