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Dave Askins

Dave Askins

Bloomington, Indiana

Dave Askins is editor and publisher of The B Square Bulletin. A Hoosier native with a background in math and linguistics, he previously co-founded the Ann Arbor Chronicle with his wife, Mary Morgan.

Duplexes get some “guardrails” from Bloomington city council, more could follow

Duplexes get some “guardrails” from Bloomington city council, more could follow

After voting unanimously the previous night to allow duplexes as a conditional use in Bloomington’s central residential districts, on Thursday Bloomington’s city council added some additional constraints on duplexes. The “guardrails” that are included in Amendment 03 to Ordinance 21-23 are meant to allay the concern that single-family

On 9–0 vote Bloomington dials down duplexes from permitted to conditional use

On 9–0 vote Bloomington dials down duplexes from permitted to conditional use

Duplexes will not be a permitted (by-right) use in Bloomington’s central residential districts. But they will still be allowed, as a conditional use. That’s the outcome of Wednesday’s continuation of a city council special session that started on Tuesday. On Wednesday, councilmembers voted unanimously to amend Ordinance

Bloomington now wants parking tickets paid before towed cars get returned, residential neighborhood permit failure now subject to fine

Bloomington now wants parking tickets paid before towed cars get returned, residential neighborhood permit failure now subject to fine

People who park their cars in the city of Bloomington can now accumulate two extra unpaid parking tickets before their car gets towed. But the increase in the towing threshold, from four to six unpaid citations, comes with a tradeoff. The ordinance requires the car owner to pay off all

City council: Duplexes won’t be disallowed in Bloomington’s central residential areas

City council: Duplexes won’t be disallowed in Bloomington’s central residential areas

An ordinance that would change Bloomington’s basic law on land use, so that duplexes would be permitted (aka “by right”) in central residential areas, has survived a proposed amendment that would have disallowed duplexes there. At a special session of the city council on Tuesday, Amendment 01 to Ordinance

Monroe County preps for veto override of new law imposing new requirements for local health orders

Monroe County preps for veto override of new law imposing new requirements for local health orders

A new law (SEA 05) recently enacted by Indiana’s legislature imposes additional requirements for local health orders to go into effect, if they are more restrictive than an order from the governor. On Tuesday, governor Eric Holcomb vetoed the law, saying, “I am vetoing SEA 5 because I believe

Bloomington neighborhood grant approvals delayed to comply with Indiana’s Open Door Law

Bloomington neighborhood grant approvals delayed to comply with Indiana’s Open Door Law

On the Bloomington redevelopment commission’s (RDC’s) Monday agenda was an item to approve $27,000 in grant awards to seven different neighborhoods. The grants have been made annually since 1998, and can pay for a range of projects: neighborhood entrance signs and street sign toppers; restoration of historic

906-bedroom project for former Kmart site to get Bloomington plan commission review

906-bedroom project for former Kmart site to get Bloomington plan commission review

Queued up for possible inclusion on the Bloomington plan commission’s May 10 agenda is a proposal to redevelop the former Kmart site on the south side of 3rd Street in the College Mall area. The proposal from Trinitas, called The District at Latimer Square, would leave the Bloomingfoods grocery