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CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE O-1617-27 UPON SECOND AND FINAL READING: AN ORDINANCE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORMAN, OKLAHOMA, AMENDING SECTION 460 OF CHAPTER 22 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF NORMAN SO AS TO REMOVE PART OF THE WEST HALF OF THE EAST HALF OF THE NORTHWEST QUARTER OF SECTION NINE, TOWNSHIP EIGHT NORTH, RANGE TWO WEST OF THE INDIAN MERIDIAN, TO NORMAN, CLEVELAND COUNTY, OKLAHOMA, FROM THE A-2, RURAL AGRICULTURAL DISTRICT AND PLACE THE SAME IN THE I-1, LIGHT INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT, OF SAID CITY AND GRANT SPECIAL USE FOR A CHURCH, TEMPLE, OR OTHER PLACE OF WORSHIP; AND PROVIDING FOR THE SEVERABILITY THEREOF. (1500 EAST IMHOFF ROAD)
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SYNOPSIS: The applicant, Life.Church Norman, is requesting to rezone 18.55 acres from A-2, Rural Agricultural District to I-1, Light Industrial District with Special Use for a church, temple or other place of worship.
ANALYSIS: This parcel has been zoned A-2, Rural Agricultural District since the Zoning Ordinance was adopted in July 1954. A church is an allowed use in A-2, Rural Agricultural District; therefore a zoning change was not required when Life.Church Norman submitted their preliminary plat in January 2016.
Life.Church Norman is currently under construction. This request is being made because, under the A-2, Rural Agricultural District, the Sign Code prevents the church from obtaining the requested square footage of signage and the setback is 25’ feet from the property line because they are across from residentially zoned land. Rezoning to I-1, Light Industrial District, will allow the church to obtain the requested square footage of signage and the setback for a ground and/or pole sign is zero feet at the property line. A proposed sign package is attached as reference.
ALTERNATIVES/ISSUES:
IMPACTS This request will not create any negative impacts to the surrounding area. The surrounding area abutting this parcel is commercial and industrial businesses with multi-family apartments and duplexes to the north off of Imhoff Road and Classen Boulevard. Rezoning to I-1, Light Industrial, will allow the church the amount of signage they have requested and is similar to other signs in the surrounding area with I-1 zoning designations.
OTHER AGENCY COMMENTS:
PREDEVELOPMENT PD17-1 - January 26, 2017
The following summary is the report from this Predevelopment meeting:
The applicant currently operates Life.Church in Moore and Edmond, Oklahoma and they have churches all over the world. This church building is approximately 37,000 square feet and will host 4-5,000 patrons a week. The church will hold services on Wednesday and Saturday evenings and on Sundays.
The applicant platted 18.55 acres, Lot 1 Block 1, and currently is constructing a church on approximately 9.82 acres on the southern portion of the property. This parcel is zoned A-2, Rural Agricultural District, and a church is a permitted use; however, the allowed square footage and setback for signs in A-2 is significantly less than their request. The A-2, Rural Agricultural District, is residential in nature and less signage is allowed and the setbacks are at 25’ from the property line. This would make it almost impossible to see the church sign from Imhoff Road and most of the proposed signage on the church would not be allowed. Therefore, the applicant is requesting to rezone to I-1, Light Industrial District with Special use for a church, temple or other place of worship. Rezoning to I-1, Light Industrial District with Special Use will allow the church to obtain a permit for the square footage and decrease the setback for their signage. The request for a NORMAN 2025 Land Use Plan Amendment from Industrial to Institutional was approved for 9.82 acres in the southern portion of the tract where the church is located. The remaining 8.73 acres, abutting Imhoff Road, will remain Industrial Land Use Designation.
The main concern of the neighbors is the signage; how big and how tall and where are the signs?
The applicant representative stated it is a ground sign no more than 10 feet tall off the ground and it’s the allowable square footage allowed in the I-1 zoning district; 48 square foot per side and back illuminated to reduce glare and any light pollution to surrounding properties. City staff will email the sign package as requested by the neighbors.
The neighbor to the east was concerned about survey pins-that she observed a surveyor on the church property and wanted to make sure their south and west property lines-that abut the church property-are not affected and their property lines remain as their deed states. The applicant representative stated she will obtain the most recent survey and provide this to the neighbor.
Are there currently development plans for the northern portion of the tract of land? Apartments were proposed at one time, is that the intention of Life.Church? The applicant stated they do not have any development plans at this time, and that the remaining portion of the parcel not used by the church may be sold in the future. If this rezoning request is passed by city council the land will be zoned I-1, Light Industrial and unless a future rezoning is requested the uses must fall under allowed uses in I-1.
The applicant stated they will be good neighbors and to contact them directly if any of the surrounding citizens have any concerns in the future. If surrounding businesses need additional parking during the work week, the church is willing to accommodate. Both neighbors were satisfied with the applicant’s responses.
PARK BOARD: Parkland dedication is not required for this development proposal.
PUBLIC WORKS: The final plat was submitted, approved by City Council and filed of record on September 8, 2016. The applicant filed for concurrent construction which allowed them to install public infrastructure and begin construction. Water has been accepted and approved; sanitary sewer has been completed but not accepted. Sidewalks will be installed along Imhoff Road prior to Certificate of Occupancy.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff supports the applicant’s request for rezoning to allow the church adequate signage. Staff recommends approval of Ordinance O-1617-27.
Planning Commission, at their meeting of February 9, 2017, unanimously recommended adoption of this ordinance by a vote of 7-0.