R3-B City Meeting July 23

Dear DGNA,

Many of us recently received an invitation to discuss R3-B zoning with the city on July 23. A copy of the invitation is attached.

This is an important discussion for Dimmitt’s Grove, and here’s why:

R-3B Multiple-Family Residence District The R-3B Residence District is intended to allow for increased neighborhood density through the development of small-lot single-family housing, townhomes, duplexes, and multifamily complexes, while being supportive of the overall historic character of the neighborhoods to which it is applied and the preservation of historic structures. The district allows for a maximum density of seventy (70) dwelling units per acre and may be applied to areas best suited for such intense residential usage, principally on the fringes of the Bloomington Central Business District. (emphasis added.)

Some of us are in R-3B now. The recently approved zoning code (March 2019) establishes a downtown district and expands R-3B, especially into the SW neighborhoods near downtown. The argument was successfully made to the Planning Commission and Council that R-3B is not compatible with our older neighborhoods. It is especially not in sync with the Dimmitt’s Grove Neighborhood Plan, which describes us as a Preservation Neighborhood (a term that also needs to be defined and made meaningful.)  A handful of our homes are designated S-4 Historic, which protects the exterior from demolition, although this can be overturned by the Council at the request of a new property owner (this has happened more than once.)

Please see the attached for a set of illustrations that show the current and proposed R-3B zones and the impact of being an R-3B neighborhood.