Tulsa's city council will consider proposals to increase batch limits on coffee roasters in the zoning code.
They would increase the limit for roasters in areas zoned commercial use from 3 kilograms to 45 and in industrial areas from 35 to 45.
"If we limit to where Intelligentsia and Stumptown and Blue Bottle and all these guys won't come here because we can't allow them to roast coffee, they're not coming," said Double Shot owner Brian Franklin. "Why can't we be a mecca of coffee? Why can't we open up the floodgates and say, 'Industry, come to us'? Let's be that place. Let's be the new Seattle."
Many coffee shops that roast their own beans are classified as restaurants under the zoning code. Another proposed amendment nixes a 3 kilogram limit on any roaster in an office district.
"A 3 kilo roaster is a home roaster. If I was trying to roast coffee on a 3 kilo roaster, I wouldn't be able to run my business. I wouldn't even be able to serve you guys coffee," Franklin told the planning commission. "So, that's out of the question."
The planning commission decided to go further than proposed increases presented to them. They were presented with limits of 15 kilograms for restaurants and the office district prohibition.
