OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

City Council Oversight Committee Meeting - January 8, 2026

Public Meetings & Live-Streams — Thursday, January 8, 2026
BodyNorman, Oklahoma
SessionPublic Meetings & Live-Streams
DateThursday, January 8, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 46:44

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

Welcome to the City Council Oversight Committee meeting for Thursday, January 8th.

0:06

I have a hard stop at 5 15.

0:09

And I would like to remind everybody to not speak unless you're recognized.

0:13

And we're gonna keep it a tight schedule.

0:15

First on the agenda is discussion regarding amendments to the A Norman Agricultural Residential and Urban Reserve Language.

0:23

And sorry, uh Laura Hoggett with the planning department.

0:27

We're gonna do items one and two together, if that's okay.

0:30

Yes.

0:31

Do you need to read it or is it?

0:32

Um sure.

0:33

And then we'll discuss regarding updating the AIM Norman map to include the new term pike alignment as announced by the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority.

0:41

Alright.

0:43

So uh we were approached by council to look at um some amendments to the AIM language in um the urban reserve category.

0:53

Um since AIM's adoption, the 30-acre requirement has kind of been a contentious topic.

1:01

So um after adoption, I think a lot of people started to realize oh, we've had this land for a long time, we thought we could subdivide it into 10 acres for our kids or what have you, and now they cannot.

1:15

So we prepared some uh suggested changes, and we'll just see what you guys think and go from there.

1:23

So um, in other areas of the document, there well, I'll back up a little bit.

1:29

So in the agricultural residential land use category, hello.

1:36

Um there's a minimum lot size of 10 acres, and there is an allowance to go down to two acres if you do a planned unit development where 65% of the total area is reserved as open space, um, and that's termed as cluster development in some other areas.

1:53

So we wanted to just have some continuity in the document.

1:56

Um, and just to clarify, that's if if you had just to make it easy, math, if you had uh a hundred acres, sixty-five percent of that would have to stay as open space, so 65 acres.

2:09

The rest could be developed down to two acre lots.

2:13

Um, and then in site design, we thought it would be a little clearer to say when utilizing cluster development drainage waste should be properly buffered.

2:21

And there is a key at the bottom.

2:23

I should have mentioned that first.

2:24

But new text is red and underlined, and then deleted text would be the light gray color.

2:31

Um so in urban reserve.

2:34

This um we were kind of trying to make sure that the setup like of each um section within urban reserve was the same as other sections.

2:46

So we kind of took some language from agricultural residential and moved them over to urban reserve um because they are very similar, but urban reserve has some kind of extra qualifiers to develop.

3:02

Um so we just wanted to have the same language in book when talking about minimum lot size of 10 acres and the cluster development.

3:12

Um building types, it's all it said was large lot single unit homes.

3:17

So we added with the allowance for ADUs because they can do that now, and then um some of the language from AR that says you can have barns, stables, um, and kind of like agricultural uses as well.

3:31

So we would be taking out the uh minimum lot size of 30 acres section, and that would be replaced with what we went over before with the 10 acres, and every other section has the minimum lot size in the description and context, so we're just trying to keep them similar.

3:52

Um site design 10 acre subdivisions are appropriate, and then uh to keep the terminology the same.

4:01

Cluster development should avoid large parcels without access to existing streets and these things.

4:08

Um we wanted to have the same drainage wave buffering language as the other sections.

4:16

Yes.

4:17

So um we're not talking like septics for cluster developments, they have to be on water and sewer to be developed.

4:26

So in the 2045 character area, I'm glad you brought that up.

4:31

Um the policies of the 2045 reserve area, you must be contiguous with existing development, and you have to extend services to your property.

4:44

Okay.

4:44

So that's in the character area, and the um student committee wanted to do it that way.

4:50

So it can't be changed because you can't request to be removed from a character area.

4:56

Okay, so thank you.

5:04

So those are our language changes.

5:06

I didn't put every section on the slides because that would be the last.

5:11

But um, those are the suggested suggested changes.

5:15

Um but it's up to you guys if you want to move forward with it or change anything or not do 10 acres really, whatever.

5:24

Council member that far.

5:26

So just full disclosure, I was the one that asked for this.

5:28

Uh immediately as soon as I took the seat, I was approached by multiple individuals who essentially gave me the same scenario that she brought up, stating that they had oh so many acres, 30, 40, 50 acres, whatever, and they couldn't subdivide it anymore down to 10 acres to give to their children.

5:44

And that was the spark behind this 10-acre rule change.

5:50

Um were you able to work with the planning department on the what they're presenting today?

5:57

Yes, ma'am.

5:57

I have met with them a few times over the last couple of months to make sure that the language was like the I they had the language part, but the idea was correct on what we were aiming for.

6:06

And then for your concerned constituents, um, have you communicated these changes and got any feedback?

6:14

Uh not yet.

6:15

This is exactly what they were asking for, though, back to the original 10-acre rule.

6:19

And so as long as they could one was specifically he they had 30 acres and they wanted to divide it out between their two sons, and so that was this would meet that, and after today, my goal was to call both of them.

6:32

Appreciate that.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Tax Increment Financing█████████████████████████████████████████████69%
Zoning And Land Use████████████19%
Procedural█████7%
Affordable Housing███5%
Summary of Proceedings

City Council Oversight Committee Meeting - January 8, 2026

The City Council Oversight Committee convened on Thursday, January 8, 2026, to discuss amendments to the AIM (Area Improvement Master) language, updates to the Norman map regarding the new Pike alignment by the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (OTA), and potential improvements to the public engagement process for Tax Increment Finance (TIF) districts. Council members and staff explored reducing minimum lot sizes in the Urban Reserve category from 30 acres to 10 acres to address subdivision concerns among constituents, while also reviewing procedural gaps in the current TIF adoption process, particularly regarding early public input and independent economic analysis.

Consent Calendar

  • No items were placed on the Consent Calendar for approval during this session.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No formal public comments were recorded during this specific transcript. The discussion regarding public feedback focused on procedural recommendations for future TIF district creations rather than testimony from specific members of the public present in the room.

Discussion Items

  • Amendments to AIM Language (Urban Reserve & Agricultural Residential):

    • Laura Hoggett (Planning Department) proposed moving the minimum lot size in the Urban Reserve category from 30 acres down to 10 acres, aligning it with the Agricultural Residential land use category.
    • The proposal includes introducing "cluster development" language where 65% of the total area is reserved as open space, allowing the remainder to be developed into 2-acre lots.
    • The Planning Department noted that site design requirements for drainage and waste buffering would be standardized across sections and clarified that cluster developments require water and sewer services (no septic systems allowed).
    • The 2045 Character Area policies remain unchanged, requiring properties to be contiguous with existing development and extending services to properties.
    • Council Member Farfar confirmed the initiative originated from constituent concerns regarding the inability to subdivide 30-50 acre parcels for family members, stating she was approached by individuals with such scenarios.
    • Council Member Beth noted that while the AIM language changes could be handled via resolution, the corresponding change to Chapter 30 of the city code (which references the 30-acre rule) must be addressed via ordinance to ensure legal consistency.

  • Update to AIM Maps:

    • Staff proposed updating AIM master plans to reflect the new proposed alignment of the Norman Pike as released by the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (OTA) in September.
    • Council Member Nefar expressed concern regarding the finality of the alignment, noting that OTA has not officially declared land takings or finalized the route as of their most recent meeting.
    • Staff clarified that maps currently reflect the most up-to-date information available on the OTA website as of the meeting date, with a note indicating this is a proposed alignment.

  • Public Feedback Process for Tax Increment Finance (TIF) Districts:

    • Council Member Grant and staff presented a comparative analysis of TIF processes from other municipalities (Kansas, Fort Worth, Texas, Oklahoma City) to identify best practices for increasing public input and improving proposal evaluation.
    • Key Issues Identified:
      • Currently, the first significant opportunity for public comment occurs at the Planning Commission or public hearings, which are late in the process after project plans are drafted.
      • Lack of standardized application requirements, benefit analysis, and "but-for" justification checks.
      • Insufficient independent economic analysis of developer-provided projections to protect city interests (e.g., sales tax impact outside the district).
    • Proposed Improvements:
      • Appointment of a citizen committee (similar to the 2006 original TIF) to provide broad community input before plans are finalized.
      • Implementation of an application fee to cover staff review costs and fund independent economic analysis (referencing Fort Worth's fee structure).
      • Adoption of specific policy guides for each TIF district to clarify eligible uses, including potential mandates for affordable housing.
      • Requirement for independent economic analysis by city staff to verify developer projections, particularly for projects initiated by outside entities.
    • Council members noted that while the current city-led TIFs (like the Arena and Center City) were well-managed, the lack of a formal application protocol makes evaluating future private proposals difficult.
    • The committee suggested revisiting this agenda item in March to refine a new policy framework before the District TIF Master Plan moves forward.

Key Outcomes

  • Referral to Council: The Committee recommended bringing the AIM language amendments and the associated chapter code change to the full City Council. Due to the significant impact and the need for advertising, a study session or council conference is likely scheduled for later in the month, potentially prior to the Planning Commission review.
  • Timeline for TIF Policy: The Committee agreed to pause further development of the TIF District Master Plan process until a revised public engagement and evaluation framework can be established. They agreed to revisit the topic in March to finalize recommendations regarding citizen committees, application fees, and independent analysis.
  • Map Updates: Staff will update the AIM maps to reflect the latest OTA proposed alignment, noting the tentative nature of the route in all documentation.
  • No Final Vote: No motions were passed to adopt the changes during this Oversight Committee meeting; all items were designated for further deliberation and potential referral to the full Council or future study sessions.

Meeting Transcript

Welcome to the City Council Oversight Committee meeting for Thursday, January 8th. I have a hard stop at 5 15. And I would like to remind everybody to not speak unless you're recognized. And we're gonna keep it a tight schedule. First on the agenda is discussion regarding amendments to the A Norman Agricultural Residential and Urban Reserve Language. And sorry, uh Laura Hoggett with the planning department. We're gonna do items one and two together, if that's okay. Yes. Do you need to read it or is it? Um sure. And then we'll discuss regarding updating the AIM Norman map to include the new term pike alignment as announced by the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority. Alright. So uh we were approached by council to look at um some amendments to the AIM language in um the urban reserve category. Um since AIM's adoption, the 30-acre requirement has kind of been a contentious topic. So um after adoption, I think a lot of people started to realize oh, we've had this land for a long time, we thought we could subdivide it into 10 acres for our kids or what have you, and now they cannot. So we prepared some uh suggested changes, and we'll just see what you guys think and go from there. So um, in other areas of the document, there well, I'll back up a little bit. So in the agricultural residential land use category, hello. Um there's a minimum lot size of 10 acres, and there is an allowance to go down to two acres if you do a planned unit development where 65% of the total area is reserved as open space, um, and that's termed as cluster development in some other areas. So we wanted to just have some continuity in the document. Um, and just to clarify, that's if if you had just to make it easy, math, if you had uh a hundred acres, sixty-five percent of that would have to stay as open space, so 65 acres. The rest could be developed down to two acre lots. Um, and then in site design, we thought it would be a little clearer to say when utilizing cluster development drainage waste should be properly buffered. And there is a key at the bottom. I should have mentioned that first. But new text is red and underlined, and then deleted text would be the light gray color. Um so in urban reserve. This um we were kind of trying to make sure that the setup like of each um section within urban reserve was the same as other sections. So we kind of took some language from agricultural residential and moved them over to urban reserve um because they are very similar, but urban reserve has some kind of extra qualifiers to develop. Um so we just wanted to have the same language in book when talking about minimum lot size of 10 acres and the cluster development. Um building types, it's all it said was large lot single unit homes. So we added with the allowance for ADUs because they can do that now, and then um some of the language from AR that says you can have barns, stables, um, and kind of like agricultural uses as well. So we would be taking out the uh minimum lot size of 30 acres section, and that would be replaced with what we went over before with the 10 acres, and every other section has the minimum lot size in the description and context, so we're just trying to keep them similar. Um site design 10 acre subdivisions are appropriate, and then uh to keep the terminology the same. Cluster development should avoid large parcels without access to existing streets and these things. Um we wanted to have the same drainage wave buffering language as the other sections. Yes. So um we're not talking like septics for cluster developments, they have to be on water and sewer to be developed. So in the 2045 character area, I'm glad you brought that up. Um the policies of the 2045 reserve area, you must be contiguous with existing development, and you have to extend services to your property. Okay. So that's in the character area, and the um student committee wanted to do it that way. So it can't be changed because you can't request to be removed from a character area. Okay, so thank you. So those are our language changes. I didn't put every section on the slides because that would be the last. But um, those are the suggested suggested changes. Um but it's up to you guys if you want to move forward with it or change anything or not do 10 acres really, whatever. Council member that far. So just full disclosure, I was the one that asked for this.

SUMMARIZED BY OPENPUBLICA AI
TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
openpublica.com