Council denies rezoning for proposed gravel stockpile after businesses and residents raise air-quality concerns

The Bristow City Council voted April 7 to deny a request to rezone property from R-1 to I-3 for a proposed gravel stockpile and horizontal crusher at 1400 S. Maple Street. The motion to accept the Planning & Zoning Board recommendation was made by Councilmember Judd Johns and seconded by Jeff Roberts; the roll-call vote recorded Peters as abstaining and all other members voting in favor.

Nearby business owners and residents spoke against the rezoning at the council meeting. Applicant Mike Wofford said he was asking for rezoning and told the council he follows state and federal regulations. Debbie Aggie, owner of PASMRO, said her company must have clean air for aviation-bearing overhaul work and warned that dust could harm operations. Resident Keith Patterson said, “when the plant is running, the dust is very thick,” and urged council members not to approve the request. Johnny "Bump" Grant of Kratos/CTS told the council he would not locate his planned operation in Bristow if the rezoning were approved, saying the company expects to bring about 120 jobs and needs a clean-air environment to operate test cells.

Council members questioned dust controls, impacts on sewer lines and buffer distances. Johns and others pressed the applicant on where material would be placed and dust-mitigation plans; Wofford replied he planned tree buffers and water hookups to reduce dust and noted the state reuses similar material on turnpikes. After deliberation, the council approved the denial as legally described in the motion record.