OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Bloomington City Council Meeting - September 29, 2025

City Council — Monday, September 29, 2025
BodyBloomington, Minnesota
SessionCity Council
DateMonday, September 29, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
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0:14

Good evening, everyone, and welcome.

0:15

I will call this Bloomington City Council meeting to order.

0:18

Tonight is Monday, September 29th, 2025.

0:20

Thank you all for joining us evening.

0:22

Thanks for joining us online and here in the council chambers.

0:25

We will start as we always do.

0:27

If you are able, please stand, remove any head coverings and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance.

0:33

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

0:38

And to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God into the liberty and justice for all.

0:53

Once again, welcome.

0:54

Thanks for joining us tonight.

0:56

Council, first up is to approve tonight's agenda.

0:59

And we have another full agenda this evening.

1:02

Under item two, our introductory items, we have three things.

1:06

We have a item 2.1 is a celebration for the 2025 Hatch Bloomington contest that we just completed here.

1:12

Item 2.2, a proclamation for disability employee awareness month.

1:17

And item 2.3, we will be introduced to a new employee in our public works department.

1:21

Our consent agenda item three has 22 items on it.

1:25

Councilmember Moo has our consent business tonight.

1:28

Under item four, our hearings resolutions and ordinances.

1:30

We have two public hearings.

1:32

Item 4.1 is a public hearing regarding the airport's study ordinance.

1:36

And item 4.2 is a public hearing regarding the vacation of public drainage, utilities, sidewalk, and bikeway easements over and across a um lot of one blockwood creekside center.

1:46

We'll get into the uh specific address when we get to that one.

1:49

So uh under our organizational business, four items under organizational business.

1:53

Item 5.1 is a study item regarding the commercial vehicles in residential districts.

1:58

That was on our agenda last time, and we didn't quite get to it because it got a little late.

2:02

Item five 5.2 is also a study item.

2:05

This regarding our annual miscellaneous issues ordinance.

2:08

Item 5.3, we are gonna get an update on mid.i-94 project two and uh uh information on a municipal consent request.

2:17

And item 5.4 an update on our priority-based budgeting process that's underway now.

2:22

We'll wrap up with item 5.5 as we always do our council policy and issue update.

2:27

Council, that is our proposed agenda for this evening.

2:30

Are there any corrections or anything else to add to tonight's agenda?

2:33

Hearing none, I would move that agenda as stated.

2:36

Second motion and a second by council member lohman to accept tonight's agenda as stated.

2:41

No further council discussion on this.

2:42

All those in favor, please signify by saying aye.

2:44

Aye.

2:45

Opposed.

2:45

Motion carries 70, and we have an agenda.

2:49

And first up on our agenda is item 2.1, our 2025 Hatch Bloomington celebration.

2:54

Sean, if you could kick us off, and then we'll get to the to the official celebration part of it.

3:00

All right, we're live.

3:04

Um waiting for my slides.

3:10

There we go.

3:12

So, Mr.

3:13

Mayor, City Council members, thank you for having me here tonight.

3:16

We are here to uh celebrate the winner of the 2025 Hatch Bloomington competition.

3:23

For those of you who are not um familiar.

3:28

Some slides coming up.

3:31

I can keep talking.

3:33

Uh Hatch Bloomington is a business retail pitch competition.

3:37

This is the second year that the city of Bloomington has sponsored this competition.

3:42

Uh last year we had Scrambling Egg, the fat the fast casual breakfast joint.

3:48

Uh it opened up recently, actually at the beginning of the 2025 competition.

3:53

And uh, I'd say it was a fairly fairly popular, um, successful uh endeavor.

3:59

Uh if you have not been to scrambling egg, I highly recommend it to everybody.

4:04

Uh year two kicked off uh in March of this year.

4:08

It has gone throughout the whole summer, and we recently had our final pitch round, and we have a winner.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Zoning Regulations██████████████████████████████████34%
Budget Equity Analysis██████████████14%
Procedural███████7%
Community Engagement███████7%
Transportation Safety███████7%
Arts And Culture██████6%
Disability Rights████4%
Economic Development███3%
Personnel Matters███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Bloomington City Council Meeting - September 29, 2025

The Bloomington City Council met on Monday, September 29, 2025. The meeting included the celebration of the 2025 Hatch Bloomington winner, a proclamation for Disability Employee Awareness Month, introduction of a new employee, approval of a corrected preliminary tax levy resolution, adoption of an airport parking study ordinance, and study items on commercial vehicles and miscellaneous ordinances. Updates were provided on the I-494 project and priority-based budgeting.

Consent Calendar

  • Items 3.2 through 3.22 were approved 7-0, with a noted typo correction on item 3.6.
  • Item 3.1 (resolution rescinding and reestablishing preliminary tax levies) was held for discussion and later passed 6-1 (Councilmember Rivas opposed).

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No public testimony was given during the public hearing for item 4.2 (vacation of easements).

Discussion Items

  • 2025 Hatch Bloomington Celebration: Staff presented results of the retail pitch competition. The winner was Book Mother, founded by Twilight Dang. Statistics: 50 applications, 35 complete, 20,000+ public votes, 189 media mentions reaching 240 million, $5 million earned media value. The mayor expressed pride in all participants.
  • Disability Employee Awareness Month Proclamation: The mayor read a proclamation declaring October 2025 as National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Maxine Pigos Illica and Ben Venar from the city's ERG spoke about the importance of inclusion. An event will be held October 31.
  • New Employee Introduction: Public Works introduced Callie Doden, a civil engineer working on drinking water and wastewater projects.
  • Item 3.1 – Preliminary Tax Levy: Councilmember Rivas held the item, requesting staff bring the levy down to a total of 9.8% including HRA and Port Authority levies. Councilmember Dalessandro noted these bodies set their own levies. The corrected resolution passed 6-1.
  • Item 4.1 – Airport Parking Study Ordinance: Three ordinance options were presented. The council adopted the staff recommended option that retains interim use permits for existing remote airport parking until August 2027 and continues negotiations with operators. Vote 5-2 (Councilmembers Moo and Rivas opposed). Summary publication passed 7-0.
  • Item 4.2 – Vacation of Easements: A public hearing was held with no speakers. The ordinance approving the vacation for the community health center site was adopted 7-0.
  • Item 5.1 – Commercial Vehicles in Residential Districts (Study): Staff presented data on current code and enforcement (280 violations in 2024, 141 for oversized trailers). Council provided feedback on height/length limits, vehicle quantities, and screening. No formal action; staff will draft an ordinance.
  • Item 5.2 – Miscellaneous Issues Ordinance (Study): Staff reviewed proposed language cleanup and policy changes (e.g., exterior lighting, mixed-use residential allowances, garage height limits, art structures). Council offered input on several items. No action taken; revised ordinances expected in November.
  • Item 5.3 – I-494 Project Phase 2 Update: MnDOT presented the project scope, schedule (2027-2030), and local cost share items. Council requested improved traffic management and communication with residents during construction. Municipal consent request scheduled for October 13.
  • Item 5.4 – Priority-Based Budgeting Update: Staff presented the scoring process (441 programs), impact matrix results, and emerging opportunities. Council discussed lessons learned, alignment with strategic plan, and future two-year budget cycles. Further details will come in October meetings.
  • Council Policy and Issue Update: Mayor reported on a gun violence forum and the upcoming tri-city mental health summit. Councilmember Carter raised concerns about Lake Normandale water quality and infrastructure. Councilmember Loman thanked staff for work on a compliance issue and the Newton Avenue community center.

Key Outcomes

  • Approved (7-0): Consent agenda items 3.2-3.22; vacation of easements (4.2); summary publication for airport ordinance.
  • Approved (6-1): Corrected preliminary tax levy resolution (3.1), with Councilmember Rivas opposed.
  • Approved (5-2): Airport parking ordinance adopting the IUP extension option (4.1), opposed by Councilmembers Moo and Rivas.
  • Study Items: No formal action on commercial vehicles (5.1) or miscellaneous issues (5.2); staff directed to return with draft ordinances.
  • Upcoming: Municipal consent for I-494 Phase 2 (Oct 13); budget deliberations continuing through December; PBB recommendations to follow.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening, everyone, and welcome. I will call this Bloomington City Council meeting to order. Tonight is Monday, September 29th, 2025. Thank you all for joining us evening. Thanks for joining us online and here in the council chambers. We will start as we always do. If you are able, please stand, remove any head coverings and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. And to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God into the liberty and justice for all. Once again, welcome. Thanks for joining us tonight. Council, first up is to approve tonight's agenda. And we have another full agenda this evening. Under item two, our introductory items, we have three things. We have a item 2.1 is a celebration for the 2025 Hatch Bloomington contest that we just completed here. Item 2.2, a proclamation for disability employee awareness month. And item 2.3, we will be introduced to a new employee in our public works department. Our consent agenda item three has 22 items on it. Councilmember Moo has our consent business tonight. Under item four, our hearings resolutions and ordinances. We have two public hearings. Item 4.1 is a public hearing regarding the airport's study ordinance. And item 4.2 is a public hearing regarding the vacation of public drainage, utilities, sidewalk, and bikeway easements over and across a um lot of one blockwood creekside center. We'll get into the uh specific address when we get to that one. So uh under our organizational business, four items under organizational business. Item 5.1 is a study item regarding the commercial vehicles in residential districts. That was on our agenda last time, and we didn't quite get to it because it got a little late. Item five 5.2 is also a study item. This regarding our annual miscellaneous issues ordinance. Item 5.3, we are gonna get an update on mid.i-94 project two and uh uh information on a municipal consent request. And item 5.4 an update on our priority-based budgeting process that's underway now. We'll wrap up with item 5.5 as we always do our council policy and issue update. Council, that is our proposed agenda for this evening. Are there any corrections or anything else to add to tonight's agenda? Hearing none, I would move that agenda as stated. Second motion and a second by council member lohman to accept tonight's agenda as stated. No further council discussion on this. All those in favor, please signify by saying aye. Aye. Opposed. Motion carries 70, and we have an agenda. And first up on our agenda is item 2.1, our 2025 Hatch Bloomington celebration. Sean, if you could kick us off, and then we'll get to the to the official celebration part of it. All right, we're live. Um waiting for my slides. There we go. So, Mr. Mayor, City Council members, thank you for having me here tonight. We are here to uh celebrate the winner of the 2025 Hatch Bloomington competition. For those of you who are not um familiar.

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