Planning commission approves UDO amendments tightening residential lot-width guidance

The Jenks Planning Commission approved amendments to the Unified Development Ordinance (Chapter 16, Article 3, Section 1) that revise recommended bulk and dimensional standards for new residential developments, including raising preferred minimum lot widths in some residential zones.

City Planner Marce Hilton said the change responds to recent council and commission discussions about lot widths and densities. She explained the amendment aims to reduce disparity across zoning categories and better align the comprehensive plan’s density ranges with zoning standards. Under the revised text the UDO guidance moves the common RS-2 street frontage preference from 55 feet toward 60 feet as a starting standard for future large-lot developments, while leaving flexibility for PUDs and negotiated approvals.

Hilton emphasized the amendment is intended to provide a clearer “starting place” for negotiations on projects larger than 20 acres and to reduce the cases in which small, narrow lots proliferate. She noted that final lot area and density remain negotiable in a PUD and that council can adopt exceptions as appropriate.

The commission voted unanimously to accept the UDO adjustments. Hilton said staff will advance the changes through the city's adoption process; she also noted that the city will continue to require traffic and subdivision engineering reviews where applicable.

Commissioners said they supported clearer, more consistent guidance to help future applicants and reduce surprise rezoning requests that result in significantly denser development than neighbors expect.