Cory Street restriction gets green light

FINDLAY — The 300 block of Findlay's South Cory Street will soon be officially restricted, with the city now budgeting for a new electronic gate to enforce it. Findlay City Council voted 8-2 during regular session on April 21 to permanently restrict vehicle access on the block, ending months of debate over who had the authority to close the corridor and how traffic should be managed around the government buildings. Councilmen Rodney Phillips, R-6, and Dan DeLong, R-7, were opposed. Council also voted 10-0 to authorize plans and any necessary alley vacation to relocate the U.S. Postal Service drop‑off mailbox while keeping the post office's existing driveway open. The plan also creates two parallel parking spaces on South West Street and uses the area created by closing the alley to add two angled spaces, resulting in a net gain of one parking space compared to existing conditions. The city's proposed capital budget includes a $39,000 line item, listed as a Findlay Police Department expense, to purchase an electronic gate for the block. The request appears alongside other facility and equipment upgrades in the department's capital budget. Authorized personnel will carry badges to lift the gate for vehicle traffic. The gate will allow enough room for bicyclists to still use the block. The block between West Main Cross Street and West Crawford Street has been closed since June 2025, when the administration placed temporary barricades to limit through traffic in the area bordered by the Findlay Municipal Building, the sheriff's office and the Allan H. Davis Judicial Center. City officials have long cited police and court traffic, prisoner transport and emergency response as reasons to limit public vehicles there, while maintaining pedestrian and bicycle access. The temporary closure became a policy dispute early this year after council members questioned whether the administration could restrict a public street without council approval. On Feb. 5, council rejected a resolution that would have forced the barricades' removal. The debate raised broader questions about safety, security and council oversight of public streets. The issue then moved through the city's review process, with the legislation being introduced to council in March.