The Stillwater Planning Commission voted 4-0 on November 4 to deny a map amendment that would have rezoned 802 Southwestern Road from small-lot single-family residential (RSS) to office (O), a change the applicant said was needed to build a medical office for Allora and the Oklahoma Arthritis Center.

The proposal drew lengthy public comment from neighbors who said the site drains toward a low-lying, flood-prone neighborhood and that Eighth Avenue — in places about 17 feet wide — cannot safely carry the additional traffic a commercial site would generate. Steven Gose, the applicant’s representative, told commissioners the client sought office zoning to build a single-story medical office and said the project would include required right-of-way dedications, sidewalks and stormwater detention.

Why it matters: residents and several commissioners said the parcel sits inside a longstanding residential neighborhood where recent flooding has caused property damage, and they questioned whether zoning the lot to office now would open Western and surrounding blocks to broader commercial change before the city has funded roadway improvements.

What staff said: staff told the commission that the proposed rezoning aligns with the future land-use map and that professional office uses are permitted in the O district. The applicant’s team said required site-level conditions — including a drainage study and on-site detention — would be part of any future permitting review. Steven Gose also clarified a technical point, saying, "the code definition of a lot coverage is the building footprint. It's not the total impervious area," in response to neighborhood concerns about surface runoff.

Neighbors’ concerns: a string of residents said the parcel’s conversion to office would worsen longstanding problems:

- Brian Correa, who lives at 2401 West Eighth Avenue, said the street is in "terrible condition," that flooding has occurred in past years and that routing commercial traffic through Eighth would create hazardous cut-through routes. He submitted written materials on flooding and roadway condition to the commission.

- Bobby Bonner (801 Wicklow Street) told the commission Eighth Avenue is only about 17 feet wide in front of his house and said "two cars cannot safely pass by each other"; he warned commercialization would conflict with the city’s stated goal of discouraging through traffic on local streets.

- Steve Trumpler (818 Wicklow Street) and others noted Eighth Avenue and adjacent Wicklow have experienced significant flooding (residents cited 2019 flood damage), and argued there are adequate commercial sites elsewhere and that the city should preserve the neighborhood’s housing stock.

Applicant reply and technical points: the applicant said the plat shows a public right-of-way of 33 feet for Eighth Avenue and that additional right-of-way dedication would be required if development proceeds. The representative said sidewalks would be added, a drainage study and on-site detention would be required and that initial traffic estimates for a medical office were "31 peak hour, 40 PM peak hour, trips." The applicant also noted office zoning would allow fewer uses than General Commercial and could act as a buffer between Western and homes to the west.

Commissioners’ reasoning: commissioners debated the timing and context of rezoning in an area that the comprehensive plan and the draft update envision as an eventual higher-intensity corridor. Several commissioners said they were sympathetic to the need for more local medical services but concluded the location’s infrastructure and flood history weigh against rezoning at this time. One commissioner cited the area’s existing walkability and local businesses and questioned whether this parcel should remain available for housing.

Formal action: a commissioner moved that "the map amendment is not approved for the property based on the impacts of the surrounding vicinity," the motion was seconded and passed 4-0, resulting in denial of the rezoning request. Staff’s recommendation had been to accept findings and recommend approval; that recommendation was not adopted.

What’s next: the decision by the Planning Commission is a recommendation to City Council; the applicant may revise the proposal, address neighborhood concerns, or pursue the matter before the council in a future hearing. Any future development would require standard site-level review, including a drainage study and right-of-way and sidewalk dedications.