Norman City Council approved rezoning on first reading for North Norman Village, rezoning for Life.Church and a program to provide employment opportunities for individuals experiencing homelessness at its special meeting Tuesday. Council also discussed the fiscal year end 2026 budget at its study session.
The agenda included items postponed from last week’s regular meeting.
Ward 1 Councilmember Austin Ball, who was absent last week was present for the special meeting and study session.
Last week
Last Tuesday, Norman City Council adjourned its regular meeting before considering any action items due to a lack of council members present to fulfill the quorum.
Those absent were Ward 7 Councilmember and Mayor-Elect Stephen Tyler Holman, Ward 4 Councilmember Helen Grant, Ward 6 Councilmember Joshua Hinkle, Ward 8 Councilmember Scott Dixon and City Manager Darrel Pyle who all attended the annual Washington, D.C. Fly-In to meet with lawmakers and advocate for federal employees and expansion projects in Norman.
Ward 1 Councilmember Austin Ball’s whereabouts were unknown to city staff, and council members who were present at the meeting.
At 6:30 p.m., Mayor Larry Heikkila told the audience council would wait 15 minutes for Ward 1 Councilmember Austin Ball to attend the meeting. Heikkila adjourned the meeting at 6:39 p.m.
“This is awkward,” Heikkila said during the nine-minute period.
Heikkila thanked the audience for attending the meeting.
“Ladies and gentlemen, unfortunately … we’re going to have to adjourn because we do not have a quorum,” Heikkila said. “Thank you for coming, sorry about the inconvenience, have a good evening.”
Ball later clarified in the comment section of a Facebook post that he had a family emergency.
Rezoning for North Norman Village
The news: Council approved rezoning near the southwest corner of Interstate-35 and West Indian Hills Road for the development of North Norman Village, a proposed mixed-use community, on first reading.
The area would encompass just over 130 acres and include commercial, retail, office and residential uses, according to an application for the rezoning. A staff report notes the area would include 1,500 apartment units and 170 single-family homes. The ordinance rezones the property from a rural agricultural district to a planned unit development district.
Apex Properties LLC is the applicant and Rieger Sadler Joyce LLC is the representative, according to the staff report.
According to the Oklahoma Secretary of State website, Apex Properties was formed in 1993. In the proposed site map for the development, Apex Properties’ address is listed as 2021 S. Santa Fe Ave. in Moore.
The agenda also includes a protest letter from Bob Stoops, former OU football head coach, and his wife Carol Stoops, who wrote that the development would alter the character of the community where their home lies.
“My family and I purchased and built our home with the intention of enjoying a rural, residential lifestyle, with single-family dwellings situated on large lots and acreage,” the letter reads. “Specifically, I am concerned about potential declines in property values and the associated risk of increased crime rates, along with other negative social implications that may arise from such a dense and mixed-use development.”
The vote: Council unanimously approved the ordinance in the consent docket.
‘A Better Way – Opportunity Knocks’ program
The news: Council approved a contract between the city and Mental Health Association Oklahoma to implement "A Better Way – Opportunity Knocks," a program designed to provide employment opportunities and social services to individuals experiencing homelessness.
According to a staff report, a city-operated van will operate three days per week and collect up-to eight participants per day within Norman to perform community beautification tasks at city-owned sites. Participants receive wages, meals, and opportunities to engage with a case manager and an employment specialist.
The report adds the program prioritizes individuals experiencing homelessness impacted by opioid use disorder, substance use disorder and co-occurring mental health conditions.
The contract amount for the first year totals $383,633, which will be primarily funded through the city’s opioid settlement funds, according to the staff report.
What they’re saying: During public announcements, Ward 4 Councilmember Helen Grant highlighted the program.
“This has been something that's been in the works for years,” Grant said.
City Manager Darrel Pyle also highlighted Michele Loudenback, environmental and sustainability manager, for her work on the program.
“This was brought about with the relentless pursuit of success by one Michele Loudenback’s ongoing efforts to help improve the stormwater situation in Norman, to improve litter cleanup and to take full advantage of a relatively small revenue stream that will come to Norman over the next handful of years,” Pyle said. “We were honestly scratching our heads thinking about the best way to put those dollars to their intended use here at Norman … we appreciate your consideration (of) this opportunity. It's been a heavy lift, but we have very powerful lifters on staff.”
Council applauded Loudenback.
The vote: Council unanimously approved the contract in the consent docket.
Sewer maintenance project
The news: Council approved an additional $132,000 to a contract with Krapff Reynolds Construction Co., a construction company in Oklahoma City, for the city’s sewer maintenance project.
According to a staff report, the additional funds are intended to cover additional point cover repairs, pipe bursting and manhole replacements identified during the project’s development.
Krapff Reynolds Construction Co. was originally contracted for the project in November for $5.47 million and has since been working on it, according to the report.
The vote: Council unanimously approved the allocation of $132,000 to the contract with Krapff Reynolds Construction Co.
Life.Church rezoning
The news: Council approved rezoning Life.Church at 1500 E Imhoff Rd. & 2919 Classen Blvd. for the addition of an access point on Classen Blvd.
According to a staff report, the rezoning intends to align a 0.4-acre parcel intended for a secondary access point with the existing planned unit development. The access point is planned for the southwest side of the property, the report notes.
What they’re saying: Colton Wayman, land planner for Wallace Design Collective, said a neighboring property owner to the northeast approved of the rezoning in order to reduce traffic.
“This is an ODOT-maintained roadway. We've been coordinating with them. And we've concluded that a right-in, right-out is what ODOT is comfortable with, so that's what we've designed for,” Wayman said.
The vote: Council unanimously approved the rezoning.
Study Session
Council also discussed the city’s proposed FYE 2026 budget during its study session.
The news: Budget Manager Kim Coffman presented the city of Norman’s proposed FYE 2026 budget.
Coffman said the theme for the FYE 2026 budget is “Holding the Line; Efficiency Optimization.”
The budget book, which is available online, projects a total revenue of $316.9 million in FYE 2026. The largest shares of the projected revenue are attributed to general sales tax, and user fees and charges, which could contribute 29.8% and 22.7%, respectively.
Projected expenditures for FYE 2026 total $295.5 million, which is primarily attributed to public safety at 23.7%, strategic support and criminal justice at 15.2%, water at 13.3% and capital improvements at 12.1%.
According to an introduction by Pyle, the FYE 2026 budget includes reduced capital project allocations in the Wastewater Reclamation Utility Fund, the Sewer Maintenance Fund, the Sanitation Fund and the Capital Projects Fund. Pyle wrote as a result, the budget has decreased from $273 million in FYE 2025 to $269.6 million in FYE 2026.
“The FYE 2026 budget is being presented at a time of stagnant growth in the major revenue sources of the city, while expenditures continue to increase,” Pyle’s introduction reads. “The council and city management have done a good job of maintaining the growth in costs, particularly through holding steady on the number of personnel in the city workforce. While the city workforce was increased over the last few fiscal years, it will be important to continue to monitor revenue trends going forward in order to maintain healthy fund balance positions in the future.”
Pay increases and personnel additions have resulted in general fund revenues exceeding projected revenues in the coming years, the introduction notes. According to the budget, Pyle recommended no personnel be added to the budget and city staff was asked to make 4% cuts to general fund operating budgets to fund employee merit increases.
“I would say we're not in a hiring freeze. We're just being very strategic about the timing of when we fill those vacant positions,” Pyle said during the meeting.
According to Pyle’s introduction, the city budget experienced “unprecedented” sales and use tax growth in FYE 2022 following the COVID-19 pandemic that has since remained flat. Pyle adds the budget projects no sales or use tax growth above FYE 2025 levels.
“The city’s budget grew in FYE 2023, but we must now retrench as our revenues have flattened,” the introduction reads.
According to the budget book, the total general fund revenue is projected at $107 million for FYE 2026, being primarily attributed to sales tax at 64.7%.
Total general fund expenditures are projected at $111 million for FYE 2026.
Norman Police Department’s expenditures total $31 million or 28% of total general fund expenditures, which is the largest share of expenditures by department. The Norman Fire Department is listed as the second largest share of general fund expenditures at 19.7% or $21.9 million, and public works is listed as the third largest share of general fund expenditures at 19.3% or $21.4 million.
For FYE 2025, the estimated combined fund revenue is listed at $356.5 million while estimated combined fund expenditures is listed at $487 million, creating a net difference of negative $130.6 million.
According to the budget, $102.9 million in sales tax revenue is projected for FYE 2026.
Coffman said the budget projects a 6% increase in room tax revenue in FYE 2026 from FYE 2025.
According to the presentation, a public budget hearing is scheduled for April 22. Council is scheduled to consider the budget on June 10.
What they’re saying: Following the presentation, council did not have any questions but Coffman invited council members to email either herself or Finance Director Anthony Francisco.
This story was edited by Ismael Lele.
