HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000.01.18_Planning Commission AgendaAGENDA PACKET
OWASSO PLANNING COMMISSION
January 18, 2000
PUBLIC NOTICE OF THE MEETING OF THE
OWASSO PLANNING COMMISSION
TYPE OF MEETING: Special
DATE: January 18, 2000
TIME: 6:30 p.m.
PLACE: Council Chambers, Owasso Community Center
The Owasso Planning Commission will meet in a joint session with the Owasso City Council
on Tuesday, January 18, 2000 for the purpose of a presentation and action of a Comprehensive
Plan for the City of Owasso. Meeting called by the Chair on Tuesday, December 14, 1999 and
notice and agenda filed in the office of the City Clerk and posted on the City Hall bulletin board
at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, January 14, 2000.
A� ew
Theron Warlick, City Planner
EXCUIL -11 on.
1. Call to Order
Chairman Haynes
2. Roll Call
3. Joint Presentation and Discussion With the Owasso City Council Relating to the
Comprehensive Plan.
Mr Rooney
Mr Fritschen
Owasso City Council
November 9, 1999
Page 2
4. Consideration and Appropriate Action Relating to the Adoption of a Comprehensive Plan for
the City of Owasso, Oklahoma.
Mr Rooney
Attachment #4
5. Adjournment
ORDER OF BUSINESS FOR JOINT SESSION OF CITY COUNCIL AND PLANNING
COMMISSION ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 18 T11
1. Mayor calls to order the meeting of the City Council
2. Invocation
3. Flag Salute
4. Roll Call
5. Special Employee Recognition
6. Citizen addresses Council
7. Chair calls to order the meeting of the Planning Commission
8. Roll Call for Planning Commission
9. Mayor reads Item 7 and Mr Rooney & Mr Fritschen make presentation
10. Planning Commission votes on Comprehensive Plan
11. Planning Commission adjourns
12. City Council continues meeting beginning with Item 8
MEMORANDUM
TO: OWASSO CITY COUNCIL AND
OWASSO PLANNING COMMISSION
FROM: KARL FRITSCHEN
COMPREHENSIVE PLANNER CONSULTANT
SUBJECT: ADOPTION OF THE OWASSO 2010 LAND USE MASTER PLAN
DATE: January 17, 2000
BACKGROUND:
In November 1998, the Mayor appointed a 7 member steering committee to began working with
staff on updating the current 1978 Owasso Comprehensive Plan and 1985 Land Use Plan. The
Master Plan Steering Committee (MPSC), composed of members from the City Council,
Planning Commission, business community, local media, and general citizenry, worked with
staff on developing the Plan, and outlining and participating in the public input process. The
basic duty of the MPSC was to guide the process along and offer input and suggestions.
Due to the rapid growth of the community, it was determined a master plan specifically focusing
on land use, transportation, and greenways should be created in favor of a highly detailed "off
the shelf' traditional comprehensive plan. Traditional comprehensive plans are loaded with
enormous amounts of data, require a minimum of 1 to 2 years to prepare, and are usually overly
specific and inflexible, whereas a master plan portraits a conceptual image of how the
community should grow in the future. Staff recommended that the plan should define preferred
future development patterns and concepts based on a foundation of goal and policy statements.
The end product of the project would be a fold out "brochure" showing desired future land use
patterns for the entire fence line geography of Owasso on one side, with goals, policies, and
action plans addressing specific key issues on the other.
In order to keep the plan fairly realistic, a 10 -year planning horizon was recommended and that
the Plan should be crafted in such a way as to allow for periodic updates, adjustments, and
modifications. Upon adoption of the Plan, staff would begin revisiting current city codes and
ordinances in order to address the issues and accomplish the concepts identified Plan.
In January 1999, Staff held the first of 7 MPSC meetings, each open to public, to begin the Plan
update process. The first couple of meetings provided the MPSC with an orientation to the
planning process and an analysis of the current conditions in Owasso, which included items in
such areas as population growth, transportation, environmental features, and economic
characteristics. The other meetings involved more interaction with the MPSC, and were designed
to get their input. Items such as making assumptions about the growth of the community,
direction of growth, identifying key issues and concerns, setting goals, reviewing staff reports
and land use concepts were the focus of the meetings. -
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An important component of any plan, is the extent the general citizenry of the community is
involved in the process. Public input actually began in the Fall of 1997 with Vision Owasso,
which was a vision building exercise open to all citizens of the community. Vision Owasso met
once a week for four consecutive weeks and approximately 60 people attended these meetings in
which several general goals for the community were developed and issues identified. In the
summer of 1998, a survey questionnaire was distributed throughout the community and several
civic groups. The survey was used to get initial picture of the concerns, wants, and needs of
Owasso citizens. Beginning in May1999, the first of 4 public input workshops were held in
various quadrants of the community to allow more convenience for the public to attend. Each
meeting included an overview and analysis of the community, open discussion, and two
exercises allowing the public to rank the importance of key issues and a slide show in which they
could rank images of the physical features of a community and how well they liked or disliked
them. Approximately 60 people attended the public meetings.
Upon the conclusion of these public workshops, Staff compiled all of the information into a
report summarizing the concerns and issues identified by the citizens. All of this information was
then presented to the MPSC for review and discussion. Staff used the information gathered at
public meetings to compile a final list of issues, which were grouped into common categories
and the MPSC then drafted a set of goals for each category. Using all of the issues, Staff
recommended a series of action plans addressing each issue, which are included with this memo
and will also be printed on the back of the Plan Brochure.
In July 1999, Staff prepared two draft future land use concepts, which reflected many of the
comments and concerns expressed by the public and MPSC. Items such as reducing development
in the floodplain, orienting schools in the center of square miles, and focusing high intensity
commercial activity away from residential areas were incorporated into the plan. Staff presented
the two concepts to the MPSC, where they reviewed them and suggested changes. Staff then
took the changes the MPSC provided and developed one concept, which was brought before the
public during two evening meetings that were held in November, 1999. There, citizens could
view the land use map and offer their own input and suggestions. The citizens suggestions were
then reviewed with respect to there consistency with those the MPSC provided and final
adjustments were made to the land use map. The land use map was then inputted into the
computer using GIS software and the final map prepared.
The Owasso 2010 Master Plan is the culmination of nearly 18 months of work by the MPSC and
Staff. It is important to note that this is not the end, but rather the beginning. The plan should be
used to assist with future zoning and development decisions and provide a vision for the
community. In order to achieve the goals outlined in the plan and address the key issues, many of
the local ordinances and zoning codes will have to be examined and changed. The completion of
the Master Plan provides the first step in this process. The Plan should at a minimum be updated
every 2 or 3 years to keep it from becoming outdated.
RECOMMENDATION:
Approval of the Owasso 2010 Land Use Master Plan and the goals and objectives identified by area
leaders, citizens, and steering committee members. Together, these items shall serve as the official
long range planning documents for Owasso. Further, the Master Plan shall replace the 1978 and 1985
adopted planning documents.
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DRAFT GOAL STATEMENTS AND ACTION PLANS ADDRESSING
KEY ISSUES AND NEEDS
The draft goal statements identified by the committee are incorporated into this document. Additionally,
staff has developed action plan statements and strategies for each of the key issues.
Community Facilities, Infrastructure, and Transportation
Goal Statement:
Owasso will be a community that provides for (the development of) sustainable infrastructure, maintains
and improves its community facilities and transportation network, to enhance the quality of life and
accommodate the current population as well as future growth.
Issues and Needs
Issue 1
• Roadways that are inadequate, deteriorating, and inefficient; a transportation network that in many-
places is having difficulty meeting current traffic demands and will have problems meeting future
traffic demands.
Action Statement:
Target transportation as the primary future goal for the community by being more proactive and less
reactive to the growth issues in place.
Action Plan:
1. Explore the feasibility of establishing a roadway improvement fund and/or improvement or
assessment districts in high growth commercial corridors
2. Continue building a good working relationship with INCOG and ensure that facilities needing
improvement during the plan period are shown on the regional long range transportation plan
3. Aggressively pursue STP funding for roadway improvement projects; submit one or more projects
each year so that they can be programmed on the statewide TIP
4. Establish a 4 -lane connection to Cherokee Industrial Park
5. Use the capital improvement plan to implement roadway projects shown on the Owasso 2010 Plan
6. Determine the impacts of taking in more miles of roads into the city limits prior to annexation
7. Develop a comprehensive multi -modal transportation network to include on road bicycle routes,
pedestrian systems, and future transit options including park and ride locations
8. Explore traffic calming designs for residential streets and revise subdivision standards where
appropriate
9. Create an access management plan for developing commercial corridors, including but not limited to
driveway spacing standards and comer clearance
10. Encourage the implementation of through collector streets in developing square mile sections
11. Explore the feasibility of transit between Cherokee Industrial Park and Owasso
12. Explore private non- profit funding opportunities options for providing transportation services for the
elderly; developed cooperative agreements with the local churches
13. Aggressively pursue a Traffic Master Plan for determining needs for lane expansion and
signalization
14. Develop a maintenance program for up -keep on the existing streets
15. Utilize Tulsa and Rogers County to assist more on projects (interlocal agreements)
16: Utilize tax increment financing (TIF's) for funding improvements
17. Identify joint funding mechanisms for roadway improvements and establish procedures for pursing
funding. a.) USDEA, b.) Tulsa County, c.) TIF, d.) TIP /STP e.) CDBG, f.) special assessment, g.)
ODOT
Issue 2
• Lack of sewer service and infrastructure in strategically important corridors, particularly to the
north adjacent to the Owasso Expressway; a need for maintenance of the existing sewer system.
Action Statement:
Expand sewer service into previously unserved
improvements to accommodate these expansions.
action Plan:
areas, while maintaining and upgrading existing
1. Develop a needs assessment considering present and future demands on the system and growth
corridors; develop tools for continuously analyzing and predicting capacity needs
2. Revise the Wastewater Master Plan to include areas adjacent to the Owasso Expressway between
116'h St. N. and 106'h St. N, and areas west of Mingo Road; update the 1997 projects that have
already occurred
3. Conduct a cost benefit study of all options of wastewater treatment including advanced treatment
options (tertiary treatment), facility expansion, and partnering with adjacent municipalities
4. Develop an impacts assessment of expanding sewer service into adjacent rural residential areas
versus expansion into potential commercial growth corridors
5. Explore raising rates to implement needed expansion and maintenance
6. Develop an interlocal agreement between the City and area Rural Water Districts to enforce water
shut -offs for delinquent sewer bills
7. Pursue funding opportunities through United States Economic Development Authority (USEDA),
Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), and Tax Increment Financing (TIF)
Issue 3
Maintenance and expansion of the schools.
Action Statement:
Assist the schools in expansion efforts by sharing resources in order to keep their quality reputation.
is
Action Plan:
�. Establish a committee composed of members of the School Board's Long Range Planning
Committee, city staff, and possibly developers to discuss future school site locations and growth
related issues
2. Address and resolve communications deficiencies between the City and the Owasso School System
3. Provide City representation at the School Board Meetings
Issue 4
• Aging and inadequate community facilities and equipment with respect to current and anticipated
growth; maintaining staffing levels in the city's fire and police departments consistent with the
growth. (e.g. need of an additional fire station, police station upgrades, and constant maintenance
and upkeep of refuse and other outdated equipment).
Action Statement:
Provide excellent emergency response, quality of life service by improving facilities, expanding
operations and partnering with other emergency service departments and public service companies.
Action Plan:
1. Make an inventory assessment of all equipment and personnel; 'establish benchmarks with other
communities
2. Determine what functions should be run by the public sector and those which could be run by the
private sector
3. Develop and expand upon existing partnerships with other emergency service departments
4. Develop and expand upon existing partnership with other public service companies
Issue 5
• Lack of a drainage and stormwater plan.
Action Statement:
Strive to implement a comprehensive drainage and stormwater plan for the fenceline geography of Owasso.
Action Plan:
1. Inventory and map all watersheds
2. Explore the option of a stormwater management fee, much like the City of Tulsa requires
3. Identify regional detention areas that can also serve the dual use of park areas rather than on -site
detention as currently required, especially in targeted areas of growth
4. Map and document all current problem areas
5. Revise where necessary the current City of Owasso Engineering Design Criteria stormwater design
standards
Adopt Federal Clean Water Act (Erosion Control) standards/best management practiges as part of
the subdivision regulations
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Issue 6
Lack of a diverse and sufficient funding sources for municipal services and infrastructure.
Action Statement:
Pursue diverse funding programs for infrastructure improvements
Action Plan:
1. Explore all options of financing municipal improvements including: grants, tax increment financing
districts, benefits assessment districts, pay back approaches, sales tax initiatives, fees in- lieu -of, etc.
2. Consider the employment of a grants writer by the City to pursue funding
3. Clearly define initiatives to the public for referendum on sales and property tax increases
Issue 7
• Coordination of water service in developing areas and water pressure concerns in current and
anticipated high growth areas.
Action Statement:
Assure quality and adequate quantity of water resources by improving and expanding the existing system, and
forming strategic alliances with surrounding water districts
Action Plan:
... Determine the problem areas on the system and draft an outline of potential solutions
2. Determine the cost effectiveness of taking over portions or entire areas of other water districts
systems
3. Coordinate closely with other adjacent rural water districts to ensure adequate fire flow is provided
in developing areas; clearly define standards and design criteria in the subdivision regulations
4. Identify a location for additional water tanks
5. Develop and implement a water master plan
6. Focus improvements in areas producing the greatest return on investment
7. Upgrade the existing water distribution system
8. Research alternative source of water (e.g. impoundments, or wells)
Issue 8
• Repair and maintain signage ofstreets in subdivisions.
Action Statement:
Update, repair and improve inspection and maintenance procedures of street signs in subdivisions.
Action Plan:
Develop a database inventory of all signs to identify needs; explore using GIS /GPS technology
2. Identify problem locations and include repairs in the 5 year Capital Improvements Plan use GIS to
catalog and schedule projects
ri
3. Develop sound infrastructure inspection procedure guidelines to clearly identify what departments
are responsible for what; hold 4 meetings a year between affected departments to discuss problems
and identify solutions
Issue 9
• Street lighting, especially in areas with sidewalks.
Action Statement:
Improve pedestrian safety by working with local public utility companies to keep walkways lit at night.
Action Plan:
1. Develop a database inventory of all street light fixtures; explore using GPS technology
2. Revise where necessary the current City of Owasso Engineering Design Criteria for street lighting;
develop a street lighting policy
5
Land Use and Development
Goal Statement:
Owasso will encourage targeted growth through coordinated land annexation and development to
achieve complementary land uses and enhance quality of life.
Issues and Needs
Issue 1
• Annexation of key growth corridors to control the development that occurs.
Action Statement:
Corridors important to the long -term health of the community will be studied for annexation to insure
quality standards of development.
Action Plan:
1. Pursue annexation of key commercial growth corridors through effective communications with
affected land owners
1. Consider the need to develop special districts to finance improvements and achieve a quality looking
product
3. Study the impacts of entire corridors rather than a piecemeal approach
4. Require development agreements similar to Planned Unit Developments (PUD's) as a condition for
the extension of utilities and/or annexations
Issue 2
• Loss and or negative impacts to local natural resources such as creeks, wooded areas, open
prairies, and sensitive wildlife areas.
Action Statement:
Implement the necessary steps to assure protection of the environment through proper planning and
consideration of applicable federal, state, and local government assistance.
Action Plan:
1. Revise subdivision development standards to protect riparian habitats, water resources, trees, and
diverse ecosystem habitats
2. Utilize the Blue Thumb organization to assist with water quality protection and public education
I. Explore the opportunity of creating Wetlands Mitigation Banks in the Bird Creek floodplain
4. Minimize development activity in the floodplain
C
5. Identify areas that could be purchased with federal conservation funds that can be established as
urban wildlife preserves
Consider the development of a tree farm similar to Tulsa
7. Change the subdivision regulations to require the preservation of trees in developments
Issue 3
• Rock quarry and the associated blasting.
Action Statement:
Form an alliance with the quarry industries in the area to facilitate communications with citizens.
Action Plan:
1. Work with quarry operators on scheduling blasting times and perhaps establish public notification
procedures
2. Establish a buffer zone around the quarry to limit intensity and type of development
3. Educate the public on the importance of the quarry to the community in terms of the economics and
supplying the raw material to build roads, sidewalks, and bridges.
Issue 4_
0 Protection of tracts of land for high quality commercial, industrial, office, and technology sites.
lction Statement:
Protect prime commercial tracts of land through effective land use planning.
Action Plan:
1. Establish good communications with land owners in prime future tracts of land that can be
developed as commercial, office, or industrial parks
2. Protect important future commercial areas through zoning changes conforming to the land uses
identified on the Owasso 2010 Plan
3. Utilize the Owasso 2010 Plan as a marketing tool
4. Revise the land use plan to ensure protection of such corridors
5. Establish a strategy to attract commercial developments adjacent and in proximity to the new Tulsa
Technology Campus by identifying and establishing infrastructure priorities for targeted corridors
Issue 5
• Lack of community image and or focal point.
Action Statement:
Create a focal point in the community to portray a positive image.
Action Plan:
1. Establish committee to define and determine the best possible locations for a focal point
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2. Consider utilizing historic preservation funding for refurbislunent of the old steam locomotive and
incorporate it into a park area with high visibility
Explore the option of theme type signage along major thoroughfares (e.g. railroad or Indian on a
liorse)
4. Explore all potential funding resources for financing improvements in targeted areas
5. Utilize the Main Street Project/New City hall as an anchor for a resurgence for downtown
Issue 6
• A deteriorating and distressed downtown area.
Action Statement:
Develop a downtown district plan.
Action Plan:
1. Determine the geographic extents of what should be considered downtown
2. Develop a downtown redevelopment committee or business association composed of affected
landowners, downtown merchants, citizens, and City staff to determine a course of action
3. Commission a planning study to assess all possible opportunities and constraints of downtown which
could include: overlay zoning controlling landscaping and architecture, extension of N. ls` St. to the
service road, and a tax increment financing district to provide funding for public improvements.
t. Consider the option of allowing a college design studio class to take on the downtown area as a class
project
5. Develop an overlay zone to assure proper architecture is being considered
Issue 7
• Lack of affordable housing.
Action Statement:
Encourage development of affordable housing in appropriate locations.
Action Plan:
1. Conduct a housing stock inventory and develop a database to include type, condition, and value of
existing homes
2. Weigh the available housing stock against average area wage rates to determine overall affordability
3. Encourage home ownership
4. Control the size and intensity of multi- family apartment projects by modifying the zoning code
0
Issue 8
• The loss of potential sales tax revenues for building materials to adjacent county jurisdictions and
permit fees for development projects occurring outside the city limits which are annexed at later
time.
Action Statement:
Develop incentive mechanisms to encourage annexations prior to commencement of construction.
Action Plan:
1. Consider charging inspection fees for developments outside of the city limits
2. Charge an assessment fee to the developer and each contractor comparable to the sales tax that
would have been generated if the developments and residential construction would have occurred in
the city limits
3. Study charging higher connection fees for utility taps
4. Explore the potential of "point of use" taxation
Issue 9
• Lack of major medical facilities in the community.
Action Statement:
Support local clinics and encourage the development of advanced medical care in the area to help
improve quality of life.
Action Plan:
1. Establish the need for medical facilities and determine deficiencies in community and region
2. Ensure adequate land area is available for developing medical facilities; identify key corridors
3. Consider collaborations to stimulate medical research
4. Support Chamber of Commerce initiatives in actively courting medical facilities to the area
Issue 10
• Protecting residential areas from commercial and industrial encroachment.
Action Statement:
Keep the interests of the residents as a high priority by controlling development of potentially
encroaching commercial projects.
Action Plan:
1. Establish buffering and screening requirements in the Owasso Zoning Code
2. Utilize transitional zoning, which places lower intensity uses near residential areas
3. Focus high intensity commercial and industrial land uses near major transportation facilities
4. Consider long -term development south of 76 °i St. N. as industrial
5. Continue to encourage the appointment of informed citizens on the Owasso Board of Adjustment
and Planning Commission
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Issue 11
Lack ofgood land use coordination with Tulsa and Rogers County.
Action Statement:
Form a coalition with Tulsa and Rogers County to keep the land use plans for all three entities from
conflicting with each other.
Action Plan:
1. Work toward maintaining the zoning map within the City rather than relying on INCOG
2. Establish lines of communications for land use and zoning data from Rogers and Tulsa
3. Owasso needs to manage its geographic advantage of being part of both Tulsa and Rogers Counties
and avail itself of all available resources
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Quality of Life
Goal Statement:
Owasso is a community that creates opportunities for its citizens to enjoy their lives through access to a
broad spectrum of excellent services, facilities, and amenities.
Issues and Needs
Issue 1
• A need for entertainment and activity centers (particularly for the youth and young adults), "sit
down " restaurants, and places where cultural arts can be exhibited and displayed.
Action Statement:
Actively attract cultural events and other entertainment for the area residents.
Action Plan:
Attract entertainment type activities through an active marketing campaign: identify appropriate
locations and types of activities sought
2. Develop a pedestrian gathering place in the community where cultural arts are displayed
.i. Develop passenger /excursion train service to Bartlesville
4. Develop plans to redevelop the Central Business District (CBD)
5. Pursue an exposition center for the area
6. Encourage the Chamber of Commerce to be proactive in these issues
7. Develop an amphitheater and a place where outdoor events can be held
8. Pursue the development of an all weather community swimming pool
Issue 2
• Loss of the sense of community and country type atmosphere as the city continues growing.
Action Statement:
Develop measures to ensure that a "small town" atmosphere continues in the community.
Action Plan:
1. Ensure that neighborhoods are focused around a park or school
2. Continue and expand upon the block party concept
3. Retain RS -1 or larger residential areas; direct rural residential housing in areas not served with sewer
4. When possible avoid placing high intensity commercial land uses immediately next to rural
residential areas. in cases where this may be difficult require buffering and screening requirements.
5. Form neighborhood groups that can meet with city officials once or twice a year to discuss issues
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6. Encourage pedestrian trail development to foster interaction among people
7. Avoid high concentrations of high intensity residential uses in one particular area; keep acreage
} small and diverse
8. Encourage events that exemplify small town events like carnivals, outside entertainment in parks
9. Develop an urban growth boundary representing the maximum area for development to be serviced
with sewers
Issue 3
• Visual quality along many of the community's arterial streets, south, and west gateways (e.g. sign
pollution, little if any landscaping, inconsistent and unattractive building style).
Action Statement:
Encourage property owners at the City's gateways to landscape and improve their property to enhance
visitor's first impressions of Owasso.
Action Plan:
1. Rewrite or revise city codes and zoning ordinances to control signage and architecture in the special
planning areas defined on the 2010 Owasso Plan map.
2. Create a landscape ordinance
3. Utilize citizen groups to begin communicating and encouraging_ local businesses to beautify their
property
Continue seeking federal, state, or local funding tree planting along the highway corridors, assisting
businesses in and out of the city limits in screening unsightly areas, and buying out billboard signs
5. Seek out volunteer groups to prepare, plant, and maintain flower plot areas in highly visible
locations
6. Create a program where a citizens group could vote on or give an award for commercial and
residential entry property periodically
7. Consider creating an Owasso beautification fund that would allow citizens to make a cash
contribution with their utility bills
8. Modify the Owasso Zoning Code to eliminate strip development in favor of clustered development
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Parks and Recreation
Goal Statement:
Owasso will enhance and expand its recreational facilities to provide a variety of opportunities for
citizens to participate in indoor and outdoor activities.
Issues and Needs
Issue I
• Lack of anticipated active park and recreational activities (Future demands or park plan).
Action Statement:
Develop a comprehensive park and recreation plan.
Action Plan:
1. Inventory all park and recreation equipment and establish benchmarks with other communities and
Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan standards
2. Conduct a needs assessment of the characteristics of the present and future populations
Encourage more park placement within new developments
4. Initiate the development park area in old town west of Main Street, possibly use CDBG funds
5. Reevaluate the park development fee to check its effectiveness
6. Collaborate with the Larkin Bailey Foundation for a potential park area west of SKO Railroad along
76`' St. N.
7. Develop a softball fourplex for adult softball (community and church) leagues
Issue 2
• Lack of passive recreational parks for activities like nature studies, walking, picnicking, fishing, and
relaxing rather than active parks for organized team sports.
Action Statement:
Develop more passive park and recreation areas through zoning code modifications, cooperative efforts
with the County governments, private organizations and environmental service agencies.
Action Plan:
1. Identify potential sites suitable for passive park areas
2. Revise the subdivision standards to include smaller passive park areas
". Develop park areas around ponds or other natural amenities
4. Communicate with the Larkin Bailey Foundation about the potential for a natural park near 76 °i St.
N. and Mingo
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5. Explore the potential of land dedication in place of the park development fee
4. Explore using Natural Resource Conservation Service, National Wildlife Federation Funds, National
Audubon Society or other similar entities to purchase land for urban wildlife preserves.
Issue 3
• Lack ofgreenway areas with trails linking the community together.
Action Statement:
Develop and implement a pedestrian trail system.
Action Plan:
1. Use the Owasso portion of the Tulsa Metropolitan Trails Plan, identified on the Owasso 2010 Plan
map, to implement greenway trails and on- street connectors
2. Protect potential trail corridors such as natural drainage features, power line easements, and roadway
right -of -way, by comprehensively updating the subdivision regulations to require the preservation of
greenway areas; utilize ordinances from other communities as a model
3. Develop good working relationship with the SKO railroad and the utility companies to utilize their
right -of -ways as trail corridors
4. Provide trails in park areas
5. Create and adopt a trail program for maintenance
S. Pursue federal funding for trail development (e.g. National Recreational Trails Fund, TEA 21
Enhancement Funds)
7. Establish a citizens group that can pursue private funding for trail development
8. Encourage overhead utility companies to construct underground
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Economic Development
Goal Statement:
Owasso will promote a targeted and coordinated economic development program encouraging growth of
complementary businesses, which provide excellent jobs, enhance quality of life and improve the
economic strength of the community.
Issues and Needs
Issue 1
• Lack of incentive mechanisms for quality economic expansion and development.
Action Statement:
Develop incentive mechanisms for quality economic expansion and development.
Action Plan:
1. Consider the addition of a grants writer /administrator to city staff.
2. Ensure that the OEDA has an active role in economic growth.
Form a foundation, similar to that in McAlester, OK, where property is donated to the foundation
and is sold to potential industries at lower interest rates.
4. Form a good working relationship with the Grand Gateway Economic Development Administration
for industries in Rogers County
5. Pursue EDA Grants for infrastructure expansion to potential industrial sites
6. Utilize the CDBG programs to spur economic development in blighted areas
Issue 2
• Lack of a suJficient ad- valorem tax base or financing mechanism.
Action Statement:
Work with the County and Owasso School system on an ad- valorem tax base for Economic Development.
Action Plan:
1. Study the concept of using a portion of property taxes as a potential revenue source
2. Explore sales tax initiatives to finance programs: hotel/motel economic development sales tax
3. Ensure sites are available, zoned appropriately and served with utilities
4. Consider the development of a visitors center to stimulate tourism
Target key corridors of growth and prioritize allocation of funds -
6. Develop strong public relations programs on issues so citizens can make informed choices in
cleclions.
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