Planning commission approves plat for residential development

The Sallisaw Planning Commission gave its approval Tuesday for one of two plats, paving the way for residential development in the city‚s southwest sector.

Approval was given of a preliminary plat for Drake Prairie Estates, an addition in south Sallisaw for the construction of single-family dwellings. The tract is located north of West Drake Road and west of N4610 Road and Prairie Fire Road.

“This is a plat that you previously approved,” Chairman Joseph Velasquez told his fellow commissioners. “Prior to the Board of City Commissioners hearing this item, it was discovered that the owners sold the property, this, therefore, voided all action on the plat, and the Board of City Commissioners had to  strike this item [from its agenda]. This is just a resubmission of the plat with the new owners [Richard Mosby and Jimmy Blanton]. Nothing has changed with the physical layout of this plat. It‚s just a formality.”

The approved plat will now be forwarded to the City Commission for approval at its Monday, Nov. 14 meeting.

The commission also approved rezoning 31 acres from agriculture (A1) to residential (R-1) on West Drake Road, which is tied to the Drake Prairie Estates plat it approved.

Prior to approving the rezoning, Commissioner Crystal Sides raised concerns regarding the property‚s tendency for flooding and how that will be addressed.

“ That‚s something the city‚s gonna have to address,” said Keith Miller, city building development director. “We discussed it with some of the landowners out there. There‚s gonna have to be some easements obtained and getting with the city so that we can do some drainage work out there. It was noted that there is that problem out there. There‚s not a lot of places for the drainage to go out there. So we‚re probably gonna have to look at some alternatives and get some additional drainage out there.”

Miller also noted that there are water supply and sewer issues that will need to be addressed, but explained that “we‚ve got several things for that area that are actually in the works.”

Sallisaw Acres on hold

Approval of a plat for Sallisaw Acres, a residential development project by Cherokee Nation Housing Authority in the city‚s northwest sector, was tabled after it was noted that several key elements still need to be addressed.

The planned project is for the building of two and three-bedroom singlefamily housing units south of West Cherokee Avenue (U.S. 64) and west of J.T. Stites Road. According to the plat presented for approval, the property is currently vacant, and is located east of Sallisaw Animal Hospital. According to the plat, the residential development will include four two-bedroom units and four three-bedroom units.

Tuesday was the second time the plat application had come before the commission. On Aug. 2, the commission was unable to approve a preliminary plat due to concerns related to the property‚s drainage plan, easements for utilities, road and utility right of ways, changes to the verbiage of the lots, the deed of dedication, reference to the Sallisaw Code of Ordinances for maintenance issues, dedicated right of way to J.T. Stites Road, and a partially landlocked lot and its declared use.

Because of the numerous revisions needed for the Aug. 2 approval, Miller advised the commissioners to table approval until the concerns could be addressed.

In presenting the plat to the commissioners for further consideration, Velasquez reminded them that the plat had been previously reviewed, and that the developer had provided additional information. But he also noted several reservations expressed by city attorney John Robert Montgomery regarding the plat.

“ The city attorney has requested that the necessary easements for sanitary sewer and drainage be obtained prior to moving on the final plat,” Velasquez told the commissioners. “ Therefore, these easements must be obtained and dedicated to the city of Sallisaw and in proper form. The city attorney also reiterated a drainage plan from this developer‚s engineer is also needed, showing the increased runoff from this property, that it drains to an approved location and does not flood or cause property damage to the adjacent property owner.”

When the commission originally received the plat for consideration at the Aug. 2 meeting, project engineer J.R. Donelson appeared as the representative for CNHA. But Donelson did not attend Tuesday‚s meeting to provide additional information and address any concerns.

Tim Brown moved that the item be tabled, a motion seconded by Ronnie Woodward.

Meeting schedules set The commission also approved meeting dates for 2023, which will be the first Tuesday of each month, except for the July meeting, which will be July 6 due to the Fourth of July holiday.

Members of the planning commission also serve on the Sallisaw Airport Zoning Commission, Sallisaw Board of Adjustment and Sallisaw Local Planning Advisory Committee, which last met 13 months ago on Oct. 5, 2021.

In calling to order meetings for these boards, Velasquez noted “we don‚t have these very often.”

The three other boards approved meeting dates in 2023 which coincide with the planning commission, which is the first Tuesday of each month, except for the July meeting, which will be July 6 due to the Fourth of July holiday.

The planning commission‚s next meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Dec. 6 in the Council Chambers, 113 N. Elm Street.