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RESOLUTION R-1718-82: A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORMAN, OKLAHOMA, AMENDING THE STREET NAME CHANGE PORTION OF THE CITIZENS RECOGNITION POLICY FOR THE CITY OF NORMAN.
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BACKGROUND: In 2008, Council adopted Resolution R-0809-60 which sets policy, among other things, for street renaming. After working through a request to rename a street to Deans Row Avenue, Staff was asked to assist Council with amending the 2008 Policy to give Council some flexibility if the name of a current street is considered to be offensive or derogatory. Staff is now forwarding an amendment to the policy adopted by Council in 2008, the Citizens Recognition Policy, to City Council for consideration.
DISCUSSION: The power given to a municipality to open and close streets impliedly includes the power to name and rename streets. 10A McQuillin Mun. Corp. ? 30:15 (3d ed.) (footnote omitted). The power given a municipality to open and close streets also impliedly includes the power to determine the procedure to name and rename streets.
Section 36-101 of Title 11 of the Oklahoma Statutes recognizes the power of Oklahoma municipalities to regulate and control the use of streets, roads, and other public ways. Pursuant to this power, Council, by resolution, adopted a procedure for permanently changing current street names. The procedure for permanently changing a current street name, adopted in Resolution R-0809-60, requires a petition containing signatures of at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the property owners adjacent to the street being changed. This process is retained in the proposed amended policy for most street renaming requests.
The proposed amendments add a new process that ultimately permits a majority of Council to change the name of a street if the name is determined to be offensive or derogatory as measured by the Civil Rights and anti-discrimination policy of the City set forth in Section 7-101(a) of the City's Code of Ordinances. The propose...
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