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CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE O-1920-29 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 NORTHWEST QUARTER (NW/4) OF SECTION NINETEEN (19), TOWNSHIP NINE (9) NORTH, RANGE TWO (2) WEST OF THE INDIAN MERIDIAN AND THE NORTHEAST QUARTER (NE/4) OF SECTION TWENTY-FOUR (24), TOWNSHIP NINE (9) NORTH, RANGE THREE (3) WEST OF THE INDIAN MERIDIAN, CITY OF NORMAN, CLEVELAND COUNTY, OKLAHOMA, FROM THE A-2, RURAL AGRICULTURAL DISTRICT AND PLACE THE SAME IN THE I-1, LIGHT INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT WITH SPECIAL USE FOR MUNICIPAL USES WITH A VARIANCE TO THE EXTERIOR MASONRY REQUIREMENT, OF SAID CITY; AND PROVIDING FOR THE SEVERABILITY THEREOF. (NORTH BASE COMPLEX, SOUTH OF ROCK CREEK ROAD BETWEEN FLOOD AVENUE AND GODDARD AVENUE)
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SYNOPSIS: The City of Norman is submitting a request for a Preliminary Plat, Land Use Plan Amendment and Rezoning with Special Use for the City of Norman maintenance facilities. The property contains approximately 25.87 acres.
ANALYSIS: In April of 2017, the Planning staff was directed to update/amend the existing Zoning Ordinance to establish a policy for all municipal projects to properly zone the proposed development with a Special Use request. In order for the City to have the greatest flexibility to locate municipal and other public facilities in appropriate locations throughout the City, staff prepared a Zoning Code amendment that allows “municipal uses, public buildings and public utilities” in all zoning districts as a Special Use. The Special Use designation provides Planning Commission and City Council the opportunity to ensure that municipal uses, public buildings and public utilities are in the proper location and enables the approval of conditions that provide protection for surrounding property owners. At the same time, this review process allows approval of variances to specific regulations that best promote the health, safety and general welfare for the community and still meet the needs of the City to provide adequate services to the citizens. This policy to have all municipal projects presented to Planning Commission and City Council gives staff the opportunity to present the project for approval as well as public notice of such future development.
The applicant is proposing four additional buildings with parking lots for each building and a detention pond on the south side of Da Vinci Street. The proposed institutional uses include the following: City of Norman transit maintenance facility, park maintenance, municipal fire storage facility and administrative offices.
ALTERNATIVES/ISSUES:
IMPACTS This site is directly south of the existing City of Norman Maintenance Facility. This location will be the new home of several city maintenance facilities to be relocated to this site. The applicant is requesting a variance to the exterior masonry requirement; this is to keep the cost of construction within the budget. The buildings will be steel constructed metal exterior buildings similar to the existing maintenance facility directly north of this site. The proposed municipal maintenance facilities will have controlled access for safety and are not intended to be accessed by the public. This site is adjacent to like uses and adverse impacts are not expected to impact the surrounding area.
OTHER AGENCY COMMENTS:
PREDEVELOPMENT_PD19-27 November 21, 2019
One neighbor attended the meeting to inquire about the use and if on-site detention will be required. City staff answered the questions and no additional comments or concerns were addressed.
GREENBELT COMMISSION_GES19-23 November 18, 2019
Greenbelt Commission sends the item forward with no additional comments
PUBLIC WORKS A preliminary plat has been submitted and the site will utilize existing public infrastructure.
TRAFFIC City staff reviewed the trip generation for the proposed project and concluded that there is no expected change from the existing level of service; therefore, no additional off-site improvements are anticipated.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff supports and recommends approval of Ordinance O-1920-29. At their December 12, 2019 meeting, the Planning Commission unanimously recommended adoption of Ordinance O-1920-29, by a vote of 8-0.