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From YouTube: Council Minute March 22
Description
Mayor Tim Busse provides a recap of Monday’s important discussion about a proposed city code amendment that focuses on zoning and platting for single- and two-family homes and lots, franchise fees updates that fund the City’s Pavement Management Program and an update on Expo 2027.
A
Hello
Bloomington
I'm
mayor
Tim
Bussey,
and
this
is
the
council
minute
for
the
week
of
March
20th
on
Monday
night.
The
city
council
postponed
a
decision
on
a
proposed
city
code
amendment
that
would
have
updated
zoning
and
planning
standards
for
single
and
two
family
homes
and
lots
and
a
related,
comprehensive
plan
text
amendment
that
would
have
revised
what
low-density,
residential
and
medium
density
residential
actually
means.
We
heard
a
lot
of
feedback
from
residents
on
this
issue
and
the
council
had
a
very
good
discussion
and
we
ultimately
decided
that
the
conversation
needs
to
continue.
A
It's
a
conversation,
that's
happening
in
cities
across
Minnesota
and
across
the
country,
as
we
all
work
on
solutions
to
make
housing
that
people
can
afford
available
in
our
community.
We
spent
three
hours
talking
about
this
on
Monday
and
you're.
Certainly
welcome
to
watch
the
recording
if
you'd
like,
but
I'll
do
my
best
to
summarize
things
here.
A
Current
zoning
standards
don't
allow
single-family
homes
smaller
than
1040
square
feet,
and
two
family
dwellings
or
duplexes
must
be
at
least
960
square
feet
per
unit,
and
Zoning
also
requires
that
all
homes
must
have
a
minimum
of
two
garage
stalls
per
unit.
Now
that
wasn't
always
the
case,
you
don't
have
to
look
very
hard
to
see
smaller
homes
that
were
built
here
in
Bloomington
prior
to
the
establishment
of
minimum
home
sizes.
These
homes
function
very
well,
they're
relatively
affordable,
and
they
do
a
good
job
of
meeting
the
needs
of
the
people
who
live
in
them.
A
A
Now,
of
course,
homeowners
would
have
still
been
allowed
to
build
much
larger
homes
and
garages,
but
the
Amendments.
Reducing
the
minimum
requirements
for
single
and
two
family
homes
would
provide
options
for
people
who
want
something
smaller,
something
more
affordable
and
something
that
better
fits
their
needs.
A
That
percentage
drops
off
dramatically
as
you
look
at
other
races
and
ethnicities,
and
only
about
27
percent
of
black
or
African-American
residents
own
their
own
homes,
in
Bloomington,
during
the
public
hearing
on
Monday
night
and
in
emails
that
I
receive
you
prior
to
the
meeting.
The
majority
of
people
who
spoke
up
were
opposed
to
the
proposed
changes.
They
talked
about
changing
the
nature
of
Bloomington
neighborhoods,
the
potential
impacts
on
wildlife
and
natural
areas
and
had
concerns
about
increased
on-street
parking
density
and
the
one-size-fits-all
nature
of
the
proposal.
A
Many
agreed
that
housing
is
a
significant
issue,
but
that
these
proposed
changes
didn't
seem
quite
right
for
Bloomington.
Ultimately,
a
majority
of
the
city
council
agreed
and
decided
to
continue
this
conversation
and
honestly,
this
doesn't
feel
like
we're,
simply
kicking
the
can
down
the
road.
This
notion
of
Equitable
infill
development
and
addressing
the
sizable
home
ownership
Gap
in
Bloomington
is
specifically
called
out
in
our
Bloomington
tomorrow.
A
Together
strategic
plan
on
Monday
night
I
heard
the
council's
commitment
to
doing
something
and
the
desire
to
look
at
this
issue
through
bloomington's,
always
creative
and
Innovative
lens
stay
tuned
on
Monday
night.
The
council
also
kicked
off
a
discussion
regarding
a
potential
increase
in
franchise
fees
in
Bloomington,
the
city
of
Bloomington
has
been
collecting
a
franchise
fee
on
electric
and
gas
utility
bills,
since
2016.
A
franchise
fees
have
been
a
sustainable
and
consistent
funding
source
for
our
enormously
successful
pavement
Management
program,
the
pavement
Management
program
or
the
PMP
is
the
work
we
do
to
keep
our
city
streets
and
trails
in
such
good
condition.
Lots
of
communities
don't
have
a
pavement
Management
program
and
you
can
really
see
the
difference.
This
time
of
year,
the
PMP
includes
Street
overlays,
seal
coating
and
sidewalk,
and
Trail
construction
and
maintenance
Bloomington
started
collecting
franchise
fees
back
in
2016.
The
plan
was
to
look
at
a
possible
increase
in
2021.
A
because
of
covid.
We
delayed
that
scheduled
increase
to
2022
and
we're
now
starting
the
process
of
an
increase
in
franchise
fees
to
continue
funding
a
portion
of
the
PMP.
The
proposed
increase
is
an
additional
1.35
cents
for
each
month
for
residential
units,
which
would
bring
the
total
to
5.95
for
both
Electric
and
Gas
Utilities
and,
as
I
said,
that
money
goes
specifically
to
the
construction
and
maintenance
of
our
341
miles
of
streets,
our
210
miles
of
concrete
sidewalks
and
our
43
miles
of
trails
in
Bloomington.
A
As
always,
we
want
to
hear
what
you
think
there's
a
let's
talk,
Bloomington
Page
open
on
this
topic.
A
public
open
house
is
scheduled
for
April
13th
and
will
have
a
public
hearing
at
our
May
1st
council
meeting
more
details
are
available
on
the
City
website.
Finally,
today
last
week
we
learned
that
Governor
Tim
Walls
included
10
million
dollars
in
his
2024
supplemental
budget
to
support
Minnesota's
efforts
related
to
Expo
2027..
It's
big
news
for
a
couple
of
reasons.
A
It
shows
once
again
that
the
state
of
Minnesota
is
fully
committed
to
the
Expo
and
the
significant
financial
backing
helps
with
the
very
practical
challenge
of
moving
the
bid
process
forward.
You've
heard
me
say
many
times
before:
Expo
2027
is
an
independent,
not-for-profit
501c3
organization,
with
its
own
board
of
directors,
its
own
leadership
and
its
own
fundraising
apparatus
Bloomington
would
be
the
host
City
and
we're
working
very
closely
with
the
bit
committee.
But
this
is
not
a
city
of
Bloomington
or
a
Bloomington
Port
Authority
bid.
A
A
The
challenge
is
that
if
Bloomington
is
chosen
to
host
the
Expo,
work
will
need
to
start
this
summer.
Long
before
any
budgeted
Revenue
comes
in
the
10
million
dollars
is
contingent
on
Bloomington
winning
the
Expo
bid
and
would
be
used
for
things
like
finalizing
the
Expo
dossier,
development
planning
and
coordination,
infrastructure,
design
and
planning
and
Staffing.
A
In
addition
to
being
part
of
the
governor's
supplemental
budget,
there's
also
legislation
moving
through
both
the
Minnesota
Senate
and
the
Minnesota
house
in
support
of
the
funding.
Earlier
this
month,
city
manager,
Jamie,
vibrugi
and
I
testified
in
the
Senate
jobs
and
economic
development
committee
and
in
front
of
the
house
Economic
Development
finance
and
policy
committee.
For
most
legislators.
A
This
was
their
first
opportunity
to
ask
questions
and
learn
more
about
the
Expo
and
I
think
it's
fair
to
say
that
legislators,
from
both
parties
and
from
both
the
metro
and
greater
Minnesota,
were
very
interested
in
the
Expo
and
spoke
generally
in
favor
of
the
event,
thanks
to
Senator
Melissa,
Wickland
and
representative
Nathan
Coulter
for
sponsoring
these
bills.
That
will
do
it
for
this
week's
Council
minute,
thanks
so
very
much
for
joining
me
until
next
time.
Stay
safe,
Bloomington,.