Proposals to set the guidelines for a City of Lawton race relations commission and to allow larger electronic signs adjacent to residential areas will top the agenda when the City Council meets today.
The meeting, which also will include the City Transit Trust, will begin at 2 p.m. in the auditorium of Lawton City Hall, Southwest 9th and C.
Council members decided in June 2020 they would authorize creation of the race relations commission, an entity designed to address racial equity within the community, in collaboration with community partners. At the time, council members said the idea was to open a dialogue and communications about challenges, in regard to race relations.
The ordinance, crafted by a council study committee, specifies a 15-member committee: 12 nominated by the three-member Race Relations Council Committee (comprised of the three council members who crafted the ordinance and who will serve as commission non-voting members) and three members nominated by the mayor. The full council must approve all appointees.
The ordinance also sets 10 broad duties/powers the commission will hold, to include hosting community forums and conversations, collaborating with community-based entities to identify and develop solutions to eliminate racial inequalities, promoting programs that promote inclusivity and linking racial minorities to community resources. Focus areas, to be addressed by standing subcommittees, are identified: community empowerment, community outreach, diversity and building racial equality.
In other business, the council will consider a recommendation made by the City Planning Commission in January: allow larger electronic message center signs adjacent to areas with residential and agricultural zoning.
Existing city code specifies such signs may be only 25 square feet when located within 200 feet of property zoned for residential or agriculture use, although they may be larger when screened by a building or other object. But, members of the Board of Adjustment (created to grant variances from city building codes) said signs are the most common variance request they receive, accounting for eight variance approvals granted by the board since January 2019. Members asked city planning staff to consider setting a slightly larger sign area and, after consulting with sign companies, the staff suggested — and the City Planning Commission recommended — 64 square feet.
City planners said while such signs may be larger, they still are restricted to the amount of light they are allowed to broadcast, to lessen light intrusion onto nearby properties.
Council members also will consider accepting the Larrance Street project, an upgrade associated with the new Public Safety Facility project that is nearing completion.
MTZ Construction Inc. launched the $2,367,715 project in in June 2019, rebuilding the industrial road between Gore Boulevard and Southwest D Avenue, and rebuilding the Railroad Street/West Gore Boulevard intersection to handle a new traffic signal light configuration. The road was rebuilt to handle the larger volume of traffic expected from the public safety facility, while the intersection was reconfigured to help fire apparatus from Central Fire Station (which will move into the north end of the building) to more easily exit the station’s bays.
The construction project also included installation of waterlines, sewer lines, on-street parking and storm drainage upgrades. Drainage problems remaining at the Southwest B Avenue/Larrance Street intersection. City Engineer Joseph Painter said there are “design issues in the drainage plans of both Larrance Street and Public Safety Facility projects,” and the city engineering department has worked with a consultant to find a solution that will be implemented as a separate project, according to the agenda commentary.
City administrators say expect to take ownership of the building this month, but it will be weeks before the departments assigned to the building will fully occupy it.
In other business, the council will consider:
• Meeting in executive session to conduct its annual evaluation of Michael Cleghorn, who has been Lawton city manager since February 2019.
• Accepting a $23,676.75 grant from Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation that will allow the city to buy 45 ballistic vests for Lawton Fire Department. Fire officials said that will allow the department to equip each member on duty with a vest, allowing firefighters to use ALERRT Active Shooter Training and bringing the department into compliance with National Fire Protection Association standard for active shooter/hostile event.
• Authorizing city staff to solicit proposals from firms for ideas on using methane gas collected from the city landfill. The landfill now has a flare system that burns the gas that accumulates from decomposing waste, but city officials have indicated a desire to find another use to reduce the impact that burning the gas has on the environment. Potential uses could include power generation or natural gas pipeline injection. Funding for the project would come from funding in the Capital Improvements Program identified for landfill projects.
