The City Council met on April 19, 2023 for committee meetings and a City Council meeting.
Below are the highlights of Council discussion and information on agenda items that action was taken on.
Urban and Economic Development Committee Meeting| 10:30 am
Councilors discussed the initiation of Zoning Code amendments concerning housing feasibility. As recently announced in the citywide housing study, Tulsa is experiencing a housing crisis that will require the construction of at least 13,000 housing units over the next ten years, representing a 55% increase in current housing production. Zoning Code regulations are often cited by home builders, housing nonprofits, policymakers, and researchers as one of many factors leading to reduced housing production that does not keep up with demand. As opportunities for greenfield housing development on the edge of the city continue to dwindle, attention has shifted toward infill development which these Zoning Code amendments would address.
lf the City Council votes to initiate the change, it will start the process of updating the Zoning Code. The Tulsa Planning Office will draft these amendments that will come back to a future City Council meeting for discussion and possible approval.
Read the amendments here: https://www.cityoftulsa.org/apps/CouncilDocuments?item=44284
This item is scheduled for a vote at the April 26 City Council meeting at 5 p.m.
Councilors discussed an ordinance to appropriate $14,900 in grant revenues from the George Kaiser Family Foundation (GKFF) Best, LLC, within the Social Economic Development Non‐Federal Grant Programs SubFund.
The City of Tulsa received this grant from GKFF Best to support the Equity Dialogues Initiative, an action of the Tulsa Resilience Strategy. The grant will support costs associated with hosting trainings and other costs associated to implement the lnitiative. During calendar year 2023, up to 100 individuals will be trained and at least 20 dialogues will be offered.
This item is scheduled for a vote at the April 26 City Council meeting at 5 p.m.
Councilors discussed an ordinance to appropriate $1,075,000 in grant revenues from the Department of Justice within the Emmett Till Cold Case Grant Program SubFund.
The City will use the grant funds to pursue forensic genetic genealogy identifications for potential 1921 Race Massacre victims exhumed in the 2022 search at Tulsa Oaklawn Cemetery. This grant program will bring justice and reconciliation for hundreds of cold case murder victims associated with civil identification, investigation, prosecution, and resolution of the cases.
This item is scheduled for a vote at the April 26 City Council meeting at 5 p.m.
Councilors continued discussion of an ordinance amending the"Residential Code" adding a section that would create specifications for Tiny Houses.
The City Council approved this ordinance as Item 7a on the 5 p.m. agenda with the amendment that the definition of Tiny House be changed to Micro Unit, Micro House or a similar name.
Read the ordinance here:https://www.cityoftulsa.org/apps/CouncilDocuments?item=44197
Councilors discussed a resolution on the projected use of U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development grant funds beginning July 1, 2023. These include Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, Home Investment Partnership Act (HOME) funds, Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funds and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) funds.
View the breakdown of funding and learn more about the programs here: https://www.cityoftulsa.org/apps/CouncilDocuments?item=44272
This item is scheduled for a vote at the April 26 City Council meeting at 5 p.m.
Councilors continued their discussion on possible amendments to Council Rules, specifically relating to communications among Councilors during meetings and approaches to intra‐Council dispute resolution.
This item was forwarded to the April 26 Urban & Economic Development Committee meeting at 10:30 a.m. for additional discussion.
Watch the video of this meeting here. Each item is timestamped for easy navigation: Urban & Economic Development Committee at 10:30 a.m.
Public Works Committee Meeting | 2:30pm
Councilors met with the Mayor, the Director of Finance and representatives from the City of Tulsa Information Technology Department on IT projects proposed in the Improve Our Tulsa package.
Councilors met with the Mayor's Chief of Staff, Blake Ewing, on Zink Lake projects proposed in the Improve Our Tulsa package.
Councilors met with the Mayor the, Director of Engineering Services and representatives from the City of Tulsa Engineering Department on the Gilcrease project proposed in the Improve Our Tulsa package.
Councilors discussed upcoming Improve Our Tulsa Town Hall events. Upcoming town halls include:
Monday, April 24, 6 to 8 p.m. at Union High School Grand Hall and Atrium, 6636 S. Mingo Road
Tuesday, April 25, 6 to 8 p.m. at OU-Tulsa Schusterman Center, 4502 E. 41st Street
Monday, May 1, 6 to 8 p.m. at Greenwood Cultural Center, West Hall, 322 N. Greenwood Avenue
Learn more about Improve Our Tulsa online at www.cityoftulsa.org/improve-our-tulsa/
Watch the video of this meeting here. Each item is time stamped for easy navigation.
City Council Regular Meeting| 5pm
Council celebrated National Animal Control Officer Appreciation Week with a proclamation reading:
The National Animal Control Association has designated the second week of April each year as Animal Control Officer Appreciation Week. Animal Control Officers are hardworking professionals who work long hours, in dangerous situations, in inclement weather, to protect the public and defend voiceless animals. Every day, Animal Control Officers put themselves in high-risk situations to protect the public from dangerous animals, provide care for animals in their custody, and reunite lost pets with their owners. Animal Control Officers assist law enforcement as the animal experts in our community, seek justice in cases of abused, neglected, and abandoned animals by conducting humane investigations, and work closely with the justice system to provide testimony in court for animal cruelty related cases. The City of Tulsa recognizes and commends our dedicated Animal Control Officers and encourages all residents to join us in expressing sincere appreciation for the service and commitment of our Animal Control Officers
The Mayor presented the City of Tulsa Fiscal Year 2023‐2024 Budget and Capital Plan. Public hearings to receive feedback from citizens on the budget will be held on May 17 and May 24 at the 5 p.m. City Council meeting.
The Fiscal Year 2024 total budget is $966,814,000 – a 0.2 percent decrease from the original FY23 amount. The operating budget is $849,035,000 and the Capital Improvements budget totals $117,779,000. The operating budget is increasing by 1.3 percent and the capital budget is decreasing 9.9 percent from FY23.
Total expenditure by major program categories: Public Safety consumes 28 percent of total appropriations. Public Works and Transportation makeup 39 percent of the budget and includes the transit bus system, street maintenance, water, sanitary sewer systems, stormwater management, and refuse pickup and disposal functions. Cultural and Recreational programs consume 4 percent of the budget, Social and Economic Development programs make up 3 percent, and Administration 16 percent. Transfers and Debt service are 9 percent of the budget.
Get more information and read the full budget here: https://www.cityoftulsa.org/budget
Councilors approved an ordinance of $60,000 within the Pandemic Relief Recovery Fund. This funding will go toward the Mayor's Office Language Access Program.
Councilors approved an ordinance appropriating $40,481.59 in grant revenues from the Indian Nations Council of Governments (INCOG) within the Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities SubFund. This funding will go toward the Enhanced Mobility Grant.
Councilors approved an ordinance appropriating $70,000 in grant revenues from the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund within the Non‐Grant Miscellaneous Special Revenue Fund. This grant has provided funding to support the implementation of the Financial Empowerment Center as well as the City of Tulsa Office of Financial Empowerment.
Councilors approved an ordinance appropriating $5,651,500 in grant revenues from the U.S. American Rescue Plan Act SubFund. This will help fund Flat Rock Creek, Animal Welfare Shelter, Golf Course Infrastructure, Save Our Homes Initiative, Seeding Savings Financial Counseling, Credential Evaluation Program, and Citizen Application Program.
Councilors adopted a resolution approving the Metropolitan Tulsa Transit Authority's (MTTA) Free Fare Program for passengers 18 years of age and under, effective July 1, 2023.
Watch the video of this meeting here. Each item is timestamped for easy navigation.
To learn more about how City Council works, please view our Government Guide.
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