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CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE O-1415-45 UPON SECOND AND FINAL READING: AN ORDINANCE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORMAN, OKLAHOMA, AMENDING THE PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT ESTABLISHED IN ORDINANCE O-0203-2, AS AMENDED BY ORDINANCE O-0506-9 AND ORDINANCE O-0607-13, TO AMEND THE REQUIREMENTS FOR BUILDING SETBACKS AND THE LANDSCAPING STRIP ADJACENT TO 24th AVENUE N.W. FOR AN OFFICE COMPLEX FOR PART OF THE NORTHWEST QUARTER OF SECTION 13 AND THE NORTHEAST QUARTER OF SECTION 14, TOWNSHIP 9 NORTH, RANGE 3 WEST OF THE INDIAN MERIDIAN, CLEVELAND COUNTY, OKLAHOMA; AND PROVIDING FOR THE SEVERABILITY THEREOF. (SOUTHEAST CORNER OF 24TH AVENUE N.W. AND TECUMSEH ROAD)
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SYNOPSIS: This request is for approximately 7.79 acres of land located on the east side of 24th Avenue N.W. and Tecumseh Road; it’s a narrow panhandle piece of land in the farthest northern section of the University North Park PUD. This land is a portion of Sub-Development Area (SDA) 1, as shown on the Revised Preliminary Plat dated August 14, 2006. The applicant is requesting an amendment to the PUD, O-0607-13 for this piece of land only.
This request is to amend the front building setback line requirement from 50 feet to 25 feet and the streetscape buffer strip requirement on the east side of 24th Avenue N.W. from 15 feet to 5 feet for this development only, as described in the legal description attached as Exhibit “G” to the PUD Narrative.
The applicant’s proposal is a professional office complex located on the southeast corner of 24th Avenue N.W. and Tecumseh Road. The proposal is to develop five buildings for office use which includes a one-story building, three two-story buildings and one three-story building located in the center of the development. If the three-story building does not comply with FAA regulations, the building will be two-stories and an additional two-story building might be considered for the development.
Except for the amendments identified above this development proposal meets all other requirements of the University North Park PUD approved in December 2006.
ANALYSIS: The original PUD, O-0203-2 was approved by City Council on August 27, 2002. The first amendment to the PUD, O-0506-9 was approved on October 11, 2005 to allow the owner to sell or lease unplatted portions of forty acres or more. This was the only change to the original PUD. Then on December 12, 2006 City Council approved PUD O-0607-13 which replaced both the original PUD and the amendment.
The width of this parcel is very narrow, approximately 400 feet, which is the reason the applicant is requesting a PUD amendment for this piece of land. According to the PUD narrative the required building setback is 50 feet and the landscape buffer is required to be 15 feet wide. These requirements would make this parcel unbuildable due to the irregular shape and narrow width of this parcel. Reducing the building setback and landscape buffer will allow the development as proposed while meeting emergency vehicle access and parking requirements.
ALTERNATIVES/ISSUES: This PUD amendment will allow the applicant to develop this irregular shaped parcel and still meet all other city department code requirements. This is the only parcel in the University North Park Development that has this peculiar shape and narrow width that abuts principle arterial and urban principle arterial streets. Furthermore, because of the location of this parcel, there will only be future development abutting the southern property line.
OTHER AGENCY COMMENTS:
PRE-DEVELOPMENT: PD NO. 15-01 - Meeting of May 28, 2015
The adjacent property is the University of Oklahoma’s Max Westheimer Airport. The FAA has strict requirements for assuring any building adjacent to a runway will not break the plane of that runway. If any of these proposed buildings break the plane, they will have to be reduced in height.
The applicant acknowledged the requirement and stated he would reach out to the FAA with a proposal to make sure none of the buildings will interfere with the adjacent runway. If the height is of concern the applicant may change the building design and count.
The airport official in attendance expressed concern over the type of lights that would be installed at the site, and wants to make sure they will be full cut-off fixtures.
Finally, the airport official stated that since this is not a residential use but an office development the noise from the airport may not be a concern but wanted to mention it to the applicant.
PARK BOARD: Parkland dedication is not required for this development.
PUBLIC WORKS: All public improvements will be in place by the final platting.
UTILITIES DEPARTMENT: All utility easements will be filed with the final plat.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Because of the location and narrow shape of this piece of land, staff supports the applicant’s request. Without this requested PUD amendment this parcel’s buildable space is reduced due to code requirements including emergency vehicle access and parking requirements. Staff recommends approval of Ordinance O-1415-45.
Planning Commission, at their meeting of June 11, 2015, recommended adoption of this ordinance by a vote of 7-0.