November 4, 2025 City Council Meeting

Announcements

• Homelessness Awareness Month: Mayor William Joyce proclaimed November 2025 as Homelessness Awareness Month, recognizing the Mission of Hope and other partners for their vital services to Stillwater's homeless population.
• City Building Holiday Closures: The Stillwater Municipal Building will be closed on 📅 Thursday, November 28th, 2025 (Thanksgiving Day) and 📅 Friday, November 29th, 2025.
• Mayoral Election Dates:
  • Candidate filing period for the Mayor's seat: 📅 December 1st through December 3rd, 2025.
  • General Election: 📅 Tuesday, February 10th, 2026.
  • Runoff Election (if needed): 📅 Tuesday, April 7th, 2026.
• Annual Parade of Lights: Downtown Stillwater will host the parade on 📅 Thursday, December 4th, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. The deadline for parade participant entry forms is 📅 Friday, November 14th, 2025, at 5:00 p.m.
• Holidays at Block 34: Celebrate on 📅 Saturday, December 6th, 2025, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., featuring holiday heroes, drone shows, Santa visits, ice skating on Herby Lane, and food vendors.
• Payne County United Way Bean Bag Benefit (Cornhole Tournament): Join the event on Block 34 this 📅 Friday (implied November 7th, 2025). Check-in is until noon, with the tournament starting at 1 p.m.
• Ice Skating on Block 34: An ice rink will be available on Herby Lane for a couple of months this winter.
• Our Daily Bread: The Council extended appreciation to Our Daily Bread for providing food security and essential items, encouraging community support through donations.
• Sidewalk Improvements: Citizens are encouraged to report sidewalk improvement or maintenance needs via stillwater.gov/sidewalkconnect (for new sidewalks) or stillwater.gov/requesttracker (for repairs).

Key Decisions & Votes

• Specific Use Permit for Healthcare Facility: The Council approved a specific use permit for a healthcare and social assistance facility (a kidney dialysis center) at 1525 Southwestern Road in a commercial shopping zoning district. The Planning Commission had recommended approval.
• Text Amendment for Unit/Condominium Ownership: The Council approved a text amendment to Chapter 23 of the Land Development Code to remove unit/condominium ownership as a regulated use. This change allows condominium ownership in any zoning district, provided state laws are followed. The Planning Commission had recommended approval.
• Text Amendment for Sidewalk Cafe Regulations: The Council approved a text amendment to Chapter 23 of the Land Development Code to amend sidewalk cafe regulations. The change clarifies that sidewalk cafes should be constructed against the building, leaving at least 6 feet of unobstructed sidewalk for pedestrian traffic. This aligns with best practices and the built environment. The Planning Commission had recommended approval.
• Professional Services Agreement for Land Development Code Rewrite: The Council approved a professional services agreement with Civic Dynamics LLC for the comprehensive update and rewrite of Chapter 23 (Land Development Code). This initiative aims to streamline the code, use plain language, include graphics, and modernize it for newer development types.
• Mayoral Election Proclamation: The Council adopted Resolution CC-2025-28, authorizing the Mayor to issue an election proclamation for the upcoming general and runoff elections for the Mayor's seat.
• Bridge Safety Inspection Consultant Selection: The Council adopted Resolution CC-2025-29, selecting Consor North America as the consultant for bridge safety inspections for the period of 📅 April 1st, 2026, through March 31st, 2028. This service is paid for by ODOT, incurring no cost to the city.
• Ordinances Advanced to Second Reading: Ordinance 3584 (Unit/Condominium Ownership text amendment) and Ordinance 3585 (Sidewalk Cafe Regulations text amendment) were both advanced to second reading.
• Stillwater Utilities Authority (SUA) Federal Advocacy Services: The SUA approved an extension agreement with MMO Partners for federal advocacy services. The report highlighted a $30 million authorization for Stillwater's water/wastewater infrastructure under the Water Resources Development Act and a $1 million appropriation for the drinking water system in the House Interior Appropriations bill (currently tied up).

Financial Matters 💰

• Land Development Code Rewrite: A professional services agreement not to exceed $110,000 with Civic Dynamics LLC was approved for the update and rewrite of Chapter 23. A related budget revision was also approved.
• Federal Advocacy Services: An extension agreement with MMO Partners for federal advocacy services in the amount of $79,200 was approved by the Stillwater Utilities Authority. An associated budget amendment was also approved.
• Bridge Safety Inspections: The city's bridge safety inspections are paid for by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT), incurring no cost to the City of Stillwater.
• Federal Funding Landscape: MMO Partners reported on federal legislative efforts, including the retention of municipal bond tax exemption, the ongoing FY26 budget process, and potential new mitigation funding through the FEMA Act. They noted $4.8 billion remains unspent in the FEMA BRIC account.

Public Comments

• For the Specific Use Permit request (CC-25-149) for a healthcare facility at 1525 Southwestern Road, no one signed up or was present to speak. The public hearing was closed.
• For the Text Amendment regarding Unit/Condominium Ownership (CC-25-150), no one signed up or was present to speak. The public hearing was closed.
• For the Text Amendment regarding Sidewalk Cafe Regulations (CC-25-151), no one signed up or was present to speak. The public hearing was closed.

Agenda Summary Table

| Agenda Item | | Proclamation in recognition of Homelessness Awareness Month | The Mayor read a proclamation recognizing November 2025 as Homelessness Awareness Month and thanked the Mission of Hope for their work. | ✅ Read and Presented | | Consent Docket (City Council) | Routine administrative items. | ✅ Approved | | Receive public comment regarding a request for a specific use permit to operate a healthcare and social assistance facility in a commercial shopping zoning district property addressed as 1525 Southwestern Road (CC-25-149) | Request for a specific use permit to allow a kidney dialysis center. | ✅ Approved | | Receive public comment regarding a text amendment to Chapter 23 Land Development Code Article 1 General Provisions Section 23-7 Definitions Article 5 Use Categories and Limitations Division 1 Generally Section 23-96 Definitions Article 6 Land Use Classifications Division 4 Commercial Districts Section 23-152 CB Commercial Business District Subsection A Permitted by Right and Article 24 Table of Uses Section 23-435 created (CC-25-150) | Amendment to remove unit/condominium ownership as a regulated use, allowing it in any zoning district. | ✅ Approved | | Receive public comment regarding a text amendment to Chapter 23 Land Development Code Article 5 Use Categories and Limitations Division 2 Accessory Use Categories and Regulations Section 23-105 Sidewalk Street and Parking Lot Table Service Areas (CC-25-151) | Amendment to clarify sidewalk cafe regulations, requiring cafes to be against the building with 6 feet of clear sidewalk. | ✅ Approved | | Consider approval of a professional services agreement in an amount not to exceed $110,000 with Civic Dynamics LLC for Land Development Code Chapter 23 Update and Rewrite, approval of related budget revision and authorize the city manager to sign the agreement. | Agreement for a comprehensive rewrite of the city's land development code. | ✅ Approved | | Resolution CC-2025-28, a resolution authorizing the mayor of the city of Stillwater, Oklahoma, a municipal corporation, to sign and issue an election proclamation calling for a general election and a runoff election if needed in the city of Stillwater. | Resolution to call for a general election and potential runoff for the Mayor's seat. | ✅ Adopted | | Resolution CC-2025-29, a resolution concerning the city of Stillwater's bridge safety inspection responsibility pursuant to a national bridge inspection standards and notification to the Oklahoma Department of Transportation of bridge inspection consultant selection for bridge inspection contracts commencing April 1st, 2026 through March 31, 2028. | Resolution to select a consultant for routine bridge safety inspections, paid by ODOT. | ✅ Adopted | | Ordinance 3584, an ordinance amending the Stillwater City Code by amending Chapter 23, Land Development Code (Unit/Condominium Ownership). | First reading of the text amendment regarding unit/condominium ownership. | ✅ Advanced to second read | | Ordinance 3585, an ordinance amending the Stillwater City Code by amending Chapter 23, Land Development Code (Sidewalk Cafe Regulations). | First reading of the text amendment regarding sidewalk cafe regulations. | ✅ Advanced to second read | | Request for an executive session pursuant to 25 OS Section 307(B)(1) for the purpose of discussing the employment, hiring, appointment, promotion, demotion, disciplining, or resignation of City Manager Brady Moore and City Attorney Kimberly Carley. | Discussion of personnel matters. | No action taken | | Stillwater Utilities Authority (SUA) Consent Docket | Routine administrative items for SUA. | ✅ Approved | | SUA: Receive annual report from MMO Partners; Consider approval of an extension agreement for federal advocacy services in the amount of $79,200 and approve the associated budget amendments. | Annual report on federal advocacy and approval of consultant contract extension. | ✅ Approved | | Stillwater Economic Development Authority (SEDA) Consent Docket | Routine administrative items for SEDA. | ✅ Approved |