Editor's note: This article was updated on Sept. 20 to reflect that the potential Hal Smith restaurant will be at the northeast corner of Lindsey Street and Berry Road.
The city of Norman Planning Commission forwarded a proposal to city council for a potential Hal Smith restaurant at the northeast corner of Lindsey Street and Berry Road during its meeting on Thursday.
Gunner Joyce, attorney at Rieger Law Group and representative for the applicant Sooner Traditions LLC, appeared before the commission to advocate for rezoning a residential property and office space to allow for a restaurant.
That restaurant will be a Hal Smith location, according to Joyce, several of which already operate in Norman, including Neighborhood JA.M., El Heuvo Mexi-Diner, The Winston, Pub W and The Garage. The property will include a wrap-around deck and over 80 parking spaces.
An overhead view of the proposed Hal Smith restaurant at Lindsey Street and Berry Road.
An 8-foot brick and masonry wall will be included to the north and east of the property. Joyce said a substantial landscape buffer would be included along the perimeter.
The intersection of Lindsey Street and Berry Road has already seen new development this year, with a Starbucks opening in the southwest corner of the area this summer.
Rick McKinney, the architect on the project, said the project has been in development for over a year. McKinney told the commission the property is being treated as the gateway to OU, and improvements will resemble the university.
The applicant has twice attempted to rezone the property for commercial development. In 2015, the company pitched a strip mall to council, though that faced backlash from surrounding neighbors. In 2022, council denied another commercial development on the property.
McKinney said the building and the masonry wall will shield the neighborhood behind the development from any noise at the restaurant. Joyce further committed to reducing light pollution spillover in the neighborhood by implementing a photometric plan.
Low-level LED lighting will be used in the parking lot as part of this commitment, a change made post-filing the original application, according to Joyce.
Six Norman residents voiced their concerns about the property to the commission during the meeting. David Nehrenz’s backyard would face the restaurant. He said though it was a better plan than presented previously, the area around this property is mostly residential, and if approved, would extend the commercial part of Lindsey.
Complaints from the neighbors included traffic concerns, encouraging more thought into exits and entrances to prevent traffic on Berry and impact.
Two residents spoke in support of the proposal. Patrick Schrank said the proposal could be better, but voiced his support of the restaurant because it could be an improvement for Lindsey Street.
“Lindsey needs help. Lindsey is rough. It’s really rough, and it needs some investment,” Schrank said.
The commission unanimously voted to move the proposal forward. The project will now be heard by city council, who will have final say over the matter.
This story was edited by Alexia Aston. Grace Rhodes copy edited this story.
