Members of Muskogee’s Urban Renewal Authority took a virtual tour of a portion of an area identified earlier as a potential project area.

The review of photographs and an aerial map of the targeted area was the first step of several that will be taken to determine whether the site qualifies for urban renewal.

In order to qualify, the authority must determine blight exists within the project area. A “blighted area” is defined by law as one in which there are properties that for one reason or another substantially impair or limit the sound growth of a municipality.

Authority members initially approved an area identified by former Mayor John Tyler Hammons as a possible project site. That area was bounded by Shawnee Bypass and Taladega Street on the north and south and Chicago and 11th streets on the east and west.

The area recently reviewed is bounded by Shawnee Bypass and Taladega Street on the north and south, Sixth Street on the west, and the mid-point between Reeves and Spruce streets on the east. City Attorney Roy Tucker’s presentation shows much of the area is overgrown and sparsely populated.

Of the 45 structures within the area, most of them residential, only about 68 percent are occupied. While some of the homes within the area are well-maintained, Tucker identified several properties in violation of city codes. Illegal dumping had occurred at three locations within the area reviewed Wednesday.

“This area certainly has not grown and has declined over the years,” Tucker said, referring to aerial maps from earlier eras. “This would help you in making a determination of blight.”

Tucker also noted sewer lines within the area are about 60 years old and have undergone no major repairs. While those facts may be indicative of blight, Tucker said the key factor to consider is whether the cumulative facts have “arrested development or growth” within the area.

Robert Goolsby, an authority member and Realtor, said public acceptance of the project might be easier if the panel established as many factors as possible before finding blight exists.

In other business, authority members identified an area that encompasses downtown Muskogee that might be considered for brownfield assessment.

Brownfields are areas where the presence or potential presence of pollutants, contaminants or other hazards inhibit redevelopment. Identifying brownfields is the first step in applying for and receiving funds for site assessment and cleanup of qualified projects.

The area proposed by City Manager Greg Buckley is bounded by Court and Callahan streets on the north, Elgin Street on the south, Cherokee Street on the east, and Sixth or Seventh streets on the west.

Authority members will continue their discussion regarding the urban renewal project area and brownfield assessment when they meet next month. The authority regularly meets at 10 a.m. on the third Wednesday of each month.

Reach D.E. Smoot at (918) 684-2901 or dsmoot@muskogeephoenix.com.