Single-Family Zoning on the Cutting Block in Bloomington, Indiana

Move over Minneapolis. An Indiana college town joins the avant-garde of planning innovation by nearing the finish line with a new Unified Development Ordinance that would allow duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes in single-family neighborhoods.

1 minute read

October 25, 2019, 8:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Indiana University Bloomington

EQRoy / Shutterstock

"The battle of the '-plexes' carried on Tuesday as Bloomington residents debated the appropriateness of du-, tri- and quadplexes in traditionally single-family neighborhoods," according to an article by Kurt Christian in an article that is behind a paywall.

The Bloomington, Indiana City Council is considering a new Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) to overhaul it's planning vision and enforcement tools, with assistance from Clarion Associates. The Bloomington Plan Commission has already voted unanimous support for the UDO.

For coverage of the UDO process that isn't hidden behind a paywall, see an article by Alex Eady from Mary 2019, when controversy was already dogging the UDO process.

The city of Bloomington's efforts to allow new density in single-family residential neighborhoods places the college town among the avant-garde of cities (Minneapolis was the first example) and states (like Oregon) allowing for multiple units to be built on parcels previously zoned exclusively for single-family zoning.

Bloomington's website for the UDO update includes a lot of information about the status of the process, recent amendments, and remaining steps for full adoption and implementation.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019 in Hoosier Times

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