Blackwell Planning Commission unanimously approves Doolin housing

The Blackwell Planning Commission met at 5 p.m. Wednesday night to discuss the controversial housing development on west Doolin Ave where, unanimously. they gave the approval for the Freedom Homes LLC housing plat which will ultimately go to the Blackwell City Council to decide on Thursday, October 7.

The plat, as explained, is a 3.7-acre subdivision that will be divided into 14 single-family residential lots conforming to the City of Blackwell's zoning and have 70 ft frontage with minimum lot areas of 9,000 square feet.

The agreement states that Freedom Homes will begin with the construction of four homes with significant room to develop if the venture is successful. This will be the first new housing development in Blackwell in over 30 years.

The 14-lot division's houses will face east and west towards 6th street and east towards 7th street and will not have an alley and instead have a 20-foot drainage and utility easement stretching from Almack Drive to the north down to Doolin Ave. The homes will have underground electrical and lines and street-side garbage pickup as well.

Mike Jeffers stated proudly that this agreement was a community-wide effort lead to bring housing to Blackwell and open the door (figuratively and literally) to new opportunities and to foster growth within the community, as new business ventures will be drawing in employees which, in turn, will need houses to live in.

The matter is still ultimately up to the Blackwell City Council- as of now, it only has the Planning Commission's recommendation.

The Blackwell City Council will meet at 6 p.m on Thursday, October 7.