Is the 2045 Comp Plan Norman’s Backdoor Resolution of Cooperation?
Rushed through days before the new mayor takes office, this plan may quietly give the OTA what citizens already rejected.
With just days left before the new mayor takes office, Norman’s most powerful planning document—the 2045 Comprehensive Plan—is being rushed through for final approval. This is your last chance to speak out before it locks in a future shaped not by residents, but by the OTA and local developers.
This plan looks a lot like the Resolution of Cooperation the OTA desperately wanted—but which the Norman City Council unanimously rejected on August 27, 2024, and again indefinitely postponed on October 22, 2024.
And yet here we are, nine months later, being asked to approve a Comp Plan that still includes the turnpikes and quietly rezones land east of 48th as “urban reserve.” This, right after the OTA launched a smear campaign against Randy Carter—timed perfectly with the posting of the Council agenda.
You didn’t hear about this plan until Sunday at Royal Bavaria? Neither did I. That wasn’t an accident.
The turnpikes aren’t about transportation. They’re about economic development for the few—and this plan proves it. The City of Moore already passed their resolution. And an AIM Norman planning committee member was working with ODOT and the OTA as early as February 2024 to do the same in Norman.
Keep reading to find out who.
Wear Red Tonight at the City Council Meeting
Tuesday, June 24th at 6:30 pm
Please show up wearing RED and be willing to stand up and raise your voice to PRESERVE east Norman’s rural zoning from the 2025 Land Use Plan and tell the City Council to remain steadfast in their opposition of the turnpikes busting our zoning laws.
We never know what is going to happen in City Hall, but we know we need you there and we will tell you what to say and how to say it if any amendments are proposed… just BE THERE!
Please sign up to speak at the Tuesday, June 24th City Council Meeting at 6:30 pm. The seven agenda items we are concerned about are: #25 (Land use), #26 (Housing), #27 (Water), #28 (Wastewater), #29 (Stormwater), #30 (Transportation), #31 (Parks).
Why the hell are we voting on a 20-year Comprehensive Plan with one week left in Lord Larry’s reign—and while half the city is out on vacation?
The mayor’s seat flips July 1st. So does the Council. Something this big can wait.
This plan still shows turnpikes. Still rezones huge swaths of land east of 48th. Still reeks of the Resolution of Cooperation we already shut down. And now they’re trying to ram it through before the new leadership takes office?
Can’t go? Watch the City Council Meeting live.
Already mad? Good.
Now email your Council member. Ask them if they’ve read every word of the plan.
If they haven’t?
Tell them to hit pause until July 1st, when the new mayor and new Council can represent the people who actually elected them.
City Council Members
Mayor - Larry Heikkila; mayor@normanok.gov or 405-876-9216
Ward 1 - Austin Ball; ward1@normanok.gov or 405-876-9170
Ward 2 - Matthew Peacock; ward2@normanok.gov or 405-876-9196
Ward 3 - Bree Montoya; ward3@normanok.gov or 405-876-3143
Ward 4 - Helen Grant; ward4@normanok.gov or 405-876-9237
Ward 5 - Michael Nash; ward5@normanok.gov or 405-876-9239
Ward 6 - Joshua A. Hinkle; ward6@normanok.gov or 405-876-9262
Ward 7 - Stephen Tyler Holman; ward7@normanok.gov or 405-876-9263
Ward 8 - Scott Dixon - ward8@normanok.gov or 405-876-9166
All City Council Members: city_council_members@normanok.gov
City Manager
Darrel Pyle - darrel.pyle@normanok.gov or 405-366-5402
2045 Comp Plan
So, what is happening tonight?
From Dr. Michael Nash Ward 5 Council Member’s Facebook page:
[UPDATE]
"City Council, Second Reading for related Ordinances and Resolutions for AIM Master Plans presented for a vote"
[/UPDATE]
2045 COMP PLAN: THIS WILL BE THE FINAL OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO VOICE OPINIONS AND POSE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE 2045 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
The 2045 Comprehensive Plan will be on the agenda for SECOND and FINAL reading. This will be the final opportunity for the public to guide Council's actions on this critically important document.
What is the Comprehensive Plan? It is THE MOST important document our citizens produce. It is the guide that declares how WE, the People of Norman, believe our City should grow over the next twenty years. It lays out our priorities for land use, water supply, stormwater management, wastewater management, parks development, and transportation development. Every request to build in Norman must conform to the Land Use Plan, comply with the Stormwater Plan, align with the Transportation and Parks Plans, and be compatible with the Water and Wastewater Plans. This is the 2045 Comprehensive Plan and is intended to supersede the 2025 Comprehensive Plan. This is OUR guide to Norman's future, and it is critical that everyone has the opportunity to provide input. At this meeting we will entertain motions from Council to Amend the plan, and at the end will vote to Approve, Reject, or Postpone adoption of the Plan.
I will have a number of Amendments, which will be discussed in a series of posts leading up to this meeting.
***KEEP CHECKING THIS EVENT TO VERIFY START TIME AS IT MAY CHANGE IF IT APPEARS THAT THERE WILL BE A LARGE NUMBER OF SPEAKERS
The comprehensive plan can be downloaded here: tinyurl.com/AIM-Norman-Draft
Dr. Nash may propose some amendments to change the plan. Please read through them and familiarize yourself with them.
Background Information
I wrote about the AIM Norman Comp plan back in September of 2024. I highly suggest you refresh your memory since it’s been about 9 months.
This was the “draft” map they sent to the City of Norman in July 2024 compared with the Norman 2025 Map. The AIM Steering Committee unanimously approved all seven drafted plans on March 12, 2025.
This is the CURRENT 2025 Transportation Plan versus the OFFICIAL PROPOSED 2045 Transportation Plan.
Let’s stop pretending this is about “smart growth.” The 2045 Land Use Plan is clearly designed to let development creep east and north, right up to the path of the proposed turnpikes—water supply be damned. But hey, eminent domain isn’t supposed to be used for economic development… right?
Something stinks.
On August 26, 2024, I filed an open records request for ODOT emails about Cleveland County, the East-West Connector, University North Park, and—you guessed it—the Comprehensive Land Use Plan.
ODOT dragged their feet for nine months and didn’t cough up the documents until May 8, 2025.
What did I get? Thousands of emails. We’re still sifting through the pile, but let’s just say: we’ve found some gems. And you need to read them—before tonight’s meeting and potential vote on the Comp Plan.
Here’s some context about the people involved in the emails you won’t hear from the dais:
Brian Taylor is the current Chief Engineer at ODOT. He’s retiring this summer.
His replacement? TJ Dill—former Deputy Director at the OTA, now “co-chief engineer” since December.
Richard McKown, AIM Norman Housing Comp Plan Sub-Committee Chair, is a real estate developer.
His father, Gene McKown, is a developer and former chair of the Oklahoma Transportation Commission.
Jim Adair—AIM Norman Transportation Comp Plan Sub-Committee Chair - also a real estate developer—rounds out the cast.
Still think this 2045 Comp plan is about what’s best for Norman? Or does it look more like a land grab masked as planning?
There are many more emails to comb through…..
Obviously, Mr. Richard McKown wasn’t able to “line everything up to bring about such a resolution from the Norman City Council.”
So did he switch tactics to let the OTA in the door through our 2045 Comprehensive Plan by showing the turnpikes on every transportation map and busting our long-agreed upon and VALUED rural land use zoning laws in east Norman?
Turnpikes have nothing to do with transportation.
Do you see how it’s ALL connected now? Check out who makes up the AIM Norman Comp Plan Committee and Sub-Committees.
