Planning commission backs 6,229-acre Fair Oaks master plan, citing open space and connectivity

The Tulsa Metropolitan Area Planning Commission on Feb. 4 recommended approval of MPD-6, a master planned development covering roughly 6,229 acres that staff says is designed to accommodate a mix of residential, commercial, industrial and open-space areas while guiding transportation and site design.

Staff presented the plan as consistent with the Tulsa Comprehensive Plan’s land-use and transportation objectives and highlighted standards in the applicant’s text for open space, parking, landscaping and internal connectivity. The applicant said the four-year planning process aims to avoid “suburban sprawl” and preserves about 1,200 acres (20%) as open space. Multiple public commenters raised procedural and environmental concerns, including alleged historical contamination and unresolved coal-mine impacts.

Opponents at the public hearing included August Wakat, Kawehi Ballou and Buchanon Dowling, who urged deferral or a moratorium and cited the need for traffic, noise and geotechnical studies as well as environmental remediation before development. Staff responded that environmental assessments and reclamation oversight are conducted by other agencies (for example, the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality and the Office of Surface Reclamation) and generally are not part of the zoning approval at the TMAPC stage.

Committee member Fugate moved to recommend approval per staff recommendation; Committee member Craddock seconded. The motion passed 10-0-0. The action sends the MPD and its development standards forward under the review procedures required by the Tulsa Zoning Code.