Summary
Council vacated the OWU-only section of Hayes Street (saving about $50,000 in maintenance) and the never-built Jane Road paper street, turning both over to private ownership while preserving utility easements.
At a glance
- Total mentions
- 3
- Last 30 days
- 0
Last discussed Jul 13, 2026.
Impact analysis
The Hayes Street vacation saves the city an estimated $50,000 in resurfacing costs.
Ohio Wesleyan and the Jane Road adjoining property owners; taxpayers save maintenance costs.
The public loses any future use of Hayes Street if OWU restricts access.
Mentions & discussions (3)
City Council - Jul 13, 2026
Council vacated the OWU-only section of Hayes Street (saving about $50,000 in maintenance) and the never-built Jane Road paper street, turning both over to private ownership while preserving utility easements.
City Council - Jun 22, 2026
The city would give up paper streets and alleys from an 1870 plat on OWU property, plus paved Hayes Street, saving about $50,000 in maintenance. A motion to skip the final reading failed, so the vote waits.
Planning Commission - Jun 3, 2026
The city is giving up two pieces of right-of-way it never really uses — Hayes Street (which only serves Ohio Wesleyan's maintenance building) and an unbuilt paper road on Jane Road. The city stops paying to maintain them, and adjacent owners get the land.
Related development
Jane Road vacation
No visible change — the city just stops being responsible for land it never built on, and the neighbor who's been mowing it gets it.
Hayes Street Right-of-Way Vacation
The city stops maintaining a street that serves only one user; OWU can rename it, eliminating the duplicate Hayes Street safety hazard.
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