City Council Recap - December 2023
- Tulsa City Council
- Dec 22, 2023
- 1 min read
The City Council met on December 6, 13 and 20 for committee and Council meetings.
Below are highlights of Council discussion and action items.
| DECEMBER 6
71st Street Retail Corridor Revitalization
The Council approved the rezoning of the 71st Street Retail Corridor after a year-long collaborative effort with the Tulsa Planning Office that included stakeholder feedback meetings and community engagement. This rezoning simplifies and replaces complex zoning regulations with one unified, modern set of development standards to help spur redevelopment and revitalization of this vital commercial hub.
“Daycare Desert” Rezoning
The Council approved amendments to the zoning code to allow in-home daycares by right in residential areas and remove 300-foot spacing requirements between daycares. This allows roughly 64 existing state-licensed family childcare homes to continue operating while helping to mitigate the lack of childcare options in Tulsa, especially for lower-income families. According to DHS, 34 of Oklahoma’s 77 counties are considered childcare deserts, including Tulsa County.
Thank You to Council Chair Crista Patrick
Councilors honored their colleague Crista Patrick for her outstanding public service as Chair of the Tulsa City Council from 2022-2023. The Council elected Jeannie Cue – District 2 as the new Chair and Phil Lakin – District 8 as the new Vice Chair.
Key to the City Recipient Susan Neal
Susan Neal was awarded the Key to the City upon her retirement. Neal has worked in dozens of public servant positions including U.S. Congress, Mayfest, Downtown Tulsa Unlimited, the University of Tulsa, the Mayor’s Office and served two terms as a City Councilor. As Executive Director of the Gilcrease Museum, Neal oversaw the design, building, and financing of the new museum opening in 2026.
| DECEMBER 13
Adjustments to Water Customer Service Fees
| DECEMBER 20
New Automated Water Meter Installation
Councilors received an update on the True Reads program in which the City of Tulsa will begin installation of automated residential water meters beginning January 16. Starting in January, some of the first households to receive new AMR meters will receive a door hanger 1-2 weeks prior to the contractor starting work. The day of installation, households will receive a knock before installations start. Installations will result in a disruption of water service that will last no more than 30 minutes. Following the installation, a post-work doorhanger will be placed on each home. As work continues through the spring, the contractor will be sending out a postcard prior to the pre-work doorhanger as another means of communication. The True Reads project is expected to take 3-4 years to complete. There is no additional cost to Tulsa utility customers for the project at this time.
"Elder-Friendly" City Resolution
Councilors approved a resolution making Tulsa an “Elder‐Friendly”, Retirement Destination City encouraging and promoting public policies supporting healthy aging. The resolution states the City may apply to join the Network of Age-Friendly Cities to support current and future age-friendly services and initiatives that promote health, wellness and sustained economic growth. The City supports the efforts of the INCOG Area Agency on Aging in their work to provide housing, services, and programming to older residents of Tulsa. The City will also undergo a long-term process and commitment to become a Retirement Destination City for aging and retired people from all over the nation.
More information here
Programs to Reduce Homelessness
The Council approved two budget amendments to fund key programs from the Housing, Homelessness & Mental Health Task Force (3H).
The Council approved a $3.1 million budget amendment for Emergency Temporary Housing. When operational, the program will provide 25 units of temporary housing to help 100+ unsheltered individuals per year, while also providing them with supportive services with the goal of transitioning them to permanent housing.
The Council approved a $150,000 budget amendment for Priority Housing Placement. When fully functional, this partnership with the Tulsa Housing Authority (THA) will create a housing preference for chronically homeless individuals. As part of the effort, THA revised its program screening requirements for criminal background checks to expand affordable housing options including the removal of 34 out of 47 screening criteria and reducing the look-back period from five years to two years.
