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CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NO. O-1314-38 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 SOUTHWEST QUARTER OF SECTION TWENTY-FIVE (25), TOWNSHIP NINE (9) NORTH, RANGE TWO (2) WEST OF THE INDIAN MERIDIAN, NORMAN, CLEVELAND COUNTY, OKLAHOMA, FROM THE A-2, RURAL AGRICULTURAL DISTRICT AND PLACE THE SAME IN THE A-1, GENERAL AGRICULTURAL DISTRICT, OF SAID CITY; AND PROVIDING FOR THE SEVERABILITY THEREOF. (4903 EAST ALAMEDA STREET)
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SYNOPSIS: This property contains approximately thirty-six acres of land located just east of the northeast corner of Alameda Street and 48th Avenue N.E. The current property has one single-family home located at the southwest corner of the property, Lot 1 on the proposal. This large tract became too much for the owner to manage. As a result, she has relocated and asked the family to sell the property. The family came to the City asking how they could best divide the property to sell. As proposed, the property will be divided into three ten to thirteen acre tracts via a Norman Rural Certificate of Survey.
ANALYSIS: Under the current zoning, A-2, Rural Agricultural, the applicant could divide the existing tract into three ten to thirteen acre tracts with a Norman Rural Certificate of Survey. Under the A-2 zoning district a tract must abut a single public street or road officially opened by action of the City Council a distance of not less than 250 feet and have 330 feet width measured at the building line. In this case, it is not possible to divide the existing tract into three ten acre lots and still have the required 250 foot frontage and the 330 foot width at the building setback line. To have access to the third tract, under the A-2 zoning district they would have to install a private road to serve Tract 3. The applicant is looking for the best way to divide/split the property without up-front costs and sell the property in a configuration that will be most beneficial to their mother and potential buyers.
As stated, the applicants came to the City for direction. Staff reviewed the area several times and came up with the suggestion to request A-1, General Agricultural District. This zoning district will allow the property to be divided into the three ten to thirteen acre tracts. Under the A-1 zoning district a tract is required to abut a street for a minimum of thirty-five feet. This arrangement will create two tracts, one at ten acres and one at eleven acres, both with the 250 feet of street frontage and the 330 foot width at the building setback line and one thirteen acre flag shaped tract abutting Alameda Street for thirty-five feet.
However, it should be noted the A-1 zoning district will not automatically allow a new owner(s) to subdivide these tracts any smaller than that of the established ten to thirteen acres without going through the entire platting process and required street improvements to Alameda Street. This application is only a rezoning request; the land use of this site is not changing. In order to encourage the retention of large open space areas and minimize the negative impacts that a development may have on rural areas, with constraints such as flood plains, steep slopes or WQPZ, the NORMAN 2025 Land Use and Transportation Plan designated this area as Country Residential. Under the NORMAN 2025 Plan the Country Residential area is limited to one dwelling unit per ten acres. These three tracts could go smaller but not without a NORMAN 2025 Land Use and Transportation Plan amendment and additional platting.
USE: The proposed use for the tracts will be single-family residential. There will be covenants in place to protect the WQPZ as well as minimum square footage of the homes and exterior materials.
OTHER AGENCY COMMENTS:
GREENBELT COMMISSION - GBC NO. 14-04: In the Greenbelt Commission Meeting of February 17, 2014, the Commission approved the statement unanimously with no additional comments or references to the Greenbelt Ordinance criteria.
PUBLIC WORKS/ENGINEERING:: The WQPZ crosses a portion of Tract 3 in this Norman Rural Certificate of Survey. The applicant has submitted protective covenants to preserve the WQPZ. The proposed location of the drive for Tract 2 fronting Alameda Street is in compliance with City standards. There are no additional comments from Public Works/Engineering.
RECOMMENDATION: This rezoning proposal is moving forward with the A-1 zoning district request to better divide the property. Staff agrees with the proposal, as A-1 is a reasonable zoning for the property, creating a better opportunity to divide the property and not require installation of a private road off Alameda Street to access Tract 3, as required under A-2 zoning. Staff recommends approval of Ordinance No. O-1314-38. Planning Commission, at their meeting of March 13, 2014, recommended adoption of Ordinance No. O-1314-38, on a vote of 8-0.