Former OU football head coach Bob Stoops submitted a letter of protest to the Norman Planning Commission regarding the rezoning of a proposed development that would be built near his home.
For the purpose of developing North Norman Village, a proposed mixed-use community, Norman City Council will consider approving the rezoning near the southwest corner of Interstate-35 and West Indian Hills Road at its regular meeting tonight.
Apex Properties LLC is the applicant and Rieger Sadler Joyce LLC is the representative, according to the staff report.
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.
Stoops, OU’s winningest football coach, who owns the property located at 5400 36th Ave NW, wrote his protest letter alongside his wife Carol Stoops on March 12. The two wrote that the development would “alter the character of the community where their home lies,” citing increased traffic and potential overpopulation.
Former OU football coach Bob Stoops protest letter for North Norman Village development.
“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.”
Despite his letter, the Norman Planning Commission unanimously approved the rezoning request at its March 13 meeting.
According to a staff report on the city of Norman website, residents living near the proposed development attended a pre-development meeting on Feb. 27. At the meeting, residents expressed concern about the sizes of the single-family homes intended to be built, which at square feet are significantly smaller than the “existing single-family homes.”
Residents were also concerned about what kind of “screening “would run along the west and south sides of the development. The development representative said they did not have a design for the screening at this stage of the project.
Norman City Council will consider the rezoning during its special meeting at 6:30 p.m.
This story was edited by Anusha Fathepure.
