Board of Adjustment approves large setback variances for downtown arena project

Purvi Patel, representing Wallace Design Collective PC, told the Board of Adjustment that the downtown arena project requires much larger front- and side-yard setbacks than the Downtown Business District code allows because of occupancy loads, security protocols and event-driven access control. "Due to the occupancy load, security protocols and event driven access control, the arena requires a significantly large gathering space outside of the arena itself," Patel said.

The board voted to approve case number 16059, a request by Wallace Design Collective PC on behalf of the City of Oklahoma City for variances to the front and side yard setback requirements in the DBD Downtown Business District for property at 125 West Reno Avenue. Patel said the Downtown Design Commission recommended the design this morning by a 3–0 vote.

Nut graf: The board granted the setback exceptions because the arena’s design and expected crowd management needs differ from typical downtown commercial and mixed-use projects. The variances clear the way for continued design of the circular arena structure and an adjacent parking garage but the applicant said additional approvals (for signage, for example) are expected later.

Patel described the specific variances requested for the arena building: 171 feet from Sheridan, 152 feet from Reno, 281 feet from Gaylord and 201 feet from Ron Norick. She said the parking garage also requires variances — she listed 158 feet from Sheridan, 136 feet from Reno, 44 feet from Gaylord and "6 92" feet from Ron Norick (the transcript renders that last figure as "6 92"; the applicant characterized the large numbers as a product of the arena’s circular geometry and the need to keep the building envelope outside of required setbacks). "The functional demands of the arena differ significantly from what we normally see within the downtown area," Patel said.

A board member noted the security and functionality rationale and said the project presentation had spent considerable time on aesthetics; that member said they supported the application. The official motion to approve case number 16059 was made on the basis that it "meets the statutory requirement for the said variances." The motion passed and the chair told the applicant, "Now you're approved." The board did not record additional conditions in the hearing transcript; Patel said the team anticipates returning for at least one future variance related to signage.

Ending: The variance approval allows the arena team to continue detailed design work on the site and the applicant indicated additional variance requests (signage) will follow in future hearings.