Decision for proposed tiny home development will have to wait a little longer – KFOR Oklahoma City

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OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - It's a development planned to help women in need. However, some folks fighting against new neighbors will have to wait a little bit longer for the answer.

It's a proposed development for single mothers in the north part of the metro near the Oklahoma CityEdmond line. After an hours-long meeting Thursday afternoon, the Planning Commission delayed their vote.

Community members on both sides of the argument presented to the commission why their opinion was best for the community.

Members with the nonprofit charity Beautiful Restoration agreed to amend some of their plans, but residents living in the Rush Brook community say that's not enough.

A big crowd showed up for the fight over tiny homes. The issue at stake, a 16-acre development to temporarily house single mothers while they work to get back on their feet. But people living near the Danforth and Western property complained about the type of clientele who might be staying at those homes, worrying it will decrease their property value.

That is what Rush Brook is. It is a dynamite neighborhood. Everybody is sweet to everybody, everybody helps, everybody takes care of everybody. It is wonderful. This is destroying our neighborhood, said one person.

The meeting became a back and forth between the applicants attorney and concerned neighbors.

Officials with Beautiful Restoration agreed to not host any outdoor events at the former Governor's Mansion on property, downsizing retail space and moving the intended parking lot away from the already existing homes.

But neighbors in the North Oklahoma CityEdmond area say they still don't support it.

I think undeniably there is better ways we could be using this property if we took away everything they proposed and just had the tiny homes left. I don't see how that is best use, and I don`t see how we are going to come to an agreeance on anything else. I think the property in itself, better tax dollars is better spent in other ways, said another neighbor.

The planning commission fought back, saying it is not their responsibility to decide who can or cannot live somewhere. They voted to hear another round of arguments early into the new year.

I am sorry. I get it. We understand the concern about property values. We understand the concern about safety. We get it. I promise we get it. But we don`t need to talk about the occupants anymore, it is not something we need to talk about, said the Planning Commission chairman.

This meeting will continue January 23. The planning commission will decide then if they plan to present it to the City Council for a final vote.

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Decision for proposed tiny home development will have to wait a little longer - KFOR Oklahoma City