The Tulsa Metropolitan Area Planning Commission next week will consider a preliminary development plan for this property at Peoria Avenue and Riverside Drive. KEVIN CANFIELD/The Frontier
A couple of big questions about the proposed moratorium on development along the Arkansas River corridor were answered Thursday.
The moratorium would not affect A Gathering Place for Tulsa park. Nor would it affect the REI site at 71st and Riverside Drive, a planning official told city councilors Thursday afternoon.
“Really, all of the big projects that we know of, it won’t have an impact,” said Susan Miller with the Indian Nations Council of Governments.
The moratorium would focus on “the most offensive type of uses, those heavy industrial-, commercial-type uses,” Miller said.
She cited bail bond and check-cashing businesses as examples, but the list of prohibited uses also includes gas stations, manufacturing, junk yards and outdoor advertizing.
“Things like that that we just don’t want to see popping up in that area,” Miller said.
City councilors were scheduled to take the unusual step of voting on the moratorium with an emergency clause Thursday, meaning it would have taken effect immediately if approved. However, councilors instead decided to wait a week until the full council could discuss it.
The moratorium would last into March.
Representatives of the Mayor’s Office and the City Council and others have have been working since early this year on design guidelines for development along the Arkansas River corridor. Once finished, the guidelines would be incorporated into the city’s zoning code in the form of an overlay district.
The development moratorium would cover the same areas of the river corridor as the overlay district, which is being referred to as the Arkansas River Design Overlay District.
The area includes most of the east side of the Arkansas River within the city limits and select areas along the west bank of the river within the city limits.
Miller said the idea for a moratorium came about after several councilors became aware of projects along the river corridor that they believe would be detrimental to the future vision of the area.
“Such things as heavy commercial uses, gas stations, industrial uses,” Miller said. “So in order to get the overlay in place, a few councilors thought it would be good to not allow those uses to come in at this time.”
The moratorium is being sponsored by Councilors Phil Lakin, Jeannie Cue and Blake Ewing.
Neither Miller nor those city councilors have said what specific development projects along the river drove them to seek the moratorium.
However, next week the Tulsa Metropolitan Area Planning Commission is scheduled to vote on a preliminary plat for a development at the corner of Peoria Avenue and Riverside Drive. The preliminary plat was submitted by MRB Land Developers LLC.
The plat shows the boundary lines of proposed developments on the site but provides no specifics as to what types of businesses would be constructed on the property.
Early public discussions between the developer and Planning Commission staff, however, have included the possibility of building a convenience store and a tire store on the site.
The triangular-shaped property at Peoria Avenue and Riverside Drive includes at least five proposed development areas, according to documents provided to Planning Commission staff.
A developer is proposing the above development footprint for the corner of Riverside Drive and Peoria Avenue. Provided
Work on the river corridor development guidelines and the river development moratorium is not being done in a vacuum.
The Arkansas River Infrastructure Task Force is putting together a proposal to build low-water dams or other infrastructure in the river to provide a reliable body of water. The hope is that that would spur economic growth and enhance recreational opportunities.
City Councilor G.T. Bynum, who heads the task force, said in Thursday’s council meeting that he supports the moratorium.
“What we have had in the last few months is a significant blow in public confidence in the city’s judgment as it relates to land use along the Arkansas River in that corridor,” Bynum said. “And I sense that they feel a concern, and if I can be dramatic to say, fear, about what the city really has as its long term (plans)… relevant to the development of that corridor.
“I think all of that would be answered by what this working group is developing, but they need time to develop it.”
Bynum said after the meeting that he was referring to the way the Mayor’s Office handled Simon Property Group’s effort to open an outlet mall at 61st Street and Highway 75 and how it handled its negotiations with a Texas developer to bring an REI store to 71st Street and Riverside Drive.
Some Tulsans, and some city councilors, have been said the public was left out of the discussions for too long and also questioned whether the locations were the best fit.
Mayor Chief of Staff Jarred Brejcha said the city has always complied with development regulations with pursuing projects.
“We do pursue economic development for the city in all areas and we do it aggressively and appropriately,” he said.
Brejcha said the mayor will make up his mind whether to support the moratorium once he has had a chance to review it.
The administration wants to create a consistent and reliable environment for development, Brejcha said.
“We can’t control everything, but it should be consistent and dependable so people know what they are stepping into,” he said.
Here are the uses that would be prohibited under the proposed development moratorium along the Arkansas River corridor in Tulsa:
Public protection and utility facilities; sexually oriented business; check cashing; pawn shops; bail bonds; day labor hiring centers; blood bank; plasma center; retail building material establishments; automobile parts and accessories store; gasoline service station; trades and services; mini storage; automotive and allied activities; drive-in restaurant; outdoor advertising; warehousing and wholesaling; mining and mineral processing; light manufacturing and industry; moderate manufacturing and industry; heavy manufacturing and industry; junk and salvage yards
View a draft of the proposed moratorium ordinance here.
This preliminary map shows the areas covered by proposed Arkansas River development guidelines and a development moratorium. Provided.
