The new map shows the previously proposed R4 zones in Blue compared to the revised version in Green.
(Courtesy: City of Bloomington)
An updated version of Bloomington's Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) zoning map was released Thursday after several months of meetings and public feedback.
Since the city created a public outreach draft last October, a series of community discussions were held where residents could ask questions and voice their concerns over proposed changes.
"Robust community engagement has helped clarify how to balance what I believe are several shared community goals -- for more affordable housing, for more sustainable and inclusive neighborhoods, for preservation of high quality of life in each of our neighborhoods," said Mayor John Hamilton in a press release.
The revised proposal includes the following significant changes that were highlighted:
The amount of new R4 Zone created in the map, designating residential urban areas, has been significantly reduced and concentrated in nodes or corridors across the city offering proximity to transit routes, major employers, schools, and/or shopping centers, or in new undeveloped areas. This map compares the previously proposed R4 Zone to the revised proposal of less than one-quarter the area.
The new R4 Zone will allow duplex, triplex, fourplex, live/work, multifamily, and cottage development, but the revision will designate all as conditional, rather than duplex and triplex being permitted, uses, meaning that all will require a public review and approval through the Board of Zoning Appeals.
In the existing R1 - R3 zones (where fourplexes were already not permitted), triplexes have been removed as either a permitted or conditional use, and duplexes have been shifted to conditional use, again requiring public review.
In the existing R1 - R3 zones, use-specific standards for duplexes have been modified to include physical spacing and timing requirements that will avoid concentration and allow ongoing evaluation and monitoring.
"The revisions will, I hope, help assure an incremental and shared way to put our values into action. We can’t predict the future with precision, so taking a step-by-step approach, with abundant opportunity to course correct along the way, makes sense," Hamilton said.
One of the main issues debated on in the public forums last year was the addition of the Plex Amendment in R4 zones.
The city council had the option to adopt the amendment back in 2019, but strong public opposition swayed the council to vote against it.
"Documents like the Comprehensive Plan and the UDO should be treated as three-ring-binders, where as a community we can amend or remove a page or paragraph as we find what works best or if we identify unintended consequences," Hamilton said.
The Plex Amendment is up for consideration again, but as the new map shows, at a reduced level than previously intended in R4 zones.
Local residents can still give additional input on the revised map before the plan commission meets on March 8 to review the changes.
After the plan commission's approval, the changes will go to city council for final consideration.
