Stone Canyon Development in South Owasso

[owassoguy]

Rogers County Commissioners approve modified plan for Stone Canyon
Originally published on Saturday, October 22


By Linda Martin  
Progress Staff Writer

The 3,300-acre Stone Canyon planned unit development or (PUD) — that includes two controversial rock quarries — was approved by Rogers County Commissioners recently after developers modified the plan and agreed to keep a committee of homeowners informed of mining activities.

Rogers County Commissioner's recent Monday meeting was recessed to a courthouse courtroom to accommodate the group of concerned homeowners who've been rocked and rolled by blasting from quarry mining for years.

Continued mining was the basis of their opposition to the PUD.

The estimated 15- to 16-year project, which is expected to begin in March or April of 2006, is bound by 76th Street North on its most northern side, 193rd East Avenue on the east, 46th Street North on the south and 145th East Avenue on the west.

The development — the largest of its kind in the area — it will encompass high-dollar single family homes, more affordable multi-family dwellings, green space, 640 acres for a park system and hiking area, commercial, industrial and mining activities of the two existing rock quarries, Anchor Stone and Greenhill Materials.

The Owasso Land Trust heads up the project that also includes Tanner Consulting, Benham Community Development and Sherwood Construction.

The Owasso Land Trust made five modifications in the plan.

They are:

-Any residential single-family lot located on an aerobic system will contain a minimum of 21,780 square feet as required by the state's Department of Environmental Quality.

- The development will constructed under the Rogers County zoning code, subdivision regulations and engineering criteria as revised and in effect on Dec. 31, 2007.

-All single-family lots served by an aerobic system approved by the DEQ shall have a minimum lot width of 100 feet.

-All multi-family area shall be served by sanitary sewer service unless connected to a waster disposal system (aerobic or other system) approved by the DEQ.

-Highly traveled internal streets in the development will be constructed with a greater thickness and or base material than lower density areas.

Before commissioners approved the project Charney said:

"Someone is going to develop this at some time it just depends on which race horse you're going to bet on. We grew up here. We brought this to this commission when we didn't have to," Charney said.

"We think it's going to enhance one of Rogers County's crown jewels — the Port of Catoosa," he said.

But the hard facts are, Charney told them, is that the mining is legal and its going to be there. Without the mining there is no Stone Canyon. The mining has to be there for Stone Canyon to be successful, he said.

The land belongs to the John T. Oxley family which tagged the Owasso Land Trust to handle the project.

"We're here with clean hands and a pure heart to do something good for our community," Charney said.

But, based on past experience the homeowners remained skeptical.

Phil Sewell, a 30-year employee with Southwestern Bell, who lives near the quarry said he had worked with the Owasso Land Trust numerous times throughout the years.

He said they are reputable and follow through.

Greenhill Materials agreed to keep a committee of homeowners — Sheri and Ed McLaughlin, Chuck and Susan Pulliam, Bobby Jones, Pam and Robert Jackson and Richard Scheller — informed of mining operations to help re-establish trust.

In the meantime approval of the PUD erases a lawsuit Anchor filed against county commissioners after commissioners denied Anchor's rezoning request to mine 80 acres north of Anchor's existing facility in the late 1990s.

As well Anchor will mine no farther north than 161st East Avenue and 70th Street North. A letter to that affect will go into the land records.

The two rock quarries instead will mine the nearly 460 acres between the two quarries.

Anchor will first mine the 35 acres that abuts Anchor on the east side.

"There will be no more mining in the Anchor Stone area of 70th Street," said Rogers County Commissioner Mike Helm.

The 35-acres is 4,000 feet off 76th Street North bringing the mining down to about 68th East Avenue and 161st Street North, Helm said.

"By (Anchor) moving to the 35 acres homeowners will no longer hear the "beep, beep" of the mining equipment," Helm said.

The 35 acres has a 150-foot buffer which is a power line right of way. As well a rolling burm with trees will run the length of the 150-foot wide buffer zone to block noise and the mining area from view.