You can find the
Downtown Linkage Report on the TMAPC website. This report includes a "Downtown Public Investment Master Plan" and a "Downtown Tulsa Master Plan" as well as recommendations of various sorts.
For what it's worth.
The report makes some good observations about what's needed for downtown. At the same time, it seems fairly timid when it comes to achieving those goals.
Here's an interesting line that popped out at me when I glanced at it today:
Since downtown is mostly zoned CBD (Central Business District) which allows for
almost any type of use, except industrial, with no height, area, or parking requirements,
the City has no leverage or ability to implement a Master Plan, unless it intends to
purchase the entire 900 acres, or rezone all the property within the Inner Dispersal Loop.
Since neither is likely, a different approach is called for. (Then, they don't say exactly what that approach will be...)
Why didn't they recommend amending the CBD zoning code just a tad? They could have outlined a short list of amendments to the CBD zoning code, which would allow development, but ensure it was compatible with an urban landscape. This wouldn't affect other areas of town, just our very unique downtown area.
Just a few I would suggest...
1. No surface parking as a right (downtown is 50% surface parking already.)
2. Require zero (or minimal) setbacks on street fronts to ensure buildings come up to the sidewalk.
3. Require "permeable" street frontages (meaning: no blank walls. Downtown buildings should have windows and doors facing the street).
4. Require all lighting to be fully shielded, no glare fixtures.
These are just a few things off the top of my head. How hard would it be to start making small changes to the zoning code for the CBD district? What would it take? How do zoning code amendments get off the ground?
