September 24, 2025 City Council Meeting

Announcements

• Proclamations Acknowledged:
  • 📅 October was proclaimed Pedestrian Safety Month in Norman.
  • 📅 September was proclaimed Healthy Aging Month in Norman, recognizing resources like the Adult Wellness and Education Center.
• Council Member Resignation: Council Member Montoya (Ward 3) announced her immediate resignation to pursue other interests.
• Community Initiatives & Events:
  • A barber is providing free haircuts on Sundays in the Lindsay parking lot (near Taco Bell/plasma center) in Ward 1.
  • Hispanic Heritage Month continues until 📅 October 15th.
  • Parusca Chambi's photography exhibition, "Exploring Life and Death in the Andes," runs until 📅 November 2nd at the Firehouse Art Center.
  • The Old Silk Stocking Voluntary Neighborhood Association is hosting its annual Neighborhood Night Out on 📅 Thursday, September 25th, from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM at Ruth Updegraff Park.
  • Congratulations were extended to organizers of recent successful community events: Porchfest and the inaugural Ink the Block Party.
  • The Day Labor Van (Opportunity Knox litter cleanup crew) program has seen 279 referrals, 63 riders, and 42 participants receiving services, with one obtaining permanent employment. They removed 23.96 tons of trash from 127 locations. The program is funded by opioid settlement money.
  • A watershed cleanup event at Sutton Wilderness is scheduled for 📅 Saturday, October 18th, at 9:00 AM.
• Transportation & Infrastructure:
  • A public meeting regarding the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority's new South extension route will be held 📅 tomorrow (September 24th) at 5:00 PM at the Nancy O'Brien Center at Norman North High School, with a press conference at 4:00 PM. The City Council affirmed support for impacted residents.
  • The Community Planning and Transportation Committee will meet on 📅 Thursday, September 26th, at 4:00 PM at City Hall (also live-streamed) to discuss public transit and infrastructure projects.
• Financial Grant: The city received a $2 million grant 💰 from the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) for the construction cost of the line maintenance facility.

Key Decisions & Votes

• Consent Docket Approval: Items 3 through 22 were unanimously approved ✅ as part of the consent docket, covering routine agenda items.
• Rezoning for North Flood Business Park: An ordinance rezoning property north of West Tecumseh Road on North Flood Avenue from A2 Rural Agricultural District and I2 Heavy Industrial District to SPUD (Simple Planned Unit Development) was unanimously adopted ✅ on both second and final reading.
  • Key Discussion Points: The SPUD allows for a mix of commercial and industrial uses. A significant change from the Planning Commission meeting was the addition of an 80% masonry requirement for exterior materials. The proposal also features 43% green space, including water quality protection zones (WQPZ) and bio-retention ponds, which is substantially higher than typical commercial/industrial developments.
• Preliminary Plat for North Flood Business Park Edition: The preliminary plat for North Flood Business Park edition, a companion item to the rezoning, was unanimously approved ✅.

Public Comments

• Item 23 (North Flood Business Park SPUD Rezoning):
  • Stephen Ellis (Ward 4) questioned the rationale behind using SPUDs, asking what "deal" or "special, unique" benefit Norman receives in exchange for deviating from standard regulations. He emphasized the need for clarity on "what's in it for Norman."
  • Cynthia Rogers and Sherlin Denzo were registered but did not provide comments.
• Item 25 (Classen Blvd/Cedar Lane Rd Rezoning):
  • Stephen Ellis, Diana Hutzel, and Sherlin Denzo were registered to speak. (No content of their comments was provided in the transcript).

Agenda Summary Table