Mayor Appoints Two to P&Z Board

Larry Sadler and Rollie Cornelson of Grove were appointed to the Grove Planning and Zoning Board by Mayor Gary Bishop at Tuesday night's regular Council meeting.
Sadler previously served six years on the P&Z board and served on the Grove City Council until the 2004 election, when he was defeated by Dave Helms.

Cornelson has lived in Grove nine years and has been involved in the construction of four homes. Before retirement he worked for the Beech Aircraft Corporation and has a multi-engine instrument rating from the FAA.

Other applicants included Jason Pickett and Jim Simmons.

The appointments fill vacancies created by the resignation of Norma Halterman and the retirement of Bettie Kardos-Bishop.

Councilman Terry Ryan noted that several new people have come forward to make applications and he would like to see that trend in appointments continued in the future. "We need new blood in city government," he said, but then voted for Sadler. Mayor Bishop said "your comments have been duly noted."

P&Z Board Recommends Public Hearings on Building Heights

The Grove Planning & Zoning Board will hold a series of public hearings very soon to get input on changing the current city codes on building height restrictions. The vote was 3-0 taken at this week's meeting held Tuesday afternoon.

City Manager Bruce Johnson endorsed the move, stating "perfect, very good stuff." Also endorsing it was Mo Parker, City Planner.

Board member Bob Brogdon said it would be foolish to endorse new six-story condo's without a plan. "We need input from the public to determine what is appropriate for Grove, then get the ordinances in place, then issue building permits, not the reverse," he said. "We need to look at the basic structure--codes, fire protection, city water, sewer and gas needs, parking, EMS access, egress to streets, traffic control, and determine where high-rise structures are appropriate, and where they are not appropriate."

Judith Read said she endorsed all of that and asked "What do we want Grove to look like in the future? Let's follow the rules and regulations and get the proper permits."

Chairman Bettie Kardos-Bishop, who is retiring from the board this month after 11 years of service, said she echoed these sentiments.

Brogdon made the motion to recommend that City Council not make any changes at this time and that the P&Z Board hold a series of public hearings immediately on a plan for high rise structures and where they should be located.

Both Brogdon and Read praised Bishop for her years of service. "She has no personal agenda and has done a great job and I hope we can get someone just as good to replace her," Read said. She added "it would be nice if the local newspapers would cover these meetings, someone besides The Grove Observer." The Observer was the only media source at the meeting.

There are now two openings on the P&Z Board, since Norma Halterman resigned August 16.

P&Z to Hold Meeting Tuesday

The Grove Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a regular meeting next Tuesday at 3 p.m. at City Hall. Agenda items have not been approved by the City Manager as of press deadline but sources said the meeting may include discussion of the proposed changes in height restrictions, an item which is to be discussed at the Sept. 18 City Council meeting without first being considered by P&Z.
Title 11, Chapter 1 Sec. 43-105 of the Oklahoma Statutes, states:
"...the Municipal governing body shall appoint a commission to be known as the zoning commission to recommend the boundaries of the various original districts and to recommend appropriate regulations to be enforced therein. The commission shall make a preliminary report and hold public hearings thereon before submitting its final report. The governing body shall not hold its public hearings or take action until it has received the final report of the commission..."

P&Z Board--Mobile or Modular?

Residents of Quail Run Estates became alarmed several weeks ago with the delivery at Walnut Grove, nearby, of two sections of a modular home, shown here. Tuesday at the regular Planning & Zoning Board meeting, Dennis Hendrix of Southwind Homes in Muskogee explained how the modular homes are built.

"These are industrial built homes, 25 times stronger than a typical studded wall home, with more insulation," he said. "It's all about speed. We can build them quickly in our 130,000 square foot plant in Muskogee." A typical home owner will pay about $90 a square foot for a modular 1500 square foot home, he said.

After the two sections are lifted on a foundation, either slab or other, the roof and garage is added, and exterior walls are covered with brick or Hardy Board, or combination of both. "You can't tell the difference between our home and the rest of the homes in the subdivision," he said, and illustrated it with slides from a Kansas City project.

Several years ago Walnut Grove covenants prohibited modular homes but the covenants were changed recently to make them legal. City ordinances do not prohibit modular homes but do prohibit mobile homes in certain areas. Modular homes qualify for conventional home loans, while mobiles can be FHA only, the board was told. Modulars are installed on permanent foundations, while Mobiles can be moved. Modulars are also referred to as Manufactured Homes.

Chris Dudley, owner of Do-Right Automative off Highway 59, pleaded with the P&Z board to allow him to put up a direction sign on the highway, replacing one which was removed during utility construction. He was told to see the Acting City Manager.

No action was taken on the site plan of the new casino since no one appeared representing the casino project.

Planning & Zoning Holds Meeting

Grove's Planning and Zoning Committee will send a height variance request to the Board of Adjustment, as a result of a 5-0 vote taken at Tuesday's regular meeting. The request is for the already-built Verizon Wireless tower built at a height of 285 feet on 10th street at the highest point in the city. Sprint Wireless will also use the tower. The new request is necessary since the Planning Board never got approval from the Board of Adjustment prior to construction.

In other action, the board tabled action on exterior construction and design requirements of Ordinance 527, Section 5; denied a request from Jimmy Johnston to place a portable building on the Johnston Apartment site at 8th and Center Street; and approved amending a lot line in Patricia Island Estates, Phase Four. This will now go to Council for approval.