Chandler Park Backcountry

[Vision 2025]

I thought it was owned by an absentee. I was even told it was supposed to be turned into housing at some point which is why you run into power lines and water lines occasionally

Nope Mr. Broughton is local and not one that I would recommend anyone trespass on but then again absentee or local trespassing is trespassing.
 
FYI - Those utility lines (at least the sewer, anyway) which cross the property primarily serve the area around TCC which made it possible to develop the site along with the Armory.  I was involved this project 18-20 years ago.  The service flows north from 41st to the SS regional lift station on Avery Drive (W. of Chandler Park) with the force two mains crossing under the river and on into the SS main plant on the North side of the River. 

[sgrizzle]

Nope Mr. Broughton is local and not one that I would recommend anyone trespass on but then again absentee or local trespassing is trespassing.
 
FYI - Those utility lines (at least the sewer, anyway) which cross the property primarily serve the area around TCC which made it possible to develop the site along with the Armory.  I was involved this project 18-20 years ago.  The service flows north from 41st to the SS regional lift station on Avery Drive (W. of Chandler Park) with the force two mains crossing under the river and on into the SS main plant on the North side of the River. 

He would be smart to sell access to his property, but then he would have to insure it and such.

This land is used by thousands of people, so it appears he isn't too interested in keeping people off.

Maybe Vision2055 should include purchase of this land for recreational purposes.

[AquaMan]

Owning undeveloped land is like owning a swimming pool. Its an attractive nuisance. You simply cannot easily keep those thousands of people off your land who are often packing, often drinking and always trespassing. I know of one parcel in that area that is privately owned adjacent to the river. People have trespassed so long that fishermen and four-wheelers assured me it was county land. They had even broken down fences to allow their trucks access.
Shooting ranges have been set up on sand dunes on the property which has made the sand too heavy with lead to be processed for commercial use. Local feral dogs seem to be the security for the area. What are you going to do as a private owner, call the Sheriff every time some fisherman camps?

Haven't been there in several years but it was practically becoming "public domain".

[SXSW]

Maybe Vision2055 should include purchase of this land for recreational purposes.

+1.  Just look at what a positive Turkey Mtn has been.  Tulsa County doesn't have many other places like this that are rugged, forested and adjacent to an existing park.  Connect it to the river trails which could take the bikes off Avery Dr and you have a new destination.  These are the kinds of quality of life things that set Tulsa apart from similar cities, especially our friends down the Turnpike.

[heironymouspasparagus]

What are you going to do as a private owner, call the Sheriff every time some fisherman camps?

That's about the only thing you can do.  And if absentee landowner, then obviously not gonna care, or you would have a local presence of some sort (property manager, etc).  Just holding on for the sake of holding on - hoping to score that big land sale lottery in the sky sometime in the future when the next Tulsa Hills appears....

[SXSW]

Reviving this old thread because I thought about this today while driving along Avery Dr.  It looks like such a cool area back there south of the road I just wish there was better access (and the whole trespassing on private property thing).

I may email GT and see if he responds.  At least put it on his radar that this should be an urban wilderness like Turkey Mountain. 

[swake]

Reviving this old thread because I thought about this today while driving along Avery Dr.  It looks like such a cool area back there south of the road I just wish there was better access (and the whole trespassing on private property thing).

I may email GT and see if he responds.  At least put it on his radar that this should be an urban wilderness like Turkey Mountain. 

Chandler Park is a county park and isn't inside the city of Tulsa.

[AquaMan]

Reviving this old thread because I thought about this today while driving along Avery Dr.  It looks like such a cool area back there south of the road I just wish there was better access (and the whole trespassing on private property thing).

I may email GT and see if he responds.  At least put it on his radar that this should be an urban wilderness like Turkey Mountain. 

I have spent some time exploring around there. The upper part is very rugged with lots of ravines, since in the early days of Tulsa they mined the area for rock to build bridges and roads. I'm told they actually had a ramp they slid rock down into waiting barges on the river. It looks believable. Some imposing abutments still there. I hiked the area below Avery Road from the base of Chandler (private property) to the SS Home property just below hwy 97. I knew the owners. Very nice hike. You can also see where folks have been repelling the nearby cliffs overlooking that point. It deserves more attention than it gets, but then its got that West Tulsa, County Park, Industrial setting working against it.

[Conan71]

Reviving this old thread because I thought about this today while driving along Avery Dr.  It looks like such a cool area back there south of the road I just wish there was better access (and the whole trespassing on private property thing).

I may email GT and see if he responds.  At least put it on his radar that this should be an urban wilderness like Turkey Mountain. 

I've met with a county commissioner regarding this.  It has been on the county's radar screen for some time.  The problem is, the owner thinks that 1300 acres is worth a ton of money and it might be to the right developer.  The owner has also been approached about making a donation of land which would have favorable tax benefits and that has been rejected as well.  Scraping up private donations to the magnitude of $20 mil or more to purchase urban wilderness is a very, very tall order.  That's something I might know just a little bit about.   

[AquaMan]

There is likely another side to that. The county has long lusted for that land. Some owners had to fight to keep them from appropriating their land for public use, so there may be some hard feelings from way back. I know one of the owners paid a lot for a survey to delineate just what they owned. Meanwhile the area on Avery approaching Chandler from the city is becoming pretty ugly. Industrial is not pretty. Half a hillside scraped off for roadbuilding materials. You can see the scar from the Sand Springs side of the river. I wish the county or city would address that.

[Conan71]

There is likely another side to that. The county has long lusted for that land. Some owners had to fight to keep them from appropriating their land for public use, so there may be some hard feelings from way back. I know one of the owners paid a lot for a survey to delineate just what they owned. Meanwhile the area on Avery approaching Chandler from the city is becoming pretty ugly. Industrial is not pretty. Half a hillside scraped off for roadbuilding materials. You can see the scar from the Sand Springs side of the river. I wish the county or city would address that.

The city or county cannot simply appropriate private land for public use and I've never heard of an eminent domain action regarding that land.  The only thing I do recall as government-related action on any of the land in the area is the Compass Landfill superfund site on top of Chandler Park which is now sealed and vented.

[AquaMan]

The city or county cannot simply appropriate private land for public use and I've never heard of an eminent domain action regarding that land.  The only thing I do recall as government-related action on any of the land in the area is the Compass Landfill superfund site on top of Chandler Park which is now sealed and vented.

My source was a personal conversation with the owner of the land below Avery Drive. I'm not a lawyer and I didn't use the term eminent domain because they didn't use that method. Perhaps I should have said they tried to steal it. They challenged the ownership. Title had to be defended. These actions actually pre-dated the Compass Land fill superfund designation. Later, I was offered the property but was unable to find financing and arranged for a friend to purchase it. Not sure of the ownership now but my friend paid a lot to survey and secure good title. This has not been unusual for the county for properties along the river from conversations I've had with other owners.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Don't know if Brotton is still the owner of the land, but I heard on radio that Caravan Cattle Co is gonna close as a dance hall.  He didn't say if/when it would reopen, but wouldn't be country music dance hall.

[AquaMan]

Note, I am referring to the land below Avery Drive. The land adjacent and to the Chandler side I assumed to be County land. At the top of the hills are private land and the protected superfund site.

Last time I cruzed by there I noticed trucks removing old sand mining equipment, railroad tracks and the "dunes". I suspect something is happening with the land but likely more industrial/commercial. Maybe Grizz knows. Too bad because it sits right next to the planned bridge for the Gilcrease extension.

[Vision 2025]

Don't know if Brotton is still the owner of the land, but I heard on radio that Caravan Cattle Co is gonna close as a dance hall.  He didn't say if/when it would reopen, but wouldn't be country music dance hall.

He is.