By: Diane Benjamin
There was only one Public Comment – Marty Seigel. She spoke about local zoning policy. She is against the local “pack’m and stack’m” policy that has been promoted across the country for at least a decade. There is no proof housing becomes more affordable by encouraging developers to build infill apartment buildings. Just hit play to hear her comment, she ran out of time to finish it:
One thing packing people into apartments does do is eliminate generational wealth and make people more dependent on government.
By buying the Owens Nursery property that 34+ acres is removed from the tax roles. For 2023 that tax was $61,419.96. Bloomington taxpayers will need to pay a little more to compensate since government can never make cuts to their spending like normal people are forced to do. https://mcleanil.devnetwedge.com/parcel/view/2115226017/2023
City Manager Jeff Jurgens reported that tent city is down to around 20 people. They are still working on relocating them. He’s meeting with a small group trying to find more shelter locations.
Tailgate and Tallboys this Thursday through Sunday is expected to have 60,000+ in attendance everyday. That is HUGE.
Even though City Manager Jeff Jurgens is sitting right next to Mboka, the mayor continues to mistakenly call Jurgens Gleason. See 22:40. Maybe he’s nervous around Jeff.
See 40:00. Jeff Jurgens says the City is rolling out a new website that is a one stop shop for housing developers. It will also include incentives. It is called Building Bloomington: https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/business/economic-development/you-belong-in-bloomington/building-bloomington
There is a housing symposium today to discuss barriers to housing and ways to overcome them. Maybe Bloomington can become a bank charging low interest rates. That would of course be a disaster.
Seen the greenhouses still on the Owens property? The City wants to grow their own flowers/plants for parks, trails, etc. They could partner with others, like ISU, that already have growing programs.
Right now they buy many from Niepagan’s. Sorry Niepagan.
All of the above and the previous story was covered in around 1/2 hour.
A Ward 1 candidate is badly needed. You at least deserve someone who respects this country and its flag. Jenna Kearns doesn’t.
Interested, email me. I can direct you to the right people. blnnews@blnnewsnow
https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/90/638185355877570000
This should be the link to the Ward 1 map. We definitely need a common sense candidate to run in Ward 1!
Jenna is not a good representation of Ward 1. We do need to get rid of her…sooner than later. Reminds me of Jen Carillo.