McAlester council approves rezoning for Wallace Meadows; adopts preliminary plat after residents raise water, traffic and density concerns

The McAlester City Council on Sept. 23 approved rezoning 38 acres near Randazzo Road from A-1 agricultural to R-1B single-family residential to allow the Wallace Meadows development, and accepted a preliminary plat for phased development after extended public comment. The vote clears the zoning change; councilors instructed staff and the developer to pursue a phased approach and additional engineering reviews before final infrastructure acceptance.

The rezoning vote came after more than an hour of public comment from nearby property owners who said the proposed density — described by staff and the developer as about 5.34 dwelling units per acre, totaling roughly 203 buildable lots on 38 acres — would drastically change the area’s rural character and raise safety and infrastructure worries. Daniel (Danelle) Taylor, a successor trustee whose property borders the site, told the council that the development “would not have access to Rural Water No. 5” and raised concerns that using a nearby water tower could leave surrounding customers below required pressure levels.

Council staff and project proponents said the city’s contract engineer and utilities staff are reviewing water…