New economic development in Edmond

[Snowman]

Six lanes seems a bit much for any of the mile line roads

[Plutonic Panda]

Six lanes seems a bit much for any of the mile line roads

Dallas has six lane roads all over the city and traffic flows very smoothly. For it's size(and overall), Dallas has some of the best traffic flow on its road, to ratio, imo. I know it will be awhile before a six lane widening is warranted, but I'm sure the day will come eventually.

[Spartan]

Ensuing phase of Kelly widening project nearing start » Local News » The Edmond Sun

How is a road widening an economic development project??

[Plutonic Panda]

How is a road widening an economic development project??

There's a few other developments in the article. I just didn't want to start a new thread.

[Plutonic Panda]

Planning Commission votes for rezoning of family tract » Local News » The Edmond Sun

[Richard at Remax]

I dont know whether this goes into housing or economic but I saw today that they are rebuilding that structure that burned down years ago behind the lowes on Covell and Kelly.

[Plutonic Panda]

I dont know whether this goes into housing or economic but I saw today that they are rebuilding that structure that burned down years ago behind the lowes on Covell and Kelly.

I saw that the other day. They are advertising them as luxury apartments, I highly doubt it, but we'll see lol

[Plutonic Panda]

Edmond's Covell and I-35 coming alive
By Diana Baldwin Published: December 25, 2013

The final plat of Cross Timbers Park Southwest Phase I was approved by the city council. The 5.28 acres south of Covell Road and west of I-35 includes three commercial lots.

This is part of a 300-acre project on three sides of the intersection of Covell Road and I-35. A conference center and full service hotel are planned.

- See more here: Edmond's Covell and I-35 coming alive | News OK

[Plutonic Panda]

Been browsing around this website and it is pretty resourceful... Edmond Economic Development Authority

Keep trying to see if there is a function where you can pull building permits such as OKC's system, but I only played around with it for like 20 seconds lol... super tired and going to sleep, but will look tomorrow. Cool deal!!!!

[jerrywall]

No good permits system (that I've found), but you can watch the meetings, and search the minutes, which is helpful.

[oklip955]

According to the Edmond Sun Feb 4 the (2013 Housing....) Whole Foods, Fresh Market, Natural Foods and Trader Joes are looking at locations in Edmond. Te person quated is from Price Edwards.

[Plutonic Panda]

Nice infill along Broadway... hopefully something nice and cool looking.

Commission approves site plan for office and retail

The Edmond Planning Commission also approved a site plan request this week for the Heartland Dental Office and retail shops. The motion carried by a vote of 5-0.

The location of the Heartland Dental Office is proposed for the east side of Broadway, north of MidFirst Bank and south of Burger King, said Barry Moore, commission chairman.

Plans call for an 5,850-square-foot office building to include some retail on 35,000 square foot of land, Schiermeyer said. The pad site is zoned for commercial use with open display, he added.

“They’ll have no drive cut on Broadway. They’ll share their entry that’s just to the south of their property,” Schiermeyer said. “The shopping center has common access and then they’ll have access into the property from several locations.”

Landscaping requirements have been met for the project as well as all other city standards, Schiermeyer said.

The commission’s vote completes this item for the City of Edmond, Moore said.

- See more at: Commission approves housing plat, retail project » Local News » The Edmond Sun

[Richard at Remax]

Just west and north of my office on 2nd Street between Coltrane and I-35 they finally started to clear off a massive area of land on north side of road that's had a sign out front for the past 6 years called Bradberry Station (I think). any one have any details on this? I assume some kind of strip mall

[Plutonic Panda]

Last part of the article outlines some budget issues

There are concerns that the 2000 Capital Improvement 3/4-cent sales tax will not provide adequate funding for major capital projects, Stevens said. It shows reduced funding, partly because of the Edmond YMCA Recreation & Aquatic Center at Mitch Park as just one example, he said.

“The projected reduction of revenue in the five-year fund basically goes from a range of $35 million to $40 million, to $10 million to $15 million,” Stevens said, referencing the payout of bonds already issued for numerous capital improvement projects.

There is also the chance that the city could get a small bond of $10 million if sales tax collections continue to increase, Stevens said. The bond issues used to fund projects from the 2000 tax were issued in $20 million increments and will be paid out in 2021, Stevens said.

“We have simply spent most of the available funding from the 2000 tax, and until the revenue bonds begin to be paid out in 2021 we don’t have significant new revenue identified to help with the growing list of needs,” Stevens stated in an email to The Sun. “This trend would have been more dramatic in recent years had it not been for our sales tax consistently exceeding our budget projections.”

Sales tax revenue this year has come in at 15.4 percent above collections by the city two years ago and it’s .7 percent above last year’s collections, according to a previous report in The Sun.

The total Edmond sales tax rate is 8.25 percent. This takes into account 3.75 percent in local taxes that includes a 1/2 cent five-year sales tax for the Public Safety Center project that voters approved two years ago. The total rate also includes the 4.5 percent cost that the state charges to all municipalities.

A growing list of capital needs continues as the city’s population maintains a 1.5 percent to a 2 percent growth rate each year, he said.

- See more at: http://www.edmondsun.com/local/x1396....ZQlBB473.dpuf

[Plutonic Panda]

Edmond needs $150 million for long-term capital improvement projects | News OK

[rezman]

Just west and north of my office on 2nd Street between Coltrane and I-35 they finally started to clear off a massive area of land on north side of road that's had a sign out front for the past 6 years called Bradberry Station (I think). any one have any details on this? I assume some kind of strip mall

I saw that, and there's the other development further west on the south side of 2nd and just east of Coltrane. Makes me sad that they mowed down all those beautiful trees.... And I'm talking hundreds of them... all gone. I'm far from being a tree hugger, but I wish this type of development mentality would change.

[Plutonic Panda]

I know... You think it would make sense to at least keep some of the trees to have some nice landscaping when it is open

[bchris02]

I know... You think it would make sense to at least keep some of the trees to have some nice landscaping when it is open

Agreed. They do this in every other city I've lived in other than OKC. The developers attempt to integrate the development into the natural surrounding. Here they just clear the land, even if it has 100+ year old trees on it. Cheaper that way I guess.

[Plutonic Panda]

Well, and the other problem is it takes so damn long for trees to get big here because our climate sucks. We have unpredictable drought spells, severe weather and tornadoes that tear up the existing trees, extreme cold at times that can damage some beautiful trees here that aren't really good for cold climates, constantly windy... It's amazing the plants survive here really.

[bchris02]

The oaks here are adapted to Central Oklahoma's drought-prone climate. Post-oaks grow only 1-2 millimeters in diameter per decade. This is an interesting video about the Keystone Ancient Forest near Tulsa, an old growth forest. Its a travesty that developers just come in and mow over the trees here.

[soonerguru]

The oaks here are adapted to Central Oklahoma's drought-prone climate. Post-oaks grow only 1-2 millimeters in diameter per decade. This is an interesting video about the Keystone Ancient Forest near Tulsa, an old growth forest. Its a travesty that developers just come in and mow over the trees here.

Agree 100%. Morons.

[Dubya61]

Although I'm sure that these developers aren't cataloging all the trees they're destroying, there are a great variety of oak trees in Oklahoma. Very few of them are these marvelous, long-lived ancients. Some of the local oaks are small and quick growing (not like poplars or mimosas, mind you) and succeed with aggressive seeding. Not every tree is a poem of majesty.

[rezman]

The band of trees and growth known as the Cross Timbers runs right through that area of east Edmond. Many trees are over 100 years old. Certainly the city council, when approving constuction projects, can do so with the stipulation that a certain percentage of trees are integrated into the new devopment instead of wiping everything out.

[Celebrator]

They did the same thing in central Florida, the last place I lived before here. The slash pines and HUGE oaks that grow prolifically in central Florida were plowed down, gathered in piles, and burned. One day on the way to work, they had pushed over, destroyed, and were burning a giant Live Oak which lay smoldering in the dust of a newly cleared tract. My wife and I were almost in tears. That tree was so old and dripped with beautiful Spanish Moss. Seeing it that way was worth mourning.

In fact, they generally do a better job here, as a few projects I have driven past lately have saved small stands of trees and cleared around them.

[Plutonic Panda]

Update on the city's budget

Edmond relies mainly on sales tax receipts for the daily operations of city business. Shoppers in Edmond pay an 8.25 percent sales tax on purchases; 4.5 percent goes to the state and 3.75 percent is returned to the city.
Edmond extensively relies on three sales taxes approved by local voters in 2000 — the public safety sales taxes for police and fire operations and the capital improvement sales tax.

The police tax is a 1/8 cent, fire is 1/4 cent and 3/4 cent for capital improvements.

“It must be emphasized that basically two-thirds of all general fund revenue also is dedicated to fire and police operations,” Stevens said.

- Edmond City Council approves budget of about $269 million | News OK