Committee discusses city anchor sponsorship for incremental-development training; $50,000 anchor fee noted

A council member identified as Sarah proposed at the Business and Community Affairs Committee meeting on Sept. 4 that the City of Norman act as the anchor sponsor for a three-stage training program run by the Incremental Development Alliance (IncDev) to equip small-scale, local developers.

Sarah (Council member) said the IncDev program would include an initial public lecture for 200–300 people, a full-day workshop for 100–150 attendees, and a hands-on boot camp for 35–50 aspiring small developers. "If we only got 50 projects, it'd be a success," Sarah said, describing the goal of generating multiple small infill projects by training local residents.

The proposed anchor sponsorship fee is $50,000, the presenter said; additional optional items such as an in-person pitch session and a supplier showcase would raise the cost and the city would seek other sponsors to cover the difference. The presenter said she has identified potential sponsors and expressed confidence about filling any funding gaps.

Council Member Grant emphasized financing as a key barrier for emerging developers and noted interest from a Tulsa-based community development financial institution that may expand into central Oklahoma. City staff advised that the IncDev faculty would organize the sessions, and that the city’s role as anchor sponsor could be limited to promotion, recruitment and limited staff support rather than running the program directly.

Staff and council members discussed timing: IncDev suggested a mid‑October kickoff with the workshop four to six weeks later and the boot camp another four to six weeks after that to build momentum before year-end. Staff also noted upcoming internal workload — RFP scoring and a zoning update process — and discussed how the training outcomes could inform zoning and subregulation changes; Jane (city staff) said the training’s findings could help identify ordinance provisions that repeatedly block small projects.

Questions centered on participant eligibility (presenters said the program targets local residents who want to build small infill projects), funding and incentives for graduates to build in Norman (councilors asked about rebates or TIF access). The presenter suggested the city could consider reimbursement or incentives tied to completed Norman projects and predicted revenue from construction sales tax would offset the startup cost over time. No formal action or vote was taken; staff and councilors agreed to pursue next steps with department contacts.