City Council Business & Community Affairs Committee Meeting

CITY OF NORMAN, OK CITY COUNCIL BUSINESS & COMMUNITY AFFAIRS COMMITTEE MEETING Municipal Building, Executive Conference Room, 201 West Gray, Norman, OK 73069 Thursday, December 02, 2021 at 4:00 PM MINUTES A Meeting of the City Council Business and Community Affairs Committee was held at the Municipal Building Executive Conference Room, Cleveland County, State of Oklahoma on the 2nd day of December, 2021, at 4:00 p.m. and notice of the agenda of the meeting were posted at the Municipal Building at 201 West Gray and on the City website at least 24 hours prior to the beginning of the meeting. CALL TO ORDER Chairman Peacock called the meeting to order. PRESENT: Councilmember Ward 8 Matthew Peacock (Chair) OTHERS PRESENT: Councilmember Ward 5, Rarchar Tortorello Councilmember Ward 4 Lee Hall Ms. Kathryn Walker, City Attorney Ms. Beth Muckala, Assistant City Attorney Ms. Jane Hudson, Planning and Community Development Director Mr. Shawn O’Leary, Public Works Director Mr. Tim Powers, Information and Technology Director Ms. Jamie Meyer, Administrative Assistant IV 1. DISCUSSION REGARDING NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL AND ACCESORY COMMERCIAL UNITS IN NEIGHBORHOODS. Ms. Jane Hudson, Planning and Community Development Director presented an in-depth overview on the topic of Neighborhood Commercial and Accessory Commercial Units (ACUs). Key points of her presentation included:  Definitions and intent of Neighborhood Commercial and ACUs, emphasizing localized services such as groceries, cafes, and personal services integrated within residential areas.  Historical context referencing zoning from 1954 and the intended relationship between C1 zoning and residential support services. CITY COUNCIL BUSINESS & COMMUNITY AFFAIRS COMMITTEE MEETING - Thursday, December 2, 2021 Page |1 Item 1, continued:  Examples from other cities (e.g., Portland, CA, TX, Ontario) showcasing accessory commercial spaces integrated within neighborhoods, as well as existing examples from Norman (e.g., Midway Grocery, Yellow Dog Coffee, The Earth, and Rock House Bar).  Emphasis on the importance of context-specific implementation, particularly favoring corner lots with minimal disruption to surrounding neighborhoods.  Discussion Highlights:  Multiple councilmembers expressed support for neighborhood commercial development that retains the character of core Norman and utilizes existing structures.  There was consensus that such uses should not be permitted by-right but should require review by City Council to ensure fit, design, and impact mitigation.  Interest was shown in developing a checklist-style permit process or special use application with specific, limited use categories (e.g., no liquor stores or gas stations).  Discussion on the potential for walkable services, minimal to no additional parking, and adaptive reuse rather than new construction.  The group stressed the need for robust neighborhood engagement, including the possibility of involving the Neighborhood Alliance to conduct charrettes or public input sessions.  Councilmembers expressed concern for maintaining neighborhood charm, managing on- street parking impacts, and ensuring community support before permitting development. Action Items: 1. Staff will continue evaluating successful case studies and criteria for neighborhood commercial suitability. 2. Staff will explore development of a simplified permit process (potentially avoiding SPUDs) with clear restrictions. 3. Staff will coordinate with the City Manager’s Office to explore engaging Neighborhood Alliance or other partners for community input. 4. Committee to revisit this topic in approximately 4–5 months, pending additional research and feedback. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 4:46pm CITY COUNCIL BUSINESS & COMMUNITY AFFAIRS COMMITTEE MEETING - Thursday, December 2, 2021 Page |2