Planning commission recommends Venn Park mixed‑use PUD, orders pickleball courts moved away from adjacent homes; variance to allow gated emergency access also t

Broken Arrow’s Planning Commission recommended approval of BAZ 16‑24 and PUD 16‑23 (the Venn/Bend Park proposal), a roughly 10.9‑acre mixed‑use project that would allow a range of housing types and limited commercial live/work units, and simultaneously approved a variance to permit a gated emergency connection onto North Circle Drive.

Staff framed the application as a level‑3 comprehensive‑plan change and summarized the PUD concepts: cottage courts, single‑family attached/detached, duplex and live/work townhomes, a conceptual public street network that would provide frontage for most lots, and a PUD‑specified 30‑foot landscape buffer plus a 6‑foot fence along the south and east edges. Staff recommended approval of the rezoning and PUD "subject to the property being platted," noting the PUD reduces some commercial uses normally allowed in the Centimeters community mixed‑use district.

Project architect Jennifer Griffin said the team had worked with staff and neighbors and planned to collaborate with the city on improving the adjacent detention facility into a public amenity. "Part of this is working with the city in the collaboration to beautify that and to turn it into a public park as well as the detention facility," she said.

The meeting turned into a lengthy public comment period focused on three recurring concerns: drainage and siltation of existing retention ponds; privacy and view impacts where new units would back to older yards on North Ash and Circle Drive; and the proposed location of three pickleball courts in a narrow panhandle that neighbors said would sit close to existing backyards. Multiple speakers asked that the courts be removed or relocated; opponents emphasized noise and the courts’ proximity to yards. "Pickleball isn't just the ball hit the racket... it's everybody making a racket," said a Kenwood resident, noting calls and shouting during play would carry into adjacent yards.

Planning staff offered two options to commissioners: (1) accept the PUD but require any pickleball courts to be moved to the interior or west side of the site; or (2) expressly prohibit pickleball courts in the PUD. Commissioners opted for the first approach and moved to recommend approval with the relocation condition. The roll call on the PUD recommendation was recorded (Mindy Payne: yes; Jonathan Townsend: yes; Jaylee Klimpa: abstain; Jason Cohen: no; Robert Goranson: yes). The item will go to city council on Sept. 3 at 06:30.

Separately, staff presented a variance to allow a gated emergency access onto North Circle Drive (subdivision regulations generally prohibit gates on public streets). Commissioners discussed gate maintenance, use of a Knox box for emergency access and that gates may be required only for emergency vehicles; staff clarified the PUD language allows a gated connection if necessary for fire code or to prevent commercial cut‑through traffic. The commission voted to allow the variance by roll call; staff noted future removal or modification of the gate would require council action.

What this means: The commission’s recommendation moves the mixed‑use project forward but restricts where noisy amenities can be placed adjacent to existing homes; the developer and staff signaled willingness to work with neighbors on screening, fencing and landscape buffering. The city and applicant will still need to finalize engineering, platting and any public‑private agreements for the detention pond improvements before building permits are issued.