Lane County Sheriff’s Deputy Tim Stephens, center left, talks with “SLEEPS” Peace Maker Morlan Quintero, right, overlooking the Wayne Morse Free Speech Plaza Wednesday in Eugene.

Lane County officials are considering temporarily closing a courthouse plaza dedicated to free speech where advocates for the homeless began camping two weeks ago.

The county’s health officer says the risk of disease transmission is too high, and the plaza should be cleaned up. Officials call it an emergency closure that would likely last about a month, while the county commissioners consider reducing the area protesters could use by making only a part of the Wayne Morse Free Speech Plaza a “designated free speech area.”