ZCA-37

Several zoning code amendments related to housing (ZCA-25) went into effect in December 2024. As part of those amendments, cottage house developments were added to the allowed building types in the RS-5 district, but the residential use table was not updated to reflect the change. In addition, footnotes in use tables that referenced accessory dwelling units (ADUs) were removed throughout the zoning code because ADU use allowances are regulated in Chapter 45. This unintentionally removed references to ADUs being allowed by right in the Neighborhood Infill Overlay and the Neighborhood Infill Overlay – 2. These changes correct those two oversights.

In residential districts, required setbacks are established from arterial and non-arterial streets. Detached houses and duplexes on corner lots have a reduced side street setback of 15 feet along non-arterial streets.

The board of adjustment regularly considers and approves variance requests to reduce side street setbacks on arterial streets. Since 2016, 10 variances and 3 administrative adjustments have been approved to allow corner lots to have side arterial street setbacks of 15 feet or greater. This change would allow for a reduced side setback of 15 feet regardless of the street classification.

This set of changes relates to mixed-use districts. The first would remove references to comprehensive plan designations in the mixed-use district purpose statements. When planitulsa, the city comprehensive plan, was updated in 2023, land use designation names were updated, and some designations were combined or removed. The purpose statements for mixed-use zoning districts were not updated and now refer to land use designations that no longer exist.

The second proposed change would reduce the minimum ground floor ceiling height from 14 feet to 12 feet. The Tulsa Planning Office has received feedback on several projects that a minimum ground floor ceiling height of 14 feet complicates the design of buildings in mixed-use districts and, in some cases, has discouraged applicants from rezoning to a mixed-use zoning district. A primary issue is building code requirements for stairs. The International Building Code (IBC 2018 Section 1011.8) limits the vertical rise of each flight of stairs to 12 feet. A 14-foot ceiling height would require a second flight of stairs with a landing, increasing costs and taking up additional space.

Most office and commercial districts require lots to have at least 50 feet of street frontage. Townhouses, which are allowed in all commercial and office districts, are typically between 15 and 25 feet wide. Applying the minimum street frontage requirement to individual townhouse units makes it infeasible to build 3+ unit townhouses. This change would allow the minimum street frontage to apply to the townhouse development rather than individual townhouse units. The same standard already applies in residential districts where townhouses are allowed.

Daycares are considered Public, Civic and Institutional uses. In the AG and AG-R district use table (Table 25-1), daycares are listed under the Commercial use category. This change moves daycare uses to the Public, Civic and Institutional use category in Table 25-1.

These changes update the descriptions of two uses to provide clarity. First, the definition of a Transitional Living Center is unnecessarily specific about the populations served at the centers and prescribes a 120-day time frame, which no other group living use includes. Proposed is a simplified definition. Second, the definition for the Vehicle Sales and Service use category is confusing, and it is unclear whether car washes are included.

The first change adds references to the RD & RT districts to Section 45.030-A, which regulates accessory building size in residential districts. The second change adds clarification to the requirement that accessory dwelling unit (ADU) entrances may not face side or rear property lines. The intent is to allow ADUs to have entrances facing a street, so the additional language accounts for corner lots and lots with double street frontage along both front and rear lot lines.

This change adds references to the fence height measurement of 90.170-A and to the sight-distance triangle requirements of Title 24. The purpose is to more clearly point to other common fence and wall requirements found outside of this section.

This change deletes an unnecessary word and corrects a typo. Section 45.150-A regulates where recreational vehicles may be parked and stored. The word “siting” makes it unclear whether Section 45.150-C is referring to all or some of those regulations in Section 45.150-A.

These changes relate to surfacing requirements for driveways and parking areas. The first change would allow ribbon driveways to serve residential uses. Ribbon driveways, which feature two strips of concrete separated by a permeable surface, are a common driveway design, especially in older neighborhoods. Ribbon driveways reduce the total amount of pavement required for a driveway while ensuring that vehicle wheels remain on an all-weather surface.

The second set of changes to Table 55-6 add references to the RD and RT districts, which are missing, and change “lot frontage” to “street frontage,” which is the correct term used elsewhere in the zoning code.

Finally, the third change would remove a portion of the section describing pervious pavement systems. The requirements for different types of pervious pavement systems and where they may be located are confusing and vague.

These changes would allow drive-through facilities an additional secondary menu board and would allow drive-through facilities on corner lots to face the street if screened. The changes also establish new S2 screening standards for drive-through facilities. The board of adjustment routinely reviews variance requests for drive-through facilities.

Since 2020, the board has considered 12 requests to allow drive-through facilities to face the street and 3 requests to allow additional drive-through signs. All were approved. This proposed change reduces the need for common variance requests for drive-throughs while enhancing screening standards to minimize visual effects from the street.

This change specifies that the city council may request optional development plans from applicants when considering zoning map amendments. The city council sometimes requests that an optional development plan be added to a rezoning application when the case comes before them for consideration. This makes it clear that the city council may do so without remanding the case back to planning commission.

This change would delete land use spacing verifications from the listed powers and duties of the board of adjustment. Zoning code amendments adopted in 2020 changed land use spacing verifications to administrative approvals, so those requests are no longer reviewed by the board of adjustment.

This group of changes would make updates to the membership and term requirements for the preservation commission. First, the arts commission seat would be replaced with an at-large member. There has been a vacant arts commission seat on the preservation commission since December 2022, and efforts to fill the seat have been unsuccessful. Second, the current limitation of preservation commissioners to 3 consecutive terms of office would be removed. The term limitation has not been practiced and is unnecessary.

This change would allow code enforcement to issue stop work orders for zoning violations and would clarify the process for issuing stop work orders.

This set of changes relate to Table 90-1, which regulates permitted setback obstructions in residential districts.

First, Table 90-1 says accessory buildings are not permitted within side setbacks, but Section 90.090-C.2.b allows them to be up to 3 feet from interior lot lines when located in the rear setback. A footnote has been added to align with that section.

Second, footnote [2] says that carports may have a 3-foot side setback, while Section 90.090-C.1.d says carports must be set back 5 feet from a side lot line. The footnote has been edited to align with that section.

Third, an additional reference to Section 90.090-C.2 has been added to clarify that green houses and hoop houses are considered accessory buildings.

Finally, Table 90-1 states that ground-mounted solar energy systems are not allowed within side setbacks, but Section 45.190-C states that they are allowed in side setbacks. The table has been edited to align with that section, and a reference to Section 45.190 has been added.

This change adds “accessory” to “building coverage” in Section 90.090-C.2 to align with Table 90-2.

The definitions of front, rear, and side yards leave an undefined space on lots with irregularly shaped principal buildings. This causes confusion when implementing regulations based on definitions of yards, such as those related to carports or open space. These changes update definitions to ensure that all parts of the yard are defined as front, rear, or side yard.