Community Planning & Transportation Committee, 10/23/2025

The City of Norman's Community Planning & Transportation Committee met on October 23, 2025, to discuss several transit and parking-related topics. Key procurement activity included the authorization and processing of purchase orders for three new large buses under a Washington state contract, completing the replacement of the city's aging bus fleet. The committee also reviewed the Central Oklahoma long-range transit plan and discussed pursuing a 100% grant-funded pilot program focused on senior transit health and wellness. Ridership data showed steady growth, and there was discussion about potential service expansions and cost implications of increasing bus frequency on certain routes. On parking management, the committee considered updates to the city's parking management plan, including consolidating existing plans, updating payment options with new app integrations, and adjusting parking rates to address a current deficit. Proposed rate increases included raising hourly parking fees from $0.25 to $0.50 in some lots and increasing annual lease rates for parking spaces, with the goal of generating approximately $40,000 in additional revenue. The committee also discussed potential parking leases for food trucks, balancing space and safety concerns, and the possibility of expanding lease options to support residential development. The committee expressed consensus to proceed with these updates and planned to seek council approval by early 2026, aligning implementation with the calendar year. No formal votes were recorded in the transcript, but staff were directed to continue developing these initiatives.