Consultants present land development code issues summary; council seeks peer-city examples and public input

Consultants for the city of Moore presented an issues-identification summary for a planned update to the land development code and invited council and resident input on priorities before drafting code changes.

The overview, given by Caitlyn Cameron of WSC and project teammate Mark White, outlined nine topic buckets that will guide amendments to zoning and subdivision regulations. Cameron said the exercise focused on bringing the code into alignment with the city’s comprehensive and Oldtown revitalization plans while balancing design standards with financial feasibility. "This really is a focus on the land development code," Cameron said, describing outreach that included staff interviews, document reviews and focus groups with design and development professionals.

Why it matters: The code update will shape where denser housing, mixed-use development and design standards are allowed across Moore, which council members tied directly to Oldtown’s potential for walkable redevelopment. Councilmembers and staff framed zoning as a tool to manage built form, while noting that attracting employers or anchor stores is primarily an economic-development decision, not a zoning regulation.

Key details and consultant priorities included making it easier for predictable projects to proceed without discretionary reviews, clarifying use definitions (an example given was mini-storage locations), revising residential dimensional standards (lot sizes, setbacks and building size), coordinating development standards such as landscaping and stormwater, and addressing parking and subdivision street design to reduce overflow on neighborhood streets. Cameron summarized: the team heard interest in "streamlining," "clear standards," and balancing high-quality design with projects’ financial feasibility.

Council members pressed for examples and next steps. Staff asked council and residents to suggest five to 10 peer cities similar to Moore to inform best practices; the packet contains a more exhaustive issues list. One resident, Jeremy Martin (3418 SE 31st Place), urged consideration of two- and three-story mixed-use buildings in Oldtown rather than additional single-family homes. "If we're looking at walkability and people down here, developing something like that may be better for us as opposed to more single family homes," Martin said.

The presentation was informational; staff said this was the final broad call for issues before drafting begins and no formal action was required at the meeting. Staff will return with more concrete recommendations and hold targeted follow-up meetings to collect additional public input.

Next steps: Staff and WSC will compile council and public suggestions, develop draft code language, and schedule targeted meetings and public hearings as the project moves from issues identification to drafting.