The UDO is a fluid document that sets Bloomington’s zoning regulations and land use laws on private property. It can be changed each year based on priorities in the city’s Comprehensive Plan.
"It's how the community envisions itself over the next 25 to 30 years, and then uses that guiding document to update zoning code," Scanlan said.
During 2020's public discussions, several residents were engaged in the revision process.
"People are worried about their properties and the idea of change can be scary," Scanlan said. "Especially here in Bloomington and other college towns, where people often look at things from the lens of the undergraduate student renters."
The change that had several residents worried in this new UDO was the complete repeal of single-family housing to allow for duplexes and triplexes in many core neighborhoods. These areas are categorized as R4 zones and it covered a substantial portion of the proposed map this past fall and winter.
"By adding additional housing options to those areas, we are addressing those issues raised in the Comprehensive Plan about increasing equity in a way that could increase our sustainability and encourage more residents in the future," Scanlan said.
This is not the first time the city has tried to incorporate plexes into the UDO. An added amendment was on the table for city council back in 2019, but the council voted it down due to strong public resistance.
Chris Sturbaum was on city council representing District I at the time. He told City Limits back last December that he was surprised to see the amendment resurface after hundreds of people showed up at public hearings to oppose it in 2019.
“From the very beginning we resisted this plan to up zone these neighborhoods, at least the majority of us did. So, we thought that was decided. I lost an election and now new start of the year, it’s back," Sturbaum said.
But after hearing the public’s concerns during this latest round of changes, Scanlan said the newly revised UDO map that was released last week shows a significant decrease in R4 zones.
Scanlan said the rollback of these particular zones decreased by about 75%.
"We’re starting slower than we had originally intended to make sure that it can be done in a sensitive way that doesn’t harm the neighborhoods," Scanlan said.
She said another measure taken to preserve the neighborhoods was making all plexes a conditional use. This means each duplex or triplex must be approved on a case-by-case basis by the city’s Board of Zoning Appeals.
"What we’ve done is target some key areas on the edges or in nodes of the community that seem to make sense if we’re going to try to have the inclusion of these buildings that have more units," Scanlan said.
The map and all proposed changes and amendments will move to the Plan Commission on March 8.
"What we’ve published is what we think will go to Plan Commission. There could be small changes or additions, but we don’t expect that to happen," Scanlan.
Scanlan said members of the public still have time to submit feedback until the meeting.
After the Plan Commission approves the series of 10 ordinances that make up this UDO, along with added amendments, it will be up to the city council to cast a final vote on all changes in April.
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