Claremore council approves alley and Chickasaw Avenue closures to support rail quiet‑zone; residents and at least one councilor object

The Claremore City Council voted to approve two related street‑vacation ordinances — an alley closure (Ordinance No. 2025‑11) and a closure of a portion of South Chickasaw Avenue (Ordinance No. 2025‑12) — and adopted emergency clauses for both items to expedite filing of a federal quiet‑zone application for Union Pacific crossings.

City attorney Clifton and city staff explained that the closures are partial (not complete vacates of all rights of way) and that the city will retain the right to maintain, replace and operate public utilities under a perpetual easement. Staff recommended approval to support the quiet‑zone process and to address repeated safety and vehicle‑strike incidents at a narrow bridge adjacent to a church parking area.

Public comment and council concerns Resident Peggy Miller, who owns office buildings across from the church near the affected crossing, urged the city to install a stoplight on Bill Rogers to address pedestrian and vehicle safety during heavy church exits. “All the people just stream out of the church… the city needs to put a stoplight up there,” Miller said during the public‑comment period. Another speaker, Keith Wigginton, described ongoing safety issues at the same crossing and a potential quiet‑zone impact on parking lot access.

During the ordinance discussion, at least one council member strongly objected to vacating the right of way. The councilor said closing local crossings has reduced options for neighbors, described heavy congestion on Florence Avenue and argued it was undesirable for a private entity (a church) to occupy former public‑use access with a bridge. That councilor requested alternative traffic‑mitigation measures but voted against delaying the action; the council member nevertheless acknowledged the safety and quiet‑zone motivations cited by staff. (The councilor’s remarks were recorded in the transcript but the speaker was not clearly named at the time of those comments.)

Staff and council responses Staff clarified several points during discussion: the city will keep perpetual utility easements so water and sewer can be accessed; Union Pacific owns a large portion of the church parking lot and will have a role in how the area is used; the city’s quiet‑zone consultant and the federal process limit approaches or openings close to crossings, which drove the need to formalize closures or reconfigure approaches.

Votes and immediate outcome Both closure ordinances and their emergency clauses passed on roll calls at the meeting. City minutes and the transcript show a roll‑call affirmative vote for each ordinance and its emergency clause; staff said filing the Notice of Intent (NOI) for the quiet zone is imminent. No monetary appropriation was attached to these votes.

Ending Staff said they will proceed with the quiet‑zone filing and coordinate any required property work, easements and utility protections. Council members and residents who raised access and traffic concerns asked staff to monitor local circulation and return to council with mitigation options if needed.