We the Citizens of Tahlequah, Cherokee County, Oklahoma do Oppose 
Ordinance No. 1341-2022:

An ordinance that will change the zoning from Local Commercial District (C1) to General Commercial District (C2) for a Welding Supply Shop. As most they Carry supplies ⚠️ not only Dangerous but extremely Hazardous ⛔️ materials. Starting with ACETYLENE which has numerous hazards associated with it.

We don’t want a Residential + Historical  Area turned into a “Industrial Factory Area” with such Dangerous Chemicals on hand and in our community. This type of company should be out of the area of the city limits or IN THE INDUSTRIAL AREA that are totally away from our homes and historic legacies. 

We will not and cannot be protected by a so called fence when products carried are the same as rocket propelled in times of emergency. And to make claims “we’ve never had an accident, we won’t have an accident” things such as these are beyond the realm of being smart and safe! It’s those that don’t care. As accidents do occur and can occur. This type of business is a massive accident waiting to happen & the consequences would be horrible. Then you can’t take it back ever! 

The fake cries of if this doesn’t go through the city will lose revenue from sales tax if they don’t stay in the city limits, REDICULOUS!
All they saw were dollar signs! 
NOW if those associated with the SALES of BOTH PROPERTIES, YES your reading this right…BOTH PROPERTIES one to Cherokee Nation and the other in a RESIDENTIAL and HISTORICAL AREA were actually concerned over so called sales tax loss then the one owner knowing the Nation wouldn’t be contributing sales tax revenues to the said city.

YOU just CANNOT have your cake and eat it too!
Again, He shouldn’t of sold the location at, to a Native Tribe that will not have nor does contribute revenue to the City of Tahlequah he knew this before hand and shouldn’t now make such claims of “if we move out of the city limits you’ll lose revenue”.  {***Important Note: CN does & pays for other contributions of other things in the city & county}…..
Yet once again, Well they shouldn’t of sold them and plan to try and weasel into a residential and historic area. The sales company sold this parcel knowing full well the city wouldn’t be getting revenue from their buyer originally. And now they dare to cry Foul.

Seems several have shown a type of greed and stabbed the city and so called revenue they are now so worried about in the back. Some think they are entitled to everything as well their way all the time.

So, Let’s start with the community they now want to be in. 
First is an Elementary School Sequoyah full of innocent babies less than a block away to the southeast corner of College & Choctaw from the said old Reasors Red Bud Grocery located at 200 W. Choctaw & the corner of College. Any hazardous incident occurs this short distance away (the school where our children , grandchildren, friend’s children, teachers & staff attend as well work in the community. It is in that zone of footage danger from just a small leak) the Invisible as well Non-smelling ACETYLENE fumes can cause you to stop breathing leading to coma and probable death. 

We haven’t even gotten to the explosive factors. Right across the street from the old Reasors location is:

1) The Historic Thompson House (built 1882) for Dr. Joseph Thompson the First Cherokee Doctor!
In the opposite corner is the
2) At 121 West Choctaw is the Very First Masonic Lodge (built 1848) in Oklahoma and this was before Statehood.  

Behind the Original Reasors store lot is the 
3) Historic French-Parks House (built 1889 at 209 Keetoowah) for Dr. Thompsons daughter. The opposite corner is the grandparents home.
Historic Cherokee Indian Johnson Thompsons house he came one year before The Trail of Tears 1837 (left Georgia) (built 1880 at 127 W. Keetoowah).

Then just down the street another block are the Historic Cherokee Nation Buildings:
1869 built Cherokee National History Museum, 
1844 built Cherokee National Supreme Court Museum, 
1875 built Cherokee National Prison Museum along with many other historic homes on the National Registry & others that were hoping to get Historic Status. 

These Historic properties were here long before Statehood of Oklahoma on 16 November 1907. 

So many other Historic properties throughout our small town (city) of Tahlequah, one which is up the street built is The Alston-Bedwell House, built in 1906 at 315 State Ave., one year before we became a state.

Please speak up and step up to help save our Historic Community from destruction by unnecessary zoning changes. Company’s that deal with massive explosive materials aka: Projectile Objects as well Volatile Chemical gases & more need to be in a more out of the way area. 
Not in Residential, School Zones or downtown city BUISNESS locations putting Shoppers be them residents of the county, city or tourist in danger! 

We need to know our community is safe daily as we are in our offices, our babies are in school or on field trips to the local library or Thompson, French-Parks or other Historical Homes n Buisness Locations within our Town, City, County, State. As well when we lay our heads down at night we need to know we’re secure and our loved ones n friends are as we sleep. 

****Note it will also stop further deterioration of our roadways. Go see how horrible that section of road already is. Will the said “TENANT” per the planning heads own words. Not owner he said tenant!  Will they solely maintain these sections of roads their heavy trucks will be causing further deterioration? There architect photos show another story than has been told.

Please sign this page to let us present it to our city council members that we don’t want anymore changes in zoning of our Historic or town areas. This type of industrial business would be much better suited on the outer edge of the city not smack-dab in the center! 

Please note all of Cherokee County is asked to respond and pass this along to family and friends to get as many signatures as possible by Monday Nights Meeting of the City Council 
at 5:30 pm at 111 S Cherokee Avenue, Tahlequah, Ok., 

Thank you so much for caring for our community, our families and our Historic Past,Present and Future.