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Council adopts expanded outdoor-dining program and Kirkwood conversion after public debate
Summary
After staff presentations, business testimony and council debate, the Common Council adopted an amended outdoor dining ordinance allowing parklets and an annual, staff-guided Kirkwood street conversion (March–November window) to support downtown activation and consistency for businesses.
The Bloomington Common Council on Jan. 22 adopted an amended ordinance to continue and broaden the city's outdoor dining program, authorizing both parklets and a predictable seasonal conversion of specified Kirkwood Avenue blocks subject to annually adopted program guidelines.
Jane Cooper Smith, director of Economic and Sustainable Development, reviewed the program's origins in the COVID response and staff improvements since 2020, including raised, ADA-accessible parklet platforms and updated accessibility standards. Staff said the ordinance's structure sets a March–November operating window while…
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