Walnutport officials heard testimony last week on a petition from residents who want the borough to vacate Cherry Alley.

Tom Jons of Williams Street filed the petition, saying that he wants to shut down the alley in order to gain more access to the property to take down the trailers."It's not being used. There is a trailer and garage I want to demolish and get them out of there," he said.Former board member Michael Gaston spoke for property owner Janet Gaston. He asked board solicitor Michael Corriere how long the alley has been open and the legitimacy of the petition.Corriere agreed with Gaston's statement that the alley has been open more than 21 years.According to borough code, at least 51 percent of adjoining property owners must sign the petition."Two of the five petitioners don't live in the borough, The 228 Birch St. owners haven't owned the property in over a month. One petitioner didn't sign it. So that leaves two petitioners. Of the two, one is here tonight but I think he wants to change his mind to vacate," Gaston said.Gaston said the letters for the petition were served to property owners on April 6."If the petition is no longer valid and we don't have the 51 percent needed then we can't legally vacate it," he said."The person here who lives on the street didn't show up. What I'm getting to, if you close this alley, there's four townhouses near there. Those four people will be locked out from that entrance once it's closed," Gaston said."My aunt wants it to remain the way it has been for 50 years. She doesn't want to lock those people out, she doesn't want the seven-and-a-half feet that she will get from the alley. It could lead to her property being reassessed and more taxes," he said.Jason Beichy of 224 Birch St. said, "I use a scissor lift every two years. If I'm landlocked I can't get one in there. We use the alley. I'd be locked out," he said.Tyler Minnich, also of Birch, said he was unclear on the issue before the hearing."But the landlocked thing, I'm just trying to make sure it doesn't happen. I'm taking back my signed petition," he said.The solicitor said 51 percent of property owners connected to the alley must want the borough to vacate."There's only three out of nine signers, so it's not enough. You can always file a new petition," Corriere said.