ARDMORE, Oklahoma (KXII) – For years, the city of Ardmore has worked to bring its downtown back to life – but now some business owners have a problem with their new neighbor.
Epic Charter Schools was Oklahoma’s first virtual charter school, but its past is marked by controversy.
Epic was fined by the state government and its founders were arrested for embezzlement and organized crime, among other charges.
But then there was a change in leadership and Epic continued to grow.
Today, nearly 30,000 students attend Epic online, and while most of the class work is done virtually, sometimes students and teachers need to meet in person.
Now Epic wants to open its next in-person meeting center in downtown Ardmore.
The problem is that the city center is zoned for commercial businesses, but Epic is an educational business.
“I love Epic, I think there’s a place for Epic in Ardmore, I definitely believe that,” said Jessica Scott, Ardmore’s community development director. “I would love to see their facility in my town, but not there.”
Having students enter and exit the building would impact the business opportunities of surrounding businesses.
“If there was an educational facility in that area, the ABLE (Oklahoma Alcoholic Beverage Laws Enforcement Commission) would limit liquor licenses for such establishments to a 300-foot radius,” Scott said.
For this reason, the city held a public hearing on Thursday where business owners could voice their opinions.
“It gives everyone a chance to voice their opinion because it takes a group of people to make the right decisions,” Scott said. “Sometimes it takes all those different voices.”
Some property owners supported the school because they believed it would bring more people downtown.
Others argued that the building would be better used for retail and restaurants and would not affect other businesses’ ability to sell alcohol.
The final decision will be made by the Ardmore City Commission on September 3rd and it will either approve or deny the permit application.
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