Rogers County commissioners table rezoning for boat, RV and dumpster storage after residents cite neighborhood covenants

Rogers County Commissioners on Oct. 9 voted to table for one week a request to rezone the highway frontage of an approximately 18.35‑acre tract in District 2 so county staff can review neighborhood covenants and other concerns raised by nearby homeowners.

The request, filed as Case 2629 by applicant Ron Mitchell, would convert about 4 acres along Highway 169 to C‑4 commercial for boat and RV storage and dumpsters, and leave the remaining 14.35 acres in agricultural zoning. Planning staff told commissioners the Planning Commission had recommended approval 5–0, and staff said any commercial parcel abutting residential zoning would require screening on that boundary.

The motion to table followed public comments from neighbors who said the parcel is part of an established, platted neighborhood governed by covenants that prohibit "noxious trade or business." Mark Keyes of 14972 South 4064 Road said the addition was developed under covenants to keep out mobile homes and "noxious businesses," saying, "According to those covenants, there's specifically mentioned in number 9, no noxious trade or business is to be carried on in any tract in the neighborhood, including the tract that's being considered today." Stan Baker of 14545 South 4064 Road asked for an eight‑foot privacy fence, a buffer strip or landscaping and limits on hours of operation; he said he expected the business would eliminate his backyard privacy and could reduce his property value.

Applicant Ron Mitchell, who owns the property at 14625 South 4064 Road, told commissioners the commercial business would have access only from Highway 169, that the four‑acre commercial parcel would be fenced, and that he did not intend to operate in a cluttered manner. Britney (planning staff) confirmed the zoning action before the commission was a zoning decision only; site‑level issues such as screening would be addressed later in the platting and engineering process if the rezoning were approved.

After hearing public comment and noting that the Planning Commission had recommended approval, a commissioner moved to table the matter for one week so staff and the board could investigate the existence and legal effect of the covenants and confirm screening and access requirements. The motion carried with Commissioners Delosier and Burrows voting aye; the mover and seconder were not recorded by name in the audio record.

What happens next: The item is scheduled to return to the commissioners’ agenda in one week for further review. If the board later approves the zoning change, the applicant would still need to plat the commercial lot and complete engineering review and any required screening or buffering as part of the development review process.