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Inola trustees delay vote, ask attorney to redraft proposed moratorium on heavy-industrial permits after wide public concern
Summary
After extended public testimony about health, agriculture and transparency concerns tied to a proposed aluminum smelter, the Inola Board of Trustees voted to have city counsel and citizen attorney Trevor Henson refine a six‑month moratorium draft and return it to the next meeting rather than adopt the ordinance tonight.
The Inola Board of Trustees heard more than an hour of public comment on a proposed moratorium on permits and approvals in the town’s Industrial Heavy (IH) zoning district before agreeing to further legal work and a return to the council.
Attorney Trevor Henson, representing a group of residents, presented a written draft that would pause special‑use permitting in heavy‑industrial portions of the park for six months while the town updates planning and zoning standards and evaluates safety questions. "The proposal we have drafted puts a six‑month moratorium in place," Henson said, adding the draft was tailored to Oklahoma law and that he could provide statutory support if needed.
The public comment period included remarks from residents, farmers and elected officials. State Representative Tom Gann urged the council to adopt a moratorium, citing an Attorney General petition and raising risks to soil, water, livestock and public health. "This is a pause for independent study, a pause for public transparency," Gann said. Other speakers described fears about fluoride emissions affecting cattle and questioned the independence of environmental reviews paid for by project proponents.
Some speakers framed the proposal as an economic opportunity: Derek Sparks read a letter he said came from the governor’s office that urged support for new aluminum capacity and job creation. The comments reflected a sharp split over whether the proposed project is primarily an economic-development opportunity or a potential long‑term environmental hazard.
Council members and the city attorney discussed legal risks such as regulatory takings and notice requirements. The board did not adopt the moratorium tonight. Instead, a motion passed to have the council’s attorney work with Mr. Henson to refine the draft, provide required public notice, and bring the ordinance back at the next meeting in a larger venue to allow broader comment.
The next procedural step is for staff and counsel to circulate a revised ordinance and the notice schedule to trustees ahead of the next meeting.
