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Oklahoma County Board of Adjustment approves variance to replace burned manufactured home on substandard lot
Summary
The Board approved a variance allowing a manufactured single-wide to replace a fire-destroyed home on a roughly 0.88-acre R-2 lot, amending the setback to 85 feet from the road; board members cited septic, tree preservation and existing lot sizes as factors.
The Oklahoma County Board of Adjustment on March 13 approved a variance (VA-2025-05) to allow a manufactured single-wide home to be placed on a roughly 0.88-acre R-2 lot east of Potawatomi Road after a December fire destroyed the previous structure.
The variance lets the owner place the replacement home with an 85-foot front setback from the road, amended from the applicant's 70-foot request and the R-2 standard 100-foot setback. The approval followed a staff summary, testimony from the property owner and discussion about utility and topography constraints that limit alternate building locations.
County staff said the lot was created decades ago and is nonconforming under current rules that require 2 acres in R-2 zoning and a 100-foot setback from the center line of the road. Staff summarized the applicant's request and the property's constraints, including a creek along the south edge of the lot and existing septic and well locations that the owner said he wants to reuse.
Richard Taylor, the property owner and applicant, told the board he bought the property in 2017 and that the house there, moved to the lot in 1973, was “totaled” by a fire in late December. Taylor said he has cleared the burned structure and asked to place “a newer, nicer single wide.” He said he can “meet that 70 foot setback” and that the septic tank “could be a very higher expense, to relocate.” He added he had obtained a letter of support from an adjacent landowner.
County staff (identified in the record as Eric) noted the R-2 rules and explained the county’s 100-foot setback is intended to preserve a rural character, provide firefighting setbacks and allow space for potential future road expansion. Staff also said flood plain and existing utilities make alternate placement on the lot difficult.
Board members discussed tree preservation behind the original home and the cost and logistics of relocating septic infrastructure. One board member proposed an amendment to set the front setback at 85 feet so the applicant could avoid removing a large tree and reduce grading and septic relocation costs. The motion to amend the variance to an 85-foot setback and approve the R-2 variance passed; the transcript records Ayes from board members Oliver Sandholt and Ram and the vote was recorded as approved.
The board also recorded that the lot is approximately 0.88 acres and that similar older parcels nearby are nonconforming under current zoning. Staff said the county has considered bridge and drainage projects upstream because of development in nearby Harrah, but that those projects were not expected to directly affect this parcel.
Votes at a glance
• Approval of minutes (02/27/2025): Motion moved and seconded; recorded Ayes — Jennifer Arsenault, Rollins; outcome: approved.
• Variance VA-2025-05 (replace manufactured home; density and setback variances for ~0.88-acre R-2 lot; amended setback 85 feet): Motion to amend and approve; recorded Ayes — Oliver Sandholt, Ram; outcome: approved (record shows approval; full roll-call not transcribed).
• Adjournment: Motion made and seconded; recorded Ayes — Jennifer Arsenault, Cooper Robinson; outcome: approved.
The board did not set additional conditions in the public transcript; staff advised that any approved setback would be noted on the building permit record. The transcript shows the board handled no other new business at the meeting and then adjourned.
