How to Voice Your Opposition to Bloomington’s Upzoning

Squawk. Loudly.

The upzoning measure was, fundamentally, the Mayor’s. Contact him directly to let him know you think it was a terrible idea.

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

While you’re at it, express your opposition to former Deputy Mayor Donald Griffin, who is now a candidate for Mayor in the 2023 Democratic Primary.

info@griffinformayor.org
Phone (812) 727-3959

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 contacts are:

Scott Robinson
Director
812-349-3423
robinsos@bloomington.in.gov

Jacqueline Scanlan
Development Services Manager
812-349-3423
scanlanj@bloomington.in.gov

Bloomington’s City Council had the final say on upzoning.

District	Member	Email	Vote on Upzoning
1	Kate Rosenbarger	kate.rosenbarger@bloomington.in.gov	Yes
2	Sue Sgambelluri (2023 Council Pres.)	sue.sgambelluri@bloomington.in.gov	No
3	Ron Smith*	ron.smith@bloomington.in.gov	No
4	Dave Rollo	rollod@bloomington.in.gov	No
5	Isabel Piedmont-Smith	piedmoni@bloomington.in.gov	Yes
6	Steve Volan	volans@bloomington.in.gov	Yes
AL	Matt Flaherty	matt.flaherty@bloomington.in.gov	Yes
AL	Jim Sims	simsji@bloomington.in.gov	Yes
AL	Susan Sandberg	sandbers@bloomington.in.gov	No

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 and will be until the next Council is sworn in in January 2024, if you don’t already know.

Note: The City Council Districts have been redrawn and Council Reps will be elected in reshaped districts in 2023. Here’s the new map.

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

The next election is in 2023. If you object to the upzoning, tell your council members that upzoning will be the one dominant issue in that election; that the May 2023 Democratic primary will be competitive and that all incumbents should expect a challenge from Dissident Democrats, whose supporters will remember which of our elected officials in Bloomington and Monroe County supported upzoning, and which ones opposed it, and will vote accordingly.

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).