Speaking after the council meeting, Bynum again praised the Planning Department staff.

“I don’t want anybody to come away from this thinking this is a criticism of the staff,” the mayor said. “We have an awesome staff, but the structural dynamic which they were asked to work within is duplicative and confusing both for them and for the users.”

The city employees released from their jobs can interview for other positions within the city. And INCOG has already reached out to each of them to arrange interviews, Bynum said.

The new planning department will be called the Tulsa Planning Office and be led by Susan Miller. Miller is director of land development services for INCOG. The 12 positions assumed by INCOG will be funded by the city.

The city’s planning functions are currently split between its Planning Department and INCOG. The Planning Department handles long-term planning projects, such as the development of small area plans, and INCOG handles short-term planning work, such as applications for zoning changes.

City officials say that arrangement is inefficient and often confusing for people looking for answers to their planning questions.