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Record of Proceedings

Broken Arrow Board of Adjustment Meeting – April 13, 2026

Meeting Portal — Monday, April 13, 2026
BodyBroken Arrow, Oklahoma
SessionMeeting Portal
DateMonday, April 13, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 16:55

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it
1:04

We will call the meeting.

1:06

Uh this meeting of the broken arrow um Board of Adjustment to order.

1:12

Roll call, please.

1:13

Michelle Bergwall here.

1:15

Rebecca Hinkle.

1:16

Here.

1:16

Kamara Washington.

1:18

George Jesquire.

1:20

Here.

1:20

Judd Hatch.

1:21

Here.

1:24

Okay.

1:26

First item is the uh review and approval of the Board of Adjustment mini meeting minutes from March the 9th.

1:36

Does anybody have any questions?

1:38

Motion to approve.

1:41

Second.

1:46

Michelle Bergwall.

1:47

Abstain.

1:48

Rebecca Hinkle.

1:50

Yes.

1:50

George Jessquire?

1:51

Yes.

1:52

Judd Hatch.

1:53

Yes.

1:55

Okay.

1:57

The first item, item A under public hearings.

2:00

Uh, I'm told has been moved forward to a future meeting.

2:06

So that one will not be addressed this evening.

2:11

So we'd be moving on to uh item.

2:15

Oh, a motion to okay.

2:17

Gotcha.

2:18

I motion to move the meeting.

2:23

It's a motion to continue.

2:24

What a motion to continue?

2:26

Yes.

2:27

A second.

2:31

Okay.

2:32

Uh Michelle Bergwall.

2:34

Yes.

2:35

Rebecca Hinkle?

2:36

Yes.

2:37

George Jessquire.

2:38

Yes.

2:39

Judd Hatch.

2:40

Yes.

2:40

There we go.

2:41

Okay.

2:42

Okay.

2:44

Now we are moving on to item B, which is uh 26-462.

2:52

Yes, this is public hearing consideration and possible action regarding VAR dash 002593-2025.

3:00

Fort Worth apartments, approximately 0.32 acres of the downtown residential overlay district five to request a variance from section five of the downtown residential overlay district regulations to modify driveway width.

3:12

Located approximately one fourth mile north of West Houston Street, also known as 81st, and one half mile west of 9th Street, also known as 177th East Avenue.

3:22

This VAR request VAR D-002593 involves 0.32 acres within DROD area 5, and it is a request to uh waive the driveway width regulations.

3:34

This property is currently addressed as 202 East Fort Worth Street and is in the process of being developed into a 15-unit multifamily flat.

3:42

This property is comprised of four lots of the original broken arrow town site.

3:46

Parking regulations require that there be one parking space per one bedroom unit, meaning this development would require 15 parking spaces.

3:54

For a variance to be granted, there are four conditions that must be found by the Board of Adjustment.

3:59

Number one, unnecessary hardship, the application of the ordinance to the particular piece of property would create a necessary hardship.

4:05

Analysis.

5:01

The DROD does allow row houses to have 20 foot maximum driveway widths.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Engineering And Infrastructure█████████████████████████████████████████████71%
Procedural██████████████████29%
Summary of Proceedings

Broken Arrow Board of Adjustment Meeting – April 13, 2026

The Broken Arrow Board of Adjustment met on April 13, 2026, at 11:00 AM (UTC) to consider a variance request for a multifamily development. The meeting included approval of prior minutes, one public hearing, and a motion that failed due to an abstention.

Consent Calendar

  • Approval of Minutes (March 9, 2026): The Board approved the minutes of the March 9, 2026 meeting. Voting: Michelle Bergwall (abstain), Rebecca Hinkle (yes), George Jesquire (yes), Judd Hatch (yes). Motion carried.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Applicant Presentation (Justin Abruin, Walls Design Collective): Mr. Abruin spoke in support of the variance, emphasizing that the city engineer and fire department had approved the life safety requirements, that existing driveways in the downtown area are typically 20 feet or less, and that the proposed 20‑foot one‑way driveway is consistent with city standards for one‑way aisles. He argued that a 26‑foot requirement would consume more than half the developable area and create an unnecessary hardship given the 20‑foot width of Fort Worth Street. He also noted that the DROD regulations aim to minimize pedestrian‑vehicle conflicts and limit overly wide pavement.
  • Architect Remarks (Jameson Schaefer, Bixby): Mr. Schaefer clarified that the alleyway extends only a short distance east, so vehicles must exit west onto Fort Worth Street.

Discussion Items

  • Variance Request VAR‑002593‑2025 (Fort Worth Apartments): The applicant requested a variance from Section 5 of the Downtown Residential Overlay District (DROD) regulations to reduce the required driveway width from 26 feet (minimum for a two‑way drive) to 20 feet for a one‑way driveway. The property is located at 202 East Fort Worth Street, consisting of 0.32 acres within DROD Area 5, and is being developed as a 15‑unit multifamily flat (all one‑bedroom units). Staff analysis found that all four criteria for a variance (unnecessary hardship, public good, minimum variance, and consistency with the DROD) were met, and staff recommended approval. Board members asked about the number of parking spaces (15 required, 15 proposed), the alleyway direction, and the width of Fort Worth Street (approximately 20 feet). A board member noted that the city is reviewing the DROD as part of a downtown master plan and may consider adjusting driveway width standards.

Key Outcomes

  • Vote on Variance Motion: A motion to approve the variance was made and seconded. Voting: Michelle Bergwall (yes), Rebecca Hinkle (no), George Jesquire (abstain), Judd Hatch (yes). The motion failed because it needed three affirmative votes; the abstention counted as a no vote. The Board chair announced the motion failed, effectively denying the variance.
  • Appeal Options: The Board informed the applicant that the decision can be appealed to the City Council or to district court.
  • Item A (Public Hearing): A public hearing item originally on the agenda was moved to a future meeting by a unanimous vote to continue.

Meeting Transcript

We will call the meeting. Uh this meeting of the broken arrow um Board of Adjustment to order. Roll call, please. Michelle Bergwall here. Rebecca Hinkle. Here. Kamara Washington. George Jesquire. Here. Judd Hatch. Here. Okay. First item is the uh review and approval of the Board of Adjustment mini meeting minutes from March the 9th. Does anybody have any questions? Motion to approve. Second. Michelle Bergwall. Abstain. Rebecca Hinkle. Yes. George Jessquire? Yes. Judd Hatch. Yes. Okay. The first item, item A under public hearings. Uh, I'm told has been moved forward to a future meeting. So that one will not be addressed this evening. So we'd be moving on to uh item. Oh, a motion to okay. Gotcha. I motion to move the meeting. It's a motion to continue. What a motion to continue? Yes. A second. Okay. Uh Michelle Bergwall. Yes. Rebecca Hinkle? Yes. George Jessquire. Yes. Judd Hatch. Yes. There we go. Okay. Okay. Now we are moving on to item B, which is uh 26-462. Yes, this is public hearing consideration and possible action regarding VAR dash 002593-2025.

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