Common Council Committee/Deliberation Meeting

Bloomington Common Council-Special Session Minutes Council Chambers, City Hall, 401 N. Morton Street, Bloomington, Indiana Wednesday, September 10, 2025, 6:30pm CALL TO ORDER [6:31pm] Council President Stosberg called the meeting to order. 1. ROLL CALL (* indicates participation via Zoom) [6:31pm] Councilmembers present: Isak Nti Asare At-Large Courtney Daily (absent) District 5, Council Parliamentarian Matt Flaherty At-Large Isabel Piedmont-Smith District 1, Council Vice President Dave Rollo* District 4 Kate Rosenbarger District 2 Andy Ruff At-Large Hopi Stosberg District 3, Council President Sydney Zulich District 6 City staff, officials, and guests present: Susan Stoll Deputy Clerk Lisa Lehner Council Attorney Kari Bennett Deputy Administrator/Attorney Christine Chang Temporary Council Researcher Jamie Kreindler Planning & Transportation, Senior Zoning Planner David Brantez P&T, Zoning Planner and GIS Analyst Katie Gandhi P&T, MPO Transportation Planner Anna Killion-Hansen Housing and Neighborhood Development, Director Joy Brown P&T, Zoning Compliance Planner Joe Patterson P&T, Zoning & Long Range Planner Gabriel Holbrow P&T, Zoning Planner 2. AGENDA SUMMATION [6:35pm] Stosberg summarized the agenda. 3. INTRODUCTION [6:35pm] Stosberg introduced the meeting as the first of two deliberation sessions focused on housing needs in Bloomington. The purpose of the meeting was to better understand community needs based on personal experience within the housing market. 4. BREAKOUT GROUPS [6:40pm] Attendees broke out into seven small groups. A planning staff member and a councilmember facilitated discussion in each small group. 5. REPORTING AND DEBRIEFING [8:04pm] Attendees gathered back in Council Chambers for the large-group debrief. A representative from each group reported on their discussion. Jamie Kreindler, Group Three, reported that many participants stated that their housing needs were currently being met. Group members were interested in the idea of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). Zulich stated that Group Six had a variety of participants with similar ideals of housing, including affordability, walkability, and amenities. The group questioned the ability to build and sell Meeting Date: September 10, 2025 property with ADUs. They felt that Bloomington needed middle-ground housing, and that homeowners who wanted to size down and first-time buyers were looking for the same type of housing. David Brantez, Group Two, reported that the group was majority homeowners, some of whom felt trapped in their current home due to home prices. The group strongly desired to live within the city and near amenities, and they were open to the idea of ADUs. Flaherty co-facilitated discussion for Group Seven, reporting that the group was majority homeowners who felt that housing was meeting their needs. Positive discussion on housing centered on attendees’ neighborhoods. Flaherty stated that many participants expressed desire for safety and mixed-use neighborhoods with walkable amenities including trails, community centers, etc. The group had mixed support for ADUs and short-term rentals. Asare reported for Group Four, emphasizing affordability. He stated that the group discussed a diversity of topics, including short-term rentals, safety, density, policy tools. Some advocated for stronger partnerships with the city, Indiana University, and Ellettsville. Ruff and Anna Killion-Hansen, reporting for Group Five, stated that most owners of smaller homes said that their housing was meeting their needs. Some owners of larger homes wanted to downsize, but felt they were unable to due to interest rates. Both renters and owners liked walkable and diverse neighborhoods. Some expressed interest in the inclusion of ADUs in their lots, and the group as a whole disapproved of short-term rentals. Group One’s discussion, reported by Katie Gandhi and Piedmont-Smith, included housing policy on non-core neighborhoods, renting versus owning, and support for porches. Stosberg invited participants to share any further thoughts. Several participants made suggestions but did not give their names. Suggested ideas included condo/cooperative living associations; for the city, county, and the university to collaborate on housing; for a cultural study of Bloomington’s economics; and retention of young Bloomington residents. Stosberg stated that the November 12, 2025 meeting would be the second part of the conversation with potential policy change proposals. 6. ADJOURNMENT [8:39pm] Stosberg adjourned the meeting. APPROVED by the Common Council of the City of Bloomington, Monroe County, Indiana, upon this 03 ________ day of December __________________________________________, 2025. APPROVE: ATTEST: __________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ Hopi Stosberg, COUNCIL PRESIDENT City Clerk Nicole Bolden Clerk’s Note: The above memorandum summarizes the motions passed and issues discussed rather than providing a verbatim account of every word spoken. Bloomington City Council meetings can be watched on the following websites:  Community Action Television Services (CATS) – https://catvstv.net  YouTube – https://youtube.com/@citybloomington Background materials and packets are available at https://bloomington.in.gov/council -2-