A Message from Mayor G.T. Bynum

As the Mayor of Tulsa, I hope you enjoy the latest Planning and Development Now Newsletter. Maintaining good communication with the people building our city is a high priority for my administration.
 
Everything that my administration will do over the next four years will be focused toward the goal of growing our city. In 1900, Tulsa's population was 1,400 people. In 2000, it was just shy of 400,000. In the 20th Century we experienced tremendous growth as a community. Yet in the last 16 years, our growth has been too sluggish to support the quality of life Tulsans have rightfully come to expect. When your costs go up every year but your customer base isn't growing, a business faces dire prospects. In Tulsa, we've addressed this trajectory by cutting programs like parks and finance - and underfunding public safety to the extent that voters had to pass a new funding mechanism last April so we can properly staff our Police and Fire Departments.
 
So getting Tulsa growing again is not just a matter of civic pride - it is an existential issue for us. And that is why the City's positive working relationship with the people building Tulsa is so important. We want Tulsa to be recognized for the ease and speed of doing business. I am thankful that former Mayor Kathy Taylor has joined my team as Chief of Economic Development with a mandate to make Tulsa a model for growth and development.
 
Please do not hesitate to contact me directly any time I may be of assistance to you. Thank you for partnering with us to make Tulsa the world-class city it should be. 
 
Best regards,
  G.T. Bynum
Mayor
Tulsa Wins Smart Growth Award to Help Target Investment
 
The City of Tulsa's work to make the community a more attractive destination has led to a national grant that will help local leaders use smart growth principles to facilitate decisions.

Tulsa was one of six communities nationwide to receive the Smart Growth America grant. By winning, Tulsa will receive a free technical assistance workshop in 2017 led by national experts focusing on planning for economic and fiscal health. Tulsa will also undergo a complete fiscal impact analysis.

City of Tulsa Planning and Development Director Dawn Warrick said the workshop will allow the City of Tulsa to follow-up on necessary action steps created in the comprehensive plan that relate to Vision Tulsa funding.

"With the Smart Growth assistance, we will be able to determine how to best direct Vision Tulsa "Commercial Revitalization" and "Citywide and Route 66 Beautification and Reinvestment" funds to target areas that are underutilized. We will use the latest Smart Growth principles to link the Comprehensive Plan and the Capital improvements program to prioritize projects and use our public resources most efficiently," Warrick said.

Smart Growth America received more than 50 applications for technical assistance and Tulsa was the only municipality in Oklahoma to receive the grant.

Smart Growth America is a national nonprofit that advocates for better cities, towns, and neighborhoods to improve everyday life for people across the country. For more information about Smart Growth America, visit them online. 
Development Services:
City Improves Residential and Commercial Construction Ratings

 
The City of Tulsa completed a five-year review of codes, policies and processes related to construction and development following the International Organization for Standardization's Building Code Effectiveness Grading Schedule (BCGES).
 
The City of Tulsa is excited to announce that ratings have improved for both residential and commercial construction in Tulsa. On a scale from one to 10 - with one being the highest rating, Tulsa improved from four to three in both construction types.
 
The improving ratings take into account new adopted codes, policies, staffing and staff training. The new rating also translates into potential credits for insurance policy holders regarding new structures.
 
During the past year, Yuen Ho, Assist Director of Development Services led the effort to get the most current building and trade codes adopted for the City of Tulsa. The announcement of the new and improved ratings is a testament to the hard work of the City's Development Services staff.
 
More information about the BCEGS can be found online.
 
You can review the adopted and updated codes on the City website. 
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