Pearl District Small Area Plan
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Adopted in 2019, the Pearl District Small Area Plan identified 18 goals and 76 implementation measures. As of July 1, 2021, about 46% of those implementation measures are complete or ongoing, and another 21% are in progress.
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2021 Report
2020 Report
Implementation Status
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| Ref | Implementation Measure | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Goal 1: Support compatible residential infill and reinvestment. | ||
| 1.1 | Support infill housing that fits with the character of the neighborhood. Encourage development that maintains the existing block and street patterns when feasible. | Ongoing |
| 1.2 | Ensure small-scale infill housing is reviewed and permitted quickly and efficiently. | Ongoing |
| 1.3 | Address any existing code barriers to infill development on narrow lots, such as modifications to on-site parking requirements or building setbacks. | Ongoing |
| 1.4 | Consider waiving or reducing development fees and providing expedited development review for developments that include affordable housing. | Not Initiated |
| 1.5 | Consider program to eliminate rezoning fees for residents requesting mixed-use zoning in mixed-use corridors and neighborhoods. | Ongoing |
| 1.6 | Develop a capital improvement plan that outlines and prioritizes necessary infrastructure replacement and upgrades, such as water/wastewater, as well as residential streets and alleys. | Ongoing |
| Goal 2: Provide for a range of housing types including affordable housing compatible with existing neighborhoods. | ||
| 2.1 | Review and amend ordinances as needed to support the development of an expanded range of housing types, including single family housing such as cottage housing, clustered homes, and narrow-lot homes and appropriately scaled Òmissing middleÓ (mid-density) housing types such as townhomes, multi-unit houses (duplexes, triplexes, quads), live-work units, and accessory dwelling units. | Ongoing |
| 2.2 | Support mixed-use residential development along major corridors, including live-work units, and small-scale, visually compatible multi-unit houses that are desirable in neighborhood edge and transition zones between residential and employment uses. | Ongoing |
| 2.3 | Adopt a home occupation special exception or overlay for entire district to allow Type 2 home occupations by right to provide more flexible live work opportunities. | Not Initiated |
| 2.4 | Support owner- and buyer-initiated zoning requests for the Pearl District neighborhood to ensure a range of housing types is allowed (see Table 1). | Ongoing |
| 2.5 | Coordinate with franchise utilities to ensure utilities are modernized to meet demands of redevelopment, such as high-speed internet coverage throughout neighborhood. Bury utilities when possible. | In Progress |
| 2.6 | Initiate a Phase 1 historic survey to identify federally qualified historic properties. | Not Initiated |
| Goal 3: Provide programs to support existing and future homeowners. | ||
| 3.1 | Establish a grant or revolving loan fund to assist low-income and first-time homebuyers who wish to buy in the Pearl District. Targeted homeownership loan programs can assist potential owners in down payments, closing costs or other homeownership expenses. | In Progress |
| 3.2 | Establish a program to stabilize and revitalize existing neighborhoods by providing resources for homeowners and potential buyers to help with repairs and rehabilitation. Connect residents to existing funding sources for assistance and work to expand available funds and funding streams. | Ongoing |
| 3.3 | Preserve the existing character of neighborhoods and recognize unique character of the neighborhood. Through code enforcement and public/private partnerships, work with owners to maintain homes, comply with codes, and contribute to the neighborhood character. | Ongoing |
| 3.4 | Encourage the development of a program to reduce property taxes for homeowners meeting certain improvement and reinvestment thresholds. Such a program would reduce property taxes when owners invest in their homes. | Not Initiated |
| 3.5 | Review stormwater issues with Engineering Services to identify strategies to address impacts of the regulatory floodplain on existing properties. | In Progress |
| Goal 4: Provide stability to areas designated as future flood control ponds by creating a voluntary purchase program of affected lots. | ||
| 4.1 | Identify lots in the East and West Pond areas and work with the Tulsa Development Authority ("TDA") to develop a voluntary acquisition program where TDA works with the city to acquire properties of owners wishing to sell. Properties would be maintained by the City as parks or other neighborhood amenities. | In Progress |
| 4.2 | Create an open space program to provide neighborhood amenities until the properties are used for flood control. Support the use of properties acquired for flood control purposes to be utilized as additional open space amenities within the neighborhood. | Not Initiated |
| 4.3 | Work with stakeholders to fund neighborhood amenities, including an interim period to maintain lots as open space amenities until flood control projects can be completed. | Not Initiated |
| Goal 5: Address vacant and blighted properties. | ||
| 5.1 | Work with Tulsa Development Authority to identify catalyst projects to address blight and develop vacant properties that achieve community objectives for a vibrant mixed-use neighborhood. | In Progress |
| 5.2 | Work with Tulsa Development Authority to provide relocation assistance for residents displaced by TDAÕs redevelopment and encourage them to relocate within the neighborhood. | Not Initiated |
| Goal 6: Revitalize and redevelop vacant properties. | ||
| 6.1 | Encourage and support compatible commercial and mixed-use infill development. | Ongoing |
| 6.2 | Establish local or mobile presence of a business assistance center to aid in the start-up and running of small businesses and home-based businesses in the area. | Ongoing |
| 6.3 | Coordinate with franchise utilities to ensure utilities are modernized to meet demands of redevelopment, such as high-speed internet coverage throughout neighborhood. | In Progress |
| 6.4 | Support efforts to provide for necessary infrastructure to accommodate commercial and industrial growth in the area. | Ongoing |
| 6.5 | Retain existing zoning for commercial and industrial uses in the Pearl District. Only support zoning changes that have the consensus of the property owner. | Ongoing |
| 6.6 | Encourage innovative adaptive reuse of existing structures by exploring tools that would reduce parking requirements or permitting fees for rehabilitating existing buildings. | Ongoing |
| Goal 7: Provide more retail, dining, and entertainment options. | ||
| 7.1 | Provide small business assistance to encourage entrepreneurship within the neighborhood. | Ongoing |
| 7.2 | Support live-work development that is sensitive to the context of the neighborhood. | Ongoing |
| 7.3 | Develop an area-wide parking strategy. | Not Initiated |
| 7.4 | Create pedestrian-oriented shopping areas to provide goods, services, and gathering spaces for residents in adjacent neighborhoods. Prioritize sidewalk, lighting and streetscape improvements in shopping areas to spur private development. | Not Initiated |
| 7.5 | Encourage and support convenient neighborhood-level business development, especially for neighborhood-serving uses such as grocery stores, corner stores, restaurants and cafes, child care, retail, personal and professional services. | Ongoing |
| Goal 8: Encourage higher density development in transit rich areas. | ||
| 8.1 | Evaluate existing conditions and uses within _ mile and _ mile of existing and proposed bus stops. | Complete |
| 8.2 | Identify priority sites for infill mixed-use development and incentivize private investment in the development of these sites. Incentives could include strategies such as partnering with brokers, installing enhanced sidewalks and amenities as part of roadway improvements, or partnering with TDA to acquire available sites. | In Progress |
| 8.3 | Evaluate multimodal access to existing and proposed transit stops to ensure that transit riders have safe, efficient access to area destinations. | Complete |
| 8.4 | Support zoning changes to increase mixed-use density near transit when changes are supported by property owner. | Ongoing |
| 8.5 | Encourage transit-supportive commercial and mixed-use development along Peoria Avenue, especially near future bus rapid transit stations. | Ongoing |
| 8.6 | Support the addition of amenities, including public toilets, at enhanced stations. | Not Initiated |
| Goal 9: Improve commercial transportation access. | ||
| 9.1 | Convert First Street from a one-way to a two-way roadway to improve access and connectivity. | Not Initiated |
| 9.2 | Designate appropriate truck routes through the Pearl District. Communicate with businesses to ensure drivers use appropriate routes to avoid residential streets. | Not Initiated |
| 9.3 | Fund and implement road improvements that support heavy truck traffic. | Not Initiated |
| Goal 10: Ensure adequate parking supply using a shared parking approach in the Pearl District. | ||
| 10.1 | Work with businesses to develop a shared parking approach to provide adequate parking as corridors redevelop. | Ongoing |
| 10.2 | Identify potential sites for off-street shared parking lots, especially within walking distance to major destinations and Aero BRT transit station areas. | Not Initiated |
| 10.3 | Create a public/private parking strategy that includes a centrally located parking structure. | Not Initiated |
| 10.4 | Explore the use of alleys for private parking, as feasible. | Not Initiated |
| Goal 11: Use Federally-Designated Opportunity Zones to attract appropriate new development. | ||
| 11.1 | Use the Opportunity Zone incentives to spur appropriate development. | Ongoing |
| 11.2 | Promote Qualified Opportunity Funds as an economic development tool for property owners in Opportunity Zones and help identify ways for taxpayers to pair these funds with other incentives. | Ongoing |
| 11.3 | Create an implementation framework to ensure equitable economic growth occurs if Opportunity Zones are used for redevelopment. The framework should require that developers receiving tax benefits mitigate displacement and provide for development and/or preservation of affordable homes when new market-rate housing is built. | Not Initiated |
| 11.4 | Identify potential incentives to encourage affordable housing through density bonuses or fee waivers for projects inclusive of low- and moderate-income residents. | In Progress |
| 11.5 | Tie incentives for investment to performance measurement and reporting. | Not Initiated |
| Goal 12: Increase personal and property security. | ||
| 12.1 | Work with property owners to identify safety issues such as vandalism and theft of businesses. | Ongoing |
| 12.2 | Explore public/private partnerships to address safety issues and increase security through collaboration with public safety officials. | Not Initiated |
| 12.3 | Provide public education programs on increasing safety and security in residential and business areas. | Ongoing |
| Goal 13: Improve property conditions to increase area safety and security. | ||
| 13.1 | Work with TulsaÕs code enforcement program to ensure housing quality for the health, safety and well-being of residents. | Ongoing |
| 13.2 | Initiate proactive targeted code enforcement programs that include citing dumping and addressing graffiti, as well as other code issues. | Not Initiated |
| 13.3 | Encourage scheduled roll-off boxes (dumpsters) through Working in Neighborhoods (WIN) for free or low-cost waste removal to assist property owners with clean up and neighborhood safety and beautification. | Ongoing |
| Goal 14: Activate large undeveloped tracts of land. | ||
| 14.1 | Prioritize infill-supportive multimodal infrastructure, including sidewalks, street improvements, pedestrian lighting, and, where viable, alleys. Ensure that street improvements are consistent with and serve adjacent development types. | Ongoing |
| 14.2 | Install infrastructure on arterial streets Ð Peoria and Utica Avenues, 3rd, 6th, and 11th Streets Ð to enhance multimodal facilities: well-marked pedestrian crossings, rapid flashing beacons at high traffic intersections, and other streetscape amenities. | Not Initiated |
| 14.3 | Work with City of Tulsa Water and Sewer Department to evaluate the current pipe systems and identify potential future needs for system replacement or sizing upgrades; develop an approach for updates as the Pearl District continues to redevelop and attract new residents and businesses. | Ongoing |
| 14.4 | Ensure that street improvements are coordinated with other necessary utility upgrades in the area. | Ongoing |
| 14.5 | Improve transit station areas along Peoria Avenue with the addition of clear route signage at stop locations, seating, well-marked crossings, and optionally transit shelters, garbage receptacles, shade trees, public art, or murals. | Complete |
| 14.6 | Improve sidewalks by filling in the GO Plan sidewalk gaps and continued support of City of TulsaÕs ADA Arterial sidewalk and curb improvements. | In Progress |
| 14.7 | Implement Complete Streets policies for multi-modal corridors along Peoria and Utica Avenues. | Complete |
| 14.8 | Explore the use of Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Districts for infrastructure improvements. | Not Initiated |
| 14.9 | Improve pedestrian lighting to increase access to transit, retail, employment, and other neighborhood amenities. | Ongoing |
| Goal 15: Develop a sidewalk improvement plan to prioritize capital funding to build, replace, or restore sidewalks within the Pearl District. | ||
| 15.1 | Work with Engineering Services to update and maintain the inventory of pedestrian infrastructure, including sidewalk locations and conditions, pedestrian lighting, ADA issues, and other safety needs. | Not Initiated |
| 15.2 | Invest in sidewalk infrastructure to reduce or eliminate gaps in the sidewalk network and address ADA compliance issues, prioritizing access to public assets such as Centennial Park, employment centers, as well as connections into Downtown. | In Progress |
| 15.3 | Amend GO Plan to add all sidewalk gaps on both sides of arterial streets. | Not Initiated |
| Goal 16: Improve connections within the district and to adjacent neighborhoods. | ||
| 16.1 | Improve connections to nearby districts and neighborhoods, including crossing Interstate-244 and Highway 75. Design and construct safety improvements such as lighting and designated walking and biking access at these locations. | In Progress |
| 16.2 | Improve corridors to support economic activity and improve mobility options. Focus on basic infrastructure such as sidewalks, crosswalks, lighting and connections. | In Progress |
| 16.3 | Focus on multimodal improvements along major commercial corridors such as 3rd, 6th, and 11th Streets and Utica Avenue to continue current development trends and support the traditional mixed-use character of the district | In Progress |
| 16.4 | Use enhanced pedestrian traffic control devices such as flashing lights at high use intersections or crosswalks. Prioritize crossings on arterials such as 11th Street and Utica Avenue. | In Progress |
| Goal 17: Improve gateways into the district. | ||
| 17.1 | Design and fund entranceway/gateway features at key entrances, and neighborhood identification throughout area. | Not Initiated |
| Goal 18: Explore options to move electric power lines underground, or if not possible, relocate them to alleys. | ||
| 18.1 | Coordinate with franchise utility providers to determine viable options to relocate utilities through a coordinated utility master plan, with a focus on placing utilities underground where feasible. | In Progress |
| 18.2 | Develop cost estimates and priorities for utility relocation, looking for strategic opportunities through development projects or other infrastructure investment. | Not Initiated |