Planning consultants presented the Norman Development Code Assessment, which seeks to examine and update Norman’s zoning regulations, during a joint study session between Norman City Council and Norman Planning Commission Tuesday night.
Representatives of Clarion Associates, a land-use consulting firm, shared the assessment as part of the ongoing review of the Norman Development Code, which governs land use and development within city limits. The review is being conducted by city planning officials in collaboration with Clarion and RDG Planning & Design, another consulting firm.
Key recommendations in the assessment include updating available zoning districts, reducing reliance on Planned Unit Developments, and improving the development review process, according to the assessment.
The broader review was launched in May along with a separate parking study to evaluate current availability and future needs for parking in Norman. According to the assessment, both projects will likely conclude in November 2027, when city council is expected to adopt the team’s recommendations.
Residents can make comments on the Development Code Assessment through Oct. 16 on the Norman Development Code website.
Zoning adjustments
As part of the plan, officials are expected to reconsider the city’s zoning regulations, portions of which date back to 1958. Under current law, every property is assigned to a particular zoning district, which determines what type of development or land use is permitted on that parcel. Currently, city code outlines 26 base zoning districts such as “I-1 Light Industrial” or “R-1 Single Family.”
The city has also established five overlay districts, including “Flood Hazard” and “HD Historic District,” that apply additional restrictions to properties with a contiguous geographic area, generally for safety or preservation purposes.
The assessment divided the 26 base districts into three categories based on their prevalence within Norman. Eight districts, including “RM-4 Mobile Home Park” and “C-3 Intensive Commercial,” were deemed least popular, covering a total of 0.33% of Norman.
According to Tuesday night’s presentation, this underutilization suggests a disconnect between existing categories and developer priorities. Consultants recommended implementing a number of technical changes, including adjustments to Planned Unit Development rules, to better align available zoning districts with market demand.
Planned Unit Development reform
The assessment outlines an overuse of Planned Unit Developments as a primary issue; PUDs are currently the fourth most popular zoning district in Norman, covering 5.2% of the city, according to the assessment. PUDs are subject to individually negotiated regulations, meaning that exact zoning restrictions vary from property to property.
As a result of this versatility, PUDs are “frequently used as a procedural band-aid when codes aren’t working well,” according to the assessment. “Continued reliance on PUDs is not a regulatory best practice nor a functional long-term solution.”
In addition to PUDs, city code currently establishes separate zoning districts for Simple Planned Unit Developments and City Center Planned Unit Developments, differentiated only by size and location. The assessment calls for consolidating the three categories into a singular PUD zoning district.
Parking
The parking study seeks to gather and map public and private parking in downtown Norman and Campus Corner with the goal of reducing cost barriers and improving parking, according to the Norman Parking Study’s website.
According to Tuesday’s presentation, a preliminary report including drone counts of existing parking spots will be released soon, although a target date has not been publicly identified. This parking study is expected to conclude in November 2027 alongside the broader Development Code Assessment.
This story was edited by Spencer Windholz.
