Neighborhood Infill Overlay-2: Zoning Map Amendment for Dawson

The Tulsa City Council has initiated a zoning overlay to cover all properties bounded by E. Apache St., E. Pine St., N. Yale Ave., and N. Sheridan Rd. The proposed zoning overlay is an effort to remove barriers in the zoning code to the development of different residential building types and to address housing affordability.

In 2022, the Tulsa City Council adopted a Neighborhood Infill Overlay for several neighborhoods near downtown in order to address the need for “Missing Middle” Housing typologies. Missing Middle housing typologies are often similar in size to a detached house but have additional units: duplexes, multi-unit houses, townhouses, and even small-scale apartments. In August 2023, a similar overlay was added to the zoning code with some modifications, most notably to allow manufactured homes by right and to preserve the current parking requirements of the zoning code — initially intended to serve the Dawson area.

The final step in applying the overlay to the Dawson Neighborhood is the adoption of a zoning map amendment to establish the boundaries of the overlay zoning.

What is an Overlay?

As the name implies, overlay districts “over-lay” applicable base zoning district classifications to alter some or all of the base zoning district regulations that apply to particular sites.

Overlay zoning districts work to modify or supplement the regulations imposed by base zoning district when necessary to address special situations or accomplish specific goals.

Overlay zoning is intended to be used when the base zoning district applied to an area remains generally appropriate, but when an additional, modified, or eliminated requirement could help implement the city’s planning goals or address an area-specific planning, design, or land use regulation issue.

What would the Overlay do?

The overlay allows by default certain residential building types that would not normally be allowed under the base zoning districts. Housing types allowed by the overlay include:

• Detached houses
• Patio houses
• Townhouses
• Manufactured homes constructed in 2016 or newer
• Cottage houses
• Duplexes
• Multi-unit houses (3- and 4-plexes)
• Small-scale apartments/condos (limited to 6 units)
• Accessory Dwelling Units

Some lot and area regulations are also reduced to allow development on smaller lots:

• Home occupations are allowed by right
• Required setbacks for Industrial-light properties are reduced

Parking requirements are not reduced inside the overlay.

Feedback

If you wish to present or share any documents, written comments, or exhibits during the Planning Commission hearing, please submit them by 9:00 a.m. the day of the hearing. Remember to reference Case SA-7, and include your name and address.
Email: planning@cityoftulsa.org
Mail: TMAPC, 175 E. 2nd Street, Suite 480, Tulsa, OK 74103