VERDIGRIS, Okla. — Verdigris neighbors are sounding off on a potential comprehensive plan for their town.
They’re calling it “Vision Verdigris,” and it covers everything from new public parks to the width of lanes in roads.
The Verdigris mayor told us they’re lucky to get three to five people to attend a city council meeting, but for this Vision Verdigris meeting, they’ve filled up the elementary cafeteria.
Vision Verdigris is a comprehensive plan. A plan for infrastructure, development, land use, and more. Larry Curtis, the city’s consultant, wanted to stress it’s nothing more than a plan.
“It is not a law that has to be followed. It is simply a guide for the community moving forward. It is not permanent. It can be changed at any time,” Curtis said.
Speakers had to sign up before the meeting and were each given three minutes. However, the first four people yielded most, if not all, of their time to Terry Dorsey.
He’s passionate. He even stopped me in the parking lot to voice his concerns.
“Anyone that lives on any of these streets is highly concerned in the long run. It’s going to cost them a big piece of the value of their home,” Dorsey said.
Trudie Mayo took all of her time. She’s open to change but wants more specific projects.
“Why isn’t there something on there about sidewalks? I would love to have a sidewalk that went from the high school around to the Casey’s and around to the grade school,” Mayo said.
In fairness to the planners, there are sidewalk plans, but they consider width and relation to the road … not necessarily specific locations.
Countless times throughout the draft, it says leaders want to maintain a “small-town feel.” Dorsey is not convinced.
“I don’t want it. I don’t want to be like Catoosa, and I sure don’t want to be like Tulsa,” Dorsey said.
Leaders did not vote. They just listened.
You can read the current Vision Verdigris draft by clicking here.
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