City of Oklahoma City

Lisa M. Chronister

Community Planning Steward

Common Zoning Barriers That Affect Development Timelines

Zoning regulations are important in that they protect the environment and improve health and wellness. They do so by promoting transit and walkability, along with economic and social benefits like stable property values, while addressing incompatible uses, such as residential uses next to industrial areas.

However, zoning can also impede housing development in several ways. Minimum lot size requirements, limits on building heights, restrictions on housing types and caps on density limit the number of homes that can be built on a given site, leading to higher prices and fewer places to live.

For example, in Oklahoma City, the zoning code definition of R-1 Single Family Residential Zoning only allows one dwelling per lot. This limits the construction of other housing types like accessory dwellings, duplexes and quadplexes. And with 96 percent of residential land in the city zoned for only detached single-family homes, this creates a significant barrier to creating additional housing.

To construct additional housing types, developers often must seek site-specific zoning approvals that are complex, frustrating and burdensome in terms of time, energy and money. This rezoning process also offers little uniformity or predictability for either developers or neighbors.

Multiple local and national studies include recommendations for zoning reform to increase quality housing supply and reduce housing costs for both owners and renters. Four zoning code related strategies are overwhelmingly consistent across all studies:

1. allow for more than one dwelling on a lot,
2. allow for smaller homes,
3. allow greater density, especially near jobs, schools and transit, and
4. reduce and streamline permitting costs and timeframes.

How Oklahoma City Navigates These Barriers

Many of these barriers were removed in Oklahoma City with the recent adoption of an ordinance that allows accessory dwellings in most residential zoning districts of the urban core. The new ordinance took effect in June 2025.

The benefits of allowing accessory dwellings are many. These include expanding housing supply in areas where infrastructure already exists, and in traditional, walkable neighborhoods where residents might otherwise be “priced out.” Accessory dwellings can also provide supplemental income from rentals, with added social benefits by accommodating multi-generational households that make it possible to age in place.

The development of the accessory dwellings ordinance was the first initiative of a larger zoning code update project that is in development. The proposed new zoning code for the urban core of the city would allow up to two buildings and four dwellings per lot, by right, depending on site conditions like corner lots and alleys. It would also include provisions for smaller lot sizes, reduced street frontage requirements, encouraging the use of alleys for site access, and reduced parking requirements.

With the proposed new zoning code, a typical city block in Oklahoma City could accommodate twice as many dwellings as is currently allowed through a combination of accessory dwellings, duplexes, quadplexes and small-lot single dwellings.

Balancing Community Interests with Increasing Housing Supply Needs

Oklahoma City’s comprehensive plan, planokc, was based on an extensive community input process, which asked our diverse residents to envision an economically, socially, civically and environmentally healthy city of the future. The community interests captured in the plan include increasing housing choice and diversity for all lifestyles. It was important to the community to ensure stable, safe, attractive and vibrant neighborhoods while building an urban environment that facilitates health and wellness.

We have also heard from residents that they value the physical character of their neighborhoods, backyard privacy and walkability. Fortunately, thoughtfully designed infill development can address these interests while at the same time adding much-needed housing. In the development of the new ordinance, we carefully studied the physical character of existing neighborhoods, which led us to include limits on the size and height of new accessory dwellings so that they better match the character of existing neighborhoods.

The ordinance also limits the size of second-floor balconies and orients them away from neighboring properties to protect backyard privacy. In addition, the ordinance allows accessory dwellings only in the older core of the city, promoting walkability by creating additional housing in traditional urban neighborhoods that are already close to shopping, services, and transit.

The proposed new zoning code for the urban core of the city would allow historic housing types like duplexes, quadplexes and small apartment buildings to be built more easily and closer to transit and services. The proposed new code also includes design requirements to promote walkability and neighborhood safety, such as metrics for front porches to invite social interaction and to provide “eyes on the street.” I am confident that the attention to design detail and compatibility throughout the proposed new code will honor community interests while increasing housing supply.