Tulsa Board of Adjustment Meeting No. 1389 – August 25, 2026

The City of Tulsa Board of Adjustment (BOA) met on August 25, 2026, at 1:00 PM in the Tulsa City Council Chamber to hear four new business items and one routine approval. The meeting opened with a staff warning about a scam targeting applicants, followed by approval of previous minutes. Due to a board member needing to leave at 1:50 PM, the agenda was reordered to hear case BOA-24086 (holiday home tour) second. The board considered a special exception for a holiday home tour (denied), a soccer training facility (approved), a driveway width increase (approved with condition), and an accessory dwelling unit (approved).

Approval of Minutes

• The Board unanimously approved the minutes from Meeting No. 1388 (August 11, 2026).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Case BOA-24086 (holiday home tour): Four neighboring residents spoke in opposition. Lori McCullough (1017 East 21st Street) stated the proposed tours commercialized the residential neighborhood and contrasted them with neighborhood association home tours that benefit the community. Doug Mann (resident for 33 years) calculated up to 1,000 visitors over nine days and argued that the home would function as an advertising annex for the applicant’s retail stores, citing the staff report. Walt Haskins (1131 East 21st Place) described traffic and parking hazards from prior operations and urged denial, saying the activity could “commercialize” the historic district.
• Case BOA-24085 (accessory dwelling unit): Becky Reno (2502 East 18th Street) expressed a concern that the ADU could become a rental property in the future, increasing street parking demand. She did not oppose the use for family care but requested a restriction on future rentals.

Discussion Items

• Scam Warning: Staff announced that applicants have been solicited for fraudulent payments via email and wire; the planning office does not request additional payments after application submission.
• BOA-24086 – Holiday Home Tour (12942 East Reading Place, denied): Applicant Amber Welch requested a special exception to host a historic Christmas home tour over two weekends in November 2026. She outlined a plan with off-site parking at her retail store, shuttle service, staggered groups of 15, capped at 30 per tour, and no on-site retail transactions (merchandise would be transported to her store for sale). She stated the tours would raise funds for Family and Children's Services. Board members questioned the retail nature, length of tours, and neighbor outreach. Mr. Hill and the Chair expressed concerns about commercialization of a residential property; Ms. Stoffer and Ms. Williams noted the plan was well-thought-out but had reservations about precedent and control. The Board voted 3-2 to deny (Mr. Hill and the Chair voted to deny; Ms. Stoffer and Ms. Williams voted against denial; the fifth member's vote was not individually recorded but the motion carried). The Board found the proposed use would not be in harmony with the zoning code and would be injurious to the neighborhood.
• BOA-24083 – Soccer Training Facility (12942 East Reading Place, approved): Applicant Felipe Guedes requested a special exception to permit a parks and recreation use (indoor/outdoor soccer training) in an IL district. He explained that the operation had been running since 2019 without proper classification and that the addition of an outdoor field triggered the need for a special exception. Hours are 7 AM to 7 PM by appointment only, with limited traffic. No public testimony was offered in opposition. The Board unanimously approved, finding the use in harmony with the code and not injurious.
• BOA-24084 – Driveway Width Increase (2874 South Florence Avenue East, approved): Applicant Jeffrey Lowe (homeowner) requested a special exception to allow a circular driveway up to 32.5 feet wide (exceeding the 30-foot maximum) and 32.5 feet in the right-of-way (exceeding the 27-foot maximum), consistent with many neighboring homes. He cited inadequate garage size for modern vehicles and a desire to reduce on-street parking. The Board discussed the need for landscaping on the new island created by the driveway. After hearing no opposition, the Board voted unanimously to approve with a condition that the newly created island be landscaped.
• BOA-24085 – Accessory Dwelling Unit (2445 East 18th Street, approved): Applicant Catherine Ormond requested a special exception to permit a 647-square-foot ADU in the RS-3 district to house her in-laws. She presented a detailed proposal showing the ADU would meet all dimensional standards, match the existing house architecture, and be screened by a fence. Neighbors were notified via letters and informational boxes; only one objection was received (on flood concerns, later dismissed). The Board unanimously approved, finding the ADU consistent with code intent and not detrimental to the neighborhood.

Key Outcomes

• BOA-24086 (Holiday home tour): Denied (3-2 vote). The Board determined the special exception would not be in harmony with the zoning code and would be injurious to the neighborhood.
• BOA-24083 (Soccer training facility): Approved (unanimous). Special exception granted per the conceptual plan.
• BOA-24084 (Driveway width increase): Approved (unanimous) subject to the condition that the newly created island be landscaped.
• BOA-24085 (Accessory dwelling unit): Approved (unanimous) per the conceptual plan.
• Staff reminded applicants with approved cases that they must submit the case report to the permit center for permit processing.