Why & How

What is planokc?

As a comprehensive plan, planokc is a policy document used by city leaders, developers, business owners, and citizens to make decisions about future growth, development, policy, and capital improvements. The policies contained in planokc inform and guide land use decisions, helping to assure citizens that these decisions are credible and not arbitrary.

This document provides long range policy direction for land use, transportation, economic development, housing, public services, and natural and cultural resources. It serves as a guide for elected and public officials by establishing policies and priorities, and providing the framework for evaluating development proposals. It expresses our community’s vision and priorities, and describes, where, how, and in some cases, when development should occur.

Comprehensive plans have been used for many decades as an aid to decision-makers when considering the many complicated issues that arise in the process of building and maintaining a city. Like a private corporation, which plans strategically for both the short term and the long term, cities must also plan for the future so that decisions can be based on sound information, principles, and agreed-upon goals, strategies, and priorities. This organized and steady approach, enabled by Oklahoma statute, helps the City keep the long view in mind and avoid making decisions based on short-term, changeable concerns.

How is planokc Organized?

planokc is organized so that different audiences, such as citizens, City Council members, Planning Commissioners, or developers can easily find the information they need.

• Why & How (Chapter 1 in the PDF) is introductory and explains the process used to develop planokc, the issues and challenges that the plan addresses and the supporting studies and analyses completed to inform the planning process.
• Development Guide (Chapter 2 in the PDF), describes the community’s vision for the future of Oklahoma City and guides the physical development of Oklahoma City by articulating land use policies and capital improvement priorities. It should be consulted by developers and others who are interested in how, where, and when development should occur.
• Element chapters describe how the City and its partners will go about accomplishing the ambitious goals set by planokc. Element chapters cover different topics such as land use, transportation, neighborhoods, the environment, etc., and discuss issues, goals, and initiatives related to each topic. Each initiative is a summary of policies the City and its partners intend to pursue in order to accomplish the goals outlined in each element.​

• Policies & Implementation lists the individual actions the City and its partners will undertake in the coming years to implement the initiatives. It is organized by element and also serves as an implementation tracking system. Each policy is prioritized and cross-referenced to related initiatives and goals.

Maintaining planokc

To help ensure planokc remains current and valid, the Planning Department will monitor the progress of ongoing and completed implementation items and conduct a periodic evaluation of the plan, including the Land Use Typology Areas described in the Development Guide. The evaluation will include updates to the City service efficiency maps, the land supply analysis, and other critical information. This evaluation will be presented to City officials along with any recommended policy changes every two years.

Incorporating New Plans

The City may amend planokc to respond to changes identified during the evaluation process; to improve or clarify content; or to incorporate other plans, such as service, infrastructure, district, or corridor plans. These plans could originate from the City or other entities. The Planning Department will evaluate each new plan and recommend adjustments to planokc as part of the normal plan maintenance process. Plans sponsored by the City may be adopted as amendments to planokc. This process will allow planokc to remain an effective guide for decision-making for many years to come.

Applying for an Amendment

From time to time individuals may wish to submit an application to amend the land use plan to modify policies or a Land Use Typology Area related to land which they own or have an interest in.

A completed amendment application will contain information supporting the request for a plan modification. The application should explain how the proposed amendment:

• Supports planokc initiatives and policies.
• Preserves efficiency of City services provision, including response time for public safety operations, water, sewer, and available capacity for nearby streets. For applications requesting a more intense LUTA, the application should evaluate whether City water and gravity sewer is immediately available and has sufficient capacity.
• Improves the functionality and quality of the surrounding area.
• Preserves water quality and natural resources, such as riparian areas, and Cross Timbers forests.

The application should also evaluate the supply of land in the vicinity of the proposed amendment and indicate why an increase in land designated at the proposed intensity level is needed in the area.

Once a properly completed application has been submitted, the Planning Department will evaluate the requested amendment and prepare an accompanying staff report. The Planning Commission will evaluate the application and staff report, hold a public hearing, and act on the requested amendment. Another public hearing will be held by the City Council to complete the process.

Annexations and Detachments

From time to time, the City of Oklahoma City receives petitions to annex or detach land. Some are simple requests to clear up jurisdictional boundaries. Others are for larger parcels of land that may involve plans for future development. In these cases, City Departments, the Planning Commission, and City Council all play a role in reviewing and analyzing the requests. To aid in the decision-making process, the petitioner should provide background information, such as:

• Intentions for development of the area;
• Anticipated changes in levels of service associated with a change in municipal responsibility;
• The anticipated timeframe associated with providing those services as the area is developed; and
• What communication and resulting feedback has been received from occupants, property owners, and affected school districts within and around the proposed annexation/detachment area.

The City’s intentions are to ensure changes in municipal boundaries will tangibly benefit Oklahoma City and its residents. Considerations include:

• Oklahoma City residents’ quality of life and levels of service will be maintained or improved;
• The City’s ability to provide services efficiently will be made easier or will not be impacted;
• Future development brought about by the change in municipal boundaries will not create adverse impacts or untimely development pressure on Oklahoma City;
• Proposed boundaries do not create irregular geographies with confusing service areas, rather they follow significant features such as rights of way and/or topographic ridgelines (watersheds);
• Jurisdictional responsibility for maintaining streets and rights-of-way are clearly defined; and
• Agreements are established with neighboring jurisdictions defining how development along a shared street will be designed, reviewed and approved.