Commission backs amended Legacy at Covell PUD, approving higher residential cap and extra sign

The Edmond Planning Commission voted 4–1 on May 19 to recommend approval of an amended Planned Unit Development for the Legacy at Covell and forwarded the item to the Edmond City Council for final action on June 8, 2026.

Staff described the amendments as revisions to the 2006 PUD (amended 2018), saying the northern 71 acres would allow both commercial and additional residential uses (up from 47 acres) and that the maximum number of residential units would increase to 950 from the 600 previously allowed. Staff also said the amendment would permit a third 60-foot monument-style ground sign along the eastern boundary, where two are currently allowed.

Todd MacInnes, speaking for the applicant, said the changes are intended to add flexibility without reducing commercial square footage. “There’s nothing in our amended PUD that’s required for us to move forward with the retail,” MacInnes said, adding that the project’s retail components are already advancing. He told commissioners that the sign change and added residential density were prompted by market demand and design changes since the PUD’s original approval.

During public comment several residents raised traffic and planning‑policy concerns. A nearby resident said long-range traffic planning and an existing two‑lane bridge on Sooner Road mean additional housing could worsen congestion; another asked how the developer would meet sales-per-square-foot expectations for the I‑35 corridor. One commenter urged commissioners to keep jobs and commercial uses a clear priority in that corridor’s long‑range plan.

MacInnes and other project representatives responded that the PUD contains a minimum‑commercial benchmark intended to preserve commercial acreage and that any required traffic or site planning work will occur at the site‑plan stage. The applicant also noted that PUD approvals are valid for five years if a building permit is obtained, after which the PUD becomes indefinite.

Commission discussion focused on the tension between preserving commercial capacity along the I‑35 corridor and accommodating housing demand. A single commissioner recorded a dissenting vote, saying the amendment diverged from what had been promised in the original PUD and that some terms were too vague for final approval.

The commission record shows the item will be sent to city council on June 8 for further consideration. The PUD amendment as presented includes the acreage and unit figures as described in the staff presentation; where transcript figures were unclear, staff memo and council materials should be consulted for official counts.