A plan for more compact housing in Tulsa’s Highland Park neighborhood was shut down Wednesday.
During a public hearing, a city-county commission got an earful from residents opposing the construction of 24 townhomes at East 36th Street South and South Braden Avenue just off Yale Avenue. Developer Select Design out of Bixby made the proposal.
Tim Thoman was one of about a dozen displeased resident who spoke at the hearing. He told the Tulsa Metropolitan Area Planning Commission that the project would disrupt the neighborhood’s aesthetic.
“Highland Park is a neighborhood that was originally platted as Yorkshire Estates. It’s characterized by single family homes with large front lawns, big trees, and it’s got narrow asphalt streets with no curb on them. They’re suitable for light traffic,” said Thoman.
The city of Tulsa’s planning office recommended that a zoning change be approved for the development. Principal Planner Nathan Foster was heckled by residents when he said higher density housing makes neighborhoods more walkable, not less.
Foster persisted, saying that if the project were to go forward the city would be required to install infrastructure like sidewalks and drainage. He said the city needs mid-density housing like townhomes and duplexes.
“From a planning standpoint, when we talk about the missing middle, we’re focused on those building types that can be implemented within existing neighborhoods without being the dramatic change that you see when someone implements a large scale apartment complex above and beyond what we see in a typical neighborhood,” said Foster.
A citywide housing assessment recently estimated that Tulsa will be short 13,000 housing units over the next ten years. The same assessment recommended zoning changes across Tulsa to allow a variety of housing types.
All the TMAPC members voted against the zoning change except Chairman Josh Walker.
Select Design didn't immediately respond to a request for more information about their plans for the property in the future.
