Plan Commission forwards single-room-occupancy UDO amendment to City Council after limiting changes

The Bloomington Plan Commission on Sept. 8 voted to forward to the Common Council a proposed amendment to the Unified Development Ordinance that would add a single-room-occupancy use, with several amendments to limit potential impacts on single-family neighborhoods.

The commission voted 6–1 to forward ZO-03-25 to the council with a favorable recommendation. Commissioner Molly Holmes cast the lone no vote. The motion to forward followed adopted amendments that (1) revised the SRO definition to describe a “residential building where individuals rent individual bedrooms,” (2) replaced the word “room” with “bedroom” in six locations in the use-specific standards and related table entries, and (3) changed an earlier draft phrase from “facility” to “building.”

The department’s presentation said the version sent to council reflects council direction to the planning commission, and staff described the draft as “the best attempt” to accomplish the council’s goals while limiting unintended impacts. Eric Grulich, development services manager, said the amendment responds to a council resolution directing the planning commission to propose SRO standards, including whether to allow SROs in additional districts and whether owner occupancy should be required. Grulich noted the legal office advised against requiring nonprofit ownership and said staff removed that requirement from the draft.

“We are proposing a maximum of three rooms per SRO and keeping the proposed number of adults per room at two,” Grulich said, explaining that the change was intended to follow the council’s instruction while reducing potential for unintended conversions into high-occupancy, investor-owned…