Public outcry against duplexes in Bloomington's residential areas continued Tuesday night as the city council hosted the first of its three scheduled meetings this week on proposed zoning changes to the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO).
Last week, councilmembers Susan Sandberg, Dave Rollo and Ron Smith introduced Amendment 1 that would ban duplexes in zoning districts R1-R3. These zones in city code are commonly known as the core neighborhoods.
"We are not opposed to duplexes or any other form of 'missing middle' housing at all. We just think it’s a matter of location," said Sandberg.
This map indicates in yellow the proposed R1-R3 zoning districts in the UDO. (Courtesy: City of Bloomington)
The amendment's sponsors, as well as a vocal faction of residents, believe the city should protect the neighborhoods and build plexes in more urbanized areas like village centers and along transportation hubs.
"Places where multifamily housing could be introduced without disruption to the stability of the core neighborhoods," said Sandberg.
Tuesday night's meeting was similar to several other past UDO meetings, where the majority of public speakers were strongly against duplexes.
Former city councilmember and 2020 Democratic candidate for Indiana's 9th Congressional District, Andy Ruff, was among one of those individuals.
"It’s wishful thinking to believe deregulation and free market-styled policies will bring about the desired social progress in the housing here," said Ruff.
Ruff sat on the city council when plexes were on the table two years ago.
"We dealt with this issue decisively as a community in 2019. Why are we here again? There is no evidence the community’s position has changed," said Ruff "If anything, it’s more solidified in opposition as awareness and understanding have increased."
But Mayor John Hamilton, city staff and other current city councilmembers have continued to pursue and support this change in local zoning policy to create more housing options for the community.
"Frankly, elections have consequences. When people elect a new council, a new mayor, a new president, a new Congress; it’s natural to revisit issues," said councilmember Isabel Piedmont-Smith.
Piedmont-Smith said she believes duplexes will not densify the core neighborhoods as much as people may think. She said a house being converted into a duplex is vastly different than building a multi-story apartment complex for students.
"I think we need more housing and one efficient way to get more housing, and to have it be in an environmentally sound place where people don’t have to drive everywhere, is in our older neighborhoods," said Piedmont-Smith.
The decision to strike down Amendment 1 was close. Councilmembers Sandberg, Rollo, Smith and Sue Sgambelluri voted to disallow duplexes, while on the otherside were councilmembers Piedmont-Smith, Matt Flaherty, Steve Volan, Kate Rosenbarger and Jim Sims.
The final vote was 5-4 against Amendment 1.
"Adding duplexes, at least in my mind, is just one of the tools in our toolbox to help us try to mitigate this housing crisis that we have," said council president Jim Sims.
Council will meet again on both Wednesday and Thursday at 6:30 p.m. this week to discuss additional amendments and to adopt the final UDO zoning map.
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