Moore City Council takes up zoning requests

MOORE — Members of the Moore City Council followed a planning commission recommendation to deny a rezoning request at 1430 NE 12. The property is zoned urban residential low density and has one house on it. The request had been for light commercial. The same 1.5 acres also is zoned for suburban agricultural. The second rezoning bid was to change that to neighborhood commercial.

Community Development Director Elizabeth Weitman told the council during the Monday meeting that the applicant wanted to build a day care center or small commercial development. She said community development staff members saw nothing wrong with a day care, but the possibility of a commercial development left too many unknowns.

Weitman said the property is across the street from Winding Creek Elementary School. She said there was the issue of children walking and bicycling to the school in front of a commercial development.

Councilwoman Melissa Hunt had no problem with a day care but agreed there were too many unknowns about the other option. No one spoke in favor of the rezoning.

The council did approve an application for 1.5 acres south of NW 27 and east of N Janeway Avenue from automotive and commercial recreation to a light industrial district. The planning commission had recommended approval.

Also approved was the final plat of Apple Estates. Weitman said the 25-acre development will have 21 large homes and is south of SE 34 and east of Eastern Avenue. She said the topography is lower than nearby city sewage lines, and privately provided septic service would need to be used. She said the cost to provide a sewage lift station would be prohibitive. The planning commission had approved the final plat.

Also approved was a final plat for Health Care Express, a medical clinic. Weitman said the one-acre site is north of SE 4 and west of Eastern Avenue. The planning commission backed the final plat.

Other action

The reappointment of parks board members Janie Milum and Kelley Mattocks to three-year terms was approved by the council. Milum is the parks board secretary. Mattocks is chairman of the board.

The only member of the public to speak on Monday was John Hanes, of S Silver Leaf Drive. He complained that too many people on his street "want to use the street as a parking lot." He said people park on both sides of the street, and passage is difficult.

Hanes said the situation is worse during football games at Moore High School, when driveways often are blocked. He also suggested speed bumps be installed, claiming people drive down the street at 40 mph.

Mayor Glenn Lewis asked City Manager Brooks Mitchell to have the police department look into Hanes' concerns.