1 Fundamentals of City Govt in Oklahoma

Fundamentals of City Government in Oklahoma

1st in a 3-Part Series

James Wagner, AICP

Key Learning Objectives

• How Oklahoma cities & towns are organized

• Powers and responsibilities do they have over the built environment

• Legislative instruments

• Role of private sector developers

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The state giveth power

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Powers of cities

• Home rule (ask for forgiveness)

• Dillon’s Rule (ask for permission)• Cities can:

• Enact oridnances (Local laws)

• As police power (health, safety, welfare)• Set zoning rules (use of buildings)

• Create rules on subdivision of land (how land is divided)

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Forms of Government

• Town (common for towns less than 1,000)

• Mayor-Council

• Council-Manager (most common)

• Strong Mayor

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Who makes these decisions?

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Weak Mayor (Council-Manager) or Town Board of Trustees

City Council

Mayor

Legislative

Ma

ke

s r

eco

mm

en

dation

s to

District CourtFinal say unless

appealed in DC

Appeal

Judicial

Planning

Commission

Appoin

ts

Appo

ints

Board of Adjustment

City Manager

Executive

City Planning

Dept

Hires

Public Works

Dept.

Who makes these decisions?

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Town Board of Trustees

Town Board of

Trustees

Mayor

Legislative

Ma

ke

s r

eco

mm

en

dation

s to

District CourtFinal say unless

appealed in DC

Appeal

Judicial

Planning

Commission

Appoin

ts

Appo

ints

Board of Adjustment

Town

Administrator

Executive

City Planning

Dept

Hires

Public Works

Dept.

Who makes these decisions?

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Strong Mayor

City Council

Legislative

Ma

ke

s r

eco

mm

en

dation

s to

District CourtFinal say unless

appealed in DC

Appeal

Judicial

Planning

Commission

Appoin

ts

Appo

ints

Board of Adjustment

Mayor

Executive

City Planning

Dept

Public Works

Dept.

Zoning

• Cities allowed to make rules regarding size, bulk, setback, use, height, and appearance of buildings

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Zoning Can control…

• Number of required parking spaces

• Height of buildings

• Use of buildings (commercial, residential, etc.)

• Minimum lot sizes

• In some cases, external building materials

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Subdivision Regulations

• Lot sizes

• Access to property from public streets

• Utilities

• Stormwater

• Dedication of park land

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Planning Commission

Appointed by City Council or Mayor

5-7 members

Make recommendations to City Council on zoning and subdivision issues

Usually follow recommendations of staff city planners

Decisions are not final until city council approves recommendations

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Board of Adjustment

Appointed by City Council or Mayor

Quasi judicial

3-5 members

Final decision-making body unless appealed to district court

Staff will have a recommendation

Deal with issues of variances from zoning code and special exceptions (i.e. strange shaped lot, difficult grade, disallowed uses)

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Key Players

• City Manager

• City Planning Director or Development Services Director

• Public Works Director

• Staff

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Influence in Local Land Use Policy

1. Policy-based

2. Design-based

3. Ad-Hoc Advocacy

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Policy Based Tools

Resolution - a special or temporary act of a municipal governing body which is declaratory of the will or opinion of a municipality in a given matter and is in the nature of a ministerial or administrative act. A resolution is not a law and does not prescribe a permanent rule of conduct or government.

Example: City Council resolves that we would like the new passenger rail from OKC to stop in our town

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Policy Based Tools

Ordinance - a formal legislative act of a municipal governing body which has the force and effect of a continuing regulation and a permanent rule of conduct or government for the municipality.

Example: City Council requires that no bicycles may ride on the sidewalk downtown or in any business district…and set fines for enforcement.

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Executive Orders

Organizational changes to city government. Not used to make big public policy changes, but rather to implement policy.

Example: Combine the City Planning department with the Public Works department, and make the joint department responsible for all land development in the city.

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Design-Based Tools

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Image Courtesy Pedestrian Bicycle Information Center, UNC

Design-Based Tools

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Image Courtesy Pedestrian Bicycle Information Center, UNC

Driveways built like intersections encourage high-speed turns

Image Courtesy Pedestrian Bicycle Information Center, UNC

Driveways built like driveways encourage

slow-speed turnsImage Courtesy Pedestrian Bicycle Information Center, UNC

Separated sidewalk keeps sidewalk level at drivewaysImage Courtesy Pedestrian Bicycle Information Center, UNC

Crosswalk Visibility

Crosswalk Marking TypesImage Courtesy Pedestrian Bicycle Information Center, UNC

In-Street Pedestrian Crossing Signs

Image Courtesy Pedestrian Bicycle Information Center, UNC

Who implements design-based tools?

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Public

Works

Dept.

…and

Outside

design

consultants

Oklahoma

Dept. of

Transportatio

n

County

Engineers

Ad-Hoc Advocacy

• Find out about projects

• Show up to public meetings and advocate for better design

• Public street projects

• Private development projects (Planning Commission)

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