Norman City Council approved a rezoning for a 32.5 acre residential complex and passed a proclamation recognizing Black History Month in a regular meeting Tuesday.
Housing development proposal
The news: Council heard a presentation by Gunner Joyce, attorney for contracting applicant Coleraine Capital Group, Inc, on a proposed multi-family housing apartment development on Imhoff Road.
The proposed project would span approximately 32.5 acres and be located next to the Redpoint apartments, across the street from the Hitachi computer factory, Joyce said.
The proposed development would hold 456 residential units, walking trails, sports courts and pool areas, according to the city's staff report.
According to Joyce, while the project is planned to be a multi-family complex, its location will likely make it student housing.
“This is a multi-family, basically a student housing development project,” Joyce said.
What they’re saying: Ward 4 Councilmember Helen Grant said they are happy to see that there are no short-term rentals in the project plans. Grant’s 2026 election campaign included support for short-term rental reform.
Mayor Stephen Tyler Holman asked about how the project might impact traffic in the area.
Joyce said the developer has plans to widen Imhoff Road through frontage roads. He also said a traffic impact assessment found that the development will have no negative traffic impacts.
The vote: Council unanimously approved the development.
Black History Month resolution
The news: Holman proclaimed February as Black History Month in Norman. The proclamation was presented to Sharina Perry, an OU alum and founder of Utopia Plastix, which developed a plant-based alternative for petroleum-based plastics.
“2026 represents a significant national milestone marking 100 years since the federal recognition of Black Americans,” Holman said. “Reflecting a legacy of progress, resilience, and continued pursuit of equity in the United States.”
What they’re saying: After accepting the proclamation, Perry spoke about her experience as a Black woman living in Oklahoma and why her family chose to move to Norman.
“I’d love to say our experience moving to Oklahoma was good, but it wasn't. Every day we were in Maysville (Oklahoma), we were stopped by the police on the way out of town,” Perry said. “A co-worker of my father’s told him to try out Norman… Norman was the first place we saw a sense of diversity.”
This story was edited by Natalie Armour and Audrey McClour.
