The Oklahoma City Council meets at 8:30 a.m. Tuesdays on the third floor of City Hall, 200 N Walker Ave., and live broadcasts are available on Cox Channel 20, www.youtube.com/cityofokc/live and www.okc.gov. A recording of each meeting is then added to the City's YouTube channel.

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Event permits

The Council approved permits Tuesday for:

• Oklahoma City Boathouse Foundation's "Oklahoma Regatta Festival," Oct. 1-4.
• American Cancer Society's "Making Strides Against Cancer," Oct. 31.
• Capitol Hill Mainstreet's "Fiestas de Las Americas," Oct. 3.
• Fall Classic Duathlon's "Fall Classic Duathlon," Oct. 18.
• Oklahoma City-County Health Department's "Open Streets OKC Fall," Oct. 18.
• Stockyards City Main Street's "Stockyards Stampede," Oct. 3.-

Contract approved for MAPS 3 streetcars

Streetcar service returning to downtown OKC is a step closer to reality after the Council voted Tuesday to approve a contract with INEKON to build MAPS 3's modern streetcars. The contract, contingent upon INEKON providing proof of insurance and a letter of credit within 30 days, is for five streetcars at a cost of about $23 million and includes an option to buy up to eight more. The MAPS 3 streetcars will connect districts and neighborhoods within OKC's urban core like the Central Business District, Bricktown, Deep Deuce, Automobile Alley and Midtown.

• Download the agenda item. (PDF)
• Watch the discussion.

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Next tract of MAPS 3 sidewalks approved

Engineering and design will soon begin on the next tract of MAPS 3 sidewalks after the Council voted Tuesday to approve an agreement with contractors. The sidewalks in this tract will be spread throughout all of OKC's eight wards.

• Read the agenda item with locations. (PDF)

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Sign up for the MAPS 3 email newsletter.

Proposed median ordinance advances to Oct. 13 vote

The Council held a public hearing Tuesday for a proposed ordinance that would prohibit unsafe activity in medians, setting the measure up for a vote in two weeks. The version of the proposed ordinance introduced at the Council's Sept. 15 meeting would have prohibited only solicitation in medians, but the Council amended it during Tuesday's public hearing to include all unsafe activity. Exceptions include legally crossing the street and public safety personnel performing official duties.

• Read the agenda item. (PDF)
• Watch the discussion.
• See coverage from the Sept. 15 meeting.
• Read a full news release.

Railroad 'quiet zone' takes another step forward

A potential railroad "quiet zone" in OKC's urban core took another step forward Tuesday when the Council voted to approve a number of street closures along BNSF Railway tracks. The Council voted to close NW 27, NW 12, W Park Place and SW 23 near the railroad tracks to help facilitate the creation of the quiet zone. Traffic elsewhere on those streets will not be affected by the changes. Locomotive operators don't have to sound their horns when approaching intersections in quiet zones, which alleviates noise concerns but requires modifications to crossings and some street closures to ensure safety. The Planning Commission and Council still must approve other unresolved issues related to the quiet zone before it takes effect.

Donated art to grace four public spaces in OKC

The Council voted Tuesday to accept a donation of five sculptures for four public spaces in OKC from Susan E. Coles in memory of her late husband, Allen E. Coles. Susan and her husband founded Coles Garden, which served as a public art garden and exhibition center on NE 63 until Allen's death. After Coles Garden was sold, Susan decided to donate five remaining  outdoor sculptures to OKC. The sculptures will be installed at Woodson Park, Fire Station No. 26, Kitchen Lake and William Harn Freemont Gardens.

• Read the agenda item. (PDF)

Follow OKC Arts on Facebook

Council approves agreement for art in Will Rogers Park

The Council voted Tuesday to approve an agreement with Oklahoma artist Jonathan Hils to install a sculpture entitled "SEED" for Will Rogers Park. Another piece of art intended to be installed in the park was stolen from a storage yard last year. An insurance claim on the stolen art will pay for Hils' work, which will be displayed on a pedestal along a trail on the park's north end.

• Read the agenda item. (PDF)

Follow OKC Arts on Facebook

Annual TIF reports, Auditor's report accepted

The Council also voted Tuesday to accept the Annual Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District Reports and the City Auditor's Annual Report for the fiscal year that ended June 30.

• Read the TIF reports agenda item. (PDF)
• Download the TIF reports. (PDF)
• Read the Auditor's report agenda item. (PDF)
• Download the Auditor's report. (PDF)

More Midtown properties added to Downtown Business Improvement District

The Council also voted Tuesday to add additional properties in Midtown to the Downtown Business Improvement (BID) District. The properties were adjacent to properties already included in the district. BID districts allow resources from property owners within a given area to be pooled for their mutual benefit. BID district funds can pay for amenities like landscaping, security, marketing, beautification and more.

• Read the agenda item. (PDF)
• Watch the discussion.

Downtown Development Framework approved to coordinate public and private investment

City officials, Downtown OKC Inc., the Alliance for Economic Development and the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber collaborated on a vision approved at Tuesday's Council meeting that will help coordinate public and private investment downtown. The Downtown Development Framework emphasizes the link between land use and transportation and provides guidelines for land use, urban design, transportation and infrastructure.

• Read the agenda item. (PDF)
• Download the presentation. (PDF)
• Watch the discussion.

September sales tax report released

The September sales tax report shows General Fund collections in Oklahoma City were up by 1.9 percent compared to the same month last year, missing the monthly target by 1 percent. The September report includes collections for the last half of July and estimated collections in the first half of August, which total about $18.6 million. That’s about $186,000 below the target. September is the third month of the fiscal year, and General Fund sales tax revenue is about $1 million below the year-to-date target. The General Fund pays for the City’s day-to-day operations. Sales tax is the City’s largest single source of revenue.

• Read the report summary. (PDF)
• Read the report. (PDF)
• Read a full news release.