The OKC City Council is set to discuss a new ordinance that could bring more accessory dwellings, like "backyard cottages," guest houses, or granny flats, to the city. These types of homes, once common, are making a comeback and are seen as a way to increase housing options and diversity, as reported by the City of Oklahoma City.
The ordinance will be introduced at 8:30 a.m. on February 25 in the Council Chamber on the third floor of 200 N Walker Ave. A final hearing is scheduled for March 25. Right now, backyard cottages need individual approval in the City of Oklahoma City, but if the proposed zoning changes pass, they could become more widely allowed in certain residential areas.
According to the official City of Oklahoma City website, this potential zoning revision would greenlight both attached and detached secondary units to be constructively planted in residential zones bookended from NW 63rd Street to SW 59th Street, hemmed in by the arterial bounds of I-35 and I-44, an area that overlays parts of Wards 2, 4, 6, and 7 - effectively sketching a more inclusive blueprint for the City's central neighborhoods.
Assistant Planning Director Lisa Chronister reflected on the multifaceted merit of instituting such changes, as chronicled by the City of Oklahoma City, "By changing OKC’s development code to allow backyard cottages, housing capacity expands, affordable housing options are created, and social benefits are increased, such as caring for an elderly parent," thus infusing civic policy with a dash of familial warmth and economic pragmatism.
