The Norman City Council is about to take concrete measures in protecting Norman’s water supply and mitigating storm water flooding, but they need your help in making sure that the quality of life Norman currently enjoys is maintained.  The Norman Chamber of Commerce and developers are attempting to significantly weaken the Storm Water Master Plan  (SWMP) in Norman.  
 
Lake Thunderbird is an impaired body of water at a category 5 level according to the Oklahoma Water Resource Board.  If we continue as business as usual, the lake could be deemed unusable and we would be at the mercy of Oklahoma City for much higher water costs.

In addition, there is a need to protect private property by providing best practices land use and storm water mitigation approaches.
 
That is why we need your help in contacting the mayor and the city council urging them to pass the SWMP. 
 
Help us in reaching out to the mayor and city council members today by signing your name to the growing list of Normanites that want to protect our quality of life. ​

​​Get more involved by visiting the Red Earth Group chapter of the Sierra Club to help out with issues like this.

The following are recommended points that can be provided in communications with the mayor and council.


* SWMP  furthers greater civic progress in Norman through appropriate green and environmental values, greater economic and business development and prosperity, and enhanced public safety that also saves taxpayers’ money.

* Lake Thunderbird, the primary source of drinking water for Norman and a deteriorated body of water, suffers from a high excess of nitrogen and phosphorous run-off and low dissolved oxygen.

*  The SWMP covers both storm water and water pollution mitigation.

* U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service, EPA and recent peer-reviewed studies recommend a streamside urban riparian buffer of three zones. Based on the best available scientific evidence, a minimum overall buffer of 100 feet including three zones on both sides of the stream is required to counter water pollution and storm water mitigation.

* The minimum width of the streamside zone is 25 feet on both sides of the stream. The middle zone will be a width of 50 feet. The outer zone will be a width of 25 feet setback to structures. Recommended uses in the streamside zone should be very restricted, such as footpaths or flood control. The middle zone can include some recreational uses such as bike paths. The outer zone can have unrestricted uses such as residential uses like lawn and garden and composting. Within each zone, but particularly the first two zones, native vegetation is required to ensure rapid establishment of species that aid in flood and water pollution control.

*There is no current scientific evidence or research that a lesser buffer zone such as 50 or 25 feet on each side of the stream would be effective in preventing water pollution runoff into Lake Thunderbird. Such a proposal threatens to place Lake Thunderbird in continual violation of EPA clean water standards.

 * The public safety will be furthered and property owners will be saved numerous expenses from inevitable storm flooding.

* A scientifically valid and proven water pollution and storm water management approach would make Norman a more attractive and desirable green city to live in and do business.

* Property values would undoubtedly increase and not decrease for many properties situated near an attractive stream buffer. The proposed ordinance is also quite sensitive to economic issues associated with regulation with liberal land variance and development transfer provisions for properties located near streams.  Shrewd and innovative development approaches near a buffer zone would increase the market demand for the property.

 * Property owners could if they so choose remove debris and mow in the streamside and middle buffer zones as long as they leave native trees and shrubs.