Norman City Council postponed the consideration of a preliminary plat for a proposed Dollar General location along Highway 9 and discussed an ordinance restricting the sale of cats and dogs produced by commercial breeders during its Tuesday meetings.
Dollar General preliminary plat
The news: Council voted to postpone the consideration of a preliminary plat for a proposed Dollar General in Ward 5. The proposed 9,100-square-foot store, located at the intersection of Highway 9 and 108th Avenue SE, is located just a mile from Lake Thunderbird State Park.
In early October, the city’s Planning Commission voted 5-2 to recommend the approval of the plat. At that meeting, Ward 5 resident James Maxwell voiced concerns about the proposed dollar store that would sit next to his property. In a letter of protest submitted to the city, Maxwell said the site’s proposed aerobic wastewater system could affect Maxwell’s well and a creek flowing into the nearby lake.
A preliminary plat is a site plan that, under Norman Municipal Code, depicts key infrastructure improvements, total acreage, and other details relevant to a proposed development. Should the plat be approved, staff will continue evaluating the proposal, which council must approve before construction.
What they’re saying: Ward 3 Councilmember Robert Bruce asked about the planned septic system on the property and whether the septic sprinkler system would produce any odor.
“As far as the odor goes, I mean, I have an aerobic system at my house, and I’ve never smelled it,” civil engineer Derek Harris said.
Maxwell said that water from the proposed septic tank sprinkler system would flow downhill onto his land and prevent him from enjoying his property.
“I should be able to have access to my property anytime, to walk around it, harvest it, do whatever I want,” Maxwell said. “Do I have to walk through that waste, regardless of how safe they say it is? Do I have to walk through that?”
Project manager John Silver said that the sprinkler systems' impacts would be limited.
“The spray heads are limited to a 180-degree sweep, and we’re spraying away from the neighbor’s property,” Silver said. “The heads are aimed less than 15 degrees horizontal, so they’re not spraying out in the air.”
Harris said Department of Environmental Quality regulations establish a minimum distance between septic sprinklers and wells. According to Harris, septic sprinklers and the surrounding drainage field must be located at 50 feet away from private wells and 300 feet from commercial wells.
Ward 5 Councilmember Trey Kirby said that any vote on the plat should be postponed until state agencies provide more information.
“I would like to have the answers about... the DEQ. …I’d also like the answers from (the Oklahoma Department of Transportation) on if they’re going to widen the road.” Kirby said. “The only thing I could really think of doing is a motion to postpone it until Dec. 8 to get these answers.”
The vote: Council voted 7-1 to postpone the decision on the issue, with Ward 8 Councilmember Scott Dixon voting against the motion. Ward 1 Councilmember David Gandesbery was absent.
Pet sales ordinance
The news: Council discussed an ordinance restricting the sale of cats or dogs produced by commercial breeders during its special meeting. Under the proposal, commercial pet stores are prohibited from selling pets obtained from “puppy mills” or “kitten mills.”
This restriction doesn’t apply to animal rescue organizations or government-operated animal care facilities. Under the proposal, breeders are still permitted to sell pets directly to buyers or through a broker. However, they are prohibited from involving commercial pet stores in the sales process.
According to Assistant City Attorney Ryan Riddel, more than 530 municipalities across the United States have adopted similar ordinances, including Dallas and Denver. Midwest City has adopted similar restrictions, according to Kellee Robertson, manager of Norman Animal Welfare.
In September, the Norman Animal Welfare Oversight Committee unanimously recommended banning the sale of pets from commercial breeders. According to the ASPCA, Oklahoma already regulates commercial pet breeders and mandates annual inspections by the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry.
What they’re saying: Bruce asked why the ordinance applies only to cats and dogs.
“The only other animal that has been addressed by other municipalities would be rabbits… and we see some rabbits at the shelter, but it’s very very kind of few and far between,” Robertson said. “Birds, small animals like that, (it's) very, very rare that they end up in our shelter.”
Mayor Steven Tyler Holman asked for a response to a letter from the American Kennel Club expressing concern that the proposal could limit residents’ ability to buy breeds of their choosing.
“This ordinance does not limit people from choosing the breed of dog that they want. If they want to buy a dog from a breeder, they can buy a dog from a breeder. They are not required to adopt,” Robertson said. “The only thing that we're restricting is the sale of those animals in commercial retail establishments.”
Dr Pepper Water Tower Park
The news: Council approved a contract with Dr Pepper/Seven Up, Inc., naming a new park located at the Lindsey Street water tower after the company. Under the agreement, Norman will designate the land surrounding the structure as “Dr Pepper Water Tower Park,” a Special Use Park owned and operated by the city. City council previously allocated $50,000 for landscaping within the new park.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony to unveil the park and the newly repainted water tower is scheduled for Friday at 11 a.m. at the site of the water tower. The event, involving “Fansville” sheriff and former OU football player Brian Bosworth, comes ahead of the Oklahoma Sooners’ home game against No. 19 Mississippi on Saturday.
In July, after considering demolishing the water tower, council approved a contract with Dr Pepper to put the company's logo on the tower.
The vote: Council unanimously approved the contract through the consent docket.
This story was edited by Spencer Windholz
