Norman City Council approved additions to the Dr Pepper “Fansville” water tower, including lighting and a park, and discussed two ordinances that would prohibit camping on city property during its special meeting Tuesday night.
Dr Pepper “Fansville” water tower
The news: Council approved a contract for light fixtures surrounding the Dr Pepper “Fansville” water tower in a split vote. Under the contract, the city will pay $150,173 for lighting installation services.
The lighting system will consist of ten white LED lights installed on the catwalk surrounding the water tower tank. Four lights will also be installed at the base of the tower to illuminate the underside of the structure. The contract was awarded to AMR Industrial Coatings, Inc., a Texas-based company.
Council also approved a resolution appropriating $50,000 of city funds for landscaping at the base of the water tower. According to Director of Parks and Recreation Jason Olsen, the landscaping is part of a broader effort to establish a “pocket park,” which will include murals and walking paths at the base of the tower.
According to Tuesday night’s meeting, Norman City Council is expected to discuss a proposal designating the future park as “Dr Pepper Water Tower Park” at an upcoming meeting. Under this proposed sponsorship deal with Dr Pepper/Seven Up, Inc., the company would be permitted to host up to five special events in the park annually, as well as a grand opening event upon the park's initial opening.
Both improvements will be funded by the city’s guest tax, a 10% tax on short-term overnight stays by non-Norman residents.
What they’re saying: Olsen said he sees the water tower as a way to increase sales tax revenue and bring tourism to Norman.
“We see it as more of a placemaking opportunity where people will come off the highway or driving through the city to come here for a day trip to come hang out at the tower and eat lunch, grab dinner, go to the shops,” Olsen said.
Ward 5 Councilmember Trey Kirby asked if the city expects to spend more than $50,000 a year maintaining the water tower.
“I don’t think so. I think the initial investment is going to be the highest one,” Olsen said. “Maintaining it is going to be a bit lower.”
Ward 6 councilmember Kyle Steele had concerns about the price of the lighting installation.
“Personally, I would feel that the $150,000 be used towards other projects,” Steele said. “If Dr Pepper doesn't see any value of getting lights installed, why would we?”
Ward 1 Councilmember David Gandesbery disagreed with Steele.
“The fact that Dr Pepper is going to be supplying their workforce to come here, not at any charge to us, to actually work game days giving away Dr Pepper and doing their thing and promoting it and being all out there and everything like that as well as no cost to us,” Gandesbery said, “They're going to be giving away those samples and kind of making it a whole experience.”
The vote: Council approved the lighting contract in a 6-2 vote, with Kirby and Steele voting against the agreement. Ward 7 Councilmember Kimberly Blodgett was absent for the vote.
Council approved the landscaping ordinance unanimously, with Blodgett absent.
Public property camping
The news: Council discussed two ordinances that would regulate camping and other activities on city-owned property to address homelessness in Norman.
One ordinance would restrict camping in publicly owned spaces including parks, sidewalks, and medians. The proposal defines camping as any activity “indicating an intent to remain overnight or for an extended period.”
Currently, the Norman Police Department relies on the city’s trespassing ordinance to remove individuals from public property after hours. However, this regulation requires officers to issue a written or verbal warning to a person before removing them from a property, complicating NPD responses to overnight camping.
The proposed ordinance would allow responding officers to remove individuals camping on public property without first issuing a warning. It also mandates that NPD “coordinate with service providers, shelters, outreach organizations, and other agencies” to assist those removed from public spaces.
Council also discussed a second ordinance that would change restrictions on certain activities within the George M. Sutton Wilderness Park. Notably, this proposed ordinance would remove camping from the list of activities restricted within the park to avoid redundancy should council approve the camping prohibition ordinance.
According to City Attorney Rick Knighton, both proposals address potential concerns raised by the Oklahoma Safe Neighborhoods Act of 2026, signed into law by Governor Kevin Stitt earlier this year. This act allows property owners to file claims against cities or counties for harm caused by inaction regarding illegal camping.
Though the law only applies to jurisdictions with more than 130,000 residents and is likely unenforceable, according to Knighton, the proposed ordinances are intended to protect the city from future claims by Norman property owners.
The ordinance is also viewed as a response to Norman’s homeless population. According to 2025 estimates, Norman was home to 238 individuals experiencing homelessness; Estimates at Tuesday’s meeting placed that population at over 260 residents.
Both ordinances will be voted on at future council meetings.
What they’re saying: Steele asked if other large cities such as Oklahoma City or Tulsa had considered similar ordinances in response to the Oklahoma Safe Neighborhoods Act of 2026.
“The city managers’ association and the group in the metro meet monthly. (This) has not been a conversation topic,” said City Manager Darrel Pyle. “There's ordinances dealing with trying to manage … panhandling, those types of things, but as it relates to camping, (it) has not been a hot topic.”
Grant focused on how individuals violating a prospective camping ban would be referred to social services.
”So, having that ‘Shall be connected to services’ language, how will you do that?” Grant asked.
“Normally, if PD makes contact with somebody that is unhoused or needs connections to services, they'll get a hold of Sarah and I,” said Community Services Manager Amanda Sherf.
Sherf is part of the city’s new Social Services Office, which was established in June to address homelessness in Norman.
However, Sherf says it is unclear how individuals violating a camping prohibition would be referred to social services given the limited availability of Social Services Office staff outside regular business hours.
Mayor Stephen Tyler Holman asked where the city expects individuals experiencing homelessness to go if they are removed from a park.
“Police officer says you can't be in the park, and then they say, ‘Okay, where should I go?’ I don't want the officer to be like, ‘Well, I don't know, just not here,’” Holman said. “If we kick them out of the park, where can they go where they're not going to be trespassing?”
This story was edited by Spencer Windholz.
