Group files 3,300 signatures
John A. Williams
The Edmond Sun
EDMOND— Two petitions, each with more than 3,300 signatures calling for a referendum vote on the proposed Bridges of Spring Creek development, have been filed with the Edmond City Clerk.
The petition was launched days after the Edmond City Council voted 3-2 June 26 to rezone an area next to Hafer Park to allow a commercial development by Sooner Investment.
“We still have as many as 50 that haven’t been turned in,” said Edmond attorney Lydia Lee, representing the Bryant ACCORD III. “But we have the lion’s share and felt we would go ahead and file them.”
The 293 pages of names were turned into the clerk’s office at 3 p.m. Monday. “We’ve collected signatures from all over Edmond,” Lee said. “This is a citywide issue not just a localized issues for NIMBYs (Not In My Back Yard). We had people seeking us out to sign the petition.”
The two petitions seek to rescind the council’s vote on Ordinance 3026 and Ordinance 3028 that changed the zoning next to Hafer Park from A-Single Family Dwelling to D-1 and E-1 commercial usage.
City Clerk Nancy Nichols must verify the signatures before a vote can be called.
The Bridges of Spring Creek development was again the topic of discussion at the City Council’s Monday night meeting.
First, the council considered approving the minutes of the June 26 meeting. Mayor Saundra Naifeh refused to recognize Lee at the podium saying there had been full discussion during the July 10 meeting where Lee presented the council with a list of additions she wanted added to the minutes.
Councilman Wayne Page said the minutes should not be taken lightly and asked for several changes. He said there was no mention in the minutes to the discussion of possibly adding dual left turn lanes and protected right turn lanes at 15th and Bryant if the Spring Creek plan was approved.
Page said the amount of increased traffic listed was erroneous and there was no mention of the changes businesses at the intersection would have to do to signs and landscaping if the turn lanes were built.
The minutes were approved as written by a vote of 4-1.
Though the council took no action on an item to discuss a motion to reconsider its June 26 vote on the Spring Creek project. Page asked the council to consider at a future date adding ordinances 3025 and 3027, which the council also voted to amend, to the same referendum vote.
By a majority vote, council could add the items making all four ordinance changes made June 26 part of a referendum vote of the people.
But the Bryant ACCORD III already has planned to circulate another two petitions beginning today.
“I thought maybe the possibility of 3,300 Edmond citizens might sway their opinion a little bit,” Lee said. “I’m still hoping they will on their own initiative put the planned amendments on the (ballot) with the others. We’re very confident that we’ve got the signatures to put this to a vote of the people.”
Randel Shadid, the attorney representing the Bridges at Spring Creek developer Sooner Land Investment, said he understands that commercial development is an emotional subject in Edmond. He faced a similar situation as a councilman in the early 1980s.
“I voted to rezone the northeast corner of 15th and Bryant in 1982 and that decision was actually rescinded by initiative petition. I think it was a 3-2 vote.” That area now is home to the first Spring Creek shopping center.
“Better be careful what you ask for because if this is rescinded, it goes back to A-Single Family, they’ll put homes in there. They’ll be no 25 percent landscaping except for what there is on the house. They’ll be no retention improvements to Spring Creek because the commercial development will allow you to address those problems,” Shadid said.
Council also approved an Edmond Fire Department training trust fund to help defray the cost of training emergency workers from smaller departments. The fund will seek private and corporate donors.
The council also approved a project agreement with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation for the widening of Boulevard and Broadway and realinging the intersection of Broadway and Covell to the east in preparation of the Covell underpass project in 2007.
The estimated cost of the projects is $6.1 million with Edmond paying 20 percent or $1.2 million.
(John A. Williams may be reached via e-mail at jwilliams@edmondsun.com.)
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This was denied by the planning commission (which is odd, huh?) but will go to the council again where it will most likely pass. I suspect that the Dillards-type retailed is likely a Belk's.
John A. Williams
The Edmond Sun
EDMOND— Two petitions, each with more than 3,300 signatures calling for a referendum vote on the proposed Bridges of Spring Creek development, have been filed with the Edmond City Clerk.
The petition was launched days after the Edmond City Council voted 3-2 June 26 to rezone an area next to Hafer Park to allow a commercial development by Sooner Investment.
“We still have as many as 50 that haven’t been turned in,” said Edmond attorney Lydia Lee, representing the Bryant ACCORD III. “But we have the lion’s share and felt we would go ahead and file them.”
The 293 pages of names were turned into the clerk’s office at 3 p.m. Monday. “We’ve collected signatures from all over Edmond,” Lee said. “This is a citywide issue not just a localized issues for NIMBYs (Not In My Back Yard). We had people seeking us out to sign the petition.”
The two petitions seek to rescind the council’s vote on Ordinance 3026 and Ordinance 3028 that changed the zoning next to Hafer Park from A-Single Family Dwelling to D-1 and E-1 commercial usage.
City Clerk Nancy Nichols must verify the signatures before a vote can be called.
The Bridges of Spring Creek development was again the topic of discussion at the City Council’s Monday night meeting.
First, the council considered approving the minutes of the June 26 meeting. Mayor Saundra Naifeh refused to recognize Lee at the podium saying there had been full discussion during the July 10 meeting where Lee presented the council with a list of additions she wanted added to the minutes.
Councilman Wayne Page said the minutes should not be taken lightly and asked for several changes. He said there was no mention in the minutes to the discussion of possibly adding dual left turn lanes and protected right turn lanes at 15th and Bryant if the Spring Creek plan was approved.
Page said the amount of increased traffic listed was erroneous and there was no mention of the changes businesses at the intersection would have to do to signs and landscaping if the turn lanes were built.
The minutes were approved as written by a vote of 4-1.
Though the council took no action on an item to discuss a motion to reconsider its June 26 vote on the Spring Creek project. Page asked the council to consider at a future date adding ordinances 3025 and 3027, which the council also voted to amend, to the same referendum vote.
By a majority vote, council could add the items making all four ordinance changes made June 26 part of a referendum vote of the people.
But the Bryant ACCORD III already has planned to circulate another two petitions beginning today.
“I thought maybe the possibility of 3,300 Edmond citizens might sway their opinion a little bit,” Lee said. “I’m still hoping they will on their own initiative put the planned amendments on the (ballot) with the others. We’re very confident that we’ve got the signatures to put this to a vote of the people.”
Randel Shadid, the attorney representing the Bridges at Spring Creek developer Sooner Land Investment, said he understands that commercial development is an emotional subject in Edmond. He faced a similar situation as a councilman in the early 1980s.
“I voted to rezone the northeast corner of 15th and Bryant in 1982 and that decision was actually rescinded by initiative petition. I think it was a 3-2 vote.” That area now is home to the first Spring Creek shopping center.
“Better be careful what you ask for because if this is rescinded, it goes back to A-Single Family, they’ll put homes in there. They’ll be no 25 percent landscaping except for what there is on the house. They’ll be no retention improvements to Spring Creek because the commercial development will allow you to address those problems,” Shadid said.
Council also approved an Edmond Fire Department training trust fund to help defray the cost of training emergency workers from smaller departments. The fund will seek private and corporate donors.
The council also approved a project agreement with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation for the widening of Boulevard and Broadway and realinging the intersection of Broadway and Covell to the east in preparation of the Covell underpass project in 2007.
The estimated cost of the projects is $6.1 million with Edmond paying 20 percent or $1.2 million.
(John A. Williams may be reached via e-mail at jwilliams@edmondsun.com.)
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This was denied by the planning commission (which is odd, huh?) but will go to the council again where it will most likely pass. I suspect that the Dillards-type retailed is likely a Belk's.