Zack Stoycoff
Staff Reporter
CLAREMORE —
The Rogers County Planning Commission has narrowly rejected a proposal to rezone land for an RV dealership next to homes on Highway 20. It's the latest controversy in what commission Director Magan Green called “growing pains” for northeastern Owasso.
Nine residents presented a petition against the proposal at the planning commission’s zoning meeting Tuesday, arguing that an RV dealership would ruin the look of their neighborhoods and open the area for unwanted commercial development. The area is primarily residential, they said.
Fifty-five people signed the petition.
The property backs up to the Tallgrass Trails addition just east of QuikTrip and Eggbert’s on the northeastern fringe of Owasso. Rezoning would have merely continued the commercial growth in the area, said Gary Burger, who planned to build an RV dealership but said he may have also tried bringing retail stores to this site.
The commission voted 3-3 after Burger amended his proposal to include a five-acre buffer zone between his property and the neighborhood. But Green said the commission felt the time wasn’t right for rezoning.
Rezoning require a majority vote.
“This is an area that is in transition and it’s going through growing pains,” Green said. “But for this gentleman to ask for high intensity commercial zoning, I felt it was too soon. Maybe 10 years down the road, but not right now.”
Burger has 15 days to appeal to Rogers County commissioners.
Frankie Bordwine, one of the residents crowding the planning commission meeting at Claremore City Hall, told commission members that residents felt an RV
dealership would be unsightly.
Tallgrass Trails homeowners echoed the sentiment. Earl Tillery, who said he has spent most of his money on his home, argued that RV
dealership would ruin his investment. Phillip Clark said he bought his home because he never expected commercial developments nearby.
“This area is in an identity crisis - is it commercial or is it residential?” Green said. “If you drive down Highway 20 towards Owasso, there is somewhat of a hodgepodge, or mixture, of commercial and residential.
“I predict that 10 years from now, it will be commercial, but now is not the time.”
She said three commission members felt the five acre buffer Burger proposed was enough to meet residents’ concerns. Burger originally requested rezoning for 10 acres.
For the other three members: “There was just too much opposition from residents,” Green said.
Brian Green, Randy Highfill and Michael Martin voted in favor of rezoning.
Dolphus Chancy, Mike Washburn and Newt Clements voted against rezoning.
