Again denied: Bloomington BPW rejects resident’s appeal of citation, OKs cleanup order

On Tuesday night, Bloomington’s board of public works denied the appeal by Joe Davis for a citation by the city—for what the city staff considers to be violations of the health and sanitation parts of city code (Title 6) at his South Washington Street property.

In a separate action, the three-member board granted the request from the city’s housing and neighborhood development (HAND) department for a continuous abatement of Davis’s property. That means that the city can come onto the property and put it into a condition that the city believes is compliant with local code.

After Tuesday’s meeting, Davis told The B Square that he intends to challenge the board’s decisions in the Monroe County circuit court.

Davis has experience with that kind of legal challenge. He represented himself in connection with a previous abatement order, which the city started to enforce in the second week of August.  For that order, Davis did not prevail in his court action, but did run out the clock on the city’s abatement order, which expired on Aug. 11.

This week’s action by the board of public works follows last week’s decision by the city’s board of zoning appeals (BZA), to deny Davis’s appeal of a different citation—for backyard parking and storage (Title 20).

Davis told The B Square he will also challenge the BZA’s decision in circuit court.

On Davis’s property various materials and artifacts are visible, which the city concludes are a violation of local code. B Square photographs of the property are included below.
Continue reading “Again denied: Bloomington BPW rejects resident’s appeal of citation, OKs cleanup order”

Flood damaged Bloomington fire station gets $4.5M in construction contracts OK’d for major renovation

For the last two and a half years, Bloomington’s main fire station on 4th Street has sat unused for fire operations.  That’s because it was damaged in the flood of June 2021.

But construction work on the existing 4th Street station, to put Station 1 back into service, is set to start on Dec. 1.

About $4.5 million in construction contracts for the work was approved by Bloomington’s board of public works at its regular Tuesday meeting.

In an email responding to a B Square question, fire chief Jason Moore called the work “a much needed public safety project that has been in the works since the flood in 2021.”

Serving as a temporary downtown fire station for the last two and a half years has been the former Bunger & Robertson building at 4th and College, which was outfitted with a temporary structure that serves as a firetruck bay. Continue reading “Flood damaged Bloomington fire station gets $4.5M in construction contracts OK’d for major renovation”

Mayoral transition: Bloomington boards have upcoming vacancies, to be filled by city executive

In an open letter dated Nov. 9,  mayor-elect Kerry Thomson made a clarion call to Bloomington residents for them to participate in city government.

people sitting around a table with two empty chairs
This art was generated by https://www.bing.com/images/create/

Thomson wrote to residents that her administration would “make it easy for them to participate in their government.”

She added: “That starts now—with you.”

Cited in Thomson’s letter as a path to participation is service on a board or commission, through a mayoral appointment.

She invites residents to apply for an seat on a board or commission

Appointments to boards and commissions also get a mention in a Nov. 14 letter that Thomson sent to current Bloomington mayor John Hamilton.

Thomson includes such appointments in the decisions that she asks Hamilton to refrain from making in his remaining time in office (emphasis in original): “Such decisions would include, but not be limited to, signing new or extensions of contracts, purchasing or conveying property, and making future board and commission appointments.”

Most board and commission terms go through Dec. 31 or Jan. 1, which means several naturally-occurring vacancies will need to be filled. For example, two of the five mayoral appointments to the plan commission end on Jan. 1, 2023.

At least some of the mayor-appointed members of boards and commissions are described explicitly in local law as serving “at the pleasure” of the mayor—like members of the board of public works or the board of public safety.

Seats on those two boards do not have specified term lengths. There’s not a natural point in time for a mayor to swap out one of those board members, by choosing not to re-appoint them.

The request about appointments in Thomson’s letter to Hamilton is not confined to just those board members that are explicitly described in the law as serving “at the pleasure” of the mayor. Continue reading “Mayoral transition: Bloomington boards have upcoming vacancies, to be filled by city executive”

Bloomington BZA denies resident’s appeal of citation for backyard parking, storage violations

Parked in Joe Davis’s backyard at 530 S. Washington Street are three vehicles and a trailer that have various materials stacked on them. Stacked outside in other places in the backyard, and on Davis’s front porch, are more materials.

The city of Bloomington contends that the conditions at 530 South Washington violate two parts of city zoning code—one about parking on unimproved surfaces and another about outside storage.

The city sent Davis warnings in August of 2021 and October of 2022, which had compliance deadlines that the city considers unmet. So in mid-August of this year, the city’s planning and transportation department issued a notice of violation with fines totaling $7,650.

Davis appealed the notice of violation.  But on Thursday night, Bloomington’s board of zoning appeals (BZA) upheld the notice.

Within the city’s process, that ends the options for Davis to appeal. But in the Monroe County circuit court, he could appeal the notice and the amount of the fine.

Related to the same conditions on his property, Davis is scheduled to appear next Tuesday in front of the board of public works, to appeal a notice of violation for a different part of city code, which deals with health and sanitation. The city’s housing and neighborhood development (HAND) department is also asking the board to approve a continuous abatement order. Continue reading “Bloomington BZA denies resident’s appeal of citation for backyard parking, storage violations”

After outcry, Bloomington gateway plan paused, now open for redesign, sidewalk gap to be filled

A controversial gateway project for the north end of Bloomington’s Miller-Showers Park has been paused for a wide-open reconsideration of the design.

Any installation of a redesigned gateway element would not come until 2024.

But in connection with the site improvements in the vicinity, a planned filling of a sidewalk gap on College Avenue in front of the former Steak n’ Shake will be completed in the coming weeks.

That’s all based on a news release issued by the city of Bloomington mid-afternoon on Friday. Continue reading “After outcry, Bloomington gateway plan paused, now open for redesign, sidewalk gap to be filled”

Two kinds of code, zoning vs. garbage: Bloomington man’s appeal of zoning citation set for this week

At least as far back as 2021, South Washington Street property owner and resident Joe Davis has been cited by the city of Bloomington for violations of city code.

There are two basic kinds of violation for which the city has cited Davis. One kind are  citations under Title 6, for “garbage” that the city contends Davis has placed on his property. The other kind are citations under Title 20, for violations of the zoning code, which involves outdoor storage and backyard parking.

It’s the citations for Title 20 zoning code violations that Davis will be appealing on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. in front of Bloomington’s board of zoning appeals (BZA).

Davis’s appeal of the Title 6 citations was postponed last week by Bloomington’s board of public works. The Title 6 appeal will be back on the board of public works agenda for Oct. 24.

Continue reading “Two kinds of code, zoning vs. garbage: Bloomington man’s appeal of zoning citation set for this week”

Bloomington board: No action on ‘garbage’, or gateway, or Griffin Realty services for police HQ sale

After two and a half hours on Tuesday night, Bloomington’s board of public works adjourned its meeting without acting on three controversial agenda items.

The items involved: the Miller-Showers gateway project; a professional services agreement with Griffin Realty in connection with the sale of the 3rd Street police station; and the city’s enforcement of city code against “garbage,” which it says Joe Davis is keeping on his South Washington Street property. Continue reading “Bloomington board: No action on ‘garbage’, or gateway, or Griffin Realty services for police HQ sale”

Bloomington offers police station for sale at minimum price of $3.2M

Bloomington’s current police station on 3rd Street is now officially up for sale—for a minimum of $3.2 million.

Bids for the property can be made starting on Oct. 13, through Dec. 12.

Approving the notice for sale at its Tuesday night meeting was Bloomington’s board of public works.

Deputy mayor Larry Allen was on hand at Tuesday’s meeting. He confirmed that any eventual actual sale of the property would require the approval of Bloomington’s city council. Continue reading “Bloomington offers police station for sale at minimum price of $3.2M”

Bloomington gateway delayed again by board of public works

After Tuesday’s meeting of Bloomington’s board of public works, it’s now not clear when work will start on the installation of a new gateway monolith at the north end of Miller-Showers Park.

In connection with the monolith, public infrastructure improvements are planned in the general vicinity of College Avenue and Old 37.

And those public infrastructure improvements require closure of sidewalks and street lanes—for nearly three months, from Sept. 27 to Dec. 22.

But for the second time in as many meetings, on Tuesday night, Bloomington’s board of public works declined to give permission for the closure of public right-of-way in the area, to allow for the infrastructure improvements.

Based on the response from board members to questions from The B Square immediately following the meeting, it’s not clear if the item will return to the agenda for the board’s next meeting, which is currently set for Oct. 10.

The project has received widespread and fairly uniform criticism, based on its cost and its design aesthetics. Continue reading “Bloomington gateway delayed again by board of public works”

Delayed by Bloomington board: Right-of-way closures for Miller-Showers city gateway construction

In a change of plans, over the next few days, Reed & Sons Construction will not be starting onsite preparations for various improvements at the north end of Miller-Showers Park.

The scheduled work is supposed to include a 40-foot tall gateway monument costing about $400,000. The monolith features the word “Bloomington” in all caps inscribed vertically from top to bottom.

What delayed the parks department project was a decision made by Bloomington’s board of public works at its Tuesday night meeting.

In the area of College Avenue and Old 37, Reed & Sons had requested temporary sidewalk and lane closures, with proposed pedestrian detours, in order to make the construction work possible.

But the board voted to put off approval of those right-of-way closures.

Continue reading “Delayed by Bloomington board: Right-of-way closures for Miller-Showers city gateway construction”