Proposed Changes to the City's Unified Development Ordinance (UDO)
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CONA Bloomington
Aug 10, 2025, 5:38:06 AM8/10/25
to CONA Forum, CONA Bloomington
Neighbors,
As an organization dedicated to encouraging and building an
understanding of our diverse communities, and serving as a forum for
the discussion and exploration of neighborhood interests, the Council
of Neighborhood Associations (CONA) is providing this summary of
proposed changes to the City of Bloomington's Unified Development
Ordinance (UDO).
Property owners in Bloomington, Indiana were sent a letter, dated May
30, 2025, that served as the legally required notice of proposed
changes to the UDO. These changes are the subject of public hearings
before the Bloomington Plan Commission. The Plan Commission will then
send a set of recommendations to the Common Council for their
consideration, possible amendment, and deliberative approval.
The proposed UDO changes include:
Affordable Housing Incentives - Petition ZO-01-25: This proposal aims
to create truly affordable units by introducing new affordability
tiers. Tier 1 projects would require units priced below 90% of the
Area Median Income (AMI), while Tier 2 projects would require some
units priced below 70% of AMI. It also seeks to tighten affordability
standards for Planned Unit Developments (PUDs).
Urban Agriculture, Commercial - Petition ZO-18-25: This proposal would
introduce a new land use category allowing commercial-scale farming,
on-site education, and retail sales in residential zones as a
conditional accessory use.
New Permitted Use, Single-Room Occupancy (SRO) - Petition ZO-03-25:
The SRO proposal is a direct response to the city's need for more
low-cost housing, with an emphasis on creating units with rents under
$500 per month. The initial petition, introduced on July 14, 2025,
sought to replace the existing "Residential Rooming House" with a new
Single-Room Occupancy definition providing private sleeping space with
shared sanitary and kitchen facilities.
There is an acknowledged challenge in developing genuinely affordable
housing in a local economic environment that has historically
prioritized investment and development of market-rate rental student
housing. Public feedback at the July hearing raised concerns about
SROs being used primarily for student housing rather than their
intended purpose of providing low-cost residential options for a
diverse population.
To address these concerns, revisions to the petition have been
proposed for the upcoming August 11, 2025 meeting. A key change for
residential zones (R1-R4) now requires that the owner of an SRO
property must either live in the building or that the property be
operated by a registered non-profit. This is a significant shift from
the original Common Council resolution which explicitly stated
owner-occupancy should not be required in any district.
The SRO proposal also now includes an increase in the allowed
occupancy from one adult per bedroom to two adults per bedroom (with
no regulation on the number of children to comply with the Fair
Housing Act), allows up to 5 bedrooms per SRO in zones R1, R2, R3, and
R4 and unlimited number of bedrooms in all other zone, and removes the
prohibition on in-room bathrooms.
We encourage you to review and discuss the full details of proposed
UDO changes contained in the references cited below.
References:
Letter to Bloomington, IN property owners, May 2025:
https://bloomdocs.org/wp-content/uploads/simple-file-list/2025-05-30-mailing-on-UDO-use-changes.pdf
Bloomington Plan Commission July 14, 2025 meeting packet:
https://bloomington.in.gov/onboard/meetingFiles/15218/download
Bloomington Plan Commission August 11, 2025 meeting packet:
https://bloomington.in.gov/onboard/meetingFiles/15368/download
Common Council Resolution 2024-23:
https://bloomington.in.gov/onboard/legislationFiles/5841
Common Council Resolution 2024-25:
https://bloomington.in.gov/onboard/legislationFiles/5843
Common Council Resolution 2025-10:
https://bloomington.in.gov/onboard/legislationFiles/5877
Common Council Resolution 2025-11:
https://bloomington.in.gov/onboard/legislationFiles/5876
As an organization dedicated to encouraging and building an
understanding of our diverse communities, and serving as a forum for
the discussion and exploration of neighborhood interests, the Council
of Neighborhood Associations (CONA) is providing this summary of
proposed changes to the City of Bloomington's Unified Development
Ordinance (UDO).
Property owners in Bloomington, Indiana were sent a letter, dated May
30, 2025, that served as the legally required notice of proposed
changes to the UDO. These changes are the subject of public hearings
before the Bloomington Plan Commission. The Plan Commission will then
send a set of recommendations to the Common Council for their
consideration, possible amendment, and deliberative approval.
The proposed UDO changes include:
Affordable Housing Incentives - Petition ZO-01-25: This proposal aims
to create truly affordable units by introducing new affordability
tiers. Tier 1 projects would require units priced below 90% of the
Area Median Income (AMI), while Tier 2 projects would require some
units priced below 70% of AMI. It also seeks to tighten affordability
standards for Planned Unit Developments (PUDs).
Urban Agriculture, Commercial - Petition ZO-18-25: This proposal would
introduce a new land use category allowing commercial-scale farming,
on-site education, and retail sales in residential zones as a
conditional accessory use.
New Permitted Use, Single-Room Occupancy (SRO) - Petition ZO-03-25:
The SRO proposal is a direct response to the city's need for more
low-cost housing, with an emphasis on creating units with rents under
$500 per month. The initial petition, introduced on July 14, 2025,
sought to replace the existing "Residential Rooming House" with a new
Single-Room Occupancy definition providing private sleeping space with
shared sanitary and kitchen facilities.
There is an acknowledged challenge in developing genuinely affordable
housing in a local economic environment that has historically
prioritized investment and development of market-rate rental student
housing. Public feedback at the July hearing raised concerns about
SROs being used primarily for student housing rather than their
intended purpose of providing low-cost residential options for a
diverse population.
To address these concerns, revisions to the petition have been
proposed for the upcoming August 11, 2025 meeting. A key change for
residential zones (R1-R4) now requires that the owner of an SRO
property must either live in the building or that the property be
operated by a registered non-profit. This is a significant shift from
the original Common Council resolution which explicitly stated
owner-occupancy should not be required in any district.
The SRO proposal also now includes an increase in the allowed
occupancy from one adult per bedroom to two adults per bedroom (with
no regulation on the number of children to comply with the Fair
Housing Act), allows up to 5 bedrooms per SRO in zones R1, R2, R3, and
R4 and unlimited number of bedrooms in all other zone, and removes the
prohibition on in-room bathrooms.
We encourage you to review and discuss the full details of proposed
UDO changes contained in the references cited below.
References:
Letter to Bloomington, IN property owners, May 2025:
https://bloomdocs.org/wp-content/uploads/simple-file-list/2025-05-30-mailing-on-UDO-use-changes.pdf
Bloomington Plan Commission July 14, 2025 meeting packet:
https://bloomington.in.gov/onboard/meetingFiles/15218/download
Bloomington Plan Commission August 11, 2025 meeting packet:
https://bloomington.in.gov/onboard/meetingFiles/15368/download
Common Council Resolution 2024-23:
https://bloomington.in.gov/onboard/legislationFiles/5841
Common Council Resolution 2024-25:
https://bloomington.in.gov/onboard/legislationFiles/5843
Common Council Resolution 2025-10:
https://bloomington.in.gov/onboard/legislationFiles/5877
Common Council Resolution 2025-11:
https://bloomington.in.gov/onboard/legislationFiles/5876
Steven Layman
Aug 10, 2025, 9:53:27 PM8/10/25
to conablo...@gmail.com, CONA Forum, Eric Ost, Chris Sturbaum, John Kennedy, John Kennedy
Carol, thanks for sharing this.
Neighbors, there is a possibility for major changes to zoning and occupancy in neighborhoods like ours. The Planning Commission is meeting Monday evening at 530 to discuss this. I hope to be there and if you have concerns about this you may want to be there as well or ZOOM in. I am certain they will be open to public comment.
This is the link to the Monday night meeting packet. The ZOOM link is on the first page.
Bloomington Plan Commission August 11, 2025 meeting packet:
https://bloomington.in.gov/onboard/meetingFiles/15368/download
https://bloomington.in.gov/onboard/meetingFiles/15368/download
In case you missed it the other related links that Carol Kelly shared are as follows
Letter to Bloomington, IN property owners, May 2025:
https://bloomdocs.org/wp-content/uploads/simple-file-list/2025-05-30-mailing-on-UDO-use-changes.pdf
Bloomington Plan Commission July 14, 2025 meeting packet:
https://bloomington.in.gov/onboard/meetingFiles/15218/download
https://bloomdocs.org/wp-content/uploads/simple-file-list/2025-05-30-mailing-on-UDO-use-changes.pdf
Bloomington Plan Commission July 14, 2025 meeting packet:
https://bloomington.in.gov/onboard/meetingFiles/15218/download
Common Council Resolution 2024-23:
https://bloomington.in.gov/onboard/legislationFiles/5841
Common Council Resolution 2024-25:
https://bloomington.in.gov/onboard/legislationFiles/5843
Common Council Resolution 2025-10:
https://bloomington.in.gov/onboard/legislationFiles/5877
Common Council Resolution 2025-11:
https://bloomington.in.gov/onboard/legislationFiles/5876
https://bloomington.in.gov/onboard/legislationFiles/5841
Common Council Resolution 2024-25:
https://bloomington.in.gov/onboard/legislationFiles/5843
Common Council Resolution 2025-10:
https://bloomington.in.gov/onboard/legislationFiles/5877
Common Council Resolution 2025-11:
https://bloomington.in.gov/onboard/legislationFiles/5876
Thanks to all my great neighbors, If I have anything wrong here please let me know.
Steve Layman
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