Overview
Worth knowing
- Residential district naming (R-1, R-2, R-3, RS-3, RT-1, RZ-1) is NOT lot-size encoded like Dallas/Arlington — uses descriptive type-based naming. Do not assume number = lot size.
- Historic Preservation overlay is explicitly non-controlling over land use, setbacks, parking, lot coverage, height, or lot divisions — purely design review/architectural control. Unusual clarity in this separation.
- MX (Mixed-Use) sub-codes appear to encode form (F), parking (P), height variations (U, V) with numerical height suffixes (35, 45, 55, 65, U=unlimited) — 21+ sub-categories identified but meaning not fully resolved.
+ 3 more in Quirks & notes
Districts
res_sf 4off 4com 3ind 3res_th 1res_mf 1cbd 1
| Code | Name | Category | Min lot | Height | Coverage | FAR | Du/ac | Parking | Setbacks F/S/R |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RS-3 | Single-Family Residential (Small Lot) | res_sf | 6,500 sf | 35 ft | 0.5 | — | — | 1[1] | 25 / 5 / — |
| R-1 | Low Density Residential | res_sf | 7,500 sf[2] | — | — | — | — | 1[3] | — / — / — |
| RT-1 | Townhouse | res_th | 1,350 sf[4] | — | — | — | — | 1.5[5] | — / — / — |
| RZ-1 | Zero Lot Line Single-Family | res_sf | 2,625 sf[7] | — | — | — | — | 1[8] | — / 0[6] / — |
| R-2 | Duplex / Two-Family | res_sf | 9,500 sf[9] | — | — | — | — | 1.5[10] | — / — / — |
| R-3 | Multi-Family (3+ units) | res_mf | 7,500 sf[11] | — | — | — | — | 1[12] | — / — / — |
| OL | Office — Low Intensity | off | — | 35 ft | — | 0.4 | — | — | 10 / — / — |
| OM | Office — Medium Intensity | off | — | — | — | 0.5 | — | — | 10 / — / — |
| OMH | Office — Medium-High Intensity | off | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | 10 / — / — |
| OH | Office — High Intensity | off | 10,000 sf | — | — | 8 | — | — | — / — / — |
| CS | Commercial — Shopping | com | — | — | — | 0.5 | — | — | 10 / — / — |
| CG | Commercial — General | com | — | — | — | 0.75 | — | — | 10 / — / — |
| CH | Commercial — High (Corridor) | com | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| CBD | Central Business District | cbd | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| IL | Industrial — Light | ind | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| IM | Industrial — Moderate | ind | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| IH | Industrial — Heavy | ind | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
Confidence: confirmed partial under review not found
Overlays
HP
Historic Preservation Overlay
HPNational Register districts and individual landmarks designated by Tulsa Preservation Commission
| review | Design review for exterior renovations and repairs |
|---|---|
| scope | Safeguards distinctive characteristics; ensures new construction harmonizes architecturally |
| does_not_control | Land use, setbacks, parking, lot coverage, height limits, lot divisions — all remain governed by base zoning |
NIO
Neighborhood Infill Overlay
CONResidential areas eligible for infill development; geographically scoped by planning area
| uses | Townhouses, small multi-family, accessory units compatible with SF neighborhoods |
|---|---|
| density | Increase permitted relative to underlying zone |
| note | Specific height, lot, parking parameters not resolved |
FP
Floodplain Overlay
FPFEMA-mapped flood hazard areas; 100-year floodplain (1% annual chance)
| note | Tulsa ranked #1 nationally in 1990s for floodplain management (FEMA); lowest flood insurance rates. City-specific standards not extracted. |
|---|
MX
Mixed-Use Incentive Overlay
CORDesignated mixed-use corridors and downtown areas
| subcategories | MX1, MX2, MX3 with sub-codes encoding form (F), parking (P), height variations (U, V) and height limits (35, 45, 55, 65, U=unlimited) |
|---|---|
| uses | Residential, office, retail mixed within same building/property |
| note | Sub-code meanings (F, P, U, numerical suffixes) not fully resolved |
AHB
Affordable Housing Density Bonus
AHCity-wide; developments meeting affordability criteria
| programs | Linked to Abode Initiative, Gold Star Landlord Program, Affordable Housing Trust Fund |
|---|---|
| note | Bonus parameters (additional FAR, height, units, parking reductions) not located |
Adopted building codes
Moving to 2024 I-codes
Click a code label to open its state-by-state adoption atlas.
Quirks & notes
- Residential district naming (R-1, R-2, R-3, RS-3, RT-1, RZ-1) is NOT lot-size encoded like Dallas/Arlington — uses descriptive type-based naming. Do not assume number = lot size.
- Historic Preservation overlay is explicitly non-controlling over land use, setbacks, parking, lot coverage, height, or lot divisions — purely design review/architectural control. Unusual clarity in this separation.
- MX (Mixed-Use) sub-codes appear to encode form (F), parking (P), height variations (U, V) with numerical height suffixes (35, 45, 55, 65, U=unlimited) — 21+ sub-categories identified but meaning not fully resolved.
- Tulsa uses density bonus incentive for affordable housing rather than mandatory inclusionary zoning — linked to Abode Initiative, Gold Star Landlord Program, Trust Fund.
- Neighborhood Infill Overlay (2021) is relatively recent infill policy; geographic scope and specific parameters not fully documented.
- June 2024 zoning code amendment suggests ongoing revision — verify current code text for recent changes.
Formulas
Definitions
- height
- Maximum building height in feet. RS-3 confirmed at 35 ft; other districts unresolved.
- lot_coverage
- Building footprint / lot area. RS-3 confirmed at 50%; other districts unresolved.
- far
- Floor area ratio. Defined for office/commercial districts; N/A for residential (density via lot size + du/ac).
- du_ac
- Dwelling units per acre. Inferred from lot size minimums; not explicitly stated in accessed sources.
- impervious_cover
- setback_front
- Front property line to building. RS-3 = 25 ft; OL/OM/OMH/CS/CG = 10 ft.
- setback_side
- Not fully extracted.
- setback_rear
- Not fully extracted.
- parking
- Per Table 55-4. SF typical 1 space; MF 0.5-1.5/unit inferred.
Capacity calculations
- max_footprint_sf
lot_area_sf * lot_coverage- max_gfa_sf
lot_area_sf * far- parking_required
units * parking
Massing explorer
Interactive 3D comparison across every district. Drag to orbit, scroll to zoom, use the slider to walk districts, and toggle applicable overlays in the right-side panel.
Sort by
Max height
— ft
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Floor area ratio
—
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Lot coverage
—%
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Setbacks (F / S / R)
— ft
——
Parking
— /unit
——
Max density
— du/ac
——
Min lot size
— sf
——
Copy zoning profile
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| District | Category | Height | FAR | Coverage | Setbacks | Parking | Density | Min lot | Overlays |
|---|
Sources & references
Citations
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Research status
Data quality
35%completeness15 confirmed12 partial18 inferred
Documented gaps
- Most residential district KPIs inferred from web sources — official code tables not accessed
- Commercial/industrial district height, lot coverage not extracted
- MX sub-code meanings not resolved
- Neighborhood Infill Overlay specific parameters missing
- Parking standards Table 55-4 not accessed
- Side and rear setbacks for most districts unresolved
Known issues
schema:v1-legacypriority:lowdata:gaps-present
Other cities in this state
Nearest-alphabetical profiles. Click through to compare zoning patterns side-by-side.