Council accepts missing-middle study for further study, directs staff to pursue targeted overlay districts

The Bloomington City Council on Sept. 8 voted to acknowledge receipt of a consultant study on "missing middle" housing by Opticos Design and to direct staff to pursue a targeted implementation path rather than adopt broad, citywide code changes.

Deputy City Manager Tice and planning staff told the council they did not intend the consultant's report to be a turnkey zoning package. Instead staff asked council to accept the document as a study and to authorize staff to study specific areas identified in the city's comprehensive plan (so-called regeneration and preservation areas). Staff said they would evaluate infrastructure, water and sewer, traffic, walkability and other local factors and return to council with proposed, geographically limited overlay districts for council consideration.

The change in phrasing from "adopt" to "acknowledge receipt and direct staff to study further" followed weeks of public comment and concern from residents in multiple neighborhoods who feared blanket, by-right zoning changes. Residents from Old Farm Lakes, Harvest Point and other subdivisions argued that their neighborhoods lack the walkability and infrastructure the Opticos report identified as necessary for missing-middle housing and said they feared investor-driven conversions and parking, sewer and snow-removal impacts.

Supporters of the Opticos report and the proposed further study, including housing advocates and some local real-estate representatives, urged an incremental, overlay-based approach and said targeted increases in housing diversity are needed to address a local housing shortage. Noah Tang, president of Strongtown Blono, urged council to "pass items 8 b, 8 c and 8 d" and described the Opticos recommendations as preliminary and explicitly calling for more detailed, area-specific study.

Council members emphasized the decision taken at the meeting was a study directive, not a zoning change. The council approved the staff recommendation; the clerk announced the motion carried with two nays (Council members Montney and Lee).

What’s next: Staff will evaluate regeneration and preservation areas identified in the comprehensive plan, analyze infrastructure and walkability, propose one or more overlay districts for council review, and hold public outreach in locations proposed for overlays before any ordinance changes are advanced.