AIM Committee working on Norman's 2045 Land Use Plan THIS WEEK
AIM Norman to discuss 2045 Land Use plan Wednesday, September 11, 5:30 pm
In my last post, I revealed a consultant's vision for how Norman should feel—and, unsurprisingly, it struck a nerve with every rural property owner and clean water advocate in north and east Norman.
Especially the part about the 500-acre industrial site suggested for 72nd N.E. and Indian Hills within the 12-mile long band of commercial zoning right along the Little River Greenbelt.
Remember that vast stretch of untouched farmland, once safeguarded as a 'green' zone to preserve our drinking water? The very land the City promised to protect? Now it's marked in bold red—set aside for commercial development, a far cry from the vision the citizens fought for, and City of Norman supported in their 2025 Land Use Plan.
Character Area Map
This “Character Area Map” as first created by RDG Planning and Design, Inc. and further refined by Garver Engineering, who also acts the Assistant Corridor Manager for the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority’s proposed turnpikes through Norman, is a broad look at a community to identify places that show a common form of development and land use pattern.
But I’ll let the Principal of RDG explain a little bit more in an email from May 30th of this year.
In this email, it seems as to the “WE” is solely focused on the land use designers, consultants and developers.
“It identifies what land uses WE want to see in the built environment…..”
What about what the citizens and property owners want? Where is the citizen input on this “Character Area Map?”
The consultants came in and set the “anchor” squarely on the developers side. In negotiations, the first offer or suggestion serves as an “anchor” that sets the initial point of reference. Subsequent discussions and counteroffers tend to revolve aorund this starting point, which can STRONGLY influence the direction and outcome of the negotiation.
Do you see how important it is for the city to not engage with consultants who have significant conflicts-of-interest? To not be working with the same developer-friendly consultants put in charge of creating the zoning plan and then standing to make millions on engineering design through those newly developed zones?
Do we still live in a working Constitutional Republic? A representative Democracy?
Unfortunately, I think we all know the answer to that. Norman has a strong City Manager/weak Mayor form of government. Darrel Pyle is constitutionally the unelected Chief Executive Officer and President of the City of Norman.
Darrel Pyle also has a pretty lengthy pro-development track record and keeping relevant information away from council members.
Our elected officials were never asked to give input into this character area map, nor was the entire AIM Committee OR the general public. It came from the consultants, obviously very influenced by pro-development city staff.
Future 2045 Land Use Map
The consultants created the Character Area Map and then supposedly with the AIM Steering Committee’s input in June, turned it into a 2045 Land Use Map that they sent to the City of Norman staff for comment sometime in early July.
But remember the heavy pro-development anchor that started the process.
Look at the 10-mile flats area of NorthWest and West Norman. Look along Indian Hills Road from 60th NW all the way across to 60th NE. And then let your eyes drift south from there.
If you want to look around the 2045 *Draft* Land Use plan a little closer, please open up this PDF and zoom in. High Resolution 2045 Land Use Plan (PDF)
So how does this 2045 Land Use Plan differ from our existing 2025 Land Use Plan? Check it this comparison put together by the good folks in Pike Off OTA.
It is pretty obvious that the 2045 Land Use Plan is allowing development to creep out east and north ….almost like the intent is to make the development extend right up to the proposed turnpikes, regardless of our water supply. But eminent domain can’t be used for economic development ….. right?
AIM Norman Steering Committee Meeting
AIM Norman Steering Committee meets Wednesday, September 11th at 5:30 pm at the City of Norman Adult Wellness and Education Center at 602 N. Findlay Ave. There will be updates from the Waste/Wastewater and Stormwater Sub-committees.
They will also be discussing the draft 2045 Land Use map at their meeting.
Since the City Council voted down the OTA tollroads, the tollroads should not appear on ANY maps that are part of the committee reports and there should be no advocating by the committee for turnpikes.
In fact, the proposed Southern Extension that AIM Norman shows on this map has already been denied by the Bureau of Reclamation. The fact that OTA hasn’t removed that route or proposed another one while holding tens of thousands of east-Normanites hostage is bad enough. AIM Norman should refuse to play along in OTA’s game and remove all tollroads from the map.
We encourage the public to attend this meeting and listen to what is going on. If there is a chance to talk with the committee members, let them know how you feel.
Tell them that the City of Norman refused to partner with the OTA and remind them that the Bureau of Reclamation denied any of the tollroads crossing their fee title lands in addition to requesting that the OTA re-apply showing alternative routes outside of their easements.
Remind AIM that two years after the OTA got denied the first time, the OTA has still not moved their routes crossing the Bureau of Reclamation fee-title land. They still have not re-applied for permissions to cross the easements.
Thanks for doing what you can to make sure we get the City we want and save the clean water we need. This plan is generational. It’s a big deal. We have to get it right.
Upcoming AIM Meetings
Tuesday September 10
1:00 PM: AIM Norman Comprehensive Plan Parks and Recreation Sub-Committee
Wednesday September 11
9:00 am AIM Norman Comprehensive Plan Houseing Sub-Committee Meeting
5:30 pm AIM Norman Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee
Friday, September 20
9:00 am - AIM Norman Comprehensive Plan Water/Wastewater Subcommittee Meeting
Another well spoken article to inform Norman residents of our city leadership and what their priorities are. I am hoping that the council will continue to support their constituents and the greater good of preserving our rural and city needs from greedy profit engineers and self serving politicians.