How to Voice Your Opposition to Bloomington’s Upzoning

Squawk. Loudly.

The upzoning measure was, fundamentally, the work of former Mayor John Hamilton. Bloomington’s new Mayor, Kerry Thomson, opposed the upzoning. Contact her directly to thank her for that stance, and express your opposition to any renewed effort to forcibly densify the city (especially in its core).

Mayor Kerry Thomson
401 N Morton St
Suite 210
Bloomington IN 47404
tel: 812-349-3406
mayor@bloomington.in.gov

The city’s Planning & Transportation Department drew up the zoning map and promoted the proposed text amendments that imposed upzoning on the neighborhoods. The P&T staff can be contacted directly. Key contact is:

Jacqueline Scanlan
Interim Director
812-349-3423
scanlanj@bloomington.in.gov

Bloomington’s City Council had the final say on upzoning. It was a close vote, but several of the Council’s main supporters of the upzoning were re-elected in 2023, and some of the new faces on the Council appear inclined to be sympathetic towards further densification. We’ll see.

District	Member	Email	Vote on Upzoning
1	Isabel Piedmont-Smith	piedmoni@bloomington.in.gov	Yes
2	Kate Rosenbarger	kate.rosenbarger@bloomington.in.gov	Yes
3	Hopi Stosberg	hopi.stosberg@bloomington.in.gov	n/a
4	Dave Rollo	rollod@bloomington.in.gov	No
5	Courtney Daily	courtney.daily@bloomington.in.gov	n/a
6	Sydney Zulich	sydney.zulich@bloomington.in.gov	n/a
AL	Isak Nti Asare	isak.asare@bloomington.in.gov	n/a
AL	Matt Flaherty	matt.flaherty@bloomington.in.gov	Yes
AL	Andy Ruff	ruffa@bloomington.in.gov	n/a

Four of the members are new to the Council and do not have voting records. Andy Ruff is a five-term former Council member, elected again in 2023. He opposed upzoning in 2019 and opposes further densification.

Let Council members know how you feel about the upzoning. Six members of the Council represent geographic districts — the member representing your district is the one most accountable to you. Use this interactive map, or click on the district numbers in the table above, to determine who your district representative is, if you don’t already know.

There also are three At-Large members of the Council, who are accountable to everyone in Bloomington.

Council members hold constituent meetings. You’re welcome to attend (especially those of your own district rep and the At-Large members) and make your feelings known. Email them directly as well.

You also can (and should) express yourself in a Letter to the Editor. Bloomington’s newspaper of record (despite its recent, sad decline) is the Herald-Times. Follow this link to submit a letter (up to 200 words).