Category: TUWC

As the past few weeks have unfolded, we’ve seen a growing number of voices who are opposing construction of an outlet mall at Turkey Mountain. Some are individuals, and some are turning into more organized groups. It points to the fact that there is a strong interest in preserving Tulsa’s biggest and best urban green space.

Noting this, there are some important distinctions to be made.

The Tulsa Urban Wilderness Coalition was founded on the belief that there needs to an open dialogue between the various owners of Tulsa’s wild spaces and those who visit them. The goal was that this would bring everyone closer together and foster greater care for one another and the world around us.

Yes, our formation as a coalition was prompted by a potential commercial development on an urban wilderness. But no, we are not a protest group.
• Yes, we are against the mall.
• No, we as a group are not against Simon malls or any other corporate entity.

The TUWC was formed with a long-term goal in mind. As we carefully decided what our group was to stand for, we came back with some basic fundamentals:

The first of those is respect. Respect for one another, the land and respect for those who have a different vision than we do.

The second is that in order to be users of the wilderness, we also need to be good stewards of the land. We need an active role in preservation. This is why we host cleanup days quarterly as well as other projects that help maintain and preserve the land.

The third is that facts speak louder than any rhetoric ever could, that the TUWC would become a clearing house for all facts dealing with Tulsa’s urban wilderness spaces. This is why we present all information from all sides on our website. We trust that Oklahomans want what is best for the world around them and that given the facts would arrive at the same conclusions that we do.

The fourth is to share this wonderful space with as many people as we can. To encourage them to live a more active and healthy lifestyle in whatever way they physically can. The TUWC regularly hosts guided walks of Turkey Mountain so that others may feel more at ease in the wilderness and also be taught how to respectfully use the trails and why these spaces are so important.

In short, we Celebrate Local Wilderness by standing on the basic principles above: Preserve, protect and promote the responsible use and enjoyment of Green Country’s urban wildness areas for current and future generations.

This week is turning out to be a pretty important week for people who have interest in the proposed outlet mall on the west side of Turkey Mountain.

There are two meetings – one on Monday, and another on Tuesday.
The Monday meeting is at 6 p.m. at the Zarrow Library, 2224 W. 51st Street in Tulsa. This is only for residents of Tulsa’s District. 2, and people are being asked to bring utility bills and ID to show proof of residency. Representatives from Simon Property Group, the developers of the proposed outlet mall, have said they will be there.
Then at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, there will be an open meeting at the Tulsa Marriott Southern Hills, 1902 E. 71st Street. Anyone can come to this meeting.

We highly encourage people to come, and to have questions ready. Specifically, ask city and corporate representatives these questions:

• What plans are being made to mitigate drainage problems that are expected to arise from the proposed mall property? How will the developers solve downstream pollution issues associated with drainage from the mall? There are strong concerns about how this might affect the Mooser Creek drainage, and thus the entire wilderness area.

• What will Simon do to properly blend in with the surroundings? The mall would directly overlook the Westside YMCA kids camp, and the potential is high that its mere presence (litter, noise, light pollution, sightline issues) will have a detrimental effect on campers’ experience there.

• What is being planned to deal with the guaranteed increase in traffic in the area? Current plans include widening the 61st Street bridge and just a small part of 61st Street near the mall. But it is a sure thing that traffic will increase on all of 61st Street and Elwood Avenue, as has been the case there since the opening of Tulsa Hills and the growing popularity of the Turkey Mountain Urban Wilderness Area. Current plans seem unlikely to adequately handle that traffic.

• Why does a multi-billion-dollar corporation need taxpayer assistance to make infrastructure improvements? If this project is going to be such a great thing, shouldn’t a well-moneyed company like Simon be able to pay for the costs without giving them a tax increment finance district? Why should the city risk taxpayer funds when there is already so much retail development in that area?

Be thinking of those questions and any others you might have. They are holding these meetings to make their case, and to hear from you. Be heard. Go to the meetings and hold these folks accountable.

I had lunch yesterday with a couple of other TUWC founding members and one of them made a statement that really struck me about that general area of west Tulsa becoming “retailed-out” while we are proposing to subtract from our most important urban resource: green space.

That conversation and another I had recently with a long-time west Tulsa resident led me back to the genesis of Tulsa Hills.

In early 2006 developers of Tulsa Hills, Sooner Investments of Oklahoma City, had run into unanticipated challenges in developing their site. They came back to the city of Tulsa requesting a TIF district to finance the additional costs they had uncovered. If they could not secure the additional funding, they said they woud have to cancel the project.

I for one, have thought of Tulsa Hills being a great and timely project for west Tulsa and an appropriate instance where a TIF rewarded the area with better infrastructure, more modern amenities, it has driven more home construction, and Tulsa Hills has been a proven regional draw for sales tax revenue.

I’ve been told before by a developer knowledgeable with Tulsa Hills and the proposed Simon site that the Simon site has even more challenges for site prep. So what happens when Simon decides to spring similar news on the city council after rushing their plan through in an attempt to thwart Horizon Group’s bid for an outlet mall and Simon’s proposal ends up costing even more in TIF funding than Horizon’s would have?

There’s a serious irony in this whole development which has been lost to the sands of time. In 2006, then city councilor, Bill Christiansen said he might not be able to support this TIF as he was worried Woodland Hills’ tax collection potential might be undermined by this development. Never mind that Tulsa Hills’ offerings and Woodland Hills’ were somewhat different. It would take a whole lot of convincing otherwise to prove to me that Simon was not lobbying the council against that TIF at the time.

In speaking to a long-time west Tulsa resident who backed the Tulsa Hills development, she related to me that Simon was openly sharing concern about how Tulsa Hills might damage their business six miles to the east. She sees a real irony that now Simon wants to piggyback off the success Tulsa Hills has had and go to the city with their hand out now looking for a TIF.

Finally, I came across a blog post from Michael Bates’ Batesline blog which said “A study of retail opportunities within the City of Tulsa identified this site (Tulsa Hills) and one near I-44 and 129th East Avenue as the optimum locations for a new major retail development.”

West Tulsa has gotten a windfall of related retail and residential development that is rapidly taxing the Highway 75 corridor. With all the new development to open within the next year between 71st and Jenks, the additional traffic through the I-44 and 75 interchange will be a nightmare.

When will it be east Tulsa’s turn for a development that will change its fortunes? The proposed Horizon outlet mall development also includes pad space for additional restaurant and retail space. This is the type of development that could lead an economic renaissance for east Tulsa that is long overdue.

For the full press release click here.

“Based upon an in-depth review of Simon’s plans, their lack of follow up detail, and how these plans do not respect the surrounding properties and their future intended use, Tulsa Urban Wilderness Coalition cannot support Simon’s development plans and requests for public tax incentives for this site.  We wish Simon well in the Tulsa market but feel it is unfortunate they selected this site without apparent consideration for what pristine urban wilderness means to not just Tulsa, but the entire region,”

TUWC public relations coordinator Laurie Biby said.

Wilderness group opposes proposed outlet mall near Turkey Mountain

A local wilderness coalition said Tuesday that it cannot support the proposed development of an outlet mall near the Turkey Mountain Urban Wilderness area, in part because the developer has been unable to fully address the organization’s concerns about the project’s impact on the area.