With MAPS 4 Beautification initiatives and more emphasis on the issue OKC seems to be moving in the direction of being more mindful of aesthetics.

The council is set to implement new measures to deal with rundown signs:


Old and rundown signs could soon be gone with the city's first significant update to the sign code in over a decade.

The code update comes as a part of Plan OKC, which serves as the city's guide for policy, infrastructure, and planning decisions.

"One reason we're updating it now is because our comprehensive plan that was adopted in 2015," said Oklahoma City Assistant Planning Director, Lisa Chronister. "One of its policies included their policies for community appearance and for us to address the sign codes."

Officials hope the new code will help improve the city's appearance.

"The biggest impact we hope is that community appearance as you're driving around, we hope you'll see fewer dilapidated signs, those are the signs with you know where the cabinet is busted out and there are wires hanging. Those should be removed over time," Chronister said.

Part of the new update gives the city the power to forcibly remove those signs.

"After a series of meetings, public notices meetings, city council meetings, then the city could go in and remove the signs," said Chronister.


- read more here: https://okcfox.com/news/local/oklahoma-city-changing-sign-code-to-improve-citys-appearance-plan-okc-eyesore-oklahoma-city-council-billboards-pole-signs-monument-signs-art-murals#

Now if only we can stop the signs on every corner. The "we buy houses", "cheap divorce", "gun show at the Fairgrounds", etc. True sign pollution on so many corners.

nm

Article from the Oklahoman: https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/local/oklahoma-city/2022/10/07/okcs-appearance-could-improve-with-these-5-proposed-sign-code-changes/69536213007/

Beautification initiatives can't come soon enough. I was back in OKC last weekend for the first time in about a year and it was just jarring - the general "unkempt" nature of the roadways. It's a shame because the city is moving forward in so many respects and has such a great momentum but it's just so "tacky" looking. Case in point, Memorial Road/Turnpike from Penn to Lake Hefner Parkway. Trash piled up along the sides of the road, dilapidated chain link fence, scrawny attempts at landscaping that look so haphazard and overgrown, and this in one of the strongest demographic areas of the metro. Not that demographics of the area should matter, the whole city just really needs a "freshening up" in the worst possible way. And this is something that should be fixable with some TLC. It's not like economic development, education or other seemingly intractable problems that require brainpower, luck, and years of work. Beautification should be relatively easy with some money and effort.

Beautification initiatives can't come soon enough. I was back in OKC last weekend for the first time in about a year and it was just jarring - the general "unkempt" nature of the roadways. It's a shame because the city is moving forward in so many respects and has such a great momentum but it's just so "tacky" looking. Case in point, Memorial Road/Turnpike from Penn to Lake Hefner Parkway. Trash piled up along the sides of the road, dilapidated chain link fence, scrawny attempts at landscaping that look so haphazard and overgrown, and this in one of the strongest demographic areas of the metro. Not that demographics of the area should matter, the whole city just really needs a "freshening up" in the worst possible way. And this is something that should be fixable with some TLC. It's not like economic development, education or other seemingly intractable problems that require brainpower, luck, and years of work. Beautification should be relatively easy with some money and effort.

I will add to this the multiple - probably 30 to 40 - once l started looking for them, abandoned light poles that have been laying on ROWs for months. This is inexcusable.

This is almost hilarious regarding some sort of beautification projects....we can't even keep streetlights on for any length of time. It seems keeping streetlights on would be simple compared to a city beautification program. Good luck.

Beautification initiatives can't come soon enough. I was back in OKC last weekend for the first time in about a year and it was just jarring - the general "unkempt" nature of the roadways. It's a shame because the city is moving forward in so many respects and has such a great momentum but it's just so "tacky" looking. Case in point, Memorial Road/Turnpike from Penn to Lake Hefner Parkway. Trash piled up along the sides of the road, dilapidated chain link fence, scrawny attempts at landscaping that look so haphazard and overgrown, and this in one of the strongest demographic areas of the metro. Not that demographics of the area should matter, the whole city just really needs a "freshening up" in the worst possible way. And this is something that should be fixable with some TLC. It's not like economic development, education or other seemingly intractable problems that require brainpower, luck, and years of work. Beautification should be relatively easy with some money and effort.

^^
I've always, always said that this city is ugly with jewels scattered about. The problem is the city spends so much money on making new things gorgeous, then never or hardly ever maintains it and it becomes ugly. It's everywhere. I've always thought it was crazy that ODOT spends so much on right of way to have to mow when they can make interchanges with no grass -- see highways and interchanges in the DFW metro area for example. No grass to have to mow. Meanwhile here, look at the new I-44/I-235 junction -- grassy knolls everywhere that they won't mow and it'll one day turn ugly.

It's going to take time, OKC is moving in the right direction especially with the dilapidated sign enforcement.

The best thing to do is be a squeaky wheel. It works! I am on the Action Center https://www.okc.gov/residents/action-center ALL THE TIME reporting "Uncontained/Loose Trash" and Potholes, etc. They are actually very responsive to this reports. Sometimes they have potholes filled in less than 24 hours. I email ODOT all the time (mpr@odot.org) with concerns on the local interstates and they, too, are surprisingly responsive. And here is the link to report concerns to the Turnpike Authority https://oklahoma.gov/ota/contact-us/problem-report-form.html Haven't used this much, because usually the pikes are in pretty good shape. I email the City of Edmond all the time too with concerns. They all probably know me by name! Haha. But, hey, that's why the contact channels are there, right? My advice is just communicate! They can't do anything if they don't know a problem is there.

The best thing to do is be a squeaky wheel. It works! I am on the Action Center https://www.okc.gov/residents/action-center ALL THE TIME reporting "Uncontained/Loose Trash" and Potholes, etc. They are actually very responsive to this reports. Sometimes they have potholes filled in less than 24 hours. I email ODOT all the time (mpr@odot.org) with concerns on the local interstates and they, too, are surprisingly responsive. And here is the link to report concerns to the Turnpike Authority https://oklahoma.gov/ota/contact-us/problem-report-form.html Haven't used this much, because usually the pikes are in pretty good shape. I email the City of Edmond all the time too with concerns. They all probably know me by name! Haha. But, hey, that's why the contact channels are there, right? My advice is just communicate! They can't do anything if they don't know a problem is there.

Yeah, not wrong. I turn in graffiti anytime I see it and the places usually have a notice taped to the door next time I go by.

^^
I've always, always said that this city is ugly with jewels scattered about. The problem is the city spends so much money on making new things gorgeous, then never or hardly ever maintains it and it becomes ugly. It's everywhere. I've always thought it was crazy that ODOT spends so much on right of way to have to mow when they can make interchanges with no grass -- see highways and interchanges in the DFW metro area for example. No grass to have to mow. Meanwhile here, look at the new I-44/I-235 junction -- grassy knolls everywhere that they won't mow and it'll one day turn ugly.

I agree with all of this. It definitely seems like lack of proper maintenance is a big issue. I think all the time when I'm driving around it would be amazing if grass was mowed and trimmed regularly. That alone would make a huge difference. Combine that with street cleaning and a lot of the unkempt look would be gone.

Lack of maintenance is a big issue, possibly the biggest. But it's not the only issue. They also don't design roadways and junctions to include many landscaping elements to begin with. Probably so they won't have to maintain them.

There are a lot of barren expanses. It's amazing what simple tree planting would do over time.

Speaking about landscape elements that have been designed at various roadways and junctions. What good does it do if the landscape elements have been installed but then the irrigation systems are not turned on during the dry and hot periods that happen from time to time. So the new and existing landscaping is allowed to die. Creating another round of tax payer expense for clean out and replacement or just clean out. I recently asked one of the city counselors the direct question of who was responsible for turning on the irrigation systems, that I was concerned we were allowing the landscaping that taxpayers paid for to just wither away and die. He did not have too much concern or interest, His reply was very cavalier. Call the Action Line.

Now if only we can stop the signs on every corner. The "we buy houses", "cheap divorce", "gun show at the Fairgrounds", etc. True sign pollution on so many corners.

It's my pet peeve. If there's no one behind me, I put my car in park and grab these and toss them in my car. If the gun show or stump removal guys want to come find me, go for it. Stop trashing the city.

It's my pet peeve. If there's no one behind me, I put my car in park and grab these and toss them in my car. If the gun show or stump removal guys want to come find me, go for it. Stop trashing the city.

You’re doing the Lord’s work!

While at a OKC intersection, the car next to me threw out a half filled 32oz plastic Oncue cup out their window into the street. I yelled, "are you serious? That's disgusting". They responded, "mind your own business"...then flipped me off and drove away. Sadly, it seems a lot of people don't give a sh*t how trashy the city is.

I’ve never understood the throwing litter out of your window. Does it actually hurt you to let your trash sit there until you get to your destination where there will almost for sure be a trash can? Why do you have to throw it away the second you get done with it? Why not put a small trash can/bag in your car if throwing it away as soon as you’re done with it is such a priority to you?

Not to mention, if you’re throwing something out in the middle of an intersection, it quickly does become my problem because then either I or someone else has to pick it up, or I and hundreds/thousands others have to see it when we drive past it, or someone drives over it and crumbles it into the roadway where it stays until a rain washes it away or it disintegrates over time, or it blows into the grass/ditch next to the roadway where it stays until someone picks it up or the wind eventually carry’s it out of sight, etc etc. The second you toss it from your car into a public roadway, it becomes everyone’s problem. You’ve got to be all kinds of disgusting, selfish, short sighted, careless, lazy, and other degenerate things to toss stuff out of your window while driving down the road instead of gathering it together when you get home and putting it in your trash can or putting it in the trash when you get gas or cleaning out your car when you go to wash it. I mean there’s a plethora of options that might require slightly more effort than rolling down your window and tossing, but they’re not that much harder and just require a slight amount of concern for things besides yourself.

I’ve never understood the throwing litter out of your window. Does it actually hurt you to let your trash sit there until you get to your destination where there will almost for sure be a trash can? Why do you have to throw it away the second you get done with it? Why not put a small trash can/bag in your car if throwing it away as soon as you’re done with it is such a priority to you?

Not to mention, if you’re throwing something out in the middle of an intersection, it quickly does become my problem because then either I or someone else has to pick it up, or I and hundreds/thousands others have to see it when we drive past it, or someone drives over it and crumbles it into the roadway where it stays until a rain washes it away or it disintegrates over time, or it blows into the grass/ditch next to the roadway where it stays until someone picks it up or the wind eventually carry’s it out of sight, etc etc. The second you toss it from your car into a public roadway, it becomes everyone’s problem. You’ve got to be all kinds of disgusting, selfish, short sighted, careless, lazy, and other degenerate things to toss stuff out of your window while driving down the road instead of gathering it together when you get home and putting it in your trash can or putting it in the trash when you get gas or cleaning out your car when you go to wash it. I mean there’s a plethora of options that might require slightly more effort than rolling down your window and tossing, but they’re not that much harder and just require a slight amount of concern for things besides yourself.

Many people have no pride in their community, and probably themselves, if they spew trash. It is usually a lazy gesture with little care for anyone else. You can't rehabilitate or instill pride in people who are too undisciplined and caring to have any.

It doesn’t bother me so much when people litter in cities(no I don’t litter) but I will say something if I see someone do it in a national park or forest. People are going to litter in cities. That’s just part of it. It sucks but minding your own business is probably the best way to go about it. Pick your battles, IMO.

It doesn’t bother me so much when people litter in cities(no I don’t litter) but I will say something if I see someone do it in a national park or forest. People are going to litter in cities. That’s just part of it. It sucks but minding your own business is probably the best way to go about it. Pick your battles, IMO.
Yes, disrespecting and trashing up a coyote’s habitat is terrible, but disrespecting and trashing up your neighbor and fellow citizen’s’ habitat is okay…don’t make a fuss.

I would like to see the city along with OCPD and possibly OG&E (because they are linemen) to implement a task force that would remove the lace tied sneakers hanging from the electrical/utility lines that are a symbol for illegal drug dealing in the area close to those locations. It would be nice if the city/OCPD could geo-locate these symbols with GIS and create a map to use for drug enforcement task force teams and put pressure in those locations to drive out drug dealers.

Maybe it already exists, but I think that OKC could really benefit from a tree-planting program similar to Tulsa's Up With Trees. Having trees around every highway on/off ramp improves aesthetics more than you would think.

Agree with a lot of the posts. The sign ordinance is a great start! OKC needs to implement to plant "lots" of trees and have better streetscaping and placemaking in place. It would be great if MAPS 5 gets passed that it will be dedicated to repaving every single street in "concrete" and the continuation of sidewalks plus have a endowment for permanent upkeep.

I agree with the common area tree planting throughout the city (including medians, Highway right-of-ways, parks, etc:) However (and I've noticed this several times), once trees and shrubs are planted, there's no one maintaining them, I personally would rather see bare, open land, then land covered with dead trees!

I agree with the common area tree planting throughout the city (including medians, Highway right-of-ways, parks, etc:) However (and I've noticed this several times), once trees and shrubs are planted, there's no one maintaining them, I personally would rather see bare, open land, then land covered with dead trees!

And that is the key. I know it is in the city code to have landscaping, but I feel as though only a small percentage actually take care of the landscaping (trees especially) after they are planted. Around here one MUST use a GatorBag for two years (filling weekly) or have irrigation watering a new tree to enable it to establish and survive. There is just not enough regular rainfall to plant it and forget it--you just can't around here. So that is the big problem. Once the trees are planted according to code, then they are left to fend for themselves which more times than not means death. This is a MAJOR pet peeve of mine.

How were the trees in the medians at l35 and Turner Turnpike treated? That has been very successful.

I don’t know why xeriscaping/rock gardens havnt been used for right of way beautification. It requires very very little upkeep and no watering. No mowing. Just some weed treatment every so often.

I wish palm trees could grow here, xeriscaping looks so good with a mix of palms and cacti.

How were the trees in the medians at l35 and Turner Turnpike treated? That has been very successful.

I am led to believe those trees are treated and maintained privately, or possibly sponsered by the Kirkpatrick family since there's a wooden Kirkpatrick tree farm sign or something like that posted there.

Don’t know if this is the correct thread for this but has anyone else noticed the tremendous amount of trash strewn along the roadways throughout the city? I get it’s windy, but it it just seems like a massive amount of garbage is basically everywhere, especially along major arterial roadways. It’s gross and embarrassing.

Don’t know who or what is in charge of this or if anything can truly be done about it from a city level but it’s really sad to see.

Yes Jake, it's noticeable. It starts in the parking lots of large stores and strips malls--people who don't give a hoot--think they are
so clean, so they dump their trash from their vehicles into the parking lots and streets. Our high winds this time of year helps spread what people don't secure.

I keep plastic bags in my car to put trash until I can discard it once I arrive at my destination.

Let's all take pride in our city, take care of your personal trash--because we see many of the parking lots being cleaned prior to opening. We can all help.

You're correct Jake, it's gross and embarrassing.

I think what happens is they pick up the trash before mowing is done.

When is the last time they mowed ?

I don't know, when the mow they seem to just shred the trash and spread it out in pieces as a result. I have always thought "Why don't they do a quick litter clean-up before they start mowing to prevent just shredding into pieces.

Every year about this time--near the end of winter and early spring--I really notice the build up of litter, too! It's bad right now. Pretty much everywhere--from the interstates to the 'burbs--heck even in my own subdivision (I pick up trash on my nightly walk all the time). This is our windiest time of year, so there's that factor, too. Without the regular landscape work going on on private and public property this time of year and just less people being out due to the season, it builds up along fence lines, in medians, etc. As I have said here before, write emails! I have been writing the City of Edmond, the City of OKC, and ODOT recently about just this problem. The more people write, the more they might be inclined to take action. During the warmer months, litter crews on the interstates do a pick up about every couple of months along all stretches in the metro, is what I observe.

I hate seeing trash all over the place. Unfortunately, that's just about anywhere because a lot of people have no common sense or decency.

For those old enough to remember this anti-littering campaign, serendipitous appearance in the news this week as the campaign is retired.https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/native-advocacy-group-retire-crying-indian-anti-pollution-ad-rcna72398

Things are looking particularly sh*tty lately. Noticed it over the last few weeks.

It is kinda ironic that OKC Mayor David Holt always gets compliments from outside visitors to the city commenting on how clean the city is from an outsider's perspectives view. See below from Chat he had with Steve Lackmeyer. I was .in OKC 2 weeks ago and saw tons of litter and trash blowing everywhere. Sad how lazy people are and have absolute no pride in the city.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/news/okc-central-live-chat-with-the-oklahomans-steve-lackmeyer/ar-AA17zC0l

Trash is in every city. It doesn’t bother me much. It’s whatever. City needs to clean up not rely on people to not litter or have ridiculous fines for those that do.

Trash is in every city. It doesn’t bother me much. It’s whatever. City needs to clean up not rely on people to not litter or have ridiculous fines for those that do.

This is true. We are all bothered by what we see in our hometown, but because it bothers me so much I specifically look for it in other cities and we certainly are not alone! St. Louis, Chicago, Portland, and Boston had plenty of litter too. Knoxville and Ft. Worth were two cities that were pretty clean! The cleanest place I visit on an annual visit is New Hampshire, but they have like 9 people and a moose, so you know...

I volunteer to clean litter around Mulholland and many valley roads. It doesn’t matter what you do as soon as you clean it is as dirty the next day. Someone has to do it though! I don’t litter myself(I used to) but I don’t get mad at anyone who does anymore unless it’s in a national/state park/forest etc.

What a bizarre take for someone claiming to volunteer and clean up litter. I literally have never seen someone advocate for getting rid of littering fines. The only scenario I can think of is if someone lowered their window while driving and a piece of trash accidentally flew out. That to me, is obviously not the same as someone who is driving around with loose trash in a truckbed or someone purposely tossing items out of a window.

PluPan, you are easily the most interesting person on this board.

^^^ ideally people wouldn’t do it. What I mean is that I clean up litter so often there is no way you are going to stop people littering. So many people do it. It’s unreal. I do it on Mulholland because that’s my all time favorite road so I like to do what I can to keep it clean. I’ve seen police litter.

The fine issue is more about making sure the wrong people who are low income/homeless aren’t targeted keeping or putting them in a cycle they can’t get out of. $100 makes sense. $1000 doesn’t.

Many times I've seen trash blow out of a pickup bed driving down a highway. People need to be more responsible.

I would be willing to bet that the largest percentage of litter is from:

1) trash cans that blow over/overstuffed trash bins at gas stations
2) dumpsters that do not have lids that are closed / construction dumpsters
3) blown out of landfills/blown out of trash bins as they are being dumped into trucks

I feel pretty confidant that individual littering amounts to a very small percentage of the actual amount of free trash roaming around.

I don't think OKC has this problem as much as other cities but the amount of trash produced by homeless encampments and people living in RV's behind warehouses is absolutely appalling. If you take the A Line train from Denver International into downtown Denver you get a very good indication of what I mean.

Many times I've seen trash blow out of a pickup bed driving down a highway. People need to be more responsible.

^100% That is pure laziness. "Oh I'll just toss my Sonic bag back here after lunch and...poof...by the time I get home tonight, trash is gone! How convenient!" :mad:

I would be willing to bet that the largest percentage of litter is from:

1) trash cans that blow over/overstuffed trash bins at gas stations
2) dumpsters that do not have lids that are closed / construction dumpsters
3) blown out of landfills/blown out of trash bins as they are being dumped into trucks

I feel pretty confidant that individual littering amounts to a very small percentage of the actual amount of free trash roaming around.

^Also agree with this.

I don't think OKC has this problem as much as other cities but the amount of trash produced by homeless encampments and people living in RV's behind warehouses is absolutely appalling. If you take the A Line train from Denver International into downtown Denver you get a very good indication of what I mean.

Yes! I was just thinking about this driving around last night in relation to this thread. Areas with a large homeless population have far more litter, too. Take a look at some of the more popular panhandling corners in the city (NW Expy/Lk. Hef. Pkwy, Penn/Memorial) and you see trash left behind ALL THE TIME. It is a major contributor where there is a large homeless presence to be sure.

Yes! I was just thinking about this driving around last night in relation to this thread. Areas with a large homeless population have far more litter, too. Take a look at some of the more popular panhandling corners in the city (NW Expy/Lk. Hef. Pkwy, Penn/Memorial) and you see trash left behind ALL THE TIME. It is a major contributor where there is a large homeless presence to be sure.

Western Ave and Reno under OKC Blvd area is bad too, but a group does go out couple times a week to pick it up.

I volunteer to clean litter around Mulholland and many valley roads. It doesn’t matter what you do as soon as you clean it is as dirty the next day. Someone has to do it though! I don’t litter myself(I used to) but I don’t get mad at anyone who does anymore unless it’s in a national/state park/forest etc.

That's great. You're not alone in wanting to do something like that. A man who lives in the 39th St. neighborhood has volunteered for at least several years to clean up the messes left there, much of it by homeless people. Sometimes his son helps him. Channel 4 even gave him a pay it forward $400 award a couple years ago.

https://kfor.com/news/pay-it-4ward/an-oklahoma-man-spends-his-free-time-on-trashy-street-corners-and-in-filthy-alleys-heres-why/

Yes, overall the city is an ugly mess. For example, exit off of I-40, any exit downtown, and there’s litter, gutters filled with gravel and sand, rubber tire pieces, etc., the grass is usually dead in the summer, no landscaping, no trimming where the grass may be growing, I could go on and on! My suggestion would be to take a portion of the next MAPS bond issue and dedicate it for pure maintenance and beautification…long term. We continue to build, build, build and nothing is ever maintained!

Plant enough trees, keep them watered, trimmed, healthy and free from people setting up camps under them and you won't need to mow under them. Establishing a sufficiently funded "Dept. Of Beautification" through a MAPS type of program with an active charitable fund raising program could change things dramatically.

Yes, yes and yes!

Yes, overall the city is an ugly mess. For example, exit off of I-40, any exit downtown, and there’s litter, gutters filled with gravel and sand, rubber tire pieces, etc., the grass is usually dead in the summer, no landscaping, no trimming where the grass may be growing, I could go on and on! My suggestion would be to take a portion of the next MAPS bond issue and dedicate it for pure maintenance and beautification…long term. We continue to build, build, build and nothing is ever maintained!

Have to disagree on the new boulevard, It's landscaped, with sprinkler system and it's maintained. May not be the greatest but it's not bad.