Consultant presents diagnostic report to guide Bartlesville unified development code update

Greg Collins, the city's special projects manager, introduced a draft diagnostic report prepared by Friese and Nichols and said it will provide the foundation for drafting a new set of land development regulations for Bartlesville.

Don Thomas, the consultant project manager, told the council the diagnostic report draws on community engagement, stakeholder interviews, an open house and an online survey. He said the goal is to align regulations with the city's comprehensive plan so zoning and the future development map produce the outcomes the city seeks. "We are still aiming to get this to you this fall with adoption probably August or September," Thomas said.

The consultants recommended consolidating the zoning code, subdivision regulations and design standards into a single unified development code (UDC). They said a UDC would centralize definitions, the use table, entitlements, parking rules and procedural steps so applicants and staff can find requirements in one place rather than across separate documents. Thomas said consultants will frame zoning districts around context and character areas from the comprehensive plan and include tools such as alternative compliance paths and more objective administrative review to streamline approvals.

Council members praised the streamlining but flagged concerns about adding detailed, mandatory requirements. One council member said the packet contained provisions that read like "you have to do it this way" and warned that overly prescriptive rules on landscaping, plant lists or minor dimensional standards could unduly burden property owners and small businesses. "I'd rather see those as recommended guidelines, not a stipulation," the council member said.

Thomas responded that the preferred-plant list and some proposed standards are intended to improve water conservation and reduce long-term costs for property owners (for example, planting drought-tolerant native species to avoid irrigation). He said staff and the consultant team will provide pros-and-cons and clarify where they propose mandatory standards and where they propose recommended guidelines.

Council members also asked about enforcement and how the city could phase compliance requirements to reduce upfront costs for small businesses. Thomas and Collins said communities often use phased implementation, development agreements, fees-in-lieu or sureties so an applicant can open while guaranteeing future completion of public improvements such as sidewalks or landscaping.

Next steps: the project moves into code drafting (Phase 2), including preparation of a draft zoning map and proposed code language through midsummer, with additional opportunities for public review. The diagnostic draft, appendices and an interactive map are posted on the project website for review.