Sand Springs City Council approves new parking lots for Case Park

/

The Sand Springs City Council approved a new parking lot plan for Case Community Park at their regular monthly meeting.

The design, by Studio 45 Architects, provides for approximately 211 paved parking spaces in two locations, as well as curbs, guttering, and sidewalks. About 175 spots will be paved at the Jerry Adair Baseball Park, which is currently gravel.

An additional 36-space lot will be constructed at the Rotary Super Splash Pad, replacing an existing dirt parking area. A vehicular bridge was constructed over the creek during a recent park renovation, but funding didn’t allow for the completion of the project and the bridge was blocked off for pedestrian use only. The existing dirt parking area can’t be paved without the construction of an extensive retention wall.

Council approved the closure of a sixteen-foot wide alley between West 8th Street and West 7th Street and North Franklin Avenue and North Industrial Avenue. The applicant claims to currently be the only abutting land owner maintaining his share of the right-of-way, and has had to maintain the entirety of the alley. He hopes to take his case to District Court and receive ownership of the undeveloped alley so he can fence it in.

One abutting property owner objected due to her use of the alley for backyard access. Her backyard is tiered with a retention wall preventing riding lawnmower access to much of her land. City Staff recommended closing the alley while the City Planning Commission recommended maintaining it. Councilors Jim Spoon and Phil Nollan voted against the closure, while Beau Wilson, Patty Dixon, and Brian Jackson voted in favor. The closure only forfeits the City’s claim to the alley, and District Court will have the final say on whether to grant the land to the applicant or not.

William “Tom” Meshek was recognized with a Mayoral Proclamation for his fifteen years of volunteer service on the Sand Springs Development Authority.

Council approved a $30,673.00 expenditure for the purchase of a new ladder truck for the City Fire Department.

Council passed a resolution bringing the City codes in line with the recently passed State Question 783, legalizing the sale of refrigerated wine and beer at retail liquor stores.

Council approved a resolution eliminating language from Code of Ordinances Chapter 9.36 that will qualify the City for up to $20,000 in federal grants. The language does not change the intent or execution of the ban on tobacco or vapor on City property.

William “Tom” Meshek was recognized with a Mayoral Proclamation for his fifteen years of volunteer service on the Sand Springs Development Authority.

Proposed golf course cell tower draws controversy at City Council

/

Monday night's monthly Sand Springs City Council meeting focused heavily on a controversial cell tower in the works at the Canyons at Blackjack Ridge golf course.

The municipal golf course owned by the City has been approached by Branch Communications, who wants to build an 85-foot cellular tower for AT&T on golf course property. The "stealth tower" is designed to resemble a pine tree and would not obstruct fairways.

According to Branch VP Mark Kenser, AT&T previously had an antenna atop the McKinley Water Tower for twenty years, but was denied a lease renewal.

Kesner said the company has been looking for a location for a new tower for two years, but has been severely limited due to topography and zoning restrictions. 

According to Kesner, the tower needs to be within a half-mile of its current location, and very little of that area is usable. Multiple private land owners have been approached, but none were interested in leasing or selling property. 

Kesner says AT&T would prefer to build a 150 ft. tower but dropped to eighty due to Municipal and citizen aesthetic concerns. 150 feet would be necessary to maintain current coverage, and eighty feet will offer the poorest coverage allowed by federal regulations. 

Several citizens spoke in opposition to the tower due to the obstruction it would impose on the natural view. Bill Denton, a residential developer, was concerned about the impact the tower will have on his property value and ability to sell homes.

Realtor Diane Robbins said she owns enough land for a thirty-plot subdivision, which already has a preliminary plat. She was also concerned about the impact the tower would have on property value. Realtor Dana Box echoed Robbins' comments.

Former City Councilman Dean Nichols spoke on behalf of Councilwoman Patty Dixon, who was absent due to a family medical emergency. According to Nichols, Dixon was firmly against the tower but was unable to be present for the vote.

Nichols also asserted that the income the City will be receiving from AT&T is far less than it should be when compared to what other companies have been known to pay. If the agreement with Branch is approved, the City will lease the property for $1,200 per month.

According to City Attorney David Weatherford, the question on the agenda was specifically regarding whether or not the tower was an appropriate use of land, and did not actually affirm a contract with the company. 

City ordinances require Antenna and Supporting Structures go through a Specific Use Permit process to prevent objectionable uses of land where zoning wouldn't specifically prohibit the placement of said equipment. 

If the tower is built, it would also have room to hold up to three additional carriers.

In other news:

Municipal Judge Tom Askew administered the Oath of Office to three new police officers. Jerrod Raglin, William Paarmann, and Cody Ziegler were sworn in with the Sand Springs Police Department.

Council unanimously approved a supplemental appropriation of $207,250 from the Water Utility Fund to pave the parking lot at Jerry Adair Baseball Park in Case Community Park. Voters approved the project as part of a general obligation bond package in 2017, but the bonds have yet to be sold to fund it. 

Council unanimously passed an ordinance allowing the City Municipal Court to try misdemeanor drug offenses, rather than sending them to the County for prosecution. Police Chief Mike Carter believes offenders will get more contact and help at the local level.

Council unanimously voted to greenlight a pilot program for traffic signage in residential neighborhoods. The City will begin placing signs with parking restrictions at the entrances to housing additions rather than along the streets. 

Council unanimously approved $382,249 for the purchase of a new wastewater vacuum/jet rodder truck. Citizens voted to fund the purchase in a November 2017 general obligation bond issue.

Council unanimously approved a $50,000 contract with Crawford & Associates for accounting and consulting services. 

Council unanimously approved a $34,160 contract with Arledge and Associates, P.C. to audit the City finances. 

Council unanimously approved the 2018 Sand Springs Police Department Policing Plan. 

Council unanimously approved an increase of $32,835 to an existing $317,179 contract with Sapulpa Digging, Inc. for the 2018 Sanitary Sewer Line Rehabilitation Project. 

Council unanimously approved a $54,305 one-year extension to an existing agreement with the Metropolitan Tulsa Transit Authority for bus transit services in the Sand Springs area. 

Council unanimously approved the Final Plat for the Rivercrest Addition, a fourteen-lot 4.82-acre subdivision near East 31st Place and South 113th West Avenue.

Council unanimously voted to appoint Mike Burdge, Brian Jackson, and Patty Dixon to the the Council Appointment Committee.

Council unanimously voted to appoint Burdge, Dixon, and Jim Spoon to the Council Finance and Development Committee. 

Council unanimously voted to appoint Dixon, Spoon, and Christine Hamner to the Council Legislative Committee. 

Council unanimously voted to appoint Hamner, Beau Wilson, and Phil Nollan to the Council Public Works Advisory Committee.

Council unanimously voted to appoint Arron Montross and Kathe Crapster to the Parks Advisory Board. 

Council unanimously voted to appoint Burdge to the Indian Nations Council on Governments (INCOG) Board of Directors with City Manager Elizabeth Gray as an alternate. 

Council unanimously voted to appoint Burdge to the INCOG General Assembly with Gray as an alternate.

Council unanimously voted to appoint Burdge to the INCOG Legislative Consortium with Gray as an alternate.

Council unanimously voted to appoint Jackson to the INCOG Tulsa Metropolitan Area Transportation Policy Committee.

Council unanimously voted to appoint Wilson to the Sand Springs Economic Development Authority Trust. 

Council unanimously approved the Fiscal Year 2019 Master Fee Schedule. 

The Sand Springs Municipal Authority meeting was held after City Council.

Municipal Trustees unanimously approved a thirty-year ground-lease contract with Ullrich Aviation at $3,531.33 per year for fifteen T-Hangars at Pogue Airport.

Trustees unanimously voted to appoint Joe Stephenson and David Kvach to the Airport Advisory Board.

Trustees unanimously voted to appoint Elizabeth Gray and Derek Henley to the Sand Springs/Sapulpa Joint Board. 

Editorial: River City Park doesn't need a renovation

/

It's about fifteen till noon with a heat index of 89 degrees and a steady breeze to combat the humidity. I'm on my weekly trek through River City Park, taking photos of the construction progress, and I'm reminded that although all the hype is around the new projects in the park, the existing features are already worth the trip.

I parked by the Jerry Adair Baseball Complex, named for one of Sand Springs's greatest athletes, and rebuilt just a few years ago thanks to countless community donations and volunteer hours after a devastating tornado.

It is the West Side Alliance 3V3 tournament weekend so the soccer fields are packed. This is normal for Sand Springs. The WSA is one of the largest and most active soccer programs in the state.

The shaved ice banners are flying and the splash pad is open. A massive contribution from the Rotary Club and the nonprofit concession stand ran by WSA volunteers offer one of the best places in Sand Springs for kids to cool down and hang out.

Once you pass the hubbub of the Inez Kirk Soccer Complex, the park begins to quiet down.

The River City Trail winds along the river and with a little TLC along the shoreline, the park could easily be the premier viewing destination of the Great Raft Race 

I'm passing The Great Lawn and the new playground facilities now. For now the great lawn is a great mess, but soon enough it'll be a beautiful site to host concerts, festivals, and other community gatherings.

I stop at the playground to snap some pics and do a little playing of my own. It has been a year since Pokémon Go debuted, but it has managed to maintain its appeal for those of us who spent our childhood playing the games, collecting the cards, and watching the show. I battle the Gym located in the playground, then continue walking and hatching Pokémon eggs.

The restrooms are being updated and modern art is littered along the perimeter of the lawn. A minuteman stands to watch over the grounds, the mascot of Sand Springs. The amphitheater is exciting. I look forward to many great concerts here.

Once you pass the great lawn there's a boat ramp to the rive. The dam is open and the river is running. Not as uncommon as it used to be, but still a treat compared to the sandbars we're so used to. 

Volleyball courts have been here for ages, the Horseshoe pits have been relocated, and a Thunder Cares Basketball Court is being built.

I'm getting into the back of the park now. The Will Ramsey Softball Complex, the rodeo arena, the BMX track, and the disc golf course. Round Up Club volunteers are currently painting the facility in hopes of reversing a City Council decision to demolish it at the end of the season. The new disc golf course is nice. I've played it a couple of times now. 

I have reached the end of the park where it terminates beneath the Arkansas River bridge. The trail goes up the levee and meets Katy Trail allowing you to go into Prattville or back to Tulsa. The trail system will take you all the way to the new Gathering Place and beyond, though I don't see why anyone in Sand Springs would need to go that far when we have such a beautiful park right here.

Though the new additions are welcome, and the park has always had its flaws, the bones of the park will be the same in September as they were a year ago. Packed soccer, baseball, and softball fields. Tulsa's only BMX track, a uniquely wooded disc golf course, nearly a mile of river shore, playgrounds, a splash pad, and a well-paved and shaded trail. 

The $6 million renovation will bring improvements and additions to Sand Springs's flagship park, but a simple Saturday morning stroll more than shows that River City Park doesn't need a renovation to be one of Sand Springs's greatest assets.

Mike and Pat Case donate $2 million for massive park renovation; Sand Springs breaks ground

/

Mike Case gives an address at the Case Community Park groundbreaking ceremony. (Photo: Scott Emigh)

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

City of Sand Springs officials and Parks Department employees gathered together Tuesday morning at the Case Community Center to celebrate a new development in River City Park. The 100-acre park will receive a $6.2 million renovation thanks to Vision 2025 funding and a $2 million donation by Mike and Pat Case of Case & Associates. 

Artist rendering of the new Case Community Park entrance. (Courtesy)

What is currently known as River City Park is already the biggest park in Sand Springs and will soon become one of the nicest in Tulsa County thanks to Vision 2025 surplus funding and the Case family's benevolence. 

Tulsa County approved millions in surplus Vision 2025 sales tax funding for Sand Springs in February of last year and Case & Associates CEO Mike Case pledged an additional $2 million to fully fund the ambitious Sand Springs parks vision. 

Left to Right: Councilman Phil Nolan, Councilman Brian Jackson, Mayor Mike Burdge, Mike Case, Pat Case, Councilwoman Patty Dixon, Vice-Mayor John Fothergill, Councilman Beau Wilson. (Photo: Scott Emigh)

"This is only possible because of generous donors like Mike and Pat Case," said Sand Springs City Councilwoman Patty Dixon. "Even though Mike and Pat now reside in Tulsa, they have always considered Sand Springs home."

"I've always thought Sand Springs was a great place to live. I still do and I think it's getting better and better," said Mike Case. 

Artist rendering of the "Great Lawn" and amphitheater. (Courtesy)

Mayor Mike Burdge discussed the similarities in population and quality of living between Sand Springs and Broken Arrow when he was growing up. "What changed was the attitude of the leadership in the City," said Burdge. "If we can get this park to be a location spot, get stuff going on here every month...the possibilities are unlimited."

The park is already the home of the Sand Springs Soccer Club recreational league, the West Side Alliance competitive soccer league, Sand Springs Little League baseball and softball, the Round Up Club rodeo arena, and the Sand Springs BMX Association. The recent addition of the Rotary Club Super Splash Pad has rounded out what was already a destination park for many in the Sand Springs area. 

Planned layout for Case Community Park. (Courtesy)

The new funding will provide for the demolition of old structures and the construction of a new amphitheater. New sidewalks, signage, landscaping, and a large-scale entrance will add to the looks of the park.

Existing BMX track located in River City Parks. (Photo: Scott Emigh)

New sports facilities include two new youth baseball fields, a new tournament-sized soccer field, and a new half-court basketball court. An existing volleyball court will be renovated along with several horseshoe pits. The soccer fields, which currently have no special entrance, will receive a grand entry, as will the Jerry Adair Baseball Park, which is currently accessible only in a round-about way that requires leaving the park itself and driving down an industrial business road. An existing 18-hole disc golf course will be relocated deeper within the park in the area of the BMX track and Rodeo Arena. 

Accessibility will be a major feature of the new renovations, with drop-off locations throughout the park, new parking and lighting, and new park shelters and restrooms. Park beautification is also a major goal with plans for improved view of the Arkansas River, nearly a dozen custom art pieces laser cut in Corten Steel and illuminated at night, as well as a grassy area being dubbed the "Great Lawn." 

The Great Lawn will host a large outdoor pavilion and special event stage with remodeled restrooms and will be the premier viewing location for the annual Sertoma Fireworks Show, as well as will be the anchor location of the Chillin' and Grillin' Festival. 

Construction is already under way in Case Community Park. (Photo: Scott Emigh)

There will be a new playground constructed near the Rotary Super Splash Pad, which is already home to a large concessions building ran by Sand Springs Soccer Club President Jeremy Herrington. The concessions serves hot food and Harper's Hut Shaved Ice throughout the summer as a fundraiser for youth baseball and soccer. 

Public events like the Chilin' and Grillin' Festival, as well the newly revived Great Raft Race will be made even better due to new restroom housing, electrical power connections, water line service, and parking.

Parks Director Grant Gerondale expects the renovation to take about a year to complete.

City Council approves contract for new safety facilities and other news

/

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The Sand Springs City Council met in a regular monthly meeting Monday evening at the City Municipal Building. 

Brian Carr with the Tulsa Area United Way gave a brief presentation regarding the 2017 United Way Campaign in which the City of Sand Springs participates. 

The Council planned to present a plaque to AEP/PSO employees for their recent volunteer work in removing and replacing netting at the Canyons at Blackjack Ridge golf course. A lot of the netting was damaged in the March 2015 tornado that also devastated a pair of mobile home parks and the Jerry Adair Baseball Park. Several AEP employees volunteered their services to the extensive project over the last year. 

Blake Little, Jake Kinman, James Cooke, Ben Bryan, Chuck Bunch, and Joe Chambers worked on the project. "That's kind of what Sand Springs is; people just jump in and help when they're needed," said City Manager Elizabeth Gray. The volunteers were unable to attend the meeting but the Council plans to find another day to meet with them and thank them.

The City voted to unanimously approve the consent agenda which included six items considered to be routine. Part of the agenda included approval of a renewed contract with EMSA for emergency medical services. The cost of EMSA's services will increase by approximately 17.89%, but it is not expected to impact the City at this time. The City expected and budgeted for the increase in Fiscal Year 2016, but the increase never came to fruition. 

According to Mayor Mike Burdge, 4-5% is the typical increase. This year the increase is so high "due to general increases in operating costs and the impact of Medicaid cuts on patient receipts," says EMSA Chief Financial Officer Kent Torrence. Fire Chief Mike Wood still considers it to be a good deal compared to other options. 

SEE RELATED: Keri Fothergill appointed to Sand Springs Planning Commission

The Council approved a new 2017 Calendar Year schedule of regular meetings for the Council and Municipal Authority. The new schedule will have the Council meeting once per month, which will total twelve regular meetings as opposed to the current schedule of nineteen. This year the Council has meet twice per month with exception for the summer months (June July and August) and holiday months (November and December).

The meetings are to be held on the fourth Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m., the same time and day as they currently are. The meetings will be January 23rd, February 27th, March 27th, April 24th, May 22nd, June 26th, July 24th, August 28th, September 25th, October 23rd, November 27th, and December 18th. December 18th is the third Monday of the month, as the fourth Monday falls on Christmas Day. There will also be a special session held Monday, May 8th to swear in new council members.  

SEE RELATED: Sand Springs City Council members help fund Elementary field trip

The Council unanimously approved “a resolution affirming dilapidation public nuisance administrative hearing findings and authorization for the bringing of any action necessary in District Court.” The resolution applies to three dilapidated buildings slated for demolition sometime in October. The ten-day administrative appeals process expired without any appeals received and the property owners now have thirty days following the approval of the resolution to challenge the decision. The properties are located at 714 N. Washington Ave., 301 N. Franklin Ave., and 223 N. Industrial Ave.

SEE RELATED: Capital Homes to develop 87-lot housing addition in South Sand Springs

SEE RELATED: Sand Springs City Council approves new ordinance relating to false alarms

City Council unanimously approved a contract with Dewberry Architects for design of the new public safety facilities. In September of 2015 the citizens of Sand Springs voted to pass a dedicated sales tax to build new police, fire, courts, and 911 facilities.

The City is still looking at 129th and Wekiwa as the optimal location for the new facilities, but is open to other locations should a better situation present itself.

The Council unanimously approved Resolution 17-02, related to park funding and improvements.