Edmond Residents Upset Over New Apartment Complex

By Rusty Surette, NEWS 9

EDMOND, Oklahoma -- Many Edmond residents showed up at City Hall Tuesday to protest plans for a new apartment complex.

The news of the complex has fired up dozens of people who live in the Coffee Creek addition of the city. The Edmond Planning Commission met at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday to discuss the proposed complex that may go up on land north of Covell Road between Boulevard Street and Kelly Avenue.

"I wouldn't expect a developer to be overly concerned about our losses of property value, the possible increase in crime or the overcrowding of schools," said Steve Adams, Coffee Creek resident.

After hearing from a number of opponents, the Edmond Planning Commission denied the land developer his request for an extension of undeveloped portions of the Coffee Creek Planned Unit Development, but since that's just a formal technicality, it doesn't mean the issue is dead.

Derek Turner with Turner and Company said the plans will now go before the city council despite what happened at the meeting and despite the repeated requests by residents to stop the project.

"Our plan is to develop it multi-family," Turner said. "It's like me coming in and saying I don't like what you're house looks like. I'd like you to change it."

Turner said when the area was zoned in 1996, there were plans to put multi-family structures in the area, but that was long before many of the Coffee Creek homes went up. Neighbors, who've hired an attorney to represent them, know they have a long road ahead.

"Edmond is a great community. There's a place for apartments. We just don't think that that's the proper place for an apartment," said Betty Cook, Coffee Creek resident.

Turner said he's been working with the residents and will continue to do so. He has already agreed to lower the number of units in the proposed complex from an estimated 500 to about 300.

The issue is scheduled to come up again at the next Edmond City Council on Monday, September 28.

More on News9.com: Residents Concerned Apartment Development Will Hurt Community