Board approves Gilcrease soft-surface trail plan with limited parking and conditions after wide public comment

The Tulsa Board of Adjustment on Feb. 11 approved a special exception to allow Tulsa Parks and Recreation to develop multi‑use soft‑surface trails and granted a variance on parking‑surface requirements for a gravel lot west of 30 Third West Avenue, near the Gilcrease Museum.

The board voted unanimously to approve the parks use and the variance after extensive public comment and a presentation from Dylan Siers, project manager for Tulsa Parks and Recreation. "So what we're asking for today is a special exception for our parks and recreation use on, these tracts of land… The proposed project though will consist of 14 miles of soft surface trail," Siers told the board, describing roughly 8.5 miles west of 30 Third West Avenue and 5.5 miles on the east side adjacent to Stewart Park.

The board attached conditions limiting the development to the conceptual plan presented at the hearing, restricting trails to non‑motorized (foot and pedal) use, prohibiting permanent field lighting and prohibiting permanent sporting facilities such as ballfields or courts. The board also approved the gravel parking surface as a variance to the all‑weather paving rule for the lot shown on the plan. The motion passed with votes recorded as aye by the board members present.

Why it mattered: The proposal drew a large public turnout because the land is adjacent to long‑standing rural residential properties. Neighbors said the trails would change how local roads are used, could affect livestock and raise public‑safety, privacy and environmental concerns. Supporters—led in testimony by Shane Hood of the local Bike Club and Ryan Howell of River Parks Authority—said the trails would provide low‑impact recreation, reduce illegal dumping and bring stewardship and maintenance funding.

Local concerns and developers' responses

Several neighbors described the area as rural and privately used for livestock and small farming. Dennis Fagan, who said he lives at 2124 North 30 Third West Avenue and whose property borders the proposed project, warned about traffic and nearby animals: "That's a 2‑lane road without any shoulders on it, and it's already heavily traveled by not only a lot of vehicles, but a lot of lot of bicycles," he said.

Clint Billingsley, who said his family leases and farms portions of the land, told the board he worried about fence cutting and cattle escaping onto roads. "What happens when a bicycle somebody gets hurt because they hit a cow?" he asked.

Tulsa Parks and Recreation acknowledged the concerns and described project safeguards. Anna America, Tulsa Parks and Recreation director, said the city would own and operate the park, that gates would be locked outside park hours, and that city park security would patrol and be responsible for responding to dumping and other problems. She said, "We will own and be responsible for and city staff will be locking and unlocking the gates on a day to day basis. City security will be the ones who will, patrol and check…"

Bike Club and maintenance funding

Representatives of the Bike Club said they would partner on trail construction and programming. Shane Hood said the group has built trails elsewhere in Tulsa and offered a permanent maintenance endowment to back upkeep: "We have a $600,000 maintenance endowment, which ensures continued upkeep security management of the area, removal of debris." Hood and others said trail users often act as stewards and that activating the site reduces dumping and illicit uses.

Environmental, cultural and oil‑field issues

Speakers raised questions about beaver habitat, a small pond and a gully that some neighbors asked be avoided; Walt Kosty, who said he has walked the site for years, urged the designers to route trails to preserve a beaver colony and avoid historic features.

Multiple speakers also flagged the presence of oil‑industry equipment and pipelines on parts of the property. Parks staff said they are coordinating with leaseholders and the city’s GIS team to identify well pads and above‑ground lines and will work site‑by‑site to limit public access and secure any remaining equipment.

Board conditions and next steps

The board approved the special exception for parks use and the variance for a gravel parking surface subject to conditions that mirror the conceptual site plan presented at the hearing and that: (1) limit trails to non‑motorized foot and pedal use; (2) limit support facilities to the locations shown on the plan; (3) prohibit permanent field lighting; and (4) prohibit construction of sports courts, sports fields or similar permanent sporting infrastructure not shown on the plan.

Dylan Siers and the project team told the board they will return to neighborhoods with designers during final design and that trail alignment may shift slightly in the field to protect sensitive features and existing leaseholder access. "Once they get out there, they'll start moving some dirt and realize, 'oh, there's a huge rock here,'" Siers said, adding that designers intend to minimize soil disturbance and preserve the area's natural character.

Ending

Parks staff and nonprofit partners said they plan ongoing neighborhood engagement as design proceeds; several neighbors asked for added fencing, clearer signage and faster coordination with leaseholders for oil‑field safety. The board's approval allows work to advance to design and permitting with the specified conditions; the exact construction schedule and final trail alignments remain subject to subsequent permits and contractor planning.