Norman City Council discussed a proposed ordinance that would create an application and evaluation process for proposed tax increment financing, or TIF, districts and the proposed 2026-27 capital improvement program budget during a special meeting Tuesday.<\/span><\/p>\n The news:<\/strong> Council discussed a<\/span> proposed ordinance<\/span><\/a> that would establish policies to guide the development and evaluation of future TIF districts.<\/span><\/p>\n The proposed ordinance would require city staff to analyze proposed TIF districts and complete an economic and risk analysis of the proposed districts. The city manager would be required to share the results of the analysis with the council before placing an item on an agenda to appoint an ad hoc stakeholder committee, according to a<\/span> staff report<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n The stakeholder committee would be composed of seven members representing businesses, residents and nonprofits within a 350-foot radius of the proposed project area.<\/span><\/p>\n After the stakeholder committee reviewed the risk analysis, the city\u2019s<\/span> economic development advisory board<\/span><\/a> would review the analysis and determine if the proposed project would have a financial impact on any taxing jurisdiction and business activities within the proposed TIF district. The advisory board would also make a recommendation for council\u2019s action regarding the proposed district.<\/span><\/p>\n Once the board\u2019s review is completed, a statutory review committee would be appointed. This committee would be provided with the findings of the stakeholder committee and the economic development advisory board. Following a recommendation from the statutory review committee, the city\u2019s<\/span> planning commission<\/span><\/a> would review the findings, followed by two public hearings, before a final determination from council.<\/span><\/p>\n The ordinance also seeks to outline a TIF district application process, requiring the applicant to provide documents intended to assist with the review process. The application fee would be equal to 1% of the proposed project costs of the proposed TIF district.<\/span><\/p>\n According to the staff report, the ordinance would also set a criteria for future uses of TIF funds after a district is completed, ensuring projects seeking TIF assistance meet city goals.<\/span><\/p>\n Council plans to discuss the ordinance further before its May 12 meeting.<\/span><\/p>\n What they\u2019re saying:<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>Kathryn Walker<\/strong>,<\/span> assistant city attorney, said the goal of the ordinance is to give council all information possible about a proposed TIF so council can make a more informed decision.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhat this process is doing is not making the determination of whether it’s appropriate or not for council, but trying to give you all of the information and input that you can get, so you guys can make that decision,\u201d Walker said.<\/span><\/p>\n Ward 5 Councilmember<\/span> Trey Kirby<\/strong> asked who appoints members to the statutory review committee. Walker said council would appoint the committee chair.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cTypically, (the chair has) been the mayor, but it doesn\u2019t have to be,\u201d Walker said. \u201cYou guys can work that out, but it would be a formal appointment by the city council, like your other appointments.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n The news:<\/strong> Council discussed the current state of the Rock Creek Entertainment District following an<\/span> April meeting<\/span><\/a> where council failed to consider an agenda item that would have helped determine if council has the authority to hold a public vote on the entertainment district.<\/span><\/p>\n The item would have authorized the city attorney to enter litigation to clarify if council has the authority to order an election on TIF district ordinances.<\/span><\/p>\n Ward 1 Councilmember<\/span> David Gandesbery<\/strong>, the only council member who motioned for the item to be seen, explained his decision.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhen I asked for it to be an agenda item was to try to get some kind of clarification, especially with what I feel is deadline coming up pretty quickly, eventually there is going to be ground breaking,\u201d Gandesbery said. \u201cMy goal was to have a conversation that night that would have possibly led to a vote that night to figure out yes or no, is that something we want to do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n The discussion follows a<\/span> March 6 letter<\/span><\/a> sent to the city by<\/span> Oklahomans for Responsible Economic Development<\/span><\/a> stating its intent to sue the city and Cleveland county.<\/span><\/p>\n ORED\u2019s letter claims the City of Norman and Cleveland County violated the Open Meetings Act when adopting and moving forward with the Rock Creek Entertainment District plan.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n What they\u2019re saying:<\/strong> Ward 5 Councilmember<\/span> Trey Kirby<\/strong> asked City Attorney<\/span> Rick Knighton<\/strong> what the risk was in seeking a declaratory judgment.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe risk is you get an answer to that question,\u201d Knighton said.<\/span><\/p>\n Kirby asked<\/span> Rob Norman<\/strong>,<\/strong> ORED\u2019s attorney, if ORED would file a lawsuit against the city and if he viewed a lawsuit as a way to seek an answer regarding the city\u2019s authority to hold a public vote on TIF districts.<\/span><\/p>\n Norman said he does believe the lawsuit would help answer ORED\u2019s question.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI think what Mr. Knighton has given you, is there’s uncertainty. And Mr. Knighton has his opinions, I have my opinions, other people have their opinions, but it’s always good to try to get the question the people of Norman want answered in the least risky manner,\u201d Norman said.<\/span><\/p>\n Norman said the failed agenda item would have helped get the question resolved.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cCouncil was offered a way to get the question resolved in front of a judge for once and for all, without regard to (Knighton\u2019s) opinion and research, my opinion and research,\u201d Norman said. \u201cIt wasn’t the optimal solution to us but we are pretty much okay with that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Ward 8 Councilmember<\/span> Scott Dixon<\/strong> asked Norman why ORED hasn\u2019t sued the city yet to initiate declaratory judgment.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe wanted to collaboratively work it out first, and getting agenda items on with council like what we are talking about tonight, and kind of working with the city attorney and myself where he proposes a method that skips repeal, which is this big risk everyone talks about,\u201d Norman said. \u201cIts kind of, in a way, a settled solution to the dispute.”<\/span><\/p>\n Mayor<\/span> Stephen Tyler Holman<\/strong> said the clock is ticking on the project.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cMy desire has been for the public to be able to weigh in on the finance piece of this, having a petition with that many signatures dissolve into thin air, leaving unfinished business,\u201d Holman said. \u201cPeople are wanting action and I think that’s what we have been trying to do for several months is explore how we can get there, but the clock is definitely ticking on that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Holman said council will hold further discussions regarding the entertainment district.<\/p>\n The news: Jacob Huckabaa<\/strong>, city budget analyst, presented council with the proposed July 2026 to June 2027 capital improvement projects budget.<\/span><\/p>\nProposed TIF ordinance<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
Rock Creek Entertainment District<\/span><\/h2>\n
Proposed capital improvement projects budget\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n