Planning Commission approves rezoning at 1130 Rambling Oaks Drive for 15-unit mixed-use conversion

The Norman Planning Commission on a 6-1 vote approved Ordinance O-2526-39 to rezone 1130 Rambling Oaks Drive from C-1 (local commercial) to a simple planned unit development to permit a vertical mixed-use conversion that would yield 15 residential units and one ground-floor commercial space.

Planning staff explained the proposal would retrofit an existing commercial site south of Robinson Street, align with the suburban-neighborhood character area and AIM interchange mixed-use policies, and was accompanied by a traffic memo that found no issues. The applicant, represented by Libby Smith, said the plan includes conversion of the existing building plus a new structure, with a total of 36 parking spaces between a garage and surface stalls.

Commissioners asked detailed questions about signage. Staff and the applicant said the request includes additional wall signage to improve visibility from adjacent streets; commissioners noted the project straddles residential and commercial sign standards in Chapter 28 and urged consistency in city policy. One commissioner said approving extra signage here could set a precedent and expressed reluctance to broadly increase signage allowances.

After brief discussion and no public comment, a motion to approve the rezoning carried 6-1, with one commissioner voting against the ordinance.