The Council continued its discussion from Tuesday night, when it voted yes to eight amendments and dispatched a variety of minor changes with a unanimous consent agenda.
One of Wednesday’s more debated amendments came from Councilmember Stephen Volan (District VI). Volan’s amendment increases the maximum size of projection signs, like the “INDIANA” one outside of the Buskirk-Chumley Theater, in the Mixed-Use Downtown district. It also allows those signs around the courthouse square.
“This amendment basically re-legalizes a historic aspect of Bloomington that existed for many decades before it was banned,” Volan says.
Those who agreed, including at-large Councilmember Susan Sandberg, said allowing the signs would blend the historic with the new, and brighten up Bloomington’s downtown.
“The Playwrights Project – that would be a great place to ‘oomph’ that area up with a little bit more of a projecting light that does say, ‘We’ve got arts in here,’” Sandberg says.
Others thought allowing the signs would quickly clutter downtown with bright, annoying advertisements that residents would tire of. They said the theater’s “INDIANA” sign is considered iconic because the city doesn’t allow signs like it anymore.
“I wonder if when those signs that were depicted on the screens, if people thought they were as cute as we all do now,” says Councilmember Allison Chopra (District III). “I bet not. I bet they thought that they were loud and busy and annoying and a nuisance.”
The Council voted to allow the signs, 5-4.
Another amendment the City Council spent some time debating was sponsored by Isabel Piedmont-Smith (District V). Her amendment increased the maximum height of fences used to protect gardens that grow food to 12 feet, in order to protect that food from deer.
“In the Comprehensive Plan we have stressed the importance of a local food network and urban agriculture, so we wanna encourage people to plant produce in their gardens,” Piedmont-Smith says. “But this is very difficult for folks to do because currently our fence height allowances are quite low, and deer can easily jump over them. Even back in 2010, when the Deer Task Force report came out, they recommended that we allow taller fences in residential areas.”
The Council was in general agreement about raising the maximum, but some said they thought people would take advantage of the rule by building a 12-foot fence and planting a minimal amount of produce.
“People will absolutely utilize this accommodation without following the intent of the legislation,” says Councilmember Allison Chopra. “I like to have an open fire in my backyard, which is not allowed unless you are cooking food over it. So I always have at least a morsel or something to say that I am cooking.”
Chopra then equated keeping deer out of backyards to European colonists taking land from Native Americans.
“The deer were here first,” she added.
The City Council voted to allow new fence maximums for produce protection, 8-1.
The City Council discussed three other amendments:
Amendment 32: “Removes screening requirement for ground-mounted solar panels” – PASSED
Amendment 37: “Removes street ‘eyebrows’ (a form of widening a street) as a component of street design – PASSED
Amendment 38: “Requires review of partial demolition of ‘contributing’ historic structures and clarifies the standard of review in those instances” – FALIED
The Council still has about 20 First Round amendments to discuss before moving to Second Round amendments in mid-December.
The Bloomington City Council will next meet on Tuesday, Dec. 3 at 6 p.m. to continue discussing First Round amendments.
