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Council approves rezoning and nine form‑based exceptions for 201 West Apache project
Summary
The Norman City Council adopted an ordinance on second reading approving rezoning at 201 West Apache and granted multiple Center City Form Based Code exemptions for a proposed four‑story building with ground‑floor commercial space and 18 bedrooms; the motion passed 8‑0 with one abstention.
The Norman City Council voted to adopt an ordinance on second reading rezoning the property at 201 West Apache, approving requested exemptions to the Center City Form Based Code. The motion passed on second reading by a vote of 8–0 with Councilmember Peacock recorded as abstaining.
The applicant presented a conceptual four‑story building with two ground‑floor commercial units and three residential floors above, proposed to contain 18 bedrooms. The applicant sought nine exemptions, including a reduced setback from the required build line (moving the required build line from 5 feet behind the property line to 3 feet behind it), allowance for facade segmentation where the frontage exceeds 75 feet, chamfered corner entries, a street‑wall placement exception, and a modified parking plan.
Center City zoning requires one parking space per bedroom (18 spaces). The developer proposed 6 on‑site spaces, 7 on‑street spaces along Santa Fe and Apache, and a shared‑parking agreement for 7 off‑site spaces with First Baptist Church, which the applicant said is within a comfortable walking distance (about two blocks, within 700 feet). That arrangement yields 20 total spaces though not all are on the property.
The applicant said stormwater would be retained on site using infiltration trenches tied to roof drains to minimize runoff and meet local stormwater requirements. A representative for the applicant said the design "meets the spirit of center city" and noted the shared parking agreement had been executed.
Councilmembers asked staff and the applicant about first‑floor use requirements under the form‑based code (whether a coffee shop would be classified as retail or food service) and about design incentives to encourage more active neighborhood uses. The applicant clarified a small coffee shop would be treated as a food‑service establishment rather than simple retail under current definitions; councilmembers asked staff to review code language and potential incentives.
The ordinance was adopted on second reading; the council record notes no amendments were adopted during the session.
