A 34.72-acre vineyard estate planned for east Edmond just cleared a major regulatory hurdle, but not without neighbors fighting to rein in its scale. The Edmond Planning Commission voted 3-0 on September 21 to approve a Planned Unit Development for Sixty Six Vines at 1017 South Westminster Road, attaching conditions that cap guest capacity at 450, restrict restaurant and lodging use to event guests only, and impose an 11 p.m. cutoff for live music Wednesday through Sunday.
The vote followed public hearings where neighboring residents raised concerns about traffic on rural roads, late-night noise, and the strain increased development could put on local wells and septic systems, according to Citizen Portal. City planning documents show developer Sixty Six Vines, LLC, owned by Rachelle Nugent, sought to rezone the site from General Agricultural to a custom PUD designation to allow a multi-use estate featuring an event center, tasting room, vineyard, and lodging villas north of East 15th Street. As The Oklahoman reports, the venue is now positioned as a potential wedding and special-event successor to Aspen Ranch, with sheep among the pastoral touches planned for the grounds.
Filling a Gap Left by Aspen Ranch's Exit
Aspen Ranch, a wedding venue, has announced it will stop hosting events after December 31, 2026, as its owning family prepares to sell the property. That closure leaves a void in Edmond's large-event market, and per the same Oklahoman report, Sixty Six Vines is expected to be ready months after Aspen Ranch departs — assuming the Edmond City Council grants final approval.
Sixty Six Vines is planned with interior spaces designed to seat up to 400 guests alongside a full dance floor and a live band stage. The parcel is planned for a multi-use estate with event, vineyard, and lodging uses.
Environmental Conditions Tied to Cross Timbers Forest
Beyond the noise and capacity limits, the city's PUD design guidelines require Sixty Six Vines to protect the surrounding Cross Timbers ecosystem. Developers must plant native oaks along the property boundary, with no single species making up more than 25% of those trees, and commit to a minimum three-year Plant Health Care monitoring program with quarterly evaluations. The site's native oak forest has reportedly been heavily encroached upon by eastern red cedar, making the forestry requirements a central piece of the approval.
Building permits for projects on the property were filed under applicant Zach Barton. The project is planned to include hospitality and event spaces.
A Route 66 Wine Country Vision
The developer's design statement describes Sixty Six Vines as an attempt to emulate Sonoma Valley wine country across 35 acres along historic Route 66 near Arcadia, blending agricultural uses with luxury retreat spaces. The concept reflects a broader push in central Oklahoma to pair land preservation with upscale travel destinations along the historic highway corridor.
The venture has also been building its local business ties ahead of launch. Sixty-Six Vines officially joined the Edmond Area Chamber of Commerce as a new corporate member in July, part of a wave that saw the chamber welcome 20 new business members that month.
Even with the Planning Commission's sign-off, the project's path forward isn't finished. The PUD recommendation now heads to the Edmond City Council for final approval, and the developer must still meet the conditions attached to the PUD as the project moves forward.
