Title
RESOLUTION R-1415-101: 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 SOUTHWEST QUARTER OF SECTION 11, TOWNSHIP 9 NORTH, RANGE 3 WEST OF THE INDIAN MERIDIAN, NORMAN, CLEVELAND COUNTY, OKLAHOMA, FROM THE OFFICE DESIGNATION AND PLACE THE SAME IN THE COMMERCIAL DESIGNATION. (NORTHEAST CORNER OF 36TH AVENUE N.W. AND TECUMSEH ROAD)
Body
SYNOPSIS: The applicant is requesting a NORMAN 2025 Land Use Plan Amendment from Office Designation to Commercial Designation for a small area adjacent to 36th Avenue NW. This development is across Tecumseh Road from the Norman Regional HealthPlex. The specific area requested for an amendment is undeveloped. There is a bank located at the northeast corner of 36th Avenue NW and Tecumseh Road, while Journey Church, several office buildings and two car dealerships are located across Journey Parkway, to the east. The original site consisted of 90 acres. However, approximately 40 acres have been platted and developed. The entire ownership of this Preliminary Plat is approximately 51 acres; however, as shown on the attached Site Plan the applicant is only requesting to change the land use designations on approximately 7 acres, along the west side of the property, from Office to Commercial Designation. The remaining area will continue under the previously approved Commercial and High Density Residential Designations.
On the NORMAN 2020 Land Use Plan this property was shown as Commercial, High Density Residential and Low Density Residential Designations. A Land Use Plan Amendment for this area was approved in 1999. The 1999 Amendment of the NORMAN 2020 Land Use Plan was from Future Urban Service Area to Current Urban Service Area and from Commercial, High Density Residential and Low Density Residential Designations to Commercial, High Density Residential and Office Designations for the 90-acre property, essentially eliminating the Low Density Residential component on the property. In 2005 City Council approved another amendment to the NORMAN 2025 Land Use Plan. In this second amendment the area west of the I-35 Service Road was changed from Commercial, High Density Residential and Office to Commercial and High Density Residential Designations, essentially removing the Office Designation and reducing the High Density Residential Designation. This change made way for the two car dealerships located on the north end, adjacent to I-35 Service Road.
This application is a request to change the land use designation from Office to Commercial Designation for a very small piece of property in comparison to the overall ownership.
STAFF ANALYSIS:
The 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 suggest that the proposed change will not be contrary to the public interest.
This general area has grown substantially since the first NORMAN Land Use Plan Amendment for this site was submitted for review and approval by City Council. The areas on the west and south sides of this property have grown substantially in recent years and the request for this amendment is a minor amendment. The area requesting amendment is a small portion of property adjacent to 36th Avenue NW and what will be Carroll Street, see attached Site Plan. A small portion of the land requested for this change is adjacent to 36th Avenue NW but the majority of the land is setback from the 36th Avenue right-of-way and not immediately across 36th Avenue NW from the residential uses.
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 previously outlined, this request is only for a small portion of the ownership and the change is located on the west side of the property, but east of 36th Avenue NW. The small area that is changing will not create any adverse traffic impacts to surrounding properties or the vicinity. The Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) for this site has been reviewed and approved.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: This application meets the requirements of the review for NORMAN 2025 Land Use Plan Amendments; in fact, this land use change removes split designations on several single tracts of land proposed within the development. Staff recommends approval of Resolution R-1415-101.
Planning Commission, at their meeting of June 11, 2015, recommended adoption of Resolution R-1415-101 by a vote of 6-1.