Planning commission approves 6,000 sq. ft. office at 3801 Fairview Road with modified parking

The Bartlesville Planning Commission approved a planned unit development (PUD) site development plan for a 6,000-square-foot professional office at 3801 Fairview Road after a staff presentation and brief public comment.

Holly Mayhew, city planner for the City of Bartlesville, told commissioners that case PUD05250054 requests approval of a PUD site development plan for about 0.65 acres on the southeast corner of Fairview Road and U.S. Highway 75. Mayhew said the property was rezoned and given a PUD in 2011 under city ordinance 39-79 and an earlier site plan; the new submission closely matches the 2011 plan but removes three parking spaces to provide a turnaround for sanitation and fire service vehicles.

The difference in parking — from 20 spaces shown on the 2011 plan to 17 spaces on the proposed plan — was made “to incorporate a turnaround on the south end of the parking lot to allow city sanitation and fire service vehicles adequate space to back up and pull out onto Washington Boulevard,” Mayhew said. She said staff considers that change a minor PUD amendment and that, under zoning regulation section 7 6 5 8, minor PUD amendments are reviewed administratively during the building permit process.

Mayhew told the commission that the proposed layout appears to meet the minimum parking requirement for professional office uses (one space per 300 square feet accessible to the public) and that landscaping, lighting and signage will be reviewed with the building permit. She said the site has city water and sewer available and that new sidewalk along Fairview Road will be required as part of the building permit. Mayhew also said two 5-foot drainage and utility easements cross the property and will need to be vacated and relocated during permit review; the two lots are presently on one deed but Washington County mapping shows them as separate, so a formal lot combination will be required.

During public comment, Dennis Halpin, a resident, asked whether a curb cut onto Fairview Road could be allowed. “I was hoping there could be a curb cut on Fairview Road,” Halpin said, noting Fairview is a collector road and that a curb cut would help customers and employees avoid delays when traffic is backed up on U.S. 75.

Mayhew and commissioners responded that the existing PUD and the 2011 approvals do not allow a driveway on Fairview and that allowing one would require an amendment to the approved PUD. Mayhew said the lack of a Fairview driveway reflected citizen concerns at the time of the earlier rezoning and public hearings.

No written opposition or support had been filed with staff, Mayhew said; property owners within a 300-foot radius were notified by mail and a public hearing notice was published in the Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise. Representatives of Kelleher Architects were present for questions.

After questions from commissioners, a motion to approve the site development plan carried on a roll-call vote. Planning Commissioner Freeman, Planning Commissioner Kolaw, Planning Commissioner Kirkpatrick and Planning Commissioner Dossett voted aye; the motion passed.

Votes at a glance: The commission also approved the consent agenda without discussion; that consent vote included approval of minutes for the regular meeting of May 20, 2025, and approval of a resolution updating Planning Commission rules and procedures.

Commission business and personnel: Greg, the city’s special projects manager, told commissioners that Planning Commissioner Adam Hibdon and the city senior planner, Micah Snyder, have left their positions (Hibdon moved outside city limits; Snyder moved to Oklahoma City). Greg said those vacancies will be filled by City Council appointments expected at the July 7 council meeting and that the commission will elect new officers after appointments are complete.

The commission adjourned after the business was completed.