City holds public hearing on Muskogee 2045 comprehensive plan; staff recommends adoption, questions raised about tiny homes and annexation

City planning staff presented the draft Muskogee 2045 comprehensive plan during an Aug. 11 public hearing and recommended that the council adopt the plan, with staff saying the document outlines a 20-year vision and will be revisited at five- and 10-year marks.

"Why is a comprehensive plan important? It outlines the community's vision. It provides guidance for the following, the future, growth, and development for the city," Planning Department staff member Miss Winkle told the council, describing guiding principles that include advancing development, economic growth, livability and resilience.

The presentation included a future land use map and several policy themes: "Advancing Muskogee," "Thriving Muskogee," "Livable Muskogee" and "Resilient Muskogee," along with action items such as affordable housing and community preservation. Staff said the plan is available on the planning department website and recommended approval of the plan for transmittal to city council.

During public comment, residents and speakers raised concerns and questions about the plan's priorities and implementation. One resident said health, safety and infrastructure should be the top priorities before new development. The resident described recurring streetlight outages on Shawnee and at other intersections and asked how leftover funds are handled; the resident was referred to the city treasurer for the funding question.

On affordable housing, several speakers asked why tiny homes were not explicitly permitted. A resident said the city code currently requires lots larger than about 7,000 square feet to be considered buildable; Miss Winkle answered that the planning department is working on a new ordinance to allow tiny homes by reducing the minimum buildable lot size and adding specifications for tiny-home lots.

Council members asked questions about a short section on annexation in the plan (page 76). Planning staff said annexation language is intended to keep future options open and clarified that annexation would require an application and petition and is not something the city would forcibly impose on homeowners. Staff also told the council the plan currently assumes there is enough land to meet projected housing needs without immediate annexation.

The item on Aug. 11 was a public hearing and will return to city council for action; no final adoption occurred at this meeting. Staff said the plan would be on the city council agenda at the end of the month for further consideration.