It was a heated debate at city council Monday night, with discussion revolving around potential closure of Matchette Road.

After a short recess and an in-camera meeting between councillors, it was decided the road will not close between Titcombe and Sprucewood.

City council voted against spending between $150,000 to $250,000 on an environmental assessment to close Matchette.

The decision left many residents in the packed council chamber disappointed and forced Mayor Drew Dilkens to call for a 10-minute recess.

"I've never had to stand down a meeting ever, I've never been in a meeting that's stood down but I think it's important that we have a respectful conversation," said Dilkens.

Anthony Rossi, representing the Coco Group, told council closing Matchette Road would've resulted in legal action.

“Revisiting this to us is not acting in good faith when we've been opened and transparent and acted in good faith with you," said Rossi.

Dilkens said it likely would be in the “tens of millions of dollars with that lawsuit, with a very strong and high probability of success by the plantiffs in that lawsuit."

Rossi claims the Coco Group has done its part to protect all endangered species, by installing a temporary exclusion fence.

Council has decided to look at eco passages in front of the Ojibway Nature Centre.

“Eco passages won’t protect the eco system. Seventeen out of the 21 endangered like the plants, birds, insects won’t use them," said Nancy Panchesan, a LaSalle resident who wants to see Matchette Road close.

She also singled out one councillor for not declaring a conflict of interest.

“It should be noted that councillor Francis bought a condo from Coco Paving adjacent to the big box and has never declared this at a public meeting," she said.

But Fred Francis says he didn't have to and he's fighting for residents of the City of Windsor.

“And for anyone that wants to make a claim or baseless accusations that in my opinion come down to slander they should first know that I have an independent legal opinion on this matter that says there is no conflict."

The debate also had council go in-camera to discuss legal ramifications of the closure of Matchette Road.

Instead, council is moving ahead with a plan to add a roundabout at Sprucewood, which Francis says will help with traffic in the area.