OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

City Council Special Meeting - November 4, 2025

Public Meetings & Live-Streams — Tuesday, November 4, 2025
BodyNorman, Oklahoma
SessionPublic Meetings & Live-Streams
DateTuesday, November 4, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 48:58

Transcript — Verbatim
0:22

All right, everyone, it's 5 30.

0:24

So we'll go ahead and get started with the uh city council special meeting for Tuesday, November 4th, 2025.

0:31

We have three items on the agenda, and the first one is a discussion regarding three unrelated persons and residential zoning.

0:39

Uh long time policy and human normans.

0:43

So we have uh planning director Jane Hudson here to talk about this.

0:47

Thank you, Mayor.

0:48

Council.

0:50

So uh we're here tonight to go over what we actually talked about at uh community planning and transportation back in March, I think is when it was.

1:00

I don't remember exactly, but this item is actually planned to go before planning commission next week.

1:06

And so when we do have ordinance changes, I'd just like to come back to you one more time before you hear it on uh planning commission, and then you guys will obviously see this in uh upcoming meetings.

1:17

So just uh a brief summary of what we went over uh previously.

1:22

Um the three unrelated definition has been part of the zoning ordinance since 1954.

1:27

Uh the complaints that you do get from your constituents uh are generally about traffic, parking, and noise.

1:35

Uh the city addresses occupancy to help ensure health and safety of the residents and to protect the quality and character of the neighborhoods.

1:43

That's our main concern.

1:44

Life safety, obviously, is is number one.

1:48

So we've had many people ask uh why eliminate this uh it's we say ordinance, but technically it's really the definition of family that we're looking at, but it is in the zoning code, so this is going to be an ordinance amendment.

2:02

And you know, many of the discussions were about the the cities that are facing the housing crisis, the rising uh housing costs over the past several decades.

2:10

It's been a huge discussion for many, many years.

2:14

Um removing this or you know, updating this definition, it would allow a greater flexibility and affordability affordability in housing choices.

2:24

Uh more often, I mean to refer back to the COVID, you know, things have changed greatly since that time, and so we are seeing many seeking to live in cooperative housing roommates.

2:39

Uh and right now, the way we have it set up, many of those uh housing structures, you know, they're discriminated against under this current occupancy limit.

2:50

Uh we have low-income who can't afford to live on their own and they struggle to find existing market rate affordable housing choices, so they try to cohabitate and share the rent, and sometimes we end up with four or five, and then that really does reflect back on this this definition of family.

3:08

And I think probably one of the things that I talked to to you about this last time was um the enforcement of this is difficult.

3:16

It falls back on the individual that's calling in.

3:21

They call into code compliance, and um it requires a large amount of staff time to research and administer.

3:30

It's difficult to prove the family relations.

3:33

We've been through this many, many times over the years, and we do we run into that every time.

3:40

As I said, the neighbors that call in, they're asked to spend time completing the investigation.

3:46

We need uh logs of vehicles, tag numbers, dates, times, and it becomes a task, and it also creates an issue between them and the individual that they're you know reporting watching and reporting on.

4:00

Right.

4:02

And so also this uh you know impacts specific groups as I've kind of gone over, but we have multi-generational uh low-income houses, and then we also have the students.

4:11

We are a college town.

4:13

And to go back, it's frustrating to the residents that call in and think that you know we can just immediately do something about this, and it takes time, and then sometimes it's not even something that we can take to court and and get enforced, and so that's disappointing for them, and I get that.

4:31

Um, again, the number of complaints, you know, in 2023, we had a total of 19.

4:37

Uh none resulted in citations.

4:39

They were either closed due to insufficient evidence, or uh the property owner provided proof of compliance.

4:46

2024, we had eight, same thing.

4:49

Uh ended up in municipal court up at um the remaining cases were closed due to insufficient evidence, and then in 2025, we've had one, and it's my understanding that case is still active, or has it been closed?

5:02

I believe it might have been closed due to insufficient evidence.

5:04

Okay, so considerations to changes.

5:09

Uh, the family definition is utilized within the code, included uh the zoning district.

5:15

Um, and the code was adopted in 1954, so we do think that it is outdated.

5:21

Uh, does it solve an issue?

5:24

Probably, but there's also other city codes that could help alleviate some of the problems because, like I said, the complaints that we we get are parking, noise, uh, party houses disturbing the peace, and so we do have other ordinances in place that we can take care of some of those issues should they become a problem.

5:43

Our existing uh definition of family.

5:46

I won't read all of that to you, but I will show you what our proposal is.

5:55

Family means a single family comprised of one of the following.

5:59

It's a number of persons cohabitating in a single dwelling and includes a group home.

6:03

So we've kept the group home so that doesn't fall between the cracks and we lose any of those uh abilities there.

6:12

We also uh have to change one thing in the dwelling unit, so that's why this is on here.

6:17

It's included in the ordinance change as we move forward, and it's that last statement referring to the quasi unit quarters, and so the definition would just be removing that last statement that we had here.

6:35

So that's uh all I have for you.

6:37

This will be on planning commission uh next week, and then we will see you uh at counsel for a vote, probably January.

6:46

Okay, thank you, Jane.

6:48

And council Murray.

6:50

Um I'm supportive, as I said, in the previous committee, but of course special.

6:56

And so right now I've got a historic district that's upset with student housing.

7:02

Umverted into student housing, and then another neighborhood, not a historic district.

7:10

Somebody's I write turning a garage into another room, and that is potentially gonna be five students also there, and um both areas think that the three unrelated rule will help them.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Safety██████████████████████████████████34%
Zoning And Land Use██████████████████████████████30%
Homelessness██████████████████████22%
Affordable Housing██████6%
Public Health█████5%
Mental Health Awareness███3%
Summary of Proceedings

City Council Special Meeting - November 4, 2025

On November 4, 2025, the Norman City Council convened a special meeting to address three primary agenda items: a proposed amendment to the definition of 'family' regarding unrelated persons, a discussion on a potential bond election for a permanent homeless shelter (potentially bundled with public safety infrastructure), and an executive session for real property negotiations. The council received detailed reports from Planning Director Jane Hudson and City Manager Pam Pyle, engaging in significant deliberation regarding housing affordability, enforcement mechanisms, and public sentiment on past and proposed ballot measures. Several council members expressed strong support for removing the 1954-based occupancy limit to aid low-income housing and students, while others emphasized the need for better enforcement of nuisance ordinances to address neighborhood concerns.

Consent Calendar

  • No items from the consent calendar were listed or acted upon during this special meeting transcript.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No direct public comments or testimony were recorded in the provided transcript; all input came from council members and staff.

Discussion Items

  • Three Unrelated Persons & Residential Zoning:

    • Staff Position: Planning Director Jane Hudson reported that the current 'three unrelated persons' definition (in place since 1954) is outdated and creates enforcement difficulties with low success rates in citations (19 complaints in 2023, 8 in 2024, 1 in 2025, mostly dismissed). She advocated for amending the definition to allow greater flexibility and affordability, noting that noise, parking, and traffic issues can be addressed through existing nuisance ordinances rather than occupancy caps.
    • Councilor Murray: Expressed concern for neighborhoods facing pressure from luxury student housing and investors, noting that residents in historic districts feel the current rule is their only recourse. However, he acknowledged that existing ordinances (nuisance, parking, noise) should be the primary enforcement tools.
    • Councilor Graham: Stated he felt the rule was arbitrary and discriminatory, citing that a single problematic neighbor is worse than a group of respectful students. He supported the change to allow affordability for business owners and low-income residents, provided existing nuisance codes are vigorously enforced.
    • Councilor Bruce: Expressed uncertainty about the logic of the cutoff numbers ('three is okay, four is too many') and questioned why a million-dollar house could house ten unrelated people while smaller units could not. He noted that boarding rooms in R1 zones are currently prohibited.
    • Councilor Gansford: Expressed full support for the measure, arguing that utilizing existing large homes for multiple unrelated adults (like business teams) is an economic benefit and does not increase the city's footprint.

  • Proposed Bond Election (Homeless Shelter):

    • Staff Position: City Manager Pam Pyle proposed returning to the ballot to ask voters for $5 million for a permanent shelter, contrasting it with the vague 2019 proposal that received 48% support. The new proposal includes identified locations, operators (CityCare), and a plan for 12-month services including day services. She noted the option to bundle this with a new Fire Station 1 and Police Department into a 'Public Safety Bond.'
    • Councilor Grant: Expressed support but requested data confirming community desire for the specific location and budget. He noted that CityCare has a high track record for fundraising operations costs. He was open to bundling shelter with fire/police to increase passage chances.
    • Councilor Peacock: Strongly supported revisiting the measure, arguing that the 2019 vote was a rejection of a poorly structured package, not the concept itself, as many other popular projects (senior center, YFAC) were also voted down simultaneously. He emphasized the need to present a detailed proposal.
    • Councilor Gansbury: Expressed strong support, citing constituent feedback during his campaign as a major community need. He advocated for bundling the shelter with a new Fire Station to improve response times.
    • Councilor Pico: Supported the concept but insisted on polling to gauge sentiment. He was open to a standalone shelter question or a bundled public safety bond, provided timelines for the fire and police components do not delay the shelter.
    • Councilor Blodge: Expressed full support ('100% supportive') based on feedback from business owners downtown who view the current temporary shelter on Gray Street as a major concern. He suggested the business community would likely back this initiative.
    • Staff Clarifications: The City Manager clarified the mission has evolved from winter-only emergency housing to 12-month care involving housing assistance and document recovery. She confirmed CityCare operates in Oklahoma City with a similar model and expects to raise future operational funds.
    • Operational Models: Discussed leasing city-owned facilities to nonprofits for $1 rent, with the nonprofit managing operations and fundraising.

  • Executive Session:

    • The council moved to adjourn into an executive session under Oklahoma Title 25, Section 307(B)(3) to discuss the possible purchase of real property owned by the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse on land between Alameda and Main Streets.

Key Outcomes

  • Zoning Amendment Direction: The council unanimously supported the proposal to amend the definition of 'family' to remove the 'three unrelated persons' limit. The item is scheduled to go before the Planning Commission next week (December) with a probable final council vote in January.
  • Bond Election Strategy: The council reached a consensus to pursue a ballot measure for a permanent homeless shelter, likely in April 2026. Staff is directed to poll the community to determine the best approach: a standalone shelter question or a bundled 'Public Safety' bond question including a new Police Department and Fire Station 1.
  • Executive Session: A motion was passed to enter executive session immediately following the public meeting to discuss real estate acquisition.

Meeting Transcript

All right, everyone, it's 5 30. So we'll go ahead and get started with the uh city council special meeting for Tuesday, November 4th, 2025. We have three items on the agenda, and the first one is a discussion regarding three unrelated persons and residential zoning. Uh long time policy and human normans. So we have uh planning director Jane Hudson here to talk about this. Thank you, Mayor. Council. So uh we're here tonight to go over what we actually talked about at uh community planning and transportation back in March, I think is when it was. I don't remember exactly, but this item is actually planned to go before planning commission next week. And so when we do have ordinance changes, I'd just like to come back to you one more time before you hear it on uh planning commission, and then you guys will obviously see this in uh upcoming meetings. So just uh a brief summary of what we went over uh previously. Um the three unrelated definition has been part of the zoning ordinance since 1954. Uh the complaints that you do get from your constituents uh are generally about traffic, parking, and noise. Uh the city addresses occupancy to help ensure health and safety of the residents and to protect the quality and character of the neighborhoods. That's our main concern. Life safety, obviously, is is number one. So we've had many people ask uh why eliminate this uh it's we say ordinance, but technically it's really the definition of family that we're looking at, but it is in the zoning code, so this is going to be an ordinance amendment. And you know, many of the discussions were about the the cities that are facing the housing crisis, the rising uh housing costs over the past several decades. It's been a huge discussion for many, many years. Um removing this or you know, updating this definition, it would allow a greater flexibility and affordability affordability in housing choices. Uh more often, I mean to refer back to the COVID, you know, things have changed greatly since that time, and so we are seeing many seeking to live in cooperative housing roommates. Uh and right now, the way we have it set up, many of those uh housing structures, you know, they're discriminated against under this current occupancy limit. Uh we have low-income who can't afford to live on their own and they struggle to find existing market rate affordable housing choices, so they try to cohabitate and share the rent, and sometimes we end up with four or five, and then that really does reflect back on this this definition of family. And I think probably one of the things that I talked to to you about this last time was um the enforcement of this is difficult. It falls back on the individual that's calling in. They call into code compliance, and um it requires a large amount of staff time to research and administer. It's difficult to prove the family relations. We've been through this many, many times over the years, and we do we run into that every time. As I said, the neighbors that call in, they're asked to spend time completing the investigation. We need uh logs of vehicles, tag numbers, dates, times, and it becomes a task, and it also creates an issue between them and the individual that they're you know reporting watching and reporting on. Right. And so also this uh you know impacts specific groups as I've kind of gone over, but we have multi-generational uh low-income houses, and then we also have the students. We are a college town. And to go back, it's frustrating to the residents that call in and think that you know we can just immediately do something about this, and it takes time, and then sometimes it's not even something that we can take to court and and get enforced, and so that's disappointing for them, and I get that. Um, again, the number of complaints, you know, in 2023, we had a total of 19. Uh none resulted in citations. They were either closed due to insufficient evidence, or uh the property owner provided proof of compliance. 2024, we had eight, same thing. Uh ended up in municipal court up at um the remaining cases were closed due to insufficient evidence, and then in 2025, we've had one, and it's my understanding that case is still active, or has it been closed? I believe it might have been closed due to insufficient evidence. Okay, so considerations to changes. Uh, the family definition is utilized within the code, included uh the zoning district. Um, and the code was adopted in 1954, so we do think that it is outdated. Uh, does it solve an issue? Probably, but there's also other city codes that could help alleviate some of the problems because, like I said, the complaints that we we get are parking, noise, uh, party houses disturbing the peace, and so we do have other ordinances in place that we can take care of some of those issues should they become a problem. Our existing uh definition of family. I won't read all of that to you, but I will show you what our proposal is. Family means a single family comprised of one of the following. It's a number of persons cohabitating in a single dwelling and includes a group home. So we've kept the group home so that doesn't fall between the cracks and we lose any of those uh abilities there.

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