The Norman ComPlan was replaced by the Norman 2020 Plan and later by the 2025 Plan. Topics of concern to the League include growth management, traffic management and flow, neighborhood protection and city housing needs. The following areas are of concern, and should be monitored:

• Zoning Changes:

1. The Planning Commission should review the policies of the 2025 Plan before accepting zoning change requests.
2. Requests for changes should be turned down if they clearly do not fall within the guidelines of preventing urban sprawl, balancing development on the east and west as much as possible, and protecting plans made for the central business/residential area.
3. All requests for demolition of property should be accompanied by any desired change in zoning, or the city should be assured that there would be no change. Demolition requests that call for changes in zoning should then be accepted or refused depending on their nature, plus an inspection of the property. The city needs to pass an ordinance allowing it to be more aggressive in removing derelict buildings and trash or trashy and unsightly items.
4. Requests for changes in zoning also should be made public with signs posted and notice in the newspaper. There should be a much larger area involved in protesting/accepting zoning changes.

• Definition of “Neighborhood”: The LWVN defines a “neighborhood” as an area that may have physical boundaries, such as a major street, or boundaries with cultural/social-economic characteristics; and it may be residential or commercial. A neighborhood may have a different definition depending on the interest of the individuals in it. It may be a small area for a neighborhood watch or a larger area when considering a wider interest, and these areas may overlap.
  
  
• Development Planning:

1. Commercial development should be planned.
2. Businesses in residential areas should be restricted to those useful to a majority of the residents.
3. A new classification of “neighborhood business” should be developed, or only “ special use” permits that revert to residential when sold for any other purpose should be issued.
4. Neighborhood businesses would include grocery stores, laundromats, beauty shops, and others that Norman residents might approve.
5. Protection is needed for a neighborhood when a property is sold so a business considered inappropriate to the area cannot buy and use the property.
6. New areas being developed could include plans for these “neighborhood businesses” as a part of the overall plan.
7. Care should be taken not to zone and use land that is best left for a greenbelt area.