Tom Micuda, Planning Director for the City of Bloomington, gave a presentation on the city's development review process for the 2012 Inter-City Visit to Bloomington, IN.

1. Bloomington’s
Development Review
Process

2. Speed of Process
 Process has always been fast
 In 1990s, Plan Commission meetings
3 weeks apart. In spring, sometimes 2
weeks apart.
 1990s – Typical processing time for
zoned development – 30-40 days;
rezoning – 90-120 days

3. Predictability of Process
 1980s/early 1990s – process
extremely unpredictable
– Environmental Commission
– Outdated ordinance/comprehensive plan
– Staff overwhelmed; didn’t coordinate with
other departments
– Result: Large number of rezoning cases
for suburban residential development;
industrial/commercial upzones

4. Steps to become more
predictable
 1991 comprehensive plan
 1993 Environmental Review Coordinator
 1995 zoning ordinance
– Plat Committee for subdivisions
– Hearing Officer for simple variances
– Overlay zoning for density instead of PUDs
– Staff delegation for PUD final plans
 1998 – Overhauled Development Review
Process – hired consultant

5. 1998 Changes
 Development Review Committee
 Development Review Schedule
– 40 days for zoned property
– Plan Commission meetings 4-5 weeks
apart
– Rezoning cases – 120 days

6. 2002 Comprehensive
Plan/2007 UDO
 Architectural standards for downtown development
(no design review committee)
 Plan Commission review limited to:
– Downtown
– Large residential; nonresidential site plans
– Projects near SR3
– Use Variance recommendations; rezonings
 Council – Right-of-way vacations; rezoning; PUDs
 Most code deviations handled by Plan
Commission/BZA

7. How Bloomington’s process
became more predictable
 Objectively evaluated development review
process – DRC
 Limited interest group involvement
(environmental, bike/ped, historic)
 Updated codes/comprehensive plan
 Extremely experienced development review
staff
 Just say ‘No’ to bad discretionary
development proposals

8. Form-Based Zoning
Code
 Bloomington doesn’t have one; downtown
development code is essentially form-based
 Many core neighborhoods have been placed into
Conservation Districts with form-based guidelines
for construction
 Will be discussing form-based code with
comprehensive plan update
 Will likely be Bloomington’s next zoning code
 Doesn’t solve development review process
challenges