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CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NO. O-1415-2 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 MIXED BUILDING IN THE C-3, INTENSIVE COMMERCIAL DISTRICT, FOR LOT 11, BLOCK 13, THE ORIGINAL TOWN OF NORMAN, CLEVELAND COUNTY, OKLAHOMA; AND PROVIDING FOR THE SEVERABILITY THEREOF. (222 EAST MAIN STREET)
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SYNOPSIS: The applicant owns an older two-story office building located at 222 East Main Street. The office building is located on the south side of Main Street, approximately 250 feet east of Peters Avenue. The applicant currently operates a law office on the ground floor and proposes to renovate and convert the second floor into a two bedroom apartment unit.
ANALYSIS: The site is zoned C-3, Intensive Commercial District. Under the C-3 zoning district, Special Use for Mixed Building can be granted for a residential component on the upper floor(s) as long as the use on the ground floor is a permitted use within the district.
IMPACTS: In the C-3 zoning district there is not a requirement to provide off-street parking for any use. In the downtown area on-street parking is available as well as a public parking lot. There are four parking spaces located at the rear of the building, adjacent to the alley. This parking is for the office staff. The applicant currently leases two parking spaces in the old Marquis Furniture parking lot, just across the alley at 110 S. Crawford Avenue. These two spaces are intended for the tenants of the residential unit. The applicant stated if they lose the lease for the two parking spaces in the old Marquis parking lot they will move the staff, currently parking directly behind the building, to other public parking in the downtown area and allow the tenants to park directly behind the building.
POLICY: The NORMAN 2025 Plan established Goals and Policies that are significant when establishing a general statement of intent for the future growth and development of the City. One of the Goals encouraging additional residential development in the downtown area is a follows:
Goal 3: Housing and Neighborhoods
Encourage and support diversified housing types and densities in order to serve different income levels, family structures, and ownership.
4. Foster and encourage construction of new residential units, and conversion of underutilized buildings into residential units, in downtown Norman.
OTHER AGENCY COMMENTS:
PARK BOARD: This property will retain its commercial designation and was platted as part of the Original Townsite. No parkland dedication is required for this proposal.
PUBLIC WORKS: As noted above, this property was platted as part of the Original Townsite Plat of Norman. No additional public improvements are required for this proposal.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: In recent years, there have been five other Special Use for Mixed Building applications along Main Street, as noted on the attached map. All of those applications for Special Use were approved. In fact, two of the five previous Special Use approvals are located on either side of this proposal, 220 and 224 East Main Street. The suggested NORMAN 2025 Goals and Policies to promote development in the downtown area with residential uses in under-utilized buildings have been followed. Staff supports this Special Use request and recommends approval of Ordinance No. O-1415-2. Planning Commission, at its meeting of July 10, 2014, recommended adoption of this ordinance by a vote of 7-0.