Norman, Okla. Proposes More Green

 

The USPS Training Center in Norman, Okla.

The tree board members of the Norman, Okla. planning commission seek more landscape strips for the city and hope the city council will support its efforts.

The proposals are:

• 1. In local commercial districts, including light and heavy industrial areas, a 25-foot setback required for all buildings, with a minimum 10-foot landscape strip that cannot be encroached upon by parking. Industrial districts would require a 30-foot building setback in the rear yard when abutted by residential zoning district, unless a rear alley is provided.
• 2. A minimum of one 8-foot tall shade tree for each 20 feet of lot frontage and one 3-gallon shrub for each five feet of building frontage installed in the landscape strip.
• 3. Buildings in general commercial districts would be set back 10 feet from any street right-of-way, with a 10-foot landscape strip and similar landscaping requirements.

Clustering of the landscape plantings would be allowed if approved by the city forester. Tree species would require approval of the city forester. As preservation and planting of trees were deemed high priorities of Norman citizens when the city?EUR??,,????'???s 2025 plan was being developed, the tree board has discussed a point system based on the Oklahoma City model that encourages preservation of trees in all commercial and residential development. A point level would be required for each development, with certain existing trees receiving a higher point value than new trees.

source: Norman Transcript