Eleventh Judicial District Judge Janice Dreiling has issued a ruling supporting a decision by the City Board of Adjustment to deny a request by a local couple to open a bed and breakfast in downtown Bartlesville. Chris and Tina Autry filed a lawsuit against the BOA in December 2004 after the Board rejected a request by the Autrys to open a bed and breakfast at their home on South Cherokee Avenue.
via [Examiner Enterprise]
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It is difficult to comment on the subject without additional facts. Did the site have all of the requirements met? Did they have suffiecient parking? Does the town require sprinkler system and that sort of thing?
Comment by Mildred Crane — 6/1/2005 @ 4:04 pm
We spent hundred of thousands of dollars on legal fees to open our in on a commecial highway tourist zoned lot.
Comment by Heather Michael — 6/1/2005 @ 7:12 pm
Have they joined the Oklahoma Bed & Breakfast Association? Have they asked the Association for help?
If they have parking area off-street to accommodate guests vehicles and the owner vehicles, they have the most important obstacle cleared.
A door to door campaign in the neighborhood may have helped (something I hope they did in the beginning) to show that a B & B is an addition rather than a detriment to the neighborhood. A B&B must keep the property in pristine condition or people will not come. The guests are quiet and spending money in town. All the things WE know but need to be shown to the uninitiated.
Are they taking it further?
Kathleen Panek
Comment by Kathleen Panek — 6/2/2005 @ 12:35 pm
Need more information. On what basis did the city deny their request?
Comment by Geraldine Geiger — 6/3/2005 @ 2:23 am
PAII is most helpful with these issues, citing many exisiting case studies regarding neighborhood concerns such as traffic patterns (less than a family of 4 with teens for example!). The studies, and I can not remember if they were included in membership (many are, some additional, all worth every penny!)were invaluable to us when we went to the city council for approval. I believe we included some info in the packets we presented to the members before the meeting because we asked for several variences. PAII’s research and expertise is something I recommend for all inspiring and new innkeepers. Every town has it’s own political ‘dynamics’ and I’ll bet the Autry’s did their homework, the paper doesn’t report these things, but for those reading this thread and the dreaded zoning issues: I recommend they introduce themselves to their state guild and a respected industry leader like PAII.
Comment by Bobbi — 6/9/2005 @ 9:51 am
Just an update: 1. Yes, we joined OKBBA 2. We went to the city planner and had her approval and she testified for us. 3. We had plenty of parking and lots of spaces in the local area at churches etc. 4. We reached out to the neighbors in many ways including a party and talk session. NO ONE CAME…. 5. The house is across the street from the Frank Phillips Mansion which is a museum.
This boiled down to a huge politcal debate. One local physician and his wife and one local attorney and his wife spent lots of money and used as many scare tactics as possible. I was very dissapointed that the local judge didn’t see through this. They packaged it very nicely claiming that we would ruin the “historic” nature of this neighborhood. The attorney is on the state historical society board and was going to have the state historical society director testify. He didn’t do it once he realized we had proof that they both had voted “yes” for the McBirney Mansion B&B in Tulsa. I got the last laugh. I sold this big house last month and made a mint. I think that the lies and distortions they told in the beginning have caught up to them as people have come to know us.
It has shredded the reputation of the people who lied. The truth has gradually come out. Oh…and they worry about the “historic neighborhood”. The Doctor put a cheap shingle on his house 3 days after he won the case. So much for worrying about the history!!!
Go see the house at 1200SCherokee.com It would have made a wonderful B&B
Comment by tinasautry — 5/23/2007 @ 12:03 am