Bloomington City Council Meeting – August 31, 2026
Bloomington City Council Meeting – August 31, 2026
The Bloomington City Council met on Monday, August 31, 2026, beginning with the Pledge of Allegiance and presentations before moving through a consent agenda, public hearings, general business, and a closed session. Key actions included approvals of new officer swearing-in, a Three Rivers Park District partnership update, a controversial townhome rezoning, and ordinances for surplus property donation and unclaimed money.
Consent Calendar
- Items 3.1–3.15 and 3.17–3.20 were approved unanimously (7-0) with one item (3.4) held for separate comment and vote (also approved 7-0). Item 3.16 (surplus equipment donation policy) was moved to the business portion.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Listening session recap (Mayor): Seven residents addressed the council prior to the meeting:
- Matthew Hallett: Requested bike lanes on Humboldt Avenue.
- Sally Ness: Discussed a Smith Park shared use agreement.
- Chris Scanlan: Raised code enforcement concerns affecting her neighbor; council directed her to staff.
- John Minx: Asked about long-range planning and the Gateway District.
- Brian Emerson: Expressed concerns about the community health and wellness center construction.
- Pam Palmer: Suggested improvements to the neighborhood watch program, including mass email notifications.
- Andy Thule: Raised parking issues on Park Avenue.
- Public hearing (Item 4.2): No one testified in person or online.
Discussion Items
- Introductory Items:
- Public Safety Cadet Ambassadors Program: Officer Sam Davern introduced the program (formerly the Explorer program) for ages 14–20, noting 25 participants and recent competition awards. Three ambassadors (Thomas Atuma, Selma Joffrey, Yuri Vasquez Rubio) shared their backgrounds.
- Swearing-in of New Police Officers: Chief Booker Hodges administered the oath to seven officers (Jeremy Morrison, Justin Schwagert, Jack Fallen, Kevin McCabe, Nick Mulligan, John Tamborino, and one not named in transcript). The chief emphasized all officers had completed field training.
- New Employee Introduction: Ryan Solberg, housing development specialist, was introduced by Community Development Director Kim Bergen.
- Three Rivers Park District Partnership Update: Park Board Chair John Gibbs and Superintendent Bo Carlson reported:
- 16.5 million visits system-wide in 2026; 1.7 million at Hyland Bush Anderson Lakes Park Reserve.
- 39.7% increase in Bloomington regional facility visits from 2024 to 2025.
- Hyland Greens Golf Course: 24,000 rounds in 2025, targeting 25,000 in 2026; $800,000 revenue; new par hole, bunker renovation, and fence replacement along Normandale Drive planned.
- Beach improvements: shower towers, shade structures, paddle share program, ADA kayak launch, fishing docks.
- Bush Lake Beach Building remodel planned for 2027 (design underway).
- Natural resource management: 100 hazard trees removed; buckthorn removal with partners; aerial deer survey planned.
- New wayfinding signage system launching first at Hyland Bush Anderson.
- Councilmember Nelson asked about food/beverage options at the beach building, which Carlson confirmed would be a hybrid concession.
- Councilmember D'Alessandro requested deer survey results be shared and suggested aligning the beach building design with city standards; Carlson agreed to include city staff on the project team.
- Bloomsbern Village Townhomes (Item 4.1): This was a continuation from August 3, 2026, after council asked for revisions. Planner Liz O'Day presented modifications:
- Rezone 6 lots from R1 to R3; reduce density from 33 to 30 units (10.9 units/acre); increase side yard setbacks from 10 to 19 and 15 feet; increase open space by 14.4%; reduce building height to 39'4".
- Councilmember Rivas expressed concerns about neighborhood notification, traffic (bus stop on 86th Street), and construction phasing. Developer Dean Devolas stated they would coordinate with Metro Transit to maintain bus service.
- Councilmember Robertson supported the project; Councilmember D'Alessandro praised the compromises but urged better city communication to residents about density planning.
- Mayor discussed lessons learned: residents should have earlier notice of zoning potential when buying homes.
- Councilmember Carter suggested the three affordable units (OHO) be designated for ownership; applicant clarified they intended ownership for those units.
- Surplus Equipment Donation Policy (Item 3.16) and Ordinance (Item 4.2): Law Clerk Jackson Snyder presented amendments to Chapter 5 of the city code to allow donation of surplus equipment to nonprofits and set a process for unclaimed money (90-day hold, then deposit into general fund; six-month reimbursement window). The policy was required before the ordinance could take effect.
- Councilmember D'Alessandro queried seized money handling; Snyder confirmed it applies after forfeiture procedures.
- The policy (3.16) was approved 7-0; the ordinance (4.2) was approved 7-0 after a public hearing with no testimony.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Agenda (3.1–3.15, 3.17–3.20): Approved 7-0.
- Item 3.4: Approved 7-0 (Councilmember D'Alessandro's separate comment).
- Item 4.1 – Bloomsbern Village Townhomes:
- Rezone from R1 to R3: Approved 6-1 (Councilmember Rivas opposed).
- Summary publication: Approved 6-1 (Rivas opposed).
- Final site and building plans: Approved 6-1 (Rivas opposed).
- Preliminary and final plat: Approved 6-1 (Rivas opposed).
- Item 3.16 – Surplus Equipment Donation Policy: Approved 7-0.
- Item 4.2 – Code Amendment Ordinance: Approved 7-0; summary publication approved 7-0.
- Closed Session: Council met in closed session (attorney-client privilege) to discuss litigation strategies related to federal rulemaking. Upon reopening, they authorized the mayor, city manager, and city attorney to take actions consistent with the discussion (motion approved 7-0).
- Adjournment: Motion carried 7-0 at 9:21 PM.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening, everyone, and welcome. I will call our Bloomington City Council meeting to order. This is Monday, August 31st, 2026. Welcome to everybody joining us here in the council chambers, and welcome to everybody watching online. Thank you much for being here. We uh as part of our agenda this evening, we are going to be swearing in new police officers. So we thought it appropriate to start the meeting, uh, as we always do with our uh our the Pledge of Allegiance, but the presentation of colors by the Bloomington Honor Guard. And so we are going to do that to get us started. I'm going to turn it over to Deputy Chief Damon Bitney to call it, and we will be on our way. DC. Those are one, please stand. Officers, come to attention. Officers. Thank you all for that, and thank you to our honor guard. It's always a great way to start uh a council meeting, I think, to have that take place. And we see there have been so many places around the community. And so extend our thanks to them if you could, Deputy Chief, because they do outstanding work. We are deeply appreciative of it. Council, uh first item of business tonight is the approval of our agenda. And on our agenda, under item two, our introductory items, we have four items. First will be the introduction of our public safety cadet ambassadors program with an overview of the program as well. Item two point two is the main event that I think most people are here for this evening, the swearing in of our new Bloomington police officers. Item 2.3, we will have introduction of new Bloomington City employees. And item two point four, we're gonna have an update on our Three Rivers Park District Partnership. Three Rivers and the City of Bloomington have worked together for years, and it's a wonderful partnership, and we're gonna get an update uh from a couple of uh the representatives from the Three Rivers Park District. Our consent agenda is a bit beefy. We've got I think 19 items on it, and Councilmember Dalessandro has our consent business this evening. Item four is our hearings resolutions and ordinances. Item 4.1 is the Bloomshire Village Town Homes rezoning uh FSBP and the plating and so on. Uh what I would like to do if I could, Council, at the request of uh Councilmember Rivas and I believe Councilmember Dalessandro also. If we can move item 3.16, uh excuse me, three point, yeah, 3.16. That's the award of 2026 803 West 90th Street retaining wall project. If we can move that and let that become item 4.2, just as an information item, because that feeds into item four point what then would become 4.3, which is a public hearing regarding the city code amendment for the donation of surplus city property and disposition of abandoned or unclaimed property. We're good with that. Mr. Mayor, just put point of clarification. 3.16 on our agenda is the approval of the surplus equipment donation policy itself, and that that's why we're asking them to be co-located. So that's the 3.16. My apologies. No, no worries. And I know we've the numbers messed up or mixed up because of the the item that is the approval of surplus equipment donation policy. I think we lost 3.12, I believe. So that will be that will be the one move down to as item 4.2. Thank you for the clarification, Councilmember. I appreciate it. Thank you. And then item 4.2, our public hearing for the city code amendment for the donation of surplus city property and disposition of abandoned or unclaimed property. So very good. And then uh we move on to item five, which is our organizational business. We have uh a closed meeting this evening, which would be item 5.1.
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