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CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE O-1516-20 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 WEST HALF OF THE NORTHWEST QUARTER OF THE SOUTHWEST QUARTER OF SECTION THIRTY-SIX (36), TOWNSHIP NINE (9) NORTH, RANGE THREE (3) WEST OF THE INDIAN MERIDIAN, TO NORMAN, CLEVELAND COUNTY, OKLAHOMA, FROM THE RM-6, MEDIUM DENSITY APARTMENT DISTRICT, AND PLACE THE SAME IN THE C-2, GENERAL COMMERCIAL DISTRICT, OF SAID CITY; AND PROVIDING FOR THE SEVERABILITY THEREOF. (NORTHEAST CORNER OF 24TH AVENUE S.W. AND BROOKS STREET)
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SYNOPSIS: The applicant submitted a request to rezone, amend the land use designation, and preliminary plat a 2-acre tract of land located at the northeast corner of 24th Avenue S.W. and Brooks Street. This location is approximately one-quarter mile north of the Lindsey Street and 24th Avenue S.W. intersection.
ANALYSIS: This rezoning request will allow for all uses allowed by right under the C-2, General Commercial District which includes the uses designated by right in C-1, Local Commercial District and any Special Use permissible in C-1, except for mixed buildings and crematoriums attached to a funeral parlor.
The C-2, General Commercial District is intended for the conduct of personal and business services and the general retail business of the community. Persons living in the community and in the surrounding trade territory require direct and frequent access. The traffic generated by the uses will be primarily passenger vehicles and only those trucks and commercial vehicles required for stocking and delivery of retail goods.
There have been three notable projects developed in this general vicinity in the last 10-15 years; otherwise this general area has been fully developed since the mid 70’s or early 80’s. The majority of the area is mixed office uses consisting of general business offices, dental offices, counseling services, a nursing home and several apartment complexes. To the north of this proposal is a large office development also under the C-2, General Commercial District. The surrounding office sites have been in place since the 70’s. While the uses have changed over the years, for the most part the underlying zoning has stayed constant.
The first development is an office building located on the west side of 24th Avenue SW, just north of this proposal. Construction began in 2000. The occupancy for this facility varied as several spaces were completed in the last 10 years. The lot was rezoned from RM-6, Medium Density Apartment District to O-1, Office Institutional District in November of 2001 and then in January of 2005 Special Use for a Beauty Shop was also approved.
The second development is an orthodontic office located to the north of this subject tract, adjacent to Boyd Street. Occupancy was issued in late 2006. This orthodontic practice cleared the site of a single-family home to establish on this site. The lot was rezoned from R-1, Single Family Dwelling District to PUD, Planned Unit Development District in September of 2004. The PUD allowed for the current medical use.
The third development is senior housing located to the east of this proposal, fronting Brooks Street. The development was built in 2010 and received occupancy in 2011. There are nine buildings on the site: 8 townhouses with 4 units and one duplex; the site has 34 individual living units.
This subject tract was once part of a larger ownership. Previously there was approximately 7 acres at this northeast corner of 24th Avenue S.W. and Brooks Street. In November of 1971 the owners rezoned this subject tract from R-1, Single Family Dwelling District to RM-6, Medium Density Apartment District, although nothing has developed on this tract up to this point. Also included in the 1971 rezoning was the adjacent property to the east, that tract was rezoned from R-1 to RM-2, Low Density Apartment District, and is the current site of the senior housing development.
ALTERNATIVES/ISSUES:
DESIGN; The development will consist of two lots for commercial/retail use. The proposal is to front both lots on 24th Avenue S.W. All buildings will be one story. As designed, there will be two points of access into the development: one off 24th Avenue S.W. and the other off Brooks Street. These access points do not align with other points of egress on the adjacent streets, however, the points of access across the streets are too close to the intersection; therefore, the applicant is proposing points of access farther away from the intersection, creating better circulation.
IMPACTS: There are no adverse impacts expected from this proposal and future development. Access by way of 24th Avenue S.W. and Brooks Street will provide adequate ingress and egress for the site. The development as proposed will generate less than 100 peak hour trips; therefore this development was not required to submit a traffic impact study.
OTHER AGENCY COMMENTS:
GREENBELT COMMISSION - GBC NO. 15-26 - Meeting of September 21, 2015
The Greenbelt Commission reviewed the statement and forwards with no additional comments.
PRE-DEVELOPMENT - PD 15-30 - Meeting of September 24, 2015
There were no neighbors in attendance for this meeting.
PUBLIC WORKS/ENGINEERING: This entire property ownership consists of 2.6 acres. The design provides for ingress/egress at both the north and south ends of the development. The proposal is to create two lots fronting on 24th Avenue S.W. The corner lot is approximately 1.2 acres and the north lot is 0.8 acres. Access points have been located as far away from the adjacent intersection as possible to help control/eliminate possible congestion issues. Adequate circulation has been provided on the lots for service vehicles and sanitation vehicles.
Water and sewer for the site are in close proximity and available to access. The development run-off rate for this site cannot exceed the historic run-off rate. The full drainage and detention pond plans will be reviewed and approved for this site prior to Development Committee and City Council approval.
RECOMMENDATION: As an infill site, this site is different than many of the areas of Norman that have developed in recent years. This site has remained undeveloped from the previous use, that of the single-family home. The zoning and land use changes, road improvements and previous expansions, as well as infrastructure improvements completed ahead of this proposal, make this an appropriate infill development. With the adequate infrastructure in place and no impact to adjacent property uses, staff supports this request and recommends approval of Resolution No. R-1516-26, Ordinance No. O-1516-20 and the Preliminary Plat PP-1516-11.
Planning Commission, at their meeting of November 12, 2015, recommended adoption of this ordinance by a vote of 8-1.