Broken Arrow Board of Adjustment
07-13-2026
To: Chairman and Board Members
From: Community Development Department
Title:
title
Public hearing, consideration, and possible action regarding VAR-002919-2025, 202 Elgin Apartments approximately 0.24 acres, Downtown Residential Overlay District 5, request a variance from Section V of the Downtown Residential Overlay District regulations to modify driveway width, located approximately one-half mile north of West Houston Street (81st Street), and one-half mile west of 9th Street (177th East Avenue)
End
Background:
Applicant: Danyell Blankenship & Bill Diedrich, Route 66 Engineering
Owner: Matthew Reavis
Developer: N/A
Surveyor: N/A
Location: Located approximately one-half mile north of West Houston Street (81st Street), and one-half mile west of 9th Street (177th East Avenue)
Size of Tract 0.24 acres
Number of Lots: 1
Present Zoning: DROD - Area 5
Comp Plan: Level 2 - Urban Residential
VAR-002919-2025, involving 0.24 acres within DROD - Area 5, is a request to waive the Downtown Residential Overlay District (DROD) driveway width regulations, located approximately one-half mile north of West Houston Street (81st Street), and one-half mile west of 9th Street (177th East Avenue).
The applicant has resolved the legal matters around the property and has re-applied for a variance on the property. The previous application was under case number, VAR-002667-2026. That application was withdrawn before a vote or decision was made.
For a variance to be granted, there are four conditions that must be found by the Board of Adjustment.
1. Unnecessary Hardship. The application of the ordinance to the particular piece of property would create unnecessary hardship;
Analysis:
Lots within Broken Arrow’s Original Townsite are narrow and long, which was normal for development at the time. However, these narrow lots present challenges and obstacles when developing to modern standards. The design standards within the DROD do not specify minimum driveway width for one-way or two-way drives. The minimum width of 26’ shown within the DROD does align with a two-way drive that does NOT have alleyway access as seen in the ordinance. However, there are no specific requirements for those developments with a one-way access drive with egress using a public alleyway.
2. Unusual Conditions. Such conditions are peculiar to the particular piece of property involved;
Analysis:
The geography of the parcel, the economics of infill development, and the requirements of the DROD necessitated a certain number of parking spaces per unit while maintaining setbacks and other required dimensional standards. The DROD does allow Rowhouses to have 20’ maximum driveway widths. It should be noted that flats and rowhouses are very similar developments in density and use.
3. Public Good. Relief, if granted, would not cause substantial detriment to the public good, or impair the purposes and intent of the ordinance or the comprehensive plan; and.
Analysis:
The variance if granted would allow for more dense housing to be constructed in the DROD. That itself is the overall goal of the DROD. There are other existing driveways throughout the district that are various widths including some one-way drives with widths as low as 15’.
4. Minimum Variance. The variance, if granted, would be the minimum necessary to alleviate the unnecessary hardship.
Analysis:
If a two-way drive needs to be a minimum 26’ in width, then a one-way drive could be considered to need a minimum of 13’ in width. The applicant in this case is requesting to reduce the width of the one-way driveway to be 13’.
Attachments: Case map
Aerial
Site Plan
DROD Design Standards by Building Form
Recommendation:
Staff recommend VAR-002919-2026 be approved, granting a variance for a 13’ one-way driveway for a proposed “flats” style development on the subject property.
Reviewed by: Jane Wyrick
Approved by: Rocky Henkel
JAJ