OWASSO, Okla. Like an adolescent suddenly finding trousers several inches too short after years of predictable growth, Owasso is expanding at an unprecedented pace.
This self-proclaimed city without limits is still growing.
Owassos fenceline includes 33 square miles or approximately 21,120 acres of Rogers County. Thirty-two of those miles have not been annexed yet.
According to Community Development Director Eric Wiles, 545 acres of Rogers County have been annexed by Owasso. Fifty-seven of those acres are undeveloped. The remaining portion is divided between Lake Valley subdivisions 160 acres, and Preston Lakes subdivision with over 320 acres.
Tulsas fenceline lies to the south and west of Owasso. Collinsville borders the north.
With 20,480 acres ripe for development, its no wonder much of Owassos coming expansion will be east into Rogers County.
The major growth in the foreseeable future for Owasso is going to be inside Rogers County, said Owasso City Manager Rodney Ray. I certainly predict that the west side of Owasso in Tulsa County, particularly the northwest area, is going to grow, too, but the potential for growth lies in Rogers County. Almost two-thirds of our fenceline is in Rogers County.
STONE CANYON
One sizable portion of that is the 2,400-acre tract owned by the Oxley family and administered by Greenhill Properties, LLC.
Greenhill is cooperating with Owasso Land Trust for the development of that acreage into an upscale residential subdivision known as Stone Canyon.
Stone Canyon is a 2,400-acre planned development that, for the next 15 years, I believe will be the hub of a lot of activity in our area, said Ray. Its such a diverse planned development that were going to be able to see commercial, residential ... a mix ... I think youll see a number of office opportunities and maybe churches and things like that, but Stone Canyon is just one component of that Rogers County contribution to Owasso.
Recently, Owasso passed a school bond that will build Elementary No. 8 inside of the Stone Canyon planned unit development on 177 East Avenue to the south of 76th Street North.
The city has also committed to build a fire station in the Stone Canyon area. The City supports Greenhills request to withdraw from Limestone Fire Protection District, a request recently denied by the Board of County Commissioners in a 2-1 vote, with District 2 Commissioner Mike Helm the lone vote supporting the withdrawal.
Helm has responded to expansion in the Owasso/Stone Canyon area with proposed road projects that should benefit the coming development. But putting money into county roads that are on Owassos annexation list has raised questions about fiscal responsibility with county dollars.
TAX DOLLARS IN
TAX DOLLARS OUT
I think Rogers County is going to benefit from having a pretty good ad valorem tax base, said Ray. Ancillary businesses are going to locate in Rogers County just to serve the growth thats going to be there, and there will be some resulting increase in sales tax but not a lot.
Business creates revenue. Residential housing creates a need for community services. But without residents a population to constitute the consumer base business wont come to a community. Its an interesting dichotomy, and Ray said it takes long-range planning to produce the appropriate balance.
Residential development in and of itself produces a burden on government to provide services, but doesnt produce a lot of revenue if people are traveling outside of jurisdictions, said Ray.
While residents crossing from their homes in Owasso, Rogers County, to retail centers in Owasso, Tulsa County, dont see themselves as crossing a line, entities divvying up tax dollars see the separation as very much an issue.
The County does not need to foot the bill for infrastructure within Owassos fenceline, however.
It would be difficult for the county to have enough money to put in without help, said Ray. Well have to work together.
STRATEGIC ALLIANCE
Ray said a partnership between Rogers County and Owasso will be imperative in order for both to move forward and benefit. In particular, he said that partnership must come together on 76th Street.
Its a priority for us, said Ray. He proposed a bold and aggressive approach to annexation so that the city can set development standards that will serve Owasso and make the city responsible for infrastructure.
We cant ask the county commissioners to impose urban standards, said Ray. He said a partnership might include Owasso providing materials with the county providing labor.
Owasso, Claremore and Rogers County have the opportunity to build a truly unique environment, said Ray. He added that while they might not always have like minds these various governmental entities can have like goals including public safety and transportation to create the best quality of life for the people who live, work and shop in those communities.
Governmental growth is all about allocating resources and where those resources come from, said Ray. A great example that youre watching right now, is, that because we were able to create this destination (of Owasso), because of the unique almost unprecedented type of growth in sales tax, the city of Owasso has been able to allocate resources to things that we would not have been able to do before this.
Ray said the best hope for Rogers County sales tax within Owassos fence line lies along Highway 20 between 145th Street and Keetonville Hill.
We can build retail in Rogers County, said Ray. Its just going to take awhile. If you look at the transportation corridors, and then you look at a picture of the area east of Owasso, in west Rogers County, it becomes pretty clear that there is some significant undeveloped properties there.
Commercial development in that corridor is not likely to come quickly, however.
I believe there is substantial opportunity for that corridor to develop over the next 20 years, said Ray. Its a long-term process. Youve got a couple of limiting factors. One is that so much available land lies along Highway 169 between 66th and 126th. That will have to be developed before the Highway 20 corridor is developed unless something just booms out there.
The natural progression that Ray predicts will be to move east along Highway 20 with succeeding business.
Im going to go out on a limb here and say something that I believe very sincerely, said Ray. I think the reality of retail development that produces revenue is all about how hot you are right now, how well things are going right now.
That area could be the sexy kind of hot area for retail investment in the next 20 years, said Ray. That may not resonate well with your readers, because it seems like such a long time away, but quite frankly, for those people who say, Wow, Owasso is an overnight sensation, Ive been here 22 years and this is not an overnight sensation. Weve been working to get to the point that we are today for 20 years.
Rickey Hayes, former director of economic development, said Ray taught him to think outside the box. Hayes said his job at Owasso was an easy one.
The groundwork was already laid, said Hayes. Hayes is now an economic development consultant with the City of Claremore.
Part of going outside the box includes making strategic alliances, Hayes said.
Partnership between Owasso and Rogers County is imperative, according to Ray and Hayes.
I think Rogers County has a huge future, said Ray. I think that future is bounded only by the restrictions the elected officials put on themselves. Whats good for Rogers County is good for Owasso."