By: Diane Benjamin
8 of the 9 aldermen heard an hour and a half recap of the proposed zoning changes last night. David Sage was absent, of course with no explanation. Most people don’t need to listen to 1 1/2 hours, it got much more interesting when the alderman got to ask questions. To hear that, just hit play below.
The presentation began with a proclamation that these changes are based on what was heard during to “award winning” Bring It On Bloomington survey in 2014. It doesn’t take into account that much has changed in Bloomington since 2014.
The speaker left out the Bring It On Bloomington was a flop! The McLean County Regional Planning Commission wanted responses from 10% of the population, they got 1.5% – most of them coming from Ward 4. Details here: https://blnnews.com/2014/09/19/bring-it-on-bloomington-flops/
The failed Bring It On Bloomington was then used to create the Comprehensive Plan! The Comprehensive Plan was used to create the massive zoning changes.
When faulty data is used to begin the process, can the end result be anything but faulty?
Just for information, the same process was done with the Bike Master Plan. The McLean County Regional Planning Commission did a survey that evidently only Bike Blono members knew about. It is why taxpayers are now dodging non-existent bikes in the bike lanes.
If you want to hear how downtown is going to turn into a thriving destination, start at 58:00. It has to be walkable and mixed use. Law and accounting firms can’t be allowed at street level, they have to be on the second floor along with high density housing. It doesn’t mention how patrons of those firms, especially elderly and handicapped will get to the second floor. Do all those old buildings have working inspected elevators? The zoning ordinance doesn’t say how all the empty storefronts will suddenly sprout retail, restaurants, and entertainment establishments either. The speaker envisions a day when residents looking for something to do will say “Let’s go downtown”.
This plan will push service agencies out of downtown, especially where parking is limited. Forcing cars into parking garages is a failed strategy, especially in January.
Own a parking lot anywhere in Bloomington? For now you will be grandfathered in, but just wait into you want to resurface it. Landscaping will be required.
Meanwhile the CII East building at the gateway to downtown continues to prove a market doesn’t exist for what Bloomington it trying to create. It continues to grow weeds in the planter boxes and win my award for the ugliest building downtown. Buyers don’t appear to be rushing to buy the State Farm building either. A bus transfer station will surely fix everything! People riding the bus because they can’t afford a car will obviously reignite downtown. The Council keeps hoping a major grocery store wants to locate there.
I didn’t hear any mention of all the drunks downtown 2-3 nights a week. Bloomington can’t afford to turn away the sales tax. Their shenanigans have chased businesses out of downtown but they have created jobs power washing the sidewalks and police overtime.
Public hearing will be held, the Council plans to pass the massive rewrite in November. It’s all about control, government is so much smarter than you.
“We didn’t change it if we didn’t have to. We didn’t change it if it was working for you….We only changed it if we thought we could do it better.” Not completely verbatim but that is what the male speaker was saying in at about 23-24 minutes. So in other words, like the article leads,,,they think they’re smarter than us,,,when in reality they’re just another grifter selling the people a sham. Pure bovine excrement! Welcome to the socialist movement to bring in Agenda 21, redubbed 2035, complements of the United Nations rule. Let’s all be the same everywhere!
Another nail in the coffin for downtown. The zoning changes are going to make downtown less attractive for businesses.
Ironically their attention is VERY mis directed! Eastland mall is one step from “ghost town” status and their are STILL beating the downtown drum, while the cash cow is in the nettle patch! They WANT a NEW look and ideals for downtown? How about starting another landfill, as it looks like they’ll need it after this latest round, and we could name it “Taris Trash Terrain Overlook”
Basically the LAST great thing to happen to downtown was Nancy Sinatra! Meanwhile they want to THROW more money at it and revive it…. When rocks walk..
Spot on, Townie. Part of me thinks that the misdirection is on purpose. Tari and the Council have not, to my knowledge, publicly acknowledged the impact of State Farm and the decline of the local economy. This is likely for a few reasons, Tari and the Council… 1) have no solution; 2) believe acknowledging this would impede their ability, politically, to spend more money on Downtown and other boondoggles; and/or worry they’ll take the blame. It’s scary how blissfully unaware Tari and the Council are to the realities of what’s going on under their noses. Must be nice to live in an ivory tower.
The Mayor and City Council think they’re smarter than everyone else. At the end of the day, the market doesn’t care about ideology or what anyone thinks. The market is the market. It will expose these pompous elites just like the market has exposed Green Top, the Coliseum/Arena, BCPA, bike lanes, the list goes on. Meanwhile, the local economy continues to decline, as employers big and small are leaving town and/or paring down payroll as a result of layoffs and relos at State Farm. The future of Bloomington is a growth in the dependent class and government workers…the bread-and-butter of the Democrat party.
Wait a minute and think their alternative logic. What is wrong in our eyes is correct in theirs due to alternative visions. It’s purely “deceive to achieve.” The downfall of the economy, the downtown, is as always a transfer of wealth. Reasonable people understand that the current world wide economic realities are not going to contribute to filling magnificant old buildings downtown like State Farm, Commerce Bank, Montgomery Wards and more smaller buildings. Just think,,,,to be code compliant some might have to be razed. Developers pick up cheap properties through eminent domain.
The foolishniess that we see makes perfect sense to those who are on a seek and destroy mission for others gains. Putting that together as a campaign can defeat these people. Think about that.
And you can bet your property tax bill that any offers to buy those old buildings for redevelopment will be conditional upon the City paying the demolition and removal. Not a problem for Tari and company, since it’s not like it’s Their money…
you can bet the words “right fit” and incentive will be very prominent in this current fiasco! Also the words “tax increase” will be very prominent ! Putting a dress and lipstick on a pig never worked so why would a very expensive “zone” for downtown work any better. Telling lawyers where their offices will be will only lead to lawsuits against the city and lawyers fleeing the downtown area. People dont want decorations they want to be left alone to spend their monies as they see fit,not the way King Tari wants to see it. They might want to leave the lawyers/accountants alone because besides the bars & the homeless that is all downtown has left.