How Our Vision Was Developed
Thousands of Tulsans from all parts of the city have participated in this vision, providing input, feedback, and great ideas for the city’s future. In addition, the planning team conducted important research related to land use, economic issues and transportation.
Tulsa’s future depends on citizens’ continued involvement as the vision is put into place. Broad citizen input will continue to be instrumental in shaping the policies, recommendations and strategies included in the comprehensive plan.
Below is a summary of how citizens have helped shape Tulsa’s future vision:
Citizens’ Team and the Initial City-wide Poll
In June 2008 a Citizens’ Team of volunteers and stakeholders from organizations and neighborhoods across the city convened to work with the PLANiTULSA team and guide the planning process. The Citizens’ Team served as champions for the process and worked hard to get others involved. In an advisory capacity, they reviewed the findings of the team’s research and analysis, provided valuable input on how and where to conduct workshops, and reviewed the scenarios and plan concepts as they evolved. The group provided feedback on proposed strategies to achieve the vision and will continue to assist in ensuring that Tulsans’ voices are incorporated into this vision and the comprehensive plan. The Citizens’ Team has been invaluable and they are greatly appreciated by city leaders and members of the planning team.
At the outset of the PLANiTULSA process, the city conducted a statistically significant poll of Tulsa residents to establish key values and priorities for the plan. Tulsans were found to be in agreement on many of the key issues and desires, supporting the idea of a unified vision for our future. The results of the poll are here.
Citizen priorities included:
- Maintaining and improving the transportation system,
- Creating opportunities to grow the economy, generate jobs, ensure a trained workforce, and grow Tulsa’s entrepreneurial spirit,
- Using existing assets to move Tulsa toward a sustainable future, with clean air, water and the use of renewable resources,
- Addressing the needs of previously underserved areas such as North Tulsa and providing more community connections throughout the city,
- Providing affordable housing choices,
- Improving the city’s school systems,
- Restoring downtown as a regional center for commerce and employment, and adding more housing choices.
Land use, transportation and economic research and analysis
Parallel with the public input process, the planning team conducted extensive analysis of existing conditions and trends in the city and region.
The team examined:
- Land use modeling, including buildable land, constraints, existing uses, and values
- Enhanced transportation modeling
- Four future land use and transportation scenarios
- Housing needs analysis
- Economic analysis, including the economic cluster analysis provided by the Greater Tulsa Chamber of Commerce
- Natural hazards analysis
- Infill and redevelopment analysis with the development of prototypes, an analysis of potential return on investment, and infill pro formas
- Zoning code analysis
- Urban design survey and analysis
With the knowledge from the analysis and the citizen input from the surveys in mind, the PLANiTULSA team invited the public to weigh in just how we would like those changes to look on the ground—and we did so, in numbers far exceeding expectations.
Workshops
In the fall of 2008 and winter of 2009, more than 1,500 Tulsans packed community centers, school gymnasiums, churches and the BOK Center to help shape what Tulsa should look and be like in the future. At 11 different workshops (seven that focused on small or specific areas, three that were city wide, and one that focused solely on transportation issues) residents helped create solutions for issues in their community. These include: where new homes and jobs should go, what kind of new transportation investments should be developed, where those investments were needed, and how to protect environmental and open space areas. The future painted by workshop participants showed a Tulsa with more vibrant streets and corridors with a lively mix of housing, retail, jobs and parks and a strengthened downtown.
These city-wide and small area workshop maps helped set the stage for creating four growth and transportation scenarios:
|
Scenario A: Trends ContinueScenario A follows a business as usual trend of growing outward and beyond the city. Most housing is built in new single family subdivisions. Most jobs are located in new office parks along highway corridors. People depend upon their cars to get to work, the store, and school. Few parks and destinations are within walking distance. |
Scenario B: Main StreetsScenario B follows a traditional model of growth along Main Streets. Diverse housing types are built in existing communities on underutilized lots or in new nearby neighborhoods. New jobs are located in shops and offices along linear main streets or within enhanced town centers. Investments in transit provide new bus, rail, and streetcar service. Paths link neighborhoods and parks, and promote pedestrian and bike travel. |
|
Scenario C: New CentersScenario C directs growth into New Centers as well as downtown. The New Centers act as complete communities where people can find jobs, shopping and services within a short distance. The downtown captures new investment and acts as a vibrant cultural center. An extensive system of bus, rail, and streetcar link the New Centers to each other and downtown. People live within walking distance of parks and open space. |
Scenario D: Centered CityScenario D captures most growth within the downtown core and close-in neighborhood centers. Downtown rivals other great cities in culture, nightlife, unique neighborhoods, and quality of life. Most new housing occurs within the city in the form of townhomes, condos and apartments. The employment climate invites entrepreneurs and small businesses. High-quality transit serves people throughout the city. Access to open space is within walking distance. |
Tulsans were invited to review each of the scenarios and respond to a survey about which ones we preferred and why.
Survey Results
The response rate was tremendous, with more than 5,500 people completing a survey. Scenario D “Centered City” was the most often preferred scenario, followed by Scenario C “New Centers”. Scenario A, “Trends Continue”, was the least popular overall, with ratings in the single-digits. Younger Tulsans favored D most strongly of all.
Which Way Tulsa? Survey results: 1st and 2nd favorite scenarios choices
The strong support for new possibilities – versus continuing with current trends – indicates a tremendous desire by Tulsans to change where our city is heading. The survey results also showed that while we continue to want a strong downtown and revitalized main streets, we also cherish the communities we already have. The vision is designed to reflect our diverse values and preferences, and takes into account the best aspects of the most popular scenarios: revitalizing downtown, reinvesting in Tulsa’s corridors, preserving existing communities and building new neighborhoods.
Download a PDF of the survey results here!
