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RESOLUTION NO. R-1213-36: A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORMAN, OKLAHOMA, AMENDING THE NORMAN 2025 LAND USE AND TRANSPORTATION PLAN, LAND USE PLAN AMENDMENT NO. LUP-1213-3, SO AS TO PLACE PART OF THE NORTHEAST QUARTER OF SECTION 15, TOWNSHIP 9 NORTH, RANGE 3 WEST OF THE INDIAN MERIDIAN, NORMAN, CLEVELAND COUNTY, OKLAHOMA, IN THE MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL DESIGNATION AND REMOVE THE SAME FROM THE COMMERCIAL DESIGNATION. (GENERALLY LOCATED AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF 36TH AVENUE N.W. AND TECUMSEH ROAD)
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BACKGROUND: The applicant is requesting a change in the NORMAN 2025 Land Use and Transportation Plan from Commercial Designation to Medium Density Residential Designation. The applicants, OSOI Tecumseh Development, L.L.C. and NE Development, L.L.C., are proposing to rezone a portion of their property from C-1, Local Commercial District, to a Planned Unit Development (PUD) for approximately 13.86 acres. This tract of land has been zoned for Local Commercial use since 1983, but has remained undeveloped. With large commercial tracts located on adjacent corners, the applicants see a need to change a portion of their ownership to Medium Density Residential Designation.
DISCUSSION: The 2025 Plan identifies two criteria that must be examined before a land use designation change is approved.
1. There has been a change in circumstances resulting from development of properties in the general vicinity which suggest that the proposed change will not be contrary to the public interest. There is a large area on the east side of 36th Avenue NW where the new hospital, Medical Park West, and several supporting developments are currently located. The Medical Park West development originally incorporated approximately twenty-five acres of multi-family development. The development plans in that area changed and the multi-family development element was removed. With the elimination of the multi-family development from the Medical Park West area, the demand for a multi-family development in this area has not been met. This development can succeed without adversely impacting the adjacent residential properties.
This land has been zoned for commercial use for many years and remains undeveloped. With development occurring in or near the other three corners, this corner appears not to be a primary commercial corner at this time.
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. There is an existing one hundred twenty-five foot open space buffer (detention pond) located on the western boundary of this property. This open space provides a natural separation between the proposed apartments and the existing single family neighborhood to the west, serving to minimize any impacts. The current C-1 zoning will create more peak hour traffic impacts on the adjacent properties than the down zoning to multi-family.
RECOMMENDATION: With the proposed utilization of a Planned Unit Development, staff concurs with the request to amend this area to a Medium Density Residential Designation. This multi-family development buffers the single-family residential area to the west from the commercial area east of 36th Avenue NW as well as the commercial corner that will remain adjacent to the multi-family proposal. This buffer element makes this an appropriate development for this site. Staff recommends approval to amend the NORMAN 2025 Land Use and Transportation Plan from Commercial Designation to Medium Density Residential Designation. At the October 11, 2012 Planning Commission meeting, a motion to recommend approval of this 2025 Plan amendment failed on a vote of 3-3; therefore, the Planning Commission makes no recommendation.