U.S. Sen. Mullin, others object to housing proposal in Broken Arrow

Written By: John Dobberstein

(BROKEN ARROW, Okla.) The Broken Arrow Planning Commission refused to change to the city’s Comprehensive Plan for a proposed housing project after U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin and other residents complained at a recent meeting.

Read this story on Broken Arrow Sentinel here. 

A developer proposed three options for residential units on 20 acres on the south side of Tucson Street, just west of Olive Avenue. Directly south of the property is a 30-acre estate that Mullin Realty, owned by the Mullin, purchased last August for $3.7 million.

The developers sought a change to the city’s Comprehensive Plan — which is an advisory document and not zoning law — from a Level 2 residential status to a Level 3 “transition area” because they planned to seek a zoning change to residential multi-family.

The owner of the property, Cenia Realty, proposed up to 190 “cottage homes” with options to develop townhomes or a gated single-family community instead after a decision was made on changing the Comprehensive Plan.

Mike Willis, CFO and general counsel for Ary Land Co. — the firm that represented Mullin in last year’s purchase — told the Planning Commission that Mullin objected to the proposal for three reasons.  

Willis said he believed changing the Comprehensive Plan could lead to the property being zoned industrial, and he also objected to the proposed height of the new zoning – up to 35 feet, raising privacy concerns. Willis also voiced concerns about potential the increased traffic congestion.

“For these reasons, Senator Mullin is requesting that it be denied. In the alternative, if you decide to grant the request, he asks that it be conditioned upon an imposition of a height restriction of no more than 20 feet for the privacy concerns, and the inclusion of a buffer zone,” Willis said.

City staff said the property is currently zoned at Level 2, which is residential, and if the comprehensive plan was changed it would have gone to Level 3, but in either case industrial development is not allowed in those classes.

There were other complaints about the proposal from residents. Theresa Chisholm, who lives in Riverstone Estates, said her house backs up to the 20-acre parcel and it was their understanding that it would not be developed. She said her house is worth $620,000 and was concerned how multi-family units might affect her property values.  

“I’m 62 years of age. I will not be moving. So, I would like for you to take that into consideration. There’s very little setback when you look at their line, saying they’re going to have a buffer zone of greenery,” Chisholm said, adding her concern about Tucson Street being unable to handle more traffic.

Another resident, Keith Kirk, objected to the multi-family plans for the development as he rattled off the names of at least half a dozen existing apartment complexes within a two-mile radius of his house.

“Let’s just start with the brand of Broken Arrow. I moved into Broken Arrow because the Rose District, and New Orleans Square. Now my neighborhood is going to be known as the apartment district. It’s getting intense,” Kirk told city planners. “Every open plot of land around us is getting proposed to have apartments and they’re getting approved in many cases.”

Robert Goranson, a member of the Broken Arrow Planning Commission, said the vacancy rate for apartments in Broken Arrow is about 6%, and a recent housing study completed by the city showed there is a need for diverse housing options beyond single-family homes.

BAPC member Jason Coan agreed there is a need for apartments. But he said the requested change the Comprehensive Plan would not be “conducive” to the surrounding area.

“We sit here and tell the community, ‘Look at the Comprehensive Plan because these are the options within that plan that they can have.’ And then we turn around and say, ‘Sometimes we change it.’

“But that change is usually in a circumstance where we’re talking about a transitional area along a highway, or an area where there are many options. But when I look at the surrounding homes in the area, I do not see justification to change from a Level Two to a Level Three. That’s my opinion.” The Comprehensive Plan changed was denied on a 5-0 vote, and the developers have up to 15 days to appeal their request to the Broken Arrow City Council.