This website is designed to provide information to anyone interested in the City of Oklahoma City's Cloverleaf Drainage Project.
More specifically to express the views and concerns of the citizens who will be directly or indirectly affected by this project. We hope to have our voices heard and become part of the decision making process on the changes in our neighborhood.
There exists a long history of City involvement that originally began with a bond issue in 1968. The City has done nothing to finalize this project since then and has attempted only a few times to execute plans to curtail existing soil erosion and loss of private land. This project has now become the answer to the City's lack of planning in its commercial zoning efforts for the Integris health facility and other local retailers. We have been advised that this is a necessity to provide sufficient drainage for the Integris Center and other retailers. The homeowners that have lived in this area for a number of years have heard many things in regard to this creek, but only recently has the City decided to conclude its project with a much different agenda. What has gone from a local bond issue to protect public interest has become an issue of protecting a commercial planning issue. The City has also catered to the desires of our neighbors to the North, and they have designed a plan that allows for them to keep their existing natural environment while channeling the excess drainage underground.
Our concern over this project is based upon the following items:
Loss of trees, natural habitat and wildlife that has been in the area for many years.
Loss of noise control provided by trees and the natural surrounding creek bed.
Diminished property values.
Scorched earth. Destroying the beauty of an "inner city" neighborhood.
Tree removal. No communication with homeowners as to which trees might be removed and which trees could be saved.
Our homes do not flood so why are we losing the beauty of our area and the area to the North of us is being allowed an additional $1,000,000 to protect the beauty of their creek.
After getting our first glimpse of what was to come after the clear cutting of the trees surrounding the bridge on Villa, a neighborhood meeting was held to inform the homeowners of the plans to destroy our backyards. Regardless of what is to come, we want to voice our opinion and be a part of "Cloverleaf Drainage Project."
We propose that the City consider opening the means of communication and come to a reasonable conclusion that will be best for all parties involved. We would ask that the city provide to the homeowners directly affected the following:
No fence surrounding the creek.
Rock bottom versus concrete bottom.
Replacement of trees. Provide at minimum 10 trees back to each homeowner. The homeowner should be able to select their trees from the City's tree listing.
No scorched earth policy of removing all trees.
Meet the homeowners individually before removal of any trees.
We are trying to prevent the following.
Here are some more pictures of needless destruction!
