Bixby City Leader Weighs In On Controversial Housing Plan

Bixby City leaders want to set the record straight about a controversial housing development plan.

Bixby's City Manager said Monday night's city council meeting left some misunderstandings.  

City leaders have been in talks about a proposed housing development plan for months.

It's a residential subdivision at the intersection of one hundred 61st and memorial, and if the project is approved, more than 500 new homes will be built over 10 years.

But some residents worry it could cause flooding in existing neighborhoods.  

City Manager Jared Cottle said there are facts of the project that some have overlooked.

While there are rumors on social media that the city council initially voted the project down, Cottle said that's not true. 

The council did vote 2-1 against the plan but Bixby law requires at least three votes for a proposal to be approved or rejected. 

Some Bixby residents were also concerned that public money is going to be used for the project.

But, Cottle said that is not the case.  

"Not public money," Cottle said. "This is a public-private partnership and on the private side, they are adding their funding to our project."

The city council has to vote for the project two separate times in order for the development to be approved.

They gave the initial approval on Monday. The final vote is April 24.