Some Tulsa homeowners are frustrated by Tulsa's planning commission

Wednesday, February 25th 2004, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

The Tulsa planning commission frustrated another group of citizens Wednesday afternoon, by delaying action on an item a lot of people were watching. News on 6 reporter Emory Bryan has the story.

The planning commission meets in the city council chamber - but in some ways their work affects people more directly. Citizen: â€œWe need to be buffered we don't need to be just another forgotten neighborhood here in Tulsa.â€

It was the planning commission that decided it was 'ok' to build a bank near homes at 71st and Harvard. The neighbors filed a lawsuit over it because they think the planning commission ignored them.

Now the commission wants to change some of the rules about protests - in a way that looks like they're removing a last chance for the council to undo their decisions.

The homeowners around 71st and Harvard want to make sure the city council preserves their right to protest future zoning decisions. They're fresh off a losing battle so when they didn't get answers in here, they went to see the mayor.

The group was angry because the commission suddenly delayed discussion on the change. The citizens had wasted an afternoon for nothing. They marched up to the mayorâ€™s office hoping for a meeting but he was out.

Steve Denney, homeownerâ€™s representative: â€œWe've now conveniently had the whole thing tabled until after the city elections and we don't when it will be coming up again.â€

Janet Hasegawa, homeowner: "People made sacrifices to be here and to try and engage in the process and hear their voices heard."

The planning commission's work won't go unnoticed again anytime soon. A lot of people are watching their work - and some don't like what they see.