Norman City Council voted unanimously to accept the Porter Avenue Corridor Plan during a 4 hour long meeting Tuesday that included a public hearing over the plan.
Over sixty people crowded into the chamber halls to hear mixed sentiment about the plan that Mayor Cindy Rosenthal called, “a very important step towards moving [the city] forward.”
The plan suggests changing Porter Avenue from four lanes to three and establishing a line that would clearly separate residential and commercial zones. It also suggests a number of methods of beautifying the corridor and adding roundabouts at two intersections on Porter.
Rosenthal and council members placed emphasis on the fact that acceptance of the plan only sets forth a long term vision and does not set any policy.
“There's no recommendation anywhere in that plan that anybody be displaced from their home unless... they choose to sell that home,” said Diane Binkley, a consultant from Ochsner Hare & Hare, a planning consultant on the plan.
Two residents, Brenda Kimmel and Jack Dawson were among members of the audience who were not in favor of the plan. They presented a petition with 722 signatures to the council asking that their concerns be addressed before adoption of the plan.
Concerns listed in the petition were the use of eminent domain, the roundabouts, traffic concerns, and funding mechanisms.
Council member Carol Dillingham tried to reassure that the council would be addressing these concerns after the acceptance of the plan.
Acceptance of the plan does not constitute any use of eminent domain, or selection of roundabouts said Susan Connors director of planning and community development.
“Who knows where we're going to end up, but this is where you start,” Dillingham said.
The next step will be to create a land use overlay, set design guidelines and develop implementation strategies for the project, Dillingham said.
“I don't think anyone's against the idea of making Porter look beautiful,” council member Tom Kovach said.
On Sept 10th Don Holzberlein, owner of Don't Mobile Lock Shop, voiced his displeasure of the plan to the planning commission because it appeared to show his business being swallowed by a roundabout. A more recent map however, appears to leave his business intact.
He's glad his business avoided the chopping block, but still harbors some concerns.
“I'm not sure what the right answer is, I'm looking to you guys for guidance. Try to keep everything in mind,” said Holzberlein to the council.
Sean Rieger, vice president of Norman Chamber of Commerce, read a prepared statement from the chamber.
“We urge you to move into the next step and develop the Plan further with the funding and economic policies to be implemented simultaneous to the regulations. If April 2010 comes and there is no commitment to the funding of the streetscape and transportation improvements, or if there is no commitment to economic policies that the Study recognizes as being necessary to make it work, then the Plan should be dismissed and disregarded in terms of any further enforcement upon the property owners or businesses in the Corridor,” Rieger saidd.
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cheveldi 2 years, 8 months ago
There are certainly more relevant and important jobs that could be done in Norman. Portland is by far not the most important, or problematic road or road system that needs to be updated. Nor is its asthetic appeal crucial.
acsooner 2 years, 8 months ago
Porter is a very busy street and also a state highway. How can anyone think it is a good idea to REDUCE the number of lanes on this road? And turnabouts instead of streetlights?? What wacky, anti-progress world are these people living in???
clgokc 2 years, 8 months ago
Wow. What a misleading title. In fact, quite a few of the citizens 'are' convinced. Many citizens were on the committee that produced the plan for Porter. The committee was made up of business owners all along Porter, as well as reps from the affected neighborhoods. The plan was over a year in the making. The committee had to take into account many things, including what to do about businesses and private property, traffic flow, etc. Yep acsooner, Porter is a very busy street. But the committee, with a large amount of public input, wanted to actually improve traffic, not do the same old thing by just adding more lights in dealing with traffic volume. And if you look at the numbers, you'd see that roundabouts actually improve traffic flow. If by "wacky, anti-progress" world you mean one that uses facts to make decisions, well then, guilty as charged. And where would you like those super fast flowing 4 lanes to be? We currently have 4 lanes that are each 2 ft. less than the standard minimum lane width. Ever notice how many curbs and light poles have been hit? Yeh, Porter traffic is really smooth right now. Why don't we just keep it that way and add a few more lights. Yeh, that'll work. Life isn't just about the almighty car and getting from one place to another. There are people that walk, people that ride public transportation, people that bike places. The committee had to take it all into consideration. It's about making Porter more a destination instead of the dilapidated thoroughfare it currently is. It's about increasing business opportunities along Porter without impacting surrounding neighborhoods. It's about elevating the quality of life of surrounding neighborhoods. There was more opportunity for public input during this planning process over the past year than on anything I've seen. Of course it's certainly easier to just complain about the end product than to actually put forth an effort to help during the process. Bottom line is, with something this big, there has to be compromise and give and take by businesses and landowners to ultimately produce a more livable Porter for everyone. People like you, who find it easier to stick with the status quo than to try and make improvements, even though those improvements may include some growing pains, are the ones who are anti-progress.