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Report Comment
"I am pleased with the thought of the City encouraging Hillcrest and St. John's to have a small area plan. I am also pleased that this article mentions working with the stakeholders who will effected by such plans.
I am however concerned, since we are talking about two powerful institutions, that the neighborhoods have equal representation and influence at the planning table. Can lowly neighborhood advocates successfully argue logic and reason with lawyers, investors, developers and hospital administrators about such seemingly trivial things as historic preservation and mixed use infill with bureaucrats who may not understand the vision of PlaniTulsa? Who will educate them? Who will they listen to? Will they care?
Who will be in charge of the seeing that politics do not influence the planning process with these two institutions or anyone else? Who will represent the neighborhoods? Will they have a place at the table?
Did the Brady Village and Pearl District small area plans set a precedent for all others to follow? If so, then politics should have no place at the table. PlaniTulsa is our new comprehensive plan and it is the law.
Since these kind of growing pains seem inevitable, I wonder if the City going to hire a planning director or just hire outside firms to do our planning for us? If so, what will a planning director do once we hire one?
We already have a very capable planning department. They are just grossly understaffed.
Wouldn't it be more prudent to invest in Tulsa's future by expanding our existing planning department and hire planners who live and work in Tulsa? Wouldn't they have more of a stake in the outcome?
Besides, how do we know that an outside party will work in the best interest of everyone concerned and not just their client?
Who will be the advocate for neighborhoods?
The developers, lawyers, investors and hospital administrators?
I think not.
Dave Strader
The Pearl District, President
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