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CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NO. O-1314-40 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 GRANT SPECIAL USE FOR A CHURCH, TEMPLE OR OTHER PLACE OF WORSHIP IN THE I-1, LIGHT INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT, FOR LOT 7, BLOCK 1, BROCE INDUSTRIAL PARK ADDITION TO NORMAN, CLEVELAND COUNTY, OKLAHOMA; AND PROVIDING FOR THE SEVERABILITY THEREOF. (3308 BROCE COURT)
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SYNOPSIS: The applicant, Norman New Life Bible Church, is requesting Special Use for a Church in a vacant building at the subject tract. The proposed new site for the church is zoned I-1, Light Industrial District, and the Norman 2025 Land Use and Transportation Plan designation is Industrial. I-1, Light Industrial District allows a church as a Special Use.
ANALYSIS: Norman New Life Bible Church recently sold its current facility at 4343 North Flood Avenue. The church intends to utilize the proposed location as a temporary church facility until they find a new location to rebuild at a later date. It is the applicant’s intent to remodel the interior of the existing building only and reconfigure the parking lot to accommodate the approximately 300-member congregation. The congregation is comprised of approximately 225 adults and 85 children. The facility is approximately 15,800 square feet; it will accommodate office space, meeting rooms and a sanctuary with 211 seats. The required parking for a church is one space per four seats in the sanctuary; the sanctuary design for this church requires 52 parking spaces. The applicant’s architect has submitted an updated parking lot design subsequent to the Planning Commission meeting. The new site plan submitted to City Council has 116 parking spaces as opposed to the previous count of 106.
The church will hold one service on Sunday morning and one youth service in the evening. The church will have occasional small group meetings that will occur one or two times during the week after 6:00 p.m.
ALTERNATIVES/ISSUES: Norman New Life Bible Church should not create any negative impacts for surrounding businesses. The facility will provide sufficient capacity and the reconfigured parking lot will provide adequate parking for the members of the church. Furthermore, because services and group meetings are held during the weekend and non-business hours, surrounding businesses will not be impacted with increased traffic.
OTHER AGENCY COMMENTS:
PUBLIC WORKS: The parcel is platted and there are no public improvements required.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: In the I-1, Light Industrial District a church is allowed with a Special Use designation. The proposal for the church will not create negative impacts for surrounding business owners due to the church’s schedule primarily occurring during non-business hours. Staff recommends approval of Ordinance No. O-1314-40.
Planning Commission, at their meeting of March 13, 2014, recommended adoption of this Ordinance, on a vote of 8-0.