Staff proposes biannual license and engineering inspections for aging parking ramps

City building and inspections staff told the council Monday they will bring an ordinance creating a parking‑ramp licensure program back for public hearing after stakeholder engagement this year. The proposed program would require owners of vehicle parking structures that include elevated or below‑grade structural levels exposed to winter maintenance (snow removal, deicing) to obtain a two‑year license and submit a third‑party structural engineer inspection report. Staff proposed a $175 administrative fee to cover city processing and said the inspection reports would be reviewed by building inspectors; where the engineering report identifies deficiencies, owners would be given set timelines to complete corrective work, and the city could enforce compliance through its existing building‑code authority. Building Division presenters said Bloomington has about 179 parking structures; many are aging — 96% are at least 20 years old and 54% are 40 years old — and the division has seen reported cases of deterioration, temporary shoring and debris hazards. Staff recommended exempting slab‑on‑grade garages that do not receive the same snow‑removal exposure; the exemption is intended for underground garages and similar structures with different exposure profiles. The proposed administrative and software costs would be handled within existing technology upgrades and the $175 fee is intended to cover ongoing administrative processing. Staff said they had briefed ramp owners and building‑management associations, and will schedule a formal public hearing and bring an ordinance back for council consideration; the proposed implementation date in staff materials is Jan. 1, 2026.