Why?

The City of Catoosa is the southern gateway into Rogers County and the first impression for travelers coming from the City of Tulsa and Oklahoma City. With total population of 7,440 and a total land area of 11.2 square miles, Catoosa is the second largest city within Rogers County. The name “Catoosa” is derived from the Cherokee meaning “on the hill.” Major employers are located within the city including the Hard Rock Casino, and the Port of Catoosa. Catoosa attracts many visitors with major tourist attractions including the Blue Whale and Gift Shop, and Historic Route 66. 

The City of Catoosa is currently working on its own Comprehensive Plan and updating its land development codes to modernize the way development is done within the city.  

Current plans located here 

Comprehensive Plan – https://cityofcatoosa.org/228/The-Comprehensive-Plan-2025 

“The Rogers County Comprehensive Plan is an exciting initiative that will benefit the whole region with a unified vision that will orient the community towards a goal.” 

Point of contact: Eddie Faulkner

The Town of Chelsea is the northern gateway into Rogers County and a major historical main street within the County. Situated along Route 66 and having one of the only underpasses within the historic route, the town makes for a great tourism attraction. With a population of 1,991, Chelsea is the third largest town in Rogers County and a major commercial hub for the region with a vibrant core.  

As a regional industrial hub with major railroad connections, Chelsea is ideally located for new development including residential, commercial, and industrial. Historically, Chelsea has seen many “firsts” including the first state bank on Indian territory and the first oil well in Oklahoma.  

“I am excited to share Chelsea’s perspective and help shape the future of Rogers County by preserving our rural and cowboy way of life.”  

Kenny Weast, Town Administrator 

Located in the Ozark Mountain foothills, Claremore is a city and the county seat of Rogers County in Green Country or northeastern Oklahoma, United States. Historically, the area was a reserve of the Cherokee Nation in what was known as the Cherokee Cooweescoowee District. It is also known as the home of the early 20th-century entertainer Will Rogers, Rogers State University and the award winning Will Rogers Stampede Rodeo. 

  The City of Claremore just recently passed their own Unified Development Code, which includes the creation of several distinct districts in the city: West Bend/University, Downtown/Route 66, Will Rogers Corridor, and Old Town, and is actively investing in numerous placemaking efforts to position the city as a quality of-life epicenter in Rogers County. 

 

Check out the various planning initiatives for Claremore, OK here. 

 

“Our UDC has several advantages over maintaining separate zoning and subdivision ordinances. First, it avoids overlapping, conflicting, or inconsistent requirements by providing one source for all standards and approval procedures. Second, the UDC is friendly for customers to use since they only need to become familiar with one set of standards. Finally, by incorporating all types of development, the UDC offers a more flexible and comprehensive approach to design, which leads to a more consistent treatment of different types of development.” Kyle Clifton, Director of Planning and Development 

 

Contact Kyle Clifton, Director of Planning and Development for more information – ext. 213 

The Town of Foyil is situated on Historic Route 66, halfway between Chelsea and Claremore. With a population of 368, Foyil is a small community that supports major employers in Chelsea and Claremore. Foyil provides a small town, rural feel that is the heart of Rogers County. 

The sense of community is strong within Foyil and a point of pride for the residents Route 66 is a major tourism attraction and Foyil provides a crossroads to reach Ed Galloway’s Totem Pole attraction. The town was named after Alfred Foyil, a local landowner and first postmaster.  

“The Community of Foyil is growing and being a part of the Rogers County Comprehensive Plan is helping us move our own community forward!” 

Jason Flores, Town Council  

The town of Inola is located in southeastern Rogers County with a population of 1,890. Inola has had major industrial development spurred by the Inola Port. Recently Sofidel has established itself as a major employer that has created jobs and infrastructure opportunities. 

The Comprehensive Plan was recently adopted to create a vision for the community and goals to achieve that vision.  

“My goal for the Rogers County Comprehensive Plan is to create a unifying vision for the county that takes into consideration the southeastern region of the county and its success.” 

Comprehensive Plan – https://bdf2f749-0acb-42f4-b51b-b28a98ba9535.filesusr.com/ugd/324566_341a3edc637d4ba88715fdb33ffdf52e.pdf  

Point of Contact: Larry Grigg, Inola Mayor  

The town of Oologah is located on the western side of Rogers County with a population of 1,305. Oologah is situated along a corridor that has seen substantial growth from the Owasso/Tulsa area. Recent renovations of historic buildings have created momentum in development that has been supported by the growth on this side of the County.  

Oologah and Talala boast a strong school district that attracts families from around the county as well as recreational activities located on the Oologah Lake.   

“The Rogers County Comprehensive Plan is a vital process that will guide the County for years, Oologah is excited to be a part of this important endeavor that will impact our residents.”  

Oologah Town Council Member 

Talala (Indian name meaning red-headed woodpecker) is a rural community located on highway 169 in the northwest part of Rogers County.  It was established in 1889-90 when the Indian Tribes were moved to Eastern Oklahoma during the Trail of Tears.  It was about this same time that the Arkansas and Kansas Valley Railway was completed and the town became a hub for cattle shipping.  Businesses moved in and the town was thriving between the 1890’s through 1920’s.   

It developed as a farming and ranching community and that way of life is still prevalent to this day.  It is a beautiful spot in green country with open spaces, ranches and farmland and quick access to a beautiful lake.  This is a peaceful small community that is a nice place to live to get away from the hustle and bustle of city living but with highway 169 it is a short trip to any of the larger towns you may need to visit.   

“Planning for the future is important to keep the spirit of the Town, its way of life, and still plan for the changes that will be forthcoming.  Change is inevitable and preparing for that change will allow growth in a direction as to keep past history while inviting new history to be made. Planning and preparation with community involvement is needed to put the vision in place for what we want our future town to be. “

Kandy Damron, Mayor Talala 

Located along historic Route 66 between Catoosa and Claremore, the Town of Verdigris is home to roughly 4,700 people according to the 2021 census. Verdigris was named after the nearby Verdigris River, so named by French Traders that settled in the area around the late 1700s.  Verdigris is part of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area but very much maintains a populated but rural feel to the community.  Despite the rural feel, the Town of Verdigris has a strong sense of community with most activities revolving around the local school, churches, and community sports leagues.    

Website:  www.townofverdigris.com  

 

“Verdigris is already a pleasant place to live and be a part of, with a lot of good, neighborly people. It’s a great mixture of new residents and families that have been here in Verdigris for generations. But as we look to the future, as a community, and as a member of Rogers County, it is important that we team up with our citizens and neighbors to develop plans to define what that future looks like. Plans that meet the existing and future needs of all citizens. As we grow and begin to take the next steps as a town, we look to our residents for ideas and inspiration.”

Mayor Keith Crawford 

 

The City of Owasso is located just north of Tulsa, Oklahoma in the northern half of Tulsa County and the western portion of Rogers County. The community began as a small settlement in 1881, located in the Cooweescoowee District of the Cherokee Nation, Indian Territory and since 1980, Owasso’s population has grown from just over 6,000 to over 35,000. Now a modern city with a variety of housing choices, shopping areas, medical offices, educational facilities, and office buildings, Owasso continues to be one of the fastest-growing communities in Oklahoma.

Community Vision here

Vision 2025 Projects here

Tulsa Ports encompasses two multi‐modal shipping complexes and industrial parks totaling approximately 5,000 acres. The Tulsa Port of Catoosa and The Tulsa Port of Inola are home to 71 companies that employ nearly 3,200 Oklahomans. Located at the head of navigation for the McClellan‐Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System in Northeast Oklahoma, the Tulsa Port of Catoosa is one of the largest, most inland river‐port/industrial parks in the United States. The Tulsa Port of Inola is a new, 2,500-acre, rail-served industrial property with land available in contiguous tracts up to 1,500 acres. Tulsa Ports is managed and operated by the City of Tulsa‐Rogers County Port Authority.

Our Mission: Tulsa Ports promotes job creation and investment for the Tulsa region and State of Oklahoma through industrial development as well as waterway and rail transportation.

The Cherokee Nation is a sovereign tribal government. Upon settling in Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma) after the Indian Removal Act, the Cherokee people established a new government in what is now the city of Tahlequah, Oklahoma. A constitution was adopted on September 6, 1839, 68 years prior to Oklahoma’s statehood.

Today, the Cherokee Nation is the largest tribe in the United States with more than 400,000 tribal citizens worldwide. More than 141,000 Cherokee Nation citizens reside within the tribe’s reservation boundaries in northeastern Oklahoma. Services provided include health and human services, education, employment, housing, economic and infrastructure development, environmental protection and more. With approximately 11,000 employees, Cherokee Nation and its subsidiaries are one of the largest employers in northeastern Oklahoma. The tribe had a more than $2.16 billion economic impact on the Oklahoma economy in fiscal year 2018.

MISSION: The Cherokee Nation is committed to protecting our inherent sovereignty, preserving and promoting Cherokee culture, language and values, and improving the quality of life for the next seven generations of Cherokee Nation citizens.

Chief Hoskin has provided the quote below regarding the Rogers County Comprehensive Plan:

“The rich cultural traditions combined with the economic driving forces that make up Rogers County make its communities indispensable to the Cherokee Nation Reservation.

The Rogers County Comprehensive Plan will help enhance fiscal growth in the region, ensuring a better tomorrow for our citizens who call the area home.”

Rogers County Industrial Development Authority

The RCDA assists businesses to develop, provide jobs and create economic, cultural and educational benefits for the residents of Rogers County. They provide assistance in: facility location and site searches, economic and demographic information, real estate and equipment finance, business start-up programs and small business development. The industrial authority serves all towns in the county including Catoosa, Chelsea, Claremore, Inola and Oologah.

“The comp plan and UDC will guide the County and Economic Development in making decisions regarding where development needs to be and where our weaknesses and strengths are.”

Point of contact: Debi Ward, Executive Director

Claremore Industrial and Economic Association (CIEDA)

The Claremore Industrial and Economic Development Authority (CIEDA) is a public trust organization formed in 1948 under Oklahoma state law established to make efficient use of economic resources and to stimulate economic growth and development for the City of Claremore and Rogers County. CIEDA facilitates the recruitment, retention, and expansion of primary industry jobs and expansion of the sales tax base through recruitment of new destination retail business.

“The comprehensive planning process strategically identifies and aligns the highest and best use of property. Through establishing the policy direction on paper and on purpose, Rogers County is provided a clear direction driven by a collaborative vision for where and how its economy is best suited to grow. CIEDA is proud to partner with Rogers County as it celebrates our positive existing attributes, as well as exciting offerings to come in the future.” – Meggie Froman-Knight

Contact Meggie Froman-Knight, Executive Director for more information.