Norman City Council Meeting Summary (December 11, 2025)
Norman City Council Meeting - December 11, 2025
The Norman City Council convened on December 11, 2025, at 5:35 PM to conduct routine business, including the approval of minutes, consideration of consent items, and deliberation on six zoning, platting, and Planned Unit Development (PUD) amendments. Commissioner Kindle received a birthday greeting during the proceedings. The meeting concluded with a unanimous decision to approve the primary agenda items after staff presentations and applicant discussions.
Consent Calendar
- Approved the minutes from the Planning Commission meeting held on November 13, 2025.
- Approved a Norman Rule Certificate of Survey (COS-25-26-5) for Fisher Acres (61.61 acres) submitted by Doyle and Janet Reich, located in Ward Five.
- Postponed Ordinance 0-2526-27 regarding the zoning change of 26th Avenue Northwest (Ward 2) for the Westport Professional Park. The applicant requested a postponement to the January 8, 2026, Planning Commission meeting. The motion passed to postpone.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Protestor: A protest was filed against the Classen Boulevard rezoning (Item 4/5), representing 1.4% of the notification area. The protestor specifically requested a traffic signal installation at the intersection of Highway 77 and South Lake Boulevard.
- Commissioner Griffith: Expressed appreciation for residents' concerns regarding traffic and access points as the St. James neighborhood continues to develop; highlighted that increased entrances on Cedar Lane Road could eventually warrant a traffic signal.
- Commissioner Griffith: Expressed appreciation for staff's additional clarity regarding "urban living center" inconsistencies and the path forward for signal investigation.
Discussion Items
Item 3: Ordinance 0-2526-13 (Alpha Phi Sorority House)
- Project: A special use zoning request for the Alpha Phi sorority at 1401 College Avenue (Ward 7) to bring the existing R3 multifamily dwelling district structure into current code compliance.
- Applicant Position: Colton Wayman (Walls Design) stated the project involves restriping the parking lot for additional accessible spaces, elongating an existing circle drive to meet Norman parking requirements (one space per bed), extending the east-side porch, and adding a stormwater detention facility on the east side of the property.
- Commission Discussion: The commission noted the building has been a long-term presence and that the improvements are necessary for compliance.
Items 4 & 5: Ordinance 0-2526-18 & PP-2526-10 (Classen Boulevard Rezoning)
- Project: Rezoning 1.48 acres at 3400 Classen Boulevard (Ward 7) from A2 (Rural Agricultural) to C2 (General Commercial) and preliminary platting. The site contains five existing buildings slated for demolition.
- Staff Position: Laura Hoggett noted the site is an "urban living center" designation which typically requires mixed-use development with densities greater than 18 units per acre. Staff confirmed the straight C2 rezoning is requested but does not dictate the specific end-use or guarantee the density required for the AIM designation. Staff confirmed traffic impact fees collected over the last 20-25 years are earmarked for a potential signal at Highway 77/South Lake Blvd but are insufficient to justify installation without current volume data.
- Applicant Position: Lydie Smith (Greatest Hopes LLC) stated the project is a speculative rezoning to C2 to align with recent developments (St. James Center, Armstrong project) in the corridor. They acknowledged the current zoning does not strictly match the AIM density goals but fits the "corridor" character area.
- Commission Discussion: Commissioners inquired about the traffic study timeline. Staff clarified that a traffic volume study cannot be based on future projections; actual volumes must be collected to meet ODOT warrants. The study was delayed due to holiday conditions but is planned for when weather permits. Commissioner Griffith noted that future developments in St. James could increase volumes enough to warrant a signal.
Item 6: Ordinance 0-2526-24 (Mission Norman PUD Amendment)
- Project: Amendment to the existing Planned Unit Development (PUD) at 2525 East Lindsay Street (Ward 1) to modify the site plan for transitional housing.
- Applicant Position: Ben LaCourse (Mission Norman) presented a site plan removing existing quadplexes and a barn to add nine duplexes and a food bank community garden. The applicant expressed strong support for the project's community impact (food pantry, outreach) and noted the absence of any protest letters. They stated the organization relies on donations, preventing a precise construction timeline, but intends to act quickly.
- Staff Position: Laura Hoggett noted the phasing plan is difficult to pin down due to the donation-based funding model but confirmed the site plan meets the city's requirements for the amendment.
Items 8 & 9: Ordinances 0-2526-25 & 0-2526-26 (36 North Business Park PUD)
- Project: Amendment to an existing PUD at 36th Avenue Northwest (Ward 8) and closing of specific 15-foot utility easements.
- Applicant Position: The applicant noted the site has sat partially developed for years with a pre-built parking lot. The new plan proposes 21 new multifamily buildings (approx. 220 units) on the undeveloped rear portion, replacing concrete parking areas with housing. The applicant stated the new layout is cohesive and compatible with surrounding industrial and light commercial uses (e.g., schools, music academies).
- Staff Position: Laura Hoggett read a statement from Utilities confirming the city will reserve an easement for an existing water line until new construction plans remove it. Staff confirmed the amendment cleans up 2008 ambiguities regarding use and layout without changing the fundamental PUD nature.
- Commission Discussion: Commissioner McDaniel inquired about the fate of existing concrete parking, which the applicant noted will be assessed during design to determine reuse versus replacement.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Items: Approved the minutes and COS-25-26-5. Postponed Ordinance 0-2526-27 (Westport Professional Park) to January 8, 2026.
- Item 3 (Alpha Phi): Motion to approve passed. The special use for the sorority house at 1401 College Avenue was approved unanimously.
- Items 4 & 5 (Classen Blvd): Motion to approve passed. The rezoning to C2 and preliminary plat were approved with a vote of 6-0. Staff committed to collecting traffic volume data in the near future to determine if a signal at Highway 77/South Lake Blvd is warranted.
- Item 6 (Mission Norman): Motion to approve passed. The PUD amendment allowing for nine duplexes and a community garden was approved unanimously.
- Items 8 & 9 (36 North Business Park): Motion to approve passed. The PUD amendment and easement closure were approved with a vote of 6-0.
- Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned following a commission member's expression of gratitude for staff clarifications on urban living center guidelines.
Meeting Transcript
At five thirty-five PM, I'll call the meeting to order. If we could please have a roll call. Commissioner Brewer. Here. Commissioner McDaniel. Here. Commissioner McCowan. Here. Commissioner Jablonski. Here. Commissioner Bird. Here. Commissioner McClure. Here. Commissioner Griffith. Commissioner Kindle. Commissioner Parker. We have a quorum. Starting with our consent docket. Item number one consideration of approval acceptance, rejection amendment, and or postponement of the minutes as follows. Planning Commission meeting minutes of November thirteenth, twenty twenty-five. And item number two, consideration of approval acceptance, rejection amendment and or postponement of COS dash two five two six dash five. Consideration of a Norman Rule Certificate of Survey submitted by Doyle and Janet Reich, RDM surveying for Fisher Acres two for sixty-one point six one acres of property generally located approximately one half miles south of East Lindsay Street and one fourth mile west of a hundred and fifty-sixth Avenue Southeast off of Hayfield Road, Ward Five. Seeing none, I would take a motion. Item number seven, consideration of approval, acceptance, rejection amendment, and or postponement of ordinance 0-2526-27, an ordinance of the council of the city of Norman, Oklahoma, amending section 36-201 of the Code of the City of Norman so as to remove lots 7, 8, and 9 in block 20 of Westport Professional Park, Section 7, part of the Northeast Quarter of Section 26, Township 9, North Range 3, West of the Indian Meridian, and a replat of lots two through 8, Lock 9, Westport Professional Park, Section 2 to Norman Cleveland County, Oklahoma from the C1 local commercial district, and place the same in the C2 General Commercial District of said city and providing for the severability thereof. 809 813 817 26th Avenue Northwest Ward 2. The applicant has requested postponement to the January 8th, 2026 Planning Commission meeting. Again, that was January 8th, 2026 Planning Commission meeting. Is there a motion on that item? I move that we postpone uh this item to the January 8th, 2026 planning commission meeting. Second. And a vote. You may vote. All votes have been cast. Moving to our regularly scheduled programming. Item number three, consideration of approval, acceptance, rejection amendment, and our postponement of ordinance 0-2526-13. An ordinance of the Council of the City of Norman, Oklahoma, amending section 36-201 of the code of the City of Norman, so as to grant special use for the fraternity or sorority house in the R3 multifamily dwelling district and for the northeast quarter of section six, Township 8, North Range 2, West of the Indian Meridian, Cleveland County, Oklahoma, and providing for the severability thereof. 1401 College Avenue Ward 7. I would take the staff presentation. Hello, Laura Hoggett with the planning department. So we have an application for special use for a sorority house in R3 for Alpha Phi sorority at 1401 College Avenue. So it's currently zoned R3. There is obviously special use required to have a fraternity or sorority. This one has been here a very long time. But um they are making some improvements, so they're bringing their zoning into compliance with current codes. So here's an aerial. Seeing none, I would take the applicant's presentation. And welcome back. Thank you. Good evening, Colton Wayman with Walls Design representing Alpha Fee.
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