Bloomington-Normal Common Council Takes Up Carless Kirkwood, $6.8 Million Land Deal, and Power Shift Over Mayor’s Bills

The Bloomington Common Council is set to vote on three measures that could reshape downtown traffic, redirect millions in taxpayer money, and strip the mayor’s administration of its ability to introduce legislation without council approval.

The Wednesday, June 3 session at 6:30 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers carries stakes that extend far beyond typical local government business. Residents can watch in person at 401 N. Morton Street or stream live via Zoom and Community Action Television Services (CATS).

‘Carless Kirkwood’ Heads to Second Reading

Ordinance 2026-12 seeks to permanently close select blocks of East Kirkwood Avenue to motor vehicles every year from April 1 through November 15. The measure codifies a seasonal pedestrian zone that has existed in temporary form for years.

The ordinance designates three specific stretches under what the city calls “Schedule X”:

• East Kirkwood Avenue from South Walnut Street to 180 feet east of South Walnut Street
• East Kirkwood Avenue from South Grant Street to South Dunn Street
• East Kirkwood Avenue from South Dunn Street to South Indiana Avenue

Sponsors argue the formal closure gives businesses and residents long-term legal and economic predictability. The city engineer would retain the power to temporarily restore traffic during emergencies. Any vehicle traffic restoration lasting more than 90 cumulative days during the seasonal block would require explicit City Council approval.

“The measure will transition the area from incomplete solutions into a highly polished, accessible pedestrian third space,” sponsors said in the ordinance language.

The bill would allow city departments to build out permanent seating and ADA-compliant safety features that temporary configurations have historically blocked.

Council Softens Stance on $6.89 Million Convention Center Site

In a significant shift, the Common Council is issuing a formal letter to the Bloomington Redevelopment Commission (RDC) that changes its position on the downtown College Square site.

The city originally spent $6,895,000 to acquire the property. The council previously barred the RDC from turning over the land for a convention center hotel project unless it fully recouped that amount.

The new letter says the council is now willing to let the RDC dispose of the site for less than the original purchase price. The condition is that the community must secure “clear, substantial public benefits,” specifically highlighting the “preservation and/or provision of low-income housing.”

The council warned against a “simple land swap” for less valuable parcels to the south, calling it an illegal city subsidy. Lawmakers proposed swapping a portion of College Square for Capital Improvement Board (CIB)-held land of equal value.

The council also urged the RDC to look into proposals by Homes 4 All and the BDSA to safeguard and expand low-income housing and social spaces at nearby Seminary Square.

Lawmakers reaffirmed their opposition to throwing any “significant additional public funds” into the broader convention center layout.

New Rule Blocks Mayor From Introducing Bills Without Council Sponsor

Ordinance 2026-14, on first reading, would forbid the mayor’s administration from bringing ordinances or resolutions to the floor without securing an official Councilmember sponsor first.

Councilmember Isabel Piedmont-Smith (District 1) sponsored the bill through the Committee on Council Processes. She noted that executive bodies in the U.S. Congress, the Indiana General Assembly, and other major Indiana Class 2 cities like Evansville, Carmel, and Fishers all operate under legislative sponsorship mandates.

The measure follows several instances where the mayor’s administration brought bills to the floor with little advance context. Those include a 2025 towing fee dispute and a stormwater septic hauler rate hike that failed 0-7 after confusing council members.

“The goal of CM sponsorship is improved communication between the Mayor’s administration and members of the Council,” Piedmont-Smith wrote in a memo to her colleagues.

Deputy Mayor Gretchen Knapp raised concerns that the process would create a workflow burden. Piedmont-Smith dismissed those concerns. Annual budget legislation and standard municipal appropriation ordinances are exempt from the rule. If passed, the sponsorship requirement takes effect July 1, 2026.

Utility Loans and Annual Reports Also on Agenda

The council will also review:

• Ordinance 2026-13: A proposal allowing the City of Bloomington Waterworks and Sewerage Works utilities to establish internal cash reserve funds and execute loans directly between one another. The intra-utility loans would carry a strict 5-year repayment cap.
• The 2025 Commission on the Status of Women Annual Report and the 2025 Commission on Aging Annual Report, covering citywide engagement, local vendor markets, senior healthcare guides, and upcoming 2026 strategic public goals.

Public comment periods are set aside for topics not on the formal agenda. Residents may speak for up to three minutes. Those needing document accessibility assistance can contact the Common Council Office at 812-349-3409.