Norman City Council approved an ordinance adopting the “Idaho Rule” for cyclists, rezoned land for a proposed neighborhood expansion and rezoned an event center during its regular meeting Tuesday evening.
Cycling’s ‘Idaho Rule’
The news: Council approved an ordinance adopting the “Idaho Rule” for Norman cyclists. The rule allows cyclists approaching stop signs to proceed slowly through intersections without stopping. When approaching a red light, cyclists can make a complete stop before proceeding through the intersection as if approaching a stop sign.
Gov. Kevin Stitt previously signed the “Idaho Rule” into state law in 2021. The ordinance adopted by council mirrored this state law. The Norman Bicycle Advisory Committee unanimously endorsed the ordinance during its Aug. 10 meeting.
What they’re saying: Ward 4 Councilmember Helen Grant said they could see the ordinance being beneficial to riders.
“Especially in the evenings, I can cite an art walk or two where I’m walking around and there's nobody in the intersection and we see bicyclists moving through the space,” Grant said.
Ward 3 Councilmember Robert Bruce said that the ordinance reflects state statutes.
“It's the exact law that's at the state level and the reason why we did that is because of municipal court reasons,” Bruce said.
Bruce asked why e-bikes were not addressed in the ordinance.
City Manager Darrel Pyle said staff is working on recommendations to give council to address e-bikes and electric scooters.
When asked when these recommendations would be complete, Pyle said “we’ll have it to you by spring break.”
The vote: Council unanimously approved the ordinance.
Cedar Lane development
The news: Council approved three items relating to an expansion of the existing Cedar Lane neighborhood. The proposed development would consist of 412 residential lots spanning approximately 117 acres. The plan also includes a nearly five-acre commercial area.
Council passed an ordinance rezoning 56.9 acres for single-family housing. According to a staff report, the area had previously been zoned as a Planned Unit District, Park Land District and Rural Agricultural District. The remaining 59.6 acres of the property had already received the Single-Family Dwelling District designation.
Council also approved a contract between the Norman Utilities Authority and Cedar Lane, LLC. funding a new sewage lift station to serve the proposed development. According to the city of Norman, lift stations pump sewage uphill to transport waste to the nearest wastewater treatment plant. Under the new contract, neighborhood residents will be charged a monthly fee to cover the new facility’s operation costs.
Finally, council approved a preliminary plat for the proposed development. This plat mapped proposed property boundaries, residential streets and other infrastructure serving the neighborhood.
What they’re saying: Bruce asked Steve Rollins, a representative of the project, about a possible timeline for the proposed development.
“The next phase, I know, will happen south of the existing phase, and that’s really all I can say,” Rollins said. “I don’t know how far we plan to go south and I can’t really say when the development all the way to Post Oak will happen. But as fast as things can settle, I guess”
Grant asked about previous discussions regarding a potential new fire station near the development.
“The homework assignment to identify those optimal locations is well underway,” said Pyle. “Contact has been made with a few property owners seeking the opportunity to really improve response times in that neighborhood.”
Bruce, raised concerns that an expanded Cedar Lane development could crowd out a new fire station.
“So when I look at land space available in that area along the railroad, this is one of the few left,” Bruce said. “So when we think about long-term planning, this impacts it. (It) limits choices for the future.”
The vote: Council unanimously approved all three items.
Countdown Events Center
The news: Council approved an ordinance rezoning a north Norman property to allow Countdown Events to continue operating an event center on-site. The building, which is now a Special Planned Unit Development, had previously been zoned for light industrial activity.
What they’re saying: Shannan Hinckley, owner of Countdown Events, said the event center, which has been in operation since February 2025, was made aware of zoning issues.
“We were zoned (industrial) and didn't have all the exact zoning for what we were doing,” Hinckley said. “We filled out the application process that we needed to do to get all the zoning correct so we can continue to operate and continue to have the family gatherings and celebrations that we’ve been having in this space.”
Grant asked how the approved uses under the new designation differed from existing industrial zoning rules.
“The property owner wanted to keep their industrial uses but allow this tenant to have their event space,” said Assistant City Attorney Beth Muckala, “So if they move on they can still do everything they were allowed before.”
Ward 7 Councilmember Kimberly Blodgett expressed appreciation for Hinckley’s focus on accommodating customers with disabilities.
“Just the fact that you considered (accessibility) whenever starting this business, I really appreciate that,” Blodgett said. “It's very hard to find places that accommodate (people with disabilities), … So I appreciate that very much.”
The vote: Council unanimously approved the ordinance.
This story was edited by Spencer Windholz.
