§ 19-401. Design principles.  


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  • The quality of design of the city is dependent on the quality of design of the individual subdivisions that compose it. Good community design requires the coordination of the efforts of each subdivider and developer of land within the area. Therefore, the design of each subdivision shall be prepared in accordance with the principles established by the Norman 2025 Plan for land use, circulation, community facilities and public utility services and in accordance with the following general principles:

    A.

    It is intended that the Norman urban area shall be designed as a group of integrated residential neighborhoods and appropriate commercial, industrial and public facilities. The neighborhood, as a planning unit, is intended as an area principally for residential use, and of a size that can be served by one (1) elementary school. Space for religious, recreational, educational and shopping facilities to serve the residents of the neighborhood should be provided and designed as an integral part of each neighborhood.

    B.

    The quality of life in rural Norman is dependent upon the preservation of those environmental elements which form the basis for the initial attraction of rural dwellers. The purpose of cluster development is to provide for desirable and proper open space, tree cover, recreation areas, or scenic vistas; all with the intent of preserving the natural beauty while at the same time maintaining the same or higher maximum dwelling unit density limitations of each zoning district. To achieve these goals:

    1.

    Variations in lot area are permitted, including development of lots smaller than those specified in the zoning ordinance.

    2.

    Procedures are established to assure adequate maintenance and restricted use of open space areas for agricultural use or for the benefit of the inhabitants of the subdivision, or for dedication to public use.

    C.

    The size of lots and blocks and other areas for residential, commercial, industrial and public uses should be designed to provide adequate light, air, open space, landscaping with living plants and off-street parking and loading facilities.

    D.

    The arrangement of lots and blocks and the street system should be designed to make the most advantageous use of topography and natural physical features. Tree masses and large individual trees should be preserved. The system of sidewalks, bicycle paths, and roadways and the lot layout should be designed to take advantage of the visual qualities of the area.

    E.

    Circulation within the urban area should be provided in accordance with the following design principles:

    1.

    Major streets should be located on the perimeter of the residential neighborhood.

    2.

    Minor streets should be designed to provide access to each parcel of land under separate ownership and to sub-areas of apartment complexes within residential districts in a manner that will discourage use by through traffic. They should be planned so that future expansion will not require the conversion of minor streets to major streets.

    3.

    Commercial or industrial subdivisions should have access to a major street by means of a street system designed for such use, but they should not have access to residential streets in such a manner that encourages or promotes the movement of foreign traffic through residential neighborhoods.

    4.

    Collector streets should be designed to provide a direct route from other minor streets to the major street and expressway system and to provide access to public facilities within the neighborhood; however, collector streets should not be aligned in a manner that will encourage their use by through traffic.

    5.

    Ingress and egress to single family residential properties should be provided only on minor streets.

    6.

    Pedestrian ways should be separated from roadways used by vehicular traffic. Sidewalks should be designed to provide all residential building sites with direct access to all neighborhood facilities, including the elementary school, parks and playgrounds, churches, and shopping centers.

    7.

    Bicycle lanes and bicycle paths, where provided, should be in accordance with the adopted Bicycle Plan.

    F.

    Minimum standards for development are contained in this Code (including this chapter). However, the Norman 2025 Plan expresses policies designed to achieve optimum quality of development in the urban and suburban areas. If only the minimum standards are followed, as expressed by the various ordinances regulating land development, a standardization of minimum development will occur. This will produce a monotonous urban setting. Subdivision design should be of a quality to carry out the purpose and spirit of the policies expressed in the Norman 2025 Plan and in this chapter rather than be limited to the minimum standards required herein.

(Ord. No. O-7273-87; Ord. No. O-8981-60; Ord. No. O-9697-43; Ord. No. 0-0001-15; Ord. No. 0-0405-27)