OKC Plan, 2000-2020 - City of Oklahoma City

Rural Area
The Rural Area contains open country with very low intensity development. The
predominant uses are agriculture, open space, and residential on large lots. These neighborhoods lie
beyond the reach of most urban services for the next 20 years or more.
Determining the suitable intensity for development is a key factor in planning for the Rural
Area. This will include decisions as to appropriate density for residential development and the scale
and character of commercial, industrial, and other non-residential development.
There is no single standard for appropriate residential density, given the broad expanse of the
Rural Area, varying levels of public services throughout the area, and wide differences in the scale
and character of existing development. A near-urban density of one dwelling unit per acre may be
appropriate where public services are generally available at close to urban area levels. In locations
where public services are minimal to absent, the appropriate standard may be lots of five acres and
larger. At locations with intermediate service levels, densities between one and five acres per
dwelling unit may be appropriate. Factors to be considered in decisions regarding appropriate levels
of development in the Rural Area are examined in the following sections.
Compatibility with existing development. Rural residents and property owners have invested
in their properties, in large part, because of a desire for “country living.” These existing property
owners may view development proposals with smaller lot sizes than their own or with greater
amounts of commercial uses as impacting their preferred rural lifestyle. However, compatibility
should not be so strictly interpreted as to entirely preclude development, or force all development
within an area to be within a very narrow range of lot sizes.
Adequacy of services. Residential and commercial development replaces natural ground
cover with impervious surfaces (streets, parking areas, and rooftops) and increases the amount of
stormwater run-off. The increased run-off can overload area creeks and lead to downstream
flooding. In addition, the time required for police and fire units to respond calls in outlying rural
areas is generally greater than the response times in other areas of the City. As development
increases in rural areas, some residents and property owners may request better police and fire
protection. Meeting these requests would likely require increasing the number of police patrol units
and the construction of new fire stations.
Water quality and quantity. Water wells provide water supply for most of the Rural Area and
sewage treatment is generally provided by septic tanks. Soil types and subsurface geology differ
from location to location and this variability greatly impacts suitability for water wells and septic
tanks. Tight soils in some areas can increase the size of drain fields required for suitable operation
of septic tanks. Other areas may require alternative systems for sewage treatment. In other locations
underground water may be nearly absent or severely limited with only a small number of suitable
water well locations.
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