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McAlester council approves preliminary plat for Wallace Meadows after residents raise water and traffic concerns
Summary
The city approved a preliminary plat and rezoning for Wallace Meadows (38 acres, ~203 lots at 5.34 units/acre) while residents warned about water access, stormwater runoff and safety on Peaceable Road. Staff said utilities and DEQ stormwater permits must be engineered and approved before construction.
McAlester — The McAlester City Council voted to approve a preliminary plat and to advance a rezoning request for the Wallace Meadows development, a proposed 38-acre subdivision that would accommodate about 203 buildable single-family lots at a planned density of 5.34 units per acre.
The vote, taken after an extended public hearing and discussion, authorizes the developer to move forward with phased infrastructure work and signals council support for changing the property's zoning from agricultural (A-1) to R-1B single-family residential. Councilors specified that final acceptance of roads and utilities is contingent on subsequent engineering approvals and permitting by city departments and state regulators.
Residents near the planned development repeatedly urged the council to delay rezoning until water, traffic and drainage questions are resolved. "They're talking about 203 houses and potentially 400 more cars on the road every day," Danielle Taylor, a nearby property owner, said, citing concerns about water access, traffic safety on Peaceable Road and the size and density of lots. Joe Randazzo told the council he did not receive timely mailed notice and said signage at the site had not been legible.
Planning staff and the developer responded that the rezoning is a land-use decision distinct from subdivision engineering. Miss Clinton, planning staff, said the Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval and that the subdivision review committee and state DEQ stormwater permits will require engineered drainage plans that "show post flows equal pre flows" so runoff does not harm neighboring properties.
Developer representatives described a phased buildout: initial work would include infrastructure and limited first-phase home construction (about 10—25 homes depending on market conditions), with further phases contingent on permit approvals and market demand. Council members emphasized safety reviews for road intersections and asked staff to coordinate with the streets department on the hill and sight-distance issues where Peaceable Road crests.
The council motion approved a preliminary plat rather than final acceptance of public infrastructure, a step officials said would allow the developer to proceed with necessary engineering while preserving the council's authority to accept roads and utilities later.
Next steps: the developer must complete required engineering, secure DEQ stormwater permits and satisfy city subdivision standards before any final plats are recorded or public infrastructure is accepted.
