A proposal coming before the OKC City Council

[old okie]

Hello to those of you who live in the jurisdiction of the Oklahoma City Council.

The Oklahoma City Council is to consider allowing a trash/garbage drop-off and transfer facility at 11501 S. I-44 Service Road. The trucks moving in and out of the area will be large trash trucks in addition to the private vehicles from those paying to dump their trash at the site. The developers have said that at least 10% of all waste collected will be "garbage" and not merely items like limbs, construction waste, etc., that won't fit in the Big Blue trash containers.

You may not be familiar with the location, but it's across Interstate 44 from Earlywine Golf Course, catty-corner from Mid-America Christian University, across SW 119 from South Lake Park and Soccer Fields, across the street from a cemetery, and near multiple housing additions, a large softball facility, and Earlywine Park.

It is an existing building where they process oil & grease from restaurants, but the trash/garbage is an additional thing they want to add. See the website:

https://sp550.org/

After you read the info from the website, if you agree with those of us who are opposing it, please contact your Council representative and ask for a NO vote. It's scheduled for discussion and a possible vote at the Council meeting on Tuesday, February 15, 2022, unless they delay it to a later Council meeting.

I've spoken to our Councilman. He promises to vote against the proposal, but his only ONE vote. We need people from other areas of Oklahoma City to ask their Council reps to vote NO on the proposal.

I suspect some people will say, "Well, who cares what happens in SW OKC? It's not near me." True; very true. However, I suspect the developers, who already have several of these facilities in other communities, if approved this time, will want to build MORE of these in ANY part of Oklahoma City. Your area may be safe this time, but perhaps not in the future. We have trash mountains, hazardous waste recycling, and a number of metal recycling centers that cause those around them nothing but grief. There is sufficient vacant land outside the developed/residential areas of Oklahoma City where these places could be built.

Yes, I’ll probably be “flamed” by someone for my post and position. That’s fine, but please bring the fixings for the s’mores so we can enjoy the bonfire. 😊

Thank you for reading my post and considering my plea for help. If you’d like the email contact addresses for City Council members and Mayor, ask, and I’ll post.

[Zuplar]

This project lies in Ward 3 which is Barbara Young. You seem to be referring to a man when you say you've spoken with your council person which may be accurate, but I guess I question why you are concerned with a project in another ward from which you live? I say this as a person that lives in Ward 3 and seen a lot on this particular project.

[Plutonic Panda]

This is a good proposal. Hopefully it passes. Edmond has one and it works great. I’ve used it multiple times.

[old okie]

This project lies in Ward 3 which is Barbara Young. You seem to be referring to a man when you say you've spoken with your council person which may be accurate, but I guess I question why you are concerned with a project in another ward from which you live? I say this as a person that lives in Ward 3 and seen a lot on this particular project.

I live in Ward 5, David Greenwell's ward. This will be a traffic nightmare for those of us near the area.

[old okie]

This is a good proposal. Hopefully it passes. Edmond has one and it works great. I’ve used it multiple times.

Is it next door to residential areas, parks, golf courses, churches, recreational facilities, and on a two-lane street that is the off-ramp from the interstate?

Glad it works for you.

[jn1780]

Future development in this area is going to develop a lot more traffic than this proposed facility. The city and state need to improve traffic infrastructure to handle the Amazon facility up the street and any other future development.

Also, this location is already in the middle of an industrial area(Pretty much everywhere north of 119th street) There would be more of a chance this wouldn't pass if it wasn't.

[Plutonic Panda]

Is it next door to residential areas, parks, golf courses, churches, recreational facilities, and on a two-lane street that is the off-ramp from the interstate?

Glad it works for you.

Yes. Work with the city to improve or plan for future infrastructure improvements. I understand it’s not exactly thrilling to have it proposed next door to you but it has to go somewhere.

[TheTravellers]

Yes. Work with the city to improve or plan for future infrastructure improvements. I understand it’s not exactly thrilling to have it proposed next door to you but it has to go somewhere.

And there is a *ton* of land "somewhere" in OKC that isn't right next to anything that people use or where they live. We have incredible amounts of empty land inside city limits, we're the 8th largest city by area in the nation.

[baralheia]

It's just a transfer station, not a landfill or incineration plant, right? I honestly don't see the controversy.

[Plutonic Panda]

Yes.

[TheTravellers]

It's just a transfer station, not a landfill or incineration plant, right? I honestly don't see the controversy.

If they're transferring 500 tons of waste per day (that's the capability, they may or may not operate at that level consistently), how many trucks have to go in and dump 500 tons of waste and how many have to go in and pick it up? How large and noisy are the trucks (and possible machinery that does the transferring)? How much **** from the waste will end up in the ground or in detention ponds and how bad does all that smell (of course, they're already taking used restaurant grease/oil there, and that stuff is nasty, so this would just pile on to that)?

"Just" transfer stations are still bad operations to be in or close to actual people and neighborhoods.

https://www.thebalancesmb.com/what-i...tation-2877735

[oklip955]

The Edmond waste transfer facility is off the road in a sort of development. Across the street from it is a housing addition of fairly pricey homes. They dont seem to have issues with it. No I would not want to live next to it but if it is in a short of commerial area like storage units, offices, warehouse around it then there should be no issues. Roads might need widening. The area around the Edmond site is growing and the roads will need widening even with out the transfer site.

[baralheia]

If they're transferring 500 tons of waste per day (that's the capability, they may or may not operate at that level consistently), how many trucks have to go in and dump 500 tons of waste and how many have to go in and pick it up? How large and noisy are the trucks (and possible machinery that does the transferring)? How much **** from the waste will end up in the ground or in detention ponds and how bad does all that smell (of course, they're already taking used restaurant grease/oil there, and that stuff is nasty, so this would just pile on to that)?

"Just" transfer stations are still bad operations to be in or close to actual people and neighborhoods.

https://www.thebalancesmb.com/what-i...tation-2877735

If houses were immediate neighbors to this facility, I'd absolutely agree with you. But this is in the middle of an industrial area. The proposed facility is sandwiched in between an auto body shop and an oil field equipment manufacturer. The company operating the current facility here already offers roll off and commercial dumpsters, and while they service grease traps, they're not in the business of accepting waste cooking oils (which wouldn't enter the solid waste stream anyway). The nearest houses are about half a mile away. Earlywine golf course is kinda close, but there's a highway and more light industrial standing between it and the proposed transfer facility. If we were talking about this property being turned into a dump, like the Southeast OKC Landfill near SE 59th & Bryant (which is actually closer to occupied homes than this facility would be), then I'd definitely see reason to object... but idk, this just feels like NIMBY-ism. I fully admit that maybe there's something I'm missing - but from what I can see so far, I just don't understand how this specific facility in this specific location is a big deal. Transfer stations aren't landfills and are way cleaner than that.

[SouthSide]

It does make you wonder why the city chose to locate a park and golf course near an industrial area.

[old okie]

It does make you wonder why the city chose to locate a park and golf course near an industrial area.

It is my understanding from some of the folks who have lived in the area for decades that the park and golf course were there before the industrial development--most of which is relatively recent. The City probably never thought the industrial area would develop there as it has.

[old okie]

As for the concerns...who will enforce the rules regarding the promises the developer is making? They say trash will only be kept overnight when they can't run the trucks. Where will it be kept? The building is only so big.

Yes, they do have the processing facility there with a few complaints, but if the developers were ever to sell the property, what assurances can be given that a new owner would honor the same promises?

And as far as this being "only" a SW side problem or issue and that we shouldn't ask other Council members from other wards to listen to the residents, I guess I'm misunderstanding the purpose of the City Council. I thought that while there are elected representatives from each of the wards who are to look out for the residents in their specific ward, that the City Council as a whole was also to be concerned about the quality of life for ALL residents--regardless of ward. My apologies for my ignorance.

[Plutonic Panda]

Who will enforce the rules??? The city?

[SouthSide]

It is my understanding from some of the folks who have lived in the area for decades that the park and golf course were there before the industrial development--most of which is relatively recent. The City probably never thought the industrial area would develop there as it has.

You would think the city would want to protect its investment and perhaps change the zoning to take in account the residential growth in the area.

[Snowman]

As for the concerns...who will enforce the rules regarding the promises the developer is making? They say trash will only be kept overnight when they can't run the trucks. Where will it be kept? The building is only so big.

Yes, they do have the processing facility there with a few complaints, but if the developers were ever to sell the property, what assurances can be given that a new owner would honor the same promises?

And as far as this being "only" a SW side problem or issue and that we shouldn't ask other Council members from other wards to listen to the residents, I guess I'm misunderstanding the purpose of the City Council. I thought that while there are elected representatives from each of the wards who are to look out for the residents in their specific ward, that the City Council as a whole was also to be concerned about the quality of life for ALL residents--regardless of ward. My apologies for my ignorance.

If it works like the transfer station near me, that building is basically just to facilitate a hole where individuals or neighborhood garbage collection trucks back up to then dump things down, under the hole is a compactor and semi trailer. So collection trucks or the semi might remain parked overnight, with the trash still in them, but it is not designed to actually hold loose trash anywhere in or around it. The building seems scaled to allow the trucks to operate in a sheltered area, and have some access around them and the hole, so they can continue to operate in most weather.

The point of transferring trash between vehicles is you are far enough away from the land fill it is more economical to have the local garbage trucks go here verses all the way to the land fill, with growth in the region there is just going to be more reason for this arrangement. It is a pretty specialized building setup, so it seems unlikely could be used for much else.

[BoulderSooner]

Is it next door to residential areas, parks, golf courses, churches, recreational facilities, and on a two-lane street that is the off-ramp from the interstate?

Glad it works for you.

correct me if i am wrong but this looks like


it is across the INTERSTATE HiGHWAY from all the things you list ..

next to mostly all light industrial ??

[onthestrip]

correct me if i am wrong but this looks like


it is across the INTERSTATE HiGHWAY from all the things you list ..

next to mostly all light industrial ??

Always fascinating to me how people dont expect major developments to happen...right off a major interstate! Or that they live right next to an interstate and upset some other use might be developed along the same interstate.

[bombermwc]

This is definitely a controversy that isn't. There are only a handful of homes anywhere near here. Yes it's a 2 land road now, but I bet this helps the city to convert to 4 land and probably even work on that bridge. Go west or east and you have a LOT of homes. But not where this is. The gripe here seems exactly to be a NIMBY, but in reality you can count on 2 hands the number of homes that will be near this facility.

I mean, just look at the map here. I'm not seeing the homes. The nearest one is almost a full mile away from where this would go....

[SoonerDave]

Good luck in your fight. Keep in mind a lot of people won't care because they already perceive S OKC as a giant wasteland and don't give a crap about it. As far as many of them are concerned, it's just another trash dump in a trash dump.

[shawnw]

Almost everything around it is industrial and it's across the highway. The road noise from I-44 is surely more of a nuisance than the trash thing that seems to be needed. Where is the nearest home even? If in South Lakes that's like a mile from this place.

[catch22]

There's a transfer station I use near where I live. They aren't exactly hospital clean but it's not too bad, it is located in a very similar area as the one proposed in this thread. An industrial area near the airport. It's basically a large warehouse where you back in, dump your stuff on the ground and they come behind you with these huge front-end loaders and scoop it all up and dump it into a big trailer so they can haul it off to the dump. None of the waste sits very long so smells aren't a huge deal. Trucks aren't in a congo-line leaving the facility. In fact, I have never seen a truck leave the facility so they probably leave every hour or so.

In my experience, 90% of the trash is large limbs, oversize items such as couches and office furniture, etc. - things that don't typically smell bad. I think most people put their rotting food in their household trash, not bringing it out to a transfer station.


Bestway Transfer Station, Colorado Springs