Tulsa Planning Commission Special Meeting No. 5 – November 4, 2026

The Tulsa Planning Commission held a special meeting on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. in the Tulsa City Council Chamber, 175 E. 2nd St., Second Level, Tulsa, OK. The commission approved the consent calendar and the JR & B Office minor plat, denied the Z-7876 rezoning request, and continued the QT-0039 preliminary plat to November 18, 2026.

Reports

• The commission received an update on recent City Council actions, including approval of the Vintage Housing project at Sandberg Elementary in East Tulsa, the lot behind the QuikTrip at 36th and Peoria, the AGR horse property, and the 71st and Union corridor plan apartments, which was approved on a 7–1 vote. Second readings for those items were scheduled for the evening of the meeting.

Approval of Minutes

• Minutes from Meeting No. 4, October 21, 2026, were approved by a 6–0–2 vote, with Commissioners Hood and Turner Addison abstaining. The motion was made by Commissioner Shivel and seconded by Commissioner Humphrey.

Consent Calendar

• Item 2, Termination and Release of Covenants, was approved unanimously. The item covered property at the northeast corner of East 33rd Street South and South Peoria Avenue (Council District 9; applicant Nathan Cross) and terminated covenants recorded in Book 5419, Page 2648, related to PUD-488 development standards abandoned under PUD-488-A, Ordinance No. 25155. Motion by Commissioner Walker, second by Commissioner Hood.

Public Hearing – Rezoning: Z-7876

• The agenda identified the location as west of the intersection of West 76th Place South and South Elwood Avenue; staff described it as just north of the northwest corner of West 81st Street South and South Elwood Avenue. The transcript does not resolve this location discrepancy.
• Applicant Mike Thedford, Wallace Design Collective, requested rezoning from RS-3 to RS-3 with an optional development plan to allow private streets for a gated subdivision. The public street, utilities, and 30 platted lots are already in place; only houses remain to be built.
• Planning staff recommended denial. Staff planner Nathan said the original plat was designed to connect to a stub street on the south and to provide future connection to the north. Allowing private streets would add crash gates, force all traffic onto South Elwood Avenue directly across from Jinx Elementary School, eliminate the only secondary access toward West 81st Street, and reduce efficiency for emergency, mail, and trash services. Staff also noted that neighbors to the south had objected to the street connection during the original platting and have again emailed in support of gating.
• The applicant and developer Jared Newcomb argued that conditions have changed since the original rezoning: apartments to the north are occupied, additional multifamily development is being explored on adjoining land, and the developer hopes to eventually buy adjacent property and extend the private development north. They also said gating would reduce cut-through traffic and align with neighbors’ wishes.
• Commissioner Bullmash said staff members are the experts, connectivity should continue through developments, and he is not personally a fan of gates.

Public Testimony on Z-7876

• Randy Brandstetter, 7648 South Guthrie Avenue, said he lives three houses south of the development. Since the streets were built, traffic has increased, including drag racing, and children play in the street. He expressed full support for the gate and crash gates, saying they would reduce accident risk and raise property values.
• Adrian Collette/White, 7500 South Elwood Avenue, who owns property north of the site, said she came to speak about sidewalks. She supported gating, noting lots have been difficult to sell and the gate could help property values and safety, but she asked the commission to address sidewalk connectivity because a gate could interrupt pedestrian movement and a sidewalk gap already exists to the south. She also raised concerns about the lack of city water access on roughly 40 acres of undeveloped land to the north.
• Staff responded that the gate would likely be located west of the sidewalk, sidewalks are built along frontages as properties are developed, and public utility easements would remain available for future connections. The applicant added that a pedestrian connection through the subdivision might be possible, but no vehicular access.

Public Hearing – Plats

• QT-0039: The preliminary plat at the southwest corner of East 31st Street South and South Yale Avenue (Council District 9; applicant AAB Engineering) was continued to November 18, 2026, pursuant to staff’s request. No speakers appeared. Motion by Commissioner Bullmash, second by Commissioner Turner Addison; the vote was unanimous.
• JR & B Office: The minor subdivision plat at the northeast corner of East Marshall Street and North 94th East Avenue (Council District 3; applicant Mark Capron, Wallace Design Collective) was approved unanimously. Staff explained that the preliminary plat had previously been approved but expired; the site is split-zoned, with commercial general for an office and RM1 for a future multifamily building. Staff still needed to review deed of dedication language. The number of multifamily units was not stated. Motion by Commissioner Humphrey, second by Commissioner Bullmash.

Key Outcomes

• Minutes approved, 6–0–2.
• Consent item approved unanimously.
• Z-7876 denied per staff recommendation; the denial recommendation will be forwarded to the City Council. Motion by Commissioner Bullmash, second by Commissioner Krug; the vote was unanimous.
• QT-0039 continued to November 18, 2026.
• JR & B Office minor plat approved unanimously.
• After commissioner comments, the commission voted unanimously to adjourn.