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Tulsa Board of Adjustment approves multiple variances and special exceptions; preservation appeal upheld
Summary
The City of Tulsa Board of Adjustment on March 11 approved a series of variances and special exceptions — including several ADUs, fence-height exceptions, a school-height variance and a special exception for a bar in an industrial district — and declined to overturn a Tulsa Preservation Commission denial of a retroactive front-yard parking pad at 1519 E. 20th Street.
The City of Tulsa Board of Adjustment met in the council chambers on March 11, 2025, and voted on a series of zoning requests ranging from accessory dwelling units and driveway exceptions to fence-height variances and a request to permit a bar in an industrial zone.
The board approved minutes from its Feb. 25 meeting before taking up a slate of cases. Multiple accessory dwelling unit (ADU) special exceptions were granted for single-family neighborhoods, and the board also approved fence-height exceptions, a school expansion height variance and a special exception for a bar in an industrial district.
Highlights
- BOA Case 23843 (2922 E. 309th Street South): The board approved a variance to increase the permitted height for a detached accessory building in a rear setback. The motion passed with affirmative votes from Board member Wallace, Board member Barrientos, Board member Stauffer and the chair.
- BOA Case 23830 (2837 E. Third Street): The board granted a special exception to permit an accessory dwelling unit in an RS3 district after board discussion about parking and multimodal corridors; the motion passed unanimously.
- BOA Case 23847 (927 S. Urbana Ave): A special exception to allow an accessory dwelling unit in RS3 was approved by the board.
- BOA Case 23858 (4621 S. Columbia Place): The board approved a special exception increasing permitted fence height within the street setback from 4 feet to 6 feet for an ornamental perimeter fence built without a permit.
- BOA Case 23859 (4001 S. Birmingham Ave): A special exception to permit an accessory dwelling unit in an RS1 district was approved; applicants said the unit was intended to house an elderly parent and neighbors provided letters of support.
- BOA Case 23860 (6720 E. 20th Place South): The board approved a special exception to increase the permitted fence height within the street setback; the applicant cited safety concerns about stray dogs and neighborhood incidents.
- BOA Case 23864 (Casha Hall School campus): The board approved a variance increasing the maximum building height limit in an RS2 district from 35 feet to 42 feet for a school addition, citing constrained buildable area on the campus.
- BOA Case 23865 (6707 E. 407th Street South; Beluga Bev Company LLC): The board granted a special exception to permit a bar in the IL (industrial) district. The applicant said the business will sell beer and wine (including nonalcoholic options) and operate with family-friendly hours, closing by 10 p.m.
- BOA Case 23866 (1220 S. Owasso Ave): The board approved a special exception to permit an accessory dwelling unit in RS3, a special exception increasing the permitted ADU floor area, and a variance increasing permitted ADU height in the rear setback (from 25 feet to 26 feet 6 inches) to match the building’s architectural character and provide modern vehicle storage.
Preservation appeal outcome and next steps
The board heard a separate appeal of a Tulsa Preservation Commission (TPC) denial of a retroactive historic-preservation permit (HP06442025) for a front-yard parking pad at 1519 E. 20th Street in the Swan Lake Historic District. The TPC had denied the application after finding the unpermitted parking pad inconsistent with several provisions of the unified residential design guidelines (cited by the commission as G0.2, G0.2.1, G0.2.2 and G0.2.4).
The appellant, homeowner Brent Wilkes, and his representative argued the pad was needed for safety and to allow on-site turnaround because a retaining wall adjacent to the property creates a sight-line hazard onto a busy arterial street. The board voted on a motion to reverse the Tulsa Preservation Commission’s denial. The motion failed for lack of three affirmative votes to overturn the administrative decision; the TPC denial therefore stands.
After that vote, the applicant requested — and the board granted — a continuance to allow the homeowner to revise plans and seek a new TPC review. The board continued the related zoning special-exception and variance matters to the board’s April 8, 2025 meeting to give the applicant time to seek a revised design from the Tulsa Preservation Commission. If the applicant later secures a TPC approval for a revised design, the applicant may return to the Board of Adjustment seeking width relief that aligns with that revised proposal.
What voters and neighbors should know
- Approvals issued by the board do not negate other permit or historic-preservation requirements; some approvals will still require building permits or additional reviews (for example, approved fence heights require the owner to complete the zoning clearance process).
- The preservation appeal required three affirmative votes to overturn the Tulsa Preservation Commission; the board failed to reach that threshold, so the commission’s denial remained in effect. The applicant retains the option to revise design plans and seek TPC approval before returning to the Board of Adjustment for related zoning relief.
Speakers quoted in this report were identified during the meeting and are listed in the article’s speaker roster. This summary is based on the public record of the City of Tulsa Board of Adjustment meeting.
