A new court date has been scheduled over two lawsuits against Fairlawn over plans to close a portion of Rothrock Road to restrict traffic flow to the site of a proposed Walmart and Sam’s Club in neighboring Copley Township.Fairlawn is moving forward with the purchase of a gate system to close the road near the 40-acre undeveloped site, a move that would cost the retailer its most direct route to the stores. Walmart wants to move the stores from Rosemont Commons, off state Route 18 in Fairlawn, less than one mile away. Construction is at a standstill until the cases are resolved.Summit County Common Pleas Judge Alison McCarty has set a status hearing for Oct. 18.Copley Township and Fairlawn resident Kevin Woodman are suing Fairlawn officials, saying access to the road should not be limited to local residents. They contend that Rothrock is a county road and should be open to all drivers. Copley officials also maintain that the road closing would harm all businesses on the street. Woodman is vice president of development for Levey & Co., the company overseeing the Walmart project. Fairlawn officials say they are within their rights to install the gates on the southern portion of Rothrock Road just west of Sawgrass Drive as it lies within their city limits.The gate system would be open to residents who would have a key card, emergency and service vehicles and school buses.Fairlawn officials have said that it is their job to protect residents and neighborhoods from unwanted commercial development and the traffic it creates.There are two other cases regarding the development also pending before McCarty.Marilyn Miller can be reached at 330-996-3098 or mmiller@thebeaconjournal.com.