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RESOLUTION R-1516-26: A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORMAN, OKLAHOMA, AMENDING THE NORMAN 2025 LAND USE AND TRANSPORTATION PLAN SO AS TO REMOVE PART OF THE WEST HALF OF THE NORTHWEST QUARTER OF THE SOUTHWEST QUARTER OF SECTION THIRTY-SIX (36), TOWNSHIP NINE (9) NORTH, RANGE THREE (3) WEST OF THE INDIAN MERIDIAN, TO NORMAN, CLEVELAND COUNTY, OKLAHOMA, FROM THE OFFICE DESIGNATION AND PLACE THE SAME IN THE COMMERCIAL DESIGNATION. (NORTHEAST CORNER OF 24TH AVENUE S.W. AND BROOKS STREET)
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SUMMARY OF REQUEST: The applicant submitted a request to rezone and amend the existing land use designation and preliminary plat, proposed Hatcher Addition, for the existing 2.0 acre parcel at the northeast corner of 24th Avenue S.W. and Brooks Street. These two lots will front 24th Avenue S.W. The corner lot is approximately 1.2 acres and the north lot is 0.8 acres. The site is currently zoned RM-6, Medium Density Apartment District and the NORMAN 2025 Land Use designation is Office. The proposed zoning is C-2, General Commercial District; however, there are no specific users identified at the time of application.
The NORMAN 2025 Plan identifies two criteria that must be examined before a land use change is approved.
1. There has been a change in circumstances resulting from development of the properties in the general vicinity which suggests that the proposed change will not be contrary to the public interest.
This area of Norman has not changed much in recent years as the majority of the area has been built-out since the mid to late 70’s or early 80’s. There have been several notable projects in the last 15 years; those projects are considered infill or consisted of demolition and rebuild. Those projects did not create any negative impacts on adjacent properties, much like the expected minimal impact from this proposal.
There have been three noteworthy projects developed in this general vicinity in the last 10-15 years. The majority of the area is mixed office uses consisting of general business offices, dental offices, counseling services, a nursing home and several apartment complexes. To the north of this proposal is a large office development also under the C-2, General Commercial District. The surrounding office sites have been in place since the 70’s. While the uses have changed over the years, for the most part the underlying land use and zoning have stayed constant.
The first development is an office building located on the west side of 24th Avenue SW, just north of this proposal. Construction began in 2000. The occupancy for this facility varied as several spaces were completed in the last 10 years. The lot was rezoned from RM-6, Medium Density Apartment District to O-1, Office Institutional District in November of 2001 and then in January of 2005 Special Use for a Beauty Shop was also approved.
The second development is an orthodontic office located to the north of this subject tract, adjacent to Boyd Street. Occupancy was issued in late 2006. This orthodontic practice cleared the site of a single-family home to build on that site. The lot was rezoned from R-1, Single Family Dwelling District to PUD, Planned Unit Development District in September of 2004. The PUD allowed for the current medical use.
The third development is senior housing located to the east of this proposal, fronting Brooks Street. The development was built in 2010 and received occupancy in 2011. There are nine buildings on the site: 8 townhouses with 4 units and one duplex; the site has 34 individual living units.
The NORMAN 2020 and 2025 Land Use designations have stayed constant in this area with the exception of the amendment for the second development adjacent to Boyd Street, as noted above. The land use for the other two developments located in this general area were already set when the proposal for the development was approved by City Council. This area has historically been designated with Commercial, Office, and High Density Residential designations.
2. There is a determination that the proposed change would not result in adverse land use or adverse traffic impacts to surrounding properties or the vicinity.
As noted in the above outline, the area continues to develop and redevelop with non-residential uses. This proposal was submitted with the traffic impacts to adjacent properties an upfront concern. Since this lot is located at a busy intersection adding additional traffic to the area could be a problem for traffic ingress and egress. Therefore, the developer proposed uses for this site that are allowed in the C-2, General Commercial District so the traffic impact would be no more than 100 peak trips daily.
There is adequate ingress and egress located away from the intersection, and an internal connection between the lots helps to reduce traffic impacts. Sidewalks will be installed adjacent to 24th Avenue S.W. and Brooks Street. Twenty-fourth Avenue S.W. and Brooks Street are existing streets; therefore, public improvements are not required. As stated above, the development proposal generates less than 100 peak hour trips so a Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) is not required.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: This proposal meets the standards of new development within this area; similar uses creating no impact on adjacent properties and well-designed circulation creating no traffic impacts on adjacent properties. Staff supports this request and recommends approval of Resolution R-1516-26.
Planning Commission, at their meeting of November 12, 2015, recommended adoption of this resolution by a vote of 8-1.