For over 20 years, Norman, Oklahoma, debated the role of parking in its zoning code. Like many cities, it struggled to make comprehensive changes, facing political resistance, technical hurdles, and community concerns. After years of debate that led to inaction, city officials and staff found a surprising solution in 2022: changing just one word.
By shifting the zoning code language from requiring parking to recommending parking, Norman effectively abolished parking mandates. This simple yet powerful shift unlocked new opportunities for infill development across the city, demonstrating how a minor change in text can lead to major results.
But the story doesn’t stop there. Norman’s previous success with parking reform gave city staff a proven way to tackle an even more pressing issue last year: housing. Norman, like every city in North America, is struggling with both affordable and available housing options. Its zoning code restricted the variety of housing types that could be developed, limiting options for residents and developers alike. Like many college towns, this sensitivity in housing is exacerbated by the tension between permanent residents and an influx of college students seeking off-campus housing from Oklahoma University, driving up rental costs and reducing the availability of affordable housing for long-term residents.
The conventional approach to amending a zoning code is to spend a lot of time and resources on a big overhaul. Zoning and development codes are generally overly complicated, and the overhaul approach attempts to address all existing and hypothetical challenges within the code, even those that may not be related to the immediate housing issue. Norman took this approach when it adopted the Center City Form-Based Code. These once-in-a-lifetime code updates are well intentioned and filled with large aspirations, but they can have unintended consequences which may require future overhauls to correct.
Norman officials and staff took a different approach. First, the city’s elected leadership established the policy and vision that housing was a struggle that needed to be addressed. Then, technical staff began to explore how a wider variety of housing options could be implemented. Rather than attempt a comprehensive zoning overhaul, staff took a targeted approach. They focused on addressing specific barriers to a specific housing type: backyard cottages (also known as accessory dwelling units or ADUs).
Here are the focused and precise amendments to the zoning code they made to enable backyard cottages as a housing solution for Norman:
- Defining the term “Accessory Dwelling Unit”. Defining a technical term used by planners such as “accessory dwelling unit” ensures that the community understands the character and intent of these residential units. This is especially important if residents are unfamiliar with the term or have their own understanding of what it means. A definition establishes a common understanding that is then defined in the zoning code through performance standards, such as location and scale.
- Integration of ADUs into Agricultural and Residential Districts: The zoning code was amended to permit ADUs in A-1 (General Agricultural District), A-2 (Rural Agricultural District), RE (Residential Estate Dwelling District), R-1 (Single-Family Dwelling District), and R-1-A (Single-Family Attached Dwelling District). This integration allows for greater flexibility in housing options across different zones.
- Establishment of Dimensional Standards: Specific size and placement criteria for ADUs were defined to ensure they remain subordinate to the principal dwelling. For instance, in R-1 and R-1-A districts, the maximum size for an ADU is set at 650 square feet or about the size of a 3 car garage.
- Parking Requirement Adjustments: Initially, off-street parking was mandated for ADUs. However, recognizing potential constraints, the city later amended this requirement, exempting ADUs up to 650 square feet from needing additional parking spaces.
These deliberate and focused changes were manageable and understandable to both elected officials and the residents of Norman. The result is a process that moved through the planning commission and city council in a matter of weeks, rather than years. More importantly, allowing backyard cottages creates the opportunity for critically needed housing to be built across Norman.
A Model for Cities Everywhere
Norman’s example proves that zoning reform doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Instead of waiting for the perfect, comprehensive rewrite, cities can make targeted, strategic changes that remove barriers and create immediate benefits.
This “acupuncture zoning” method — where cities focus on precise, impactful code text revisions — can be a game-changer for communities facing similar challenges. By identifying key pain points and addressing them incrementally, cities can avoid political gridlock, test reforms in real time, and create a foundation for future improvements.
For Norman, it started with one word. Now, they’ve made it easier to build housing and have a pathway for further reform.
If Norman can do it, why not your city?
Need help figuring out what zoning reforms to focus on? Check out our housing toolkits for guidance.
