WEBVTT 00:00:01.026 --> 00:00:10.335 - All right, it's 530. I welcome everybody. I'd like to begin the Monroe County Planning Commission meeting 00:00:10.335 --> 00:00:19.204 - for Thursday, October 22nd, 2026. Let's go ahead with a roll call to make sure that we have a quorum 00:00:19.204 --> 00:00:28.249 - before we proceed. David Bush? Here. Margaret Clements? Here. Tronan Ray Randolph? Here. Scott Ferris? 00:00:28.249 --> 00:00:29.918 - Here. Rudy Fields? 00:00:31.042 --> 00:00:39.098 - David Henry here. Jeff Morris here. Julie Thomas here. Steve Bishop. Here OK, so we have eight members 00:00:39.098 --> 00:00:47.153 - voting members in a quorum in person and then one non voting member in person as well. OK, that brings 00:00:47.153 --> 00:00:55.678 - us to introduction of evidence. Please proceed. I'd like to introduce the following items into the evidence. 00:00:55.810 --> 00:01:01.811 - The Monroe County Development Ordinance as adopted and amended. The Monroe County Zoning Ordinance and 00:01:01.811 --> 00:01:07.754 - Subdivision Control Ordinance as adopted and amended. The Monroe County Comprehensive Plan as adopted 00:01:07.754 --> 00:01:13.814 - and amended. The Monroe County Plan Commission Rules of Procedure as adopted and amended. And the cases 00:01:13.814 --> 00:01:19.582 - that were legally advertised and scheduled for hearing on tonight's agenda. Move approval. Second. 00:01:20.034 --> 00:01:28.505 - It's been moved and seconded to approve the introduction of evidence. The vote yes is the vote to approve. 00:01:28.505 --> 00:01:36.817 - Margaret Clements. Yes. Tron and Wright-Randolph. Yes. Scott Farris. Yes. Rudy Fields. Yes. David Henry. 00:01:36.817 --> 00:01:44.813 - Yes. Jeff Morris. Yes. Julie Thomas. Yes. David Bush. Yes. Motion carries eight to zero. That brings 00:01:44.813 --> 00:01:46.238 - us to the agenda. 00:01:46.402 --> 00:01:54.611 - I see a couple of items or any changes to the agenda this evening? There are no changes. Do I have a 00:01:54.611 --> 00:02:02.821 - motion? So moved. Second. Okay, it's been moved. Seconded to approve tonight's agenda. A vote yes is 00:02:02.821 --> 00:02:11.193 - a vote to approve. Trana and Ray Randolph? Yes. Scott Farris? Yes. Rudy Fields? Yes. David Henry? Yes. 00:02:11.193 --> 00:02:15.582 - Jeff Morris? Yes. Julie Thomas? Yes. David Bush? Yes. 00:02:16.034 --> 00:02:23.333 - Mark Clements. Motion is approved 8 to 0. I do not believe we have any minutes, correct? That is correct. 00:02:23.333 --> 00:02:30.907 - Okay, so let's we're moving right on to administrative business. The first thing up is the CDO prioritization 00:02:30.907 --> 00:02:37.931 - update. Yes, I'll just mention that we've made some good progress on the CDO amendments this month at 00:02:37.931 --> 00:02:41.374 - the ordinance review committee. We were reviewing 00:02:41.474 --> 00:02:48.493 - Two items that were CDO possible amendments and so I encourage people that are interested in 00:02:48.493 --> 00:02:56.040 - the prioritization updates and changes to review or attend the ordinance review committee, but will 00:02:56.040 --> 00:03:03.586 - continue to make progress. OK, any questions from the commissioners up there on any of these topics 00:03:03.586 --> 00:03:08.190 - so far? Alright, let's go ahead and move on to new business. 00:03:08.578 --> 00:03:15.478 - First is SMN264, which concerns the Zikes estate, a major subdivision. And I believe this is, who's 00:03:15.478 --> 00:03:22.792 - introducing it tonight? This is going to be Daniel Brown. If tech services wouldn't mind promoting Daniel 00:03:22.792 --> 00:03:27.070 - Brown and Tammy Bierman to presenters, I would appreciate it. 00:03:35.810 --> 00:03:44.198 - So this is a minor subdivision with a partial plot vacation and road width waiver with the waiver final 00:03:44.198 --> 00:03:52.666 - hearing requested. This is going to be creating two lots from one lot. Lot one will be 35.71 acres while 00:03:52.666 --> 00:04:01.054 - lot two 39.12. Both will maintain access off of South Lee Phillips Road via different driveway permits. 00:04:01.794 --> 00:04:09.507 - right-of-way dedication was provided under a prior subdivision known as the psych admin type a subdivision. 00:04:09.507 --> 00:04:16.721 - Both have 100 foot drainage easements while lot one has an existing pond as well as lot one having a 00:04:16.721 --> 00:04:23.934 - cabin and shelter house while lot two is vacant. Sidewalks are not required. Rope drainage will only 00:04:23.934 --> 00:04:27.934 - be off both lot two with lot one receiving an easement. 00:04:28.066 --> 00:04:36.006 - lot properties will have septic as well as electricity provided by rmc and water by heights utilities 00:04:36.006 --> 00:04:43.945 - incorporated. A tree preservation area is soon was required in lieu of her up to require street trees 00:04:43.945 --> 00:04:51.885 - and there is a road with waiver as 18 feet is required for roads in Monroe County while the road here 00:04:51.885 --> 00:04:54.142 - is only. 15 and a half feet. 00:04:55.682 --> 00:05:04.830 - Here's the location and site conditions map of the property. And the zoning and comprehensive map. This 00:05:04.830 --> 00:05:13.890 - is an aerial view of the property as well, as well as on the grounds photos showing the proposed lots, 00:05:13.890 --> 00:05:23.390 - as well as the structures on the proposed lot one along with the pond. This is the subdivision in question. 00:05:28.930 --> 00:05:35.362 - department comments highway department has no issue with this for this to be reviewed and driveway permits 00:05:35.362 --> 00:05:41.554 - are pending approval. Starwater comments that the petition was approved by the Drainage Board on their 00:05:41.554 --> 00:05:47.685 - August 12th, 2026 meeting by unanimous vote. The subdivision has presented a waiver for future access 00:05:47.685 --> 00:05:53.997 - to lot 2 buildable area across a 100 foot drainage easement. Also noting that at the time of development 00:05:53.997 --> 00:05:56.702 - of lot 2, the site plan will need to include 00:05:57.186 --> 00:06:04.774 - the proposed culvert siding for the area crossing the drainage easement. As for the road width waiver, 00:06:04.774 --> 00:06:12.289 - according to Chapter 832-8A, two subdivisions accessed from existing roads less than 18 feet in width 00:06:12.289 --> 00:06:18.846 - shall be prohibited. This provision may be waived pursuant to Subdivision Waiver 830-10. 00:06:19.170 --> 00:06:25.723 - The applicant with such a waiver shall provide the highway engineer with average daily trip data to 00:06:25.723 --> 00:06:32.275 - support the requested waiver under the following criteria. And it refers to IMB specifically with a 00:06:32.275 --> 00:06:38.828 - road width of 16 feet with average daily traffic of less than or equal to 300 vehicles per day with 00:06:38.828 --> 00:06:43.742 - 30 vehicles per hour at the peak hour. Now, interestingly, the subdivision 00:06:43.970 --> 00:06:49.881 - The petitioner did not do their own data, but there is a property directly to the south that was indeed 00:06:49.881 --> 00:06:55.564 - reviewed by the Planning Commission, I believe, last month, the Gardner Major Subdivision. And that 00:06:55.564 --> 00:07:01.361 - property is directly to the south, so they did obtain permission from that property owner to use that 00:07:01.361 --> 00:07:07.385 - data for this property. According to traffic counts gathered by the applicant and analyzed by the Highway 00:07:07.385 --> 00:07:13.182 - Department, the estimated ADP per lead, Phillips Road, at the subdivision's location is approximately 00:07:13.442 --> 00:07:23.256 - 113 vehicles per day. And here is the exact counts. Most busy hour was from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. 00:07:23.256 --> 00:07:34.019 - with approximately 11 vehicles. And this is just a photo of the original subdivision that under which 00:07:34.019 --> 00:07:41.406 - this log is being vacated from the type A administrative subdivision. 00:07:43.426 --> 00:07:49.398 - And so staff recommends approval for the subdivision based on the finding that the proposed preliminary 00:07:49.398 --> 00:07:55.542 - flat meets the county development ordinance subject to the highway engineer and stormwater program manager 00:07:55.542 --> 00:08:01.801 - reports with the following condition that the surveyors should delineate the exact area of tree preservation 00:08:01.801 --> 00:08:07.601 - within the drainage easements. Without this edit, staff will interpret a tree's tree preservation to 00:08:07.601 --> 00:08:09.438 - be an entire drainage easement. 00:08:09.986 --> 00:08:17.252 - As well as approval for the road with waiver as the petitioner has submitted an average daily trip data 00:08:17.252 --> 00:08:24.308 - to the highway engineer that satisfies Chapter 832-8A2B. As well as approval for the plat vacations. 00:08:24.308 --> 00:08:31.295 - Staff requires that the staff requires that the surveyor include a written statement regarding plat 00:08:31.295 --> 00:08:38.910 - vacation on the secondary plot with all required signature blocks. And I will take any questions. All right. 00:08:39.266 --> 00:08:49.091 - Questions from the Planning Commission. It talks about no septic permit. They don't have it yet. Is 00:08:49.091 --> 00:08:58.915 - that something that is pertinent here that would slow anything down? So while a septic permit needs 00:08:58.915 --> 00:09:05.694 - to be issued in order for construction to be maintained on the site, 00:09:06.050 --> 00:09:14.854 - For now, for purposes of subdivision, only a soil test needs to be reviewed and approved under, and 00:09:14.854 --> 00:09:24.010 - it was done so for this petition under SS-26-9. Thank you. The question I have is for Tron on the third 00:09:24.010 --> 00:09:33.342 - approval recommendation where it talks about surveyor. Oh, that's not me. That's the petitioner surveyor. 00:09:33.538 --> 00:09:43.358 - which I think that's. Yeah, so I think that would be Mr Deckard on this one. I have a question if I 00:09:43.358 --> 00:09:53.474 - might. There there isn't going to be any change made to the retention pond, correct? Not this time and 00:09:53.474 --> 00:10:03.294 - not to my knowledge, no. OK, is that something that we need to ensure? Because it seems like it is. 00:10:09.186 --> 00:10:18.500 - for the purposes of granting the subdivision. I don't know if that's required, but. Are you wondering 00:10:18.500 --> 00:10:27.723 - if the drainage easement encompassing the pond gives it protection? Yeah, because because I you know 00:10:27.723 --> 00:10:36.946 - it's a line right and the pond is a pond and to try to move the pond or to change the pond or remove 00:10:36.946 --> 00:10:38.590 - the pond somehow. 00:10:39.074 --> 00:10:45.767 - you could keep that drainage easement, but then lose the pond. And I think that that could lead to some 00:10:45.767 --> 00:10:52.459 - difficulties with stormwater. Sure. So typically, if something gets encompassed by a drainage easement, 00:10:52.459 --> 00:10:59.023 - such as this pond in this case, to make further amendments or changes to the pond would require it to 00:10:59.023 --> 00:11:05.844 - go to drainage board. Got it. Perfect. That's what I needed here. Thank you so much. Questions? Go ahead, 00:11:05.844 --> 00:11:07.582 - Tom. I do have a question. 00:11:09.762 --> 00:11:18.825 - Is there a soil boring report and proposed septic area from the health department in the packet? Good 00:11:18.825 --> 00:11:27.710 - question. Daniel, Tron's asking whether the septic boring sites were located on the Platte or if we 00:11:27.710 --> 00:11:36.062 - know those locations. Well, they're not on the Platte. Sometimes there's a separate document. 00:11:37.058 --> 00:11:45.132 - Right. They should also take those documents and put it on the plat as well. Well, that's where I was 00:11:45.132 --> 00:11:53.207 - going with it. Yeah. So, yes, in exhibits number 11, the soil test documents were provided specifying 00:11:53.207 --> 00:12:01.123 - the minimum specifications for onsite sewage disposal system. I don't know if an exact location was 00:12:01.123 --> 00:12:03.102 - pointed out, though. OK. 00:12:04.866 --> 00:12:13.576 - I'm looking at the exhibit. Sometimes those come with aerials and potential locations. I'm comfortable 00:12:13.576 --> 00:12:22.370 - as is. I guess just to expand why I was asking is if they had locations that were potentially suitable, 00:12:22.370 --> 00:12:31.672 - but they just haven't got the permit. I was going to see if the Plant Commission was amenable of conditioning 00:12:31.672 --> 00:12:34.462 - to add the location on the plat. 00:12:34.562 --> 00:12:41.649 - Um, it seems like they haven't gotten that far yet and we changed the ordinance not too long ago. So 00:12:41.649 --> 00:12:48.737 - this wouldn't hold things up. So I'm comfortable with proceeding. Okay. It's time for the petitioner 00:12:48.737 --> 00:12:51.614 - or petitioners rep. You have 15 minutes. 00:13:02.018 --> 00:13:07.358 - Mr. Zeig, if you would come to the podium and sign in, if you would like to say something to the plan 00:13:07.358 --> 00:13:09.086 - commission, you have 15 minutes. 00:13:52.258 --> 00:14:00.944 - As far as the septic sites, they are staked. The soil work was done. I didn't see them on the plat there, 00:14:00.944 --> 00:14:09.467 - but the soil work has been done and turned into the health department. As far as the pond is concerned, 00:14:09.467 --> 00:14:17.825 - the pond kind of makes the property and there's really no interest in removing the pond. It's sort of 00:14:17.825 --> 00:14:19.710 - a major feature there. 00:14:22.370 --> 00:14:30.710 - think that's it it's just it's farmland and parents have passed away and we're trying to I want some 00:14:30.710 --> 00:14:39.463 - and siblings want some so that's that's it so thank you. All right so now we have time for public comment 00:14:39.463 --> 00:14:47.390 - for in favor or opposed or in general anybody in the room want to come up and make a statement. 00:14:50.722 --> 00:15:05.310 - I see none. I don't see any hands raised on line either. So that brings us back up to the. Final comments 00:15:05.310 --> 00:15:19.486 - in a motion. Anybody on my right? Left. Motion. So in the matter of SMN-26-4, Kenneth and Vicki Zeichs 00:15:19.586 --> 00:15:27.135 - Request for primary plat to create two lots with a partial plant vacation requested and a road width 00:15:27.135 --> 00:15:35.057 - waiver Requested I would like to move approval for the subdivision Based on the finding that the proposed 00:15:35.057 --> 00:15:43.054 - primary plat meets the county development ordinance subject to the highway engineer and stormwater program 00:15:43.054 --> 00:15:48.286 - manager reports with the following condition that the surveyor should 00:15:48.866 --> 00:15:56.200 - delineate the exact area of the tree preservation area within the drainage easement for only two trees 00:15:56.200 --> 00:16:03.535 - to be preserved. And without this edit, the staff would interpret the tree preservation area to be the 00:16:03.535 --> 00:16:10.655 - entire drainage easement. And I move approval for the road width waiver as the petitioner submitted 00:16:10.655 --> 00:16:12.222 - an average daily trip 00:16:12.322 --> 00:16:20.543 - data to the highway engineer that satisfies chapter 832-8A to B and move approval for the plat vacation 00:16:20.543 --> 00:16:28.607 - with the staff requiring that the surveyor include a written statement regarding plat vacation on the 00:16:28.607 --> 00:16:36.512 - secondary plat with all required signature blocks. And I'd also like to move that the final hearing 00:16:36.512 --> 00:16:38.014 - be waived. Second. 00:16:40.706 --> 00:16:49.469 - It's been moved and seconded to approve SMN-26-4 as stated by commission member Clements. A vote yes 00:16:49.469 --> 00:16:58.753 - is a vote to approve exactly how the motion was stated by member Clements. Scott Ferris? Yes. Rudy Fields? 00:16:58.753 --> 00:17:07.516 - Yes. David Henry? Yes. Jeff Morris? Yes. Julie Thomas? Yes. David Bush? Yes. Margaret Clements? Yes. 00:17:07.516 --> 00:17:09.598 - Tronan Wright-Randolph? 00:17:10.274 --> 00:17:18.348 - Yes. Motion carries eight to zero. I'd add this is a plan commission decision. So it's decided here 00:17:18.348 --> 00:17:26.664 - tonight. That brings us up to item number two and item number two deals with House Enrollment Act 1001 00:17:26.664 --> 00:17:34.738 - and a report that we're required to the state of Indiana. I believe we have to do it in the January 00:17:34.738 --> 00:17:39.582 - timeframe, but it requires us to answer a set of questions. 00:17:40.034 --> 00:17:47.560 - Which staff has answered we're going to present that here in a few minutes and we also are required 00:17:47.560 --> 00:17:55.160 - to record any public comment with respect to those answers to those questions. So Jackie over to you 00:17:55.160 --> 00:17:58.622 - to explain everything. Yes, thank you. So as. 00:17:58.786 --> 00:18:06.445 - Scott Ferris has mentioned this is a requirement of House Enrolled Act 1001. We have in the staff packet 00:18:06.445 --> 00:18:13.740 - tonight some further information for you as well. But this hearing is specifically meant to address 00:18:13.740 --> 00:18:18.846 - nine questions posed by the state that I'll be going over. The packet 00:18:19.042 --> 00:18:25.670 - ties together with the CDO currently says in regard to these nine questions and I'm going to go through 00:18:25.670 --> 00:18:32.298 - each of these and encourage the public if they wish to speak tonight also you know focusing on the nine 00:18:32.298 --> 00:18:38.863 - questions would be extremely helpful tonight is meant to be a listening session it was it is a hearing 00:18:38.863 --> 00:18:42.878 - requirement and per resolution passed earlier this year it's a 00:18:43.010 --> 00:18:49.432 - the requirement is for the unit to hold a hearing. The county commissioners have delegated the authority 00:18:49.432 --> 00:18:55.548 - to the planned commission but the county commissioners are also here present tonight. So we have in 00:18:55.548 --> 00:19:01.847 - our rules and procedure just a reminder that each person can have three minutes to speak at the podium 00:19:01.847 --> 00:19:05.150 - and we'll hear from people both in person and online. 00:19:05.314 --> 00:19:11.446 - following tonight the planning commission is going to take under advisement all comments received and 00:19:11.446 --> 00:19:17.457 - heard and then by December 3rd which is what the resolution states delegating the authority for the 00:19:17.457 --> 00:19:22.987 - hearing by the planning commission the meeting minutes from tonight will be approved by the 00:19:22.987 --> 00:19:28.638 - county commissioners and then ultimately we have to send the board record the meeting minutes 00:19:28.802 --> 00:19:34.811 - the state as required by January 1. We anticipate that the Planning Commission will be reviewing these 00:19:34.811 --> 00:19:40.878 - meeting minutes. They'll have to approve them and then also comments by the public and then PC members, 00:19:40.878 --> 00:19:46.945 - Planning Commission members, will direct staff to either make edits to the County Development Ordinance 00:19:46.945 --> 00:19:52.254 - based on those comments or not. Just to note, the County Development Ordinance is a living 00:19:52.418 --> 00:20:00.265 - breathing document. It can be changed. We've gone through several amendments already and are open to 00:20:00.265 --> 00:20:08.345 - further changes. So with that, I'd like to go ahead and present the staff packet here tonight. So while 00:20:08.345 --> 00:20:16.658 - looking at the packet, the bold black text are actually the state code statements. So under House Enrolled 00:20:16.658 --> 00:20:21.086 - Act 1001, that's now Indiana Code 36-7-4.3. So the first 00:20:21.282 --> 00:20:28.228 - question by the state is it says not later than January 1, 2027 a unit which is the county conduct a 00:20:28.228 --> 00:20:35.381 - public hearing to review the UDO which is our CDO and any zoning regulations and land development rules 00:20:35.381 --> 00:20:42.258 - with the goal of increasing housing development by using the following factors providing for higher 00:20:42.258 --> 00:20:49.342 - density development of duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes in areas designated for single-family homes. 00:20:49.634 --> 00:20:56.558 - The staff is noting here that the county development ordinance adopted on December 18 2024. It has a 00:20:56.558 --> 00:21:03.482 - use table which we've included a screenshot here below, and under the latest version of the CDO, the 00:21:03.482 --> 00:21:07.870 - following housing types are permitted permitted with standards. 00:21:08.130 --> 00:21:14.681 - or are conditional in the following zone. So as you look at the table, anything with a PS means permitted 00:21:14.681 --> 00:21:20.861 - with standards, and off to the right is where you would find those standards. Anything that's blank 00:21:20.861 --> 00:21:27.474 - means that the use would not be permitted in that zone. Anything that has a C is conditional, and anything 00:21:27.474 --> 00:21:30.750 - with a P is permitted without any further standards. 00:21:30.946 --> 00:21:38.017 - So in regards to this, we wanted to note that a duplex would actually be considered a two family dwelling 00:21:38.017 --> 00:21:45.089 - under our code. So you see two family dwelling and then also you can see single family detached dwelling. 00:21:45.089 --> 00:21:51.760 - So they're very similar zones in which these are permitted, permitted with standards or conditional 00:21:51.760 --> 00:21:52.894 - and then further 00:21:52.994 --> 00:21:59.529 - A triplex and fourplex would be considered multifamily dwelling three to four units. These are permitted 00:21:59.529 --> 00:22:05.877 - with standards in rural neighborhood community development and high development zones. And again, the 00:22:05.877 --> 00:22:12.287 - standards can be found just by clicking the link in the ordinance. And also it's on the screen for you 00:22:12.287 --> 00:22:16.830 - here to compare these two zones as it relates to single family detached. 00:22:18.338 --> 00:22:26.382 - The next question is constructing other housing types, including accessory dwelling units and manufactured 00:22:26.382 --> 00:22:34.050 - in modular housing. So as of this morning, the county development ordinance was amended to align with 00:22:34.050 --> 00:22:38.110 - state definitions. So these definitions below are now 00:22:38.338 --> 00:22:45.452 - approved and codified so we'll be making amendments to those following today's approval by the commissioners 00:22:45.452 --> 00:22:51.979 - so we have before you the definition of a manufactured home this comes straight from the state code 00:22:51.979 --> 00:22:57.918 - this is a definition of modular home for you definition of single-family detached dwelling 00:22:58.274 --> 00:23:04.898 - And we want to note that both a modular and manufactured home are treated and meet the definition of 00:23:04.898 --> 00:23:11.457 - single family detached dwelling. Therefore, there is no difference. And then also the definition of 00:23:11.457 --> 00:23:18.081 - accessory dwelling unit. This was amended today as well to meet the state code definition. Accessory 00:23:18.081 --> 00:23:24.640 - dwelling units, essentially a second home on a lot with an existing primary home, is permitted with 00:23:24.640 --> 00:23:27.198 - standards in the agricultural, forest, 00:23:27.426 --> 00:23:34.368 - conservation residential and residential zones and the standards immediately follow the use table in 00:23:34.368 --> 00:23:41.791 - the county development ordinance. And again that's here for you to review accessory dwelling units attached 00:23:41.791 --> 00:23:48.871 - and detached. Here are the zones in which it is permitted with standards. Adaptive reuse of commercial 00:23:48.871 --> 00:23:52.926 - buildings for residential use such as allowing multifamily 00:23:53.058 --> 00:23:59.958 - development in retail office and light manufacturing zones. So the CDO currently contains two related 00:23:59.958 --> 00:24:06.926 - uses that are questioned here. One is adaptive reuse, which is the reuse of a site or building for use 00:24:06.926 --> 00:24:14.232 - other than for which it was originally built, purposed or designed. And then we also have historic adaptive 00:24:14.232 --> 00:24:18.494 - reuse. And that's a historic property that has been designated 00:24:18.594 --> 00:24:25.805 - by the commissioners and is treated as such by the Historic Preservation Board of Review. And there's 00:24:25.805 --> 00:24:33.227 - some flexibility of use under both of these uses to encourage reuse of existing and historic structures. 00:24:33.227 --> 00:24:40.862 - And then standards for these uses are listed in the CDO under Section 811-12, and I've included those here. 00:24:56.354 --> 00:25:04.225 - And then the fourth question by the state is increasing the allowable floor area ratio and multifamily 00:25:04.225 --> 00:25:12.324 - housing areas. So floor area ratio, a way to think of that is it's sort of another way to regulate height 00:25:12.324 --> 00:25:14.846 - of a building in relation to its 00:25:15.042 --> 00:25:21.763 - lot size so we do not have floor area ratio any longer we instead only have impervious cover maximums 00:25:21.763 --> 00:25:28.485 - and height maximums which we feel are a little bit clearer for the public so those are in chapter 804 00:25:28.485 --> 00:25:35.338 - through 809 for each zoning district in what's called a two pager and if anyone has any questions about 00:25:35.338 --> 00:25:41.598 - their zone and related impervious cover or height maximum we'd be happy to share that with you 00:25:41.922 --> 00:25:49.946 - And then number five, waiving or eliminating regulations such as requirements for garage size and placement. 00:25:49.946 --> 00:25:57.307 - So right now we do not have a regulation for a garage to be a certain size or that it has to be say 00:25:57.307 --> 00:26:05.258 - placed in a certain location in relation to a home. We do have what's called an accessory storage structure 00:26:05.258 --> 00:26:11.294 - use, which is if there is no home on the lot and someone wants to build a garage. 00:26:11.394 --> 00:26:18.195 - that is just to allow for certain size limitation until such time a primary structure is located on 00:26:18.195 --> 00:26:24.997 - the property, then it does not have that restriction. It just becomes an accessory structure. We do 00:26:24.997 --> 00:26:31.934 - also require it to meet setbacks and environmental features such as floodplain and karst regulations. 00:26:32.066 --> 00:26:39.049 - the second request is for reviewing waving or eliminating steeper roof pitch. This is not applicable. 00:26:39.049 --> 00:26:46.374 - We do not contain any regulations regarding this minimum lot size and square footage. The CDO does require 00:26:46.374 --> 00:26:53.699 - compliance with minimum lot sizes for each zoning district. But we do know, however, that with the passage 00:26:53.699 --> 00:27:00.955 - of the CDO, which included both the text and zoning map amendments, several lots were zoned appropriately 00:27:00.955 --> 00:27:01.982 - to their size. 00:27:02.114 --> 00:27:10.325 - and we've seen a drastic reduction in the number of minimum lot size variance requests as a result. 00:27:10.325 --> 00:27:18.618 - Greater setbacks. Setbacks are required for each zone and that is in regards again to the two pagers 00:27:18.618 --> 00:27:21.246 - in chapters 804 to 809. We have 00:27:21.346 --> 00:27:28.119 - added in the CDO an allowance for residential accessory structures to be as close as five feet from 00:27:28.119 --> 00:27:35.027 - side and rear property lines if they're less than 15 feet in height. And this is something that we've 00:27:35.027 --> 00:27:41.936 - seen a lot of people utilize. Additionally, Chapter 813 allows other exceptions for structures within 00:27:41.936 --> 00:27:48.912 - required setbacks, such as if you're dealing with pre-existing structures that have overhangs of roofs 00:27:48.912 --> 00:27:50.334 - or things like that. 00:27:51.298 --> 00:27:58.168 - off-street parking. We do have off-street parking requirements for different uses and we've included 00:27:58.168 --> 00:28:05.241 - the residential off-street parking requirements below, but we've also built in some provisions to allow 00:28:05.241 --> 00:28:08.030 - for reductions under 814-11B, such as if 00:28:08.130 --> 00:28:15.510 - there is a need to comply with impervious cover. There is a way that we can reduce the parking minimum 00:28:15.510 --> 00:28:22.817 - requirements so that they're not up against another requirement in the ordinance. So I've included on 00:28:22.817 --> 00:28:30.197 - the screen the minimum off-street parking requirements. Design standards that restrict or prohibit the 00:28:30.197 --> 00:28:38.078 - use of code compliant products. Staff does not have knowledge of the CDO preventing the use of code compliant 00:28:38.210 --> 00:28:53.008 - building height is below and it does not just include the total from the bottom of the structure to 00:28:53.008 --> 00:29:07.806 - the top. We do take into account the difference between the eaves and the ridge of a standard roof. 00:29:08.098 --> 00:29:15.975 - and then number six reviewing impact fee zones and zone advisory committee for improvements this is 00:29:15.975 --> 00:29:23.931 - not applicable we do not have any impact zones in the county number seven streamlining or shortening 00:29:23.931 --> 00:29:31.966 - the permitting process and timelines including through one stop and parallel process permitting by 15 00:29:31.966 --> 00:29:32.990 - days or more 00:29:33.250 --> 00:29:39.993 - By state code, we are required to review several applications within three business days to determine 00:29:39.993 --> 00:29:46.801 - a complete application, including all improvement location permits which are issued by our department. 00:29:46.801 --> 00:29:53.875 - So we have a timeline already set out by the state. Using property tax abatements to enable higher density 00:29:53.875 --> 00:30:00.683 - and mixed income communities. We do not have a provision in the CDO that relates to tax abatements and 00:30:00.683 --> 00:30:02.270 - higher density bonuses. 00:30:02.754 --> 00:30:09.933 - And then number nine, donating vacant land for affordable housing development. Our planning department 00:30:09.933 --> 00:30:17.461 - has not historically led any development projects, but the board of commissioners have a record of donating 00:30:17.461 --> 00:30:24.222 - land for affordable housing development. So then that concludes the nine questions by the state. 00:30:24.386 --> 00:30:32.807 - and there is another section that states that not later than January 1, 2027 the unit shall submit a 00:30:32.807 --> 00:30:41.394 - report to the executive director of legislative services agency by electronic means under Indiana code 00:30:41.394 --> 00:30:50.398 - 5-14-6 that contains the following if the unit a invested in a housing study in 2021 2022 2023 2024 or 2025 00:30:50.754 --> 00:30:57.833 - or had a housing study performed by a region's local economic development organization, a copy of the 00:30:57.833 --> 00:31:05.259 - housing study. And we have included the links and titles to the housing studies that we will be submitting 00:31:05.259 --> 00:31:12.684 - in this form to the state as well. And then as I mentioned number two, the minutes from the public hearing 00:31:12.684 --> 00:31:19.902 - conducted under section four, these minutes will be transcribed and submitted to the state as required. 00:31:20.034 --> 00:31:26.024 - And then number three, any newly developed or amended CDO as a result of the review under section three 00:31:26.024 --> 00:31:31.898 - of this chapter, the unit must provide a written description of the ways in which the CDO was changed 00:31:31.898 --> 00:31:37.945 - to support increased housing development by using some or all of the factors set forth in section three. 00:31:37.945 --> 00:31:43.992 - And we're stating here that any changes to the county development ordinance following the public hearing 00:31:43.992 --> 00:31:47.966 - will be determined after tonight's hearing, hearing from the public. 00:31:48.194 --> 00:31:54.434 - And then I'll also note we do have just two exhibits in the packet, which allowed for possible quorum 00:31:54.434 --> 00:32:00.614 - of other committees or boards here tonight to attend tonight's meeting. And then also the resolution 00:32:00.614 --> 00:32:06.732 - that delegated the hearing authority. And then we received two letters from the public that I would 00:32:06.732 --> 00:32:11.198 - like to share that will be introduced as evidence for tonight's meeting. 00:32:12.482 --> 00:32:18.520 - and I believe one of the letters will be shared by someone who's going to speak on behalf of the letter 00:32:18.520 --> 00:32:24.557 - but this person said that they were not able to attend and so I believe there are copies of this letter 00:32:24.557 --> 00:32:30.363 - both at the table shared on screen and with planning commission members and I'll just share this on 00:32:30.363 --> 00:32:34.078 - the screen for a little bit while people have a chance to read. 00:34:27.266 --> 00:34:34.406 - And then once you've had a chance to read this, I believe the other letter is authored by someone who 00:34:34.406 --> 00:34:41.406 - is in attendance online. And I can share the screen while they speak or after they speak, because I 00:34:41.406 --> 00:34:47.006 - believe it will address the letter. All right. That just brings us to comments. 00:34:55.298 --> 00:35:01.366 - commission have any comments we'll proceed before the public comment go ahead mr. Henry thank you mr. 00:35:01.366 --> 00:35:07.374 - president thank you commission members it's gonna be back with you I after a very busy budget season 00:35:07.374 --> 00:35:13.561 - with the County Council that has precluded my participation in some of these discussions regarding this 00:35:13.561 --> 00:35:18.558 - report I would be remiss if we move forward without calling out the totality of the 00:35:18.818 --> 00:35:24.721 - Studies that we are proposing to send to the state in my view that anything that is not created by Alito 00:35:24.721 --> 00:35:30.567 - or local economic development corporation ought not be included in that package For those of the public 00:35:30.567 --> 00:35:36.189 - a local economic development organization is defined under Indiana code five dash twenty eight dash 00:35:36.189 --> 00:35:40.574 - eleven point five dash two and there are very specific things that make for a 00:35:40.642 --> 00:35:46.539 - local economic development corporation? Is it an NGO whose primary purpose is economic development? 00:35:46.539 --> 00:35:52.613 - Is it an urban enterprise association? Is it a regional planning commission? Is it a local educational 00:35:52.613 --> 00:35:57.566 - nonprofit who focuses on economic development? But that word keeps coming up there. 00:35:57.634 --> 00:36:03.770 - And so in my view, while it's interesting to have white papers by members of the public or people that 00:36:03.770 --> 00:36:09.787 - even serve on this body wearing a different hat to propose a study or a report, the more appropriate 00:36:09.787 --> 00:36:15.983 - action for this body should have been to put a call for white papers to the whole community to see what 00:36:15.983 --> 00:36:22.060 - other expertise we have in Bloomington and Monroe County to provide that information. But instead, we 00:36:22.060 --> 00:36:27.600 - are adding documents that do not match, in my view, what Alito is. And so I would be remiss. 00:36:27.600 --> 00:36:32.988 - concerned that if we could turn something into the state of Indiana, that was an answer to one of the 00:36:32.988 --> 00:36:38.482 - nine questions, that didn't answer the question that, what would that say of our county? So I know that 00:36:38.482 --> 00:36:43.765 - that was addressed at the planned commission admin meeting. I, again, was not able to be there, but 00:36:43.765 --> 00:36:49.100 - I wanted to at least state my piece about that piece of this, that we really need to look at what we 00:36:49.100 --> 00:36:54.647 - are sending and if it actually meets the letter under code. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Council 00:36:54.647 --> 00:36:56.126 - Member Henry. Anybody else? 00:36:57.218 --> 00:37:08.362 - Yes. Ordinances are complicated, layered. I applaud staff for putting this together and addressing the 00:37:08.362 --> 00:37:19.614 - questions. My comment or statement is a lot of what is permitted is permitted with standards, and those 00:37:19.614 --> 00:37:21.886 - standards are really 00:37:22.466 --> 00:37:31.678 - the key thing here that makes it a doable, affordable process to build on property or if they're even 00:37:31.678 --> 00:37:40.980 - permitted. One thing that comes up is grappling with the septic and sewer and how some of these things 00:37:40.980 --> 00:37:50.463 - aren't even permitted without having sewer. So even though that we're looking in things, that's actually 00:37:50.463 --> 00:37:51.998 - the page I'm on, 00:37:52.162 --> 00:37:59.539 - we're looking at things that are permitted with standards, they can't achieve them without meeting those 00:37:59.539 --> 00:38:06.986 - standards, and some of those are having sewer. And since we don't have sewer, a lot of these multi-family 00:38:06.986 --> 00:38:14.644 - dwellings can't be built. So that is just something I wanted to talk about because even though our ordinance 00:38:14.644 --> 00:38:15.838 - does address it, 00:38:16.066 --> 00:38:25.426 - the challenges we have aren't allowing those things to move forward in a way where we're actually seeing 00:38:25.426 --> 00:38:34.430 - a built out community or building things that are affordable from a renter or home. Home purchase, a 00:38:34.430 --> 00:38:36.926 - buyer purchase approach and 00:38:37.474 --> 00:38:43.507 - I just wanted to really address that. That's something I've been talking about since the development 00:38:43.507 --> 00:38:49.481 - of the CDO is the challenges that people have to meet the standards that are with this. And on this 00:38:49.481 --> 00:38:55.992 - slide right here, the only thing that is permitted without standards is the single family detached dwelling. 00:38:55.992 --> 00:39:02.383 - And I think on all the other tables, we've seen their conditioner conditional or permitted with standards, 00:39:02.383 --> 00:39:07.102 - and those are going to be the size of the lot. And if you can get sewer, which 00:39:08.674 --> 00:39:17.807 - a lot of practical difficulties, or even in some situations, ways that they can't even accomplish that. 00:39:17.807 --> 00:39:27.027 - So, thank you. Anybody else? I'd just like to correct the record that the Center for Knowledge Diffusion 00:39:27.027 --> 00:39:36.072 - is an NGO and qualifies under the Indiana Code. Mr. Henry stated in that we are involved with economic 00:39:36.072 --> 00:39:37.214 - analyses and 00:39:38.306 --> 00:39:44.674 - and impact analysis, so I'd just like to correct the record. Thank you. Mr. President, my name is Avogde. 00:39:44.674 --> 00:39:50.743 - May I have a response? Sure. Thank you, Dr. Clemens, for a clarification. I reviewed your Form 990s, 00:39:50.743 --> 00:39:57.051 - and I don't see the word economic development in your mission statement. Perhaps it's time for an update 00:39:57.051 --> 00:40:03.239 - online, but from the IRS's perspective, I can't find evidence that your organization's primary purpose 00:40:03.239 --> 00:40:08.286 - is economic development. Thank you. I would just disagree with Councilmember Henry. 00:40:09.890 --> 00:40:18.672 - Let's move on. Anybody else before we. Okay, I have to remember to turn around. I'm going to be really 00:40:18.672 --> 00:40:26.430 - brief and just thank staff again for putting this together. I think them this morning, but 00:40:26.946 --> 00:40:33.044 - answering each of the questions, providing the information so that people don't have to try to flip 00:40:33.044 --> 00:40:39.142 - through the CDO to find where the information is relating to each of the questions the state posed. 00:40:39.142 --> 00:40:45.484 - So I really do appreciate that diligent work that was done and it was really helpful for the community. 00:40:45.484 --> 00:40:51.886 - So thank you again for that. Okay, now we enter into the public comment portion. It'll be three minutes. 00:40:51.886 --> 00:40:56.094 - I'll apologize in advance if I have to cut you off at three minutes. 00:40:56.450 --> 00:41:06.220 - That's for inside the room online, and we'll start with the folks in the room. Please enter the podium 00:41:06.220 --> 00:41:16.181 - and sign in, give us your information, state your name, and we'll go from there. You have three minutes. 00:41:16.181 --> 00:41:26.046 - And we have a clock. Public know that. Counselor Henry left the room. Scott, please note for the record 00:41:26.498 --> 00:41:33.493 - Councilman Henry has to part of the area. Hello, good evening. I'm Kristen Weida. I am the CEO of the 00:41:33.493 --> 00:41:38.430 - Indiana Uplands Railroad Association. I just want to start and say that 00:41:38.626 --> 00:41:45.905 - My realtors we represent about 700 realtors that serve this community and that is thousands of your 00:41:45.905 --> 00:41:53.548 - constituents that they work with every single day. We are housing experts that's what we do our realtors 00:41:53.548 --> 00:42:01.118 - are in the data every single day analyzing it reviewing it being complete and total experts on industry 00:42:01.118 --> 00:42:04.830 - housing information both rentals and for purchase. 00:42:04.994 --> 00:42:12.106 - And those realtors understand what your constituents needs because they are with them every single day. 00:42:12.106 --> 00:42:19.492 - So you have heard location, location, location as the saying in real estate. Well, in Indiana, the families 00:42:19.492 --> 00:42:26.399 - today are now saying affordability, affordability, affordability. And nowhere this challenge is more 00:42:26.399 --> 00:42:33.374 - evident than in Monroe County, which remains the least affordable housing market in the entire state. 00:42:33.666 --> 00:42:42.333 - Home prices are more than 20% higher than anywhere else in the state, and a recent home buyer can expect 00:42:42.333 --> 00:42:50.834 - to spend more than 45% of their monthly income on their mortgage, compared to 35% anywhere else in the 00:42:50.834 --> 00:42:59.171 - state. Since 2013, Monroe County has added nearly 300 homeowner households annually, while approving 00:42:59.171 --> 00:43:02.142 - only about 250 single-family duplex 00:43:02.242 --> 00:43:11.100 - housing units. We had a total of five town home units each year. And not all of those were intended 00:43:11.100 --> 00:43:20.135 - for home ownership. Over the first nine months of 2026, only one in five homes for sale in countywide 00:43:20.135 --> 00:43:29.790 - one in five homes countywide were affordable to a household earning $75,000 a year. That's less than $10,000 00:43:29.922 --> 00:43:37.113 - We don't just lose home buyers. We lose future neighbors, volunteers, community leaders. The workforce 00:43:37.113 --> 00:43:44.095 - of our community depends on it. And maybe something that will get your attention is our tax revenue 00:43:44.095 --> 00:43:51.076 - depends on it. We appreciate the Plan Commission for conducting the hearing as required by HEA 1001 00:43:51.076 --> 00:43:57.150 - and for the work that Dr. Clements invested in preparing the Housing Inventory Report. 00:43:57.378 --> 00:44:04.100 - While we do not dispute the accuracy of the data, we are very concerned about the conclusion suggesting 00:44:04.100 --> 00:44:10.564 - that Monroe County no longer needs significant housing growth. The reality that we see every single 00:44:10.564 --> 00:44:17.545 - day tells a very different story. This is not just about data, it's about young families, recent graduates, 00:44:17.545 --> 00:44:24.203 - local employees, and future generations who want to build their lives in Monroe County but are finding 00:44:24.203 --> 00:44:26.142 - fewer opportunities to do so. 00:44:26.722 --> 00:44:33.612 - we encourage the Planning Commission to carefully reconsider the implications of Dr. Clements report. 00:44:33.612 --> 00:44:40.772 - The affordability challenges facing Monroe County are real, and the answer is not complacency. The answer 00:44:40.772 --> 00:44:47.932 - is to create more opportunities for people to live, work, and thrive here. Sorry to interrupt, but you're 00:44:47.932 --> 00:44:54.821 - past three minutes. Sorry. Thank you. No, it's fine. Okay. Next, state your name and sign in, please. 00:44:54.821 --> 00:44:56.510 - Peter Dorfman. I live in 00:44:57.954 --> 00:45:05.681 - Bittersweet Woods. I live near New Union, New Unionville. I used to live in the city and I was involved 00:45:05.681 --> 00:45:13.483 - in the debate that led to the up zoning of the city's residential neighborhoods in 2021. I want to share 00:45:13.483 --> 00:45:20.542 - some thoughts about what's coming now that the up zoning contagion is spreading to the county. 00:45:21.730 --> 00:45:28.094 - You're seeing pressure from development interests and housing out of your ideologues to modify counties 00:45:28.094 --> 00:45:34.702 - owning to make room for dense multifamily and small lot housing ostensibly to accommodate robust population 00:45:34.702 --> 00:45:41.004 - growth densification are advocates argue that the county needs more housing of all types. They've told 00:45:41.004 --> 00:45:44.798 - us for years that Monroe County has a general housing crisis. 00:45:45.154 --> 00:45:52.547 - developers and policy ideologues continually chant the mantra that housing unaffordability is a function 00:45:52.547 --> 00:46:00.080 - of housing unit scarcity. However, there's now an authoritative housing inventory compiled by Dr. Clements 00:46:00.080 --> 00:46:07.754 - showing that Monroe County has already built or approved enough new housing to meet any reasonably projected 00:46:07.754 --> 00:46:13.598 - need until 2040. It's in the meeting packet for your perusal. Monroe County has no 00:46:13.858 --> 00:46:20.395 - general housing shortage. We do have a shortage of affordable housing. So does every other county in 00:46:20.395 --> 00:46:27.386 - the nation. Building lots of new market rate housing won't fix that because affordability is not a function 00:46:27.386 --> 00:46:34.053 - of scarcity. In the last decade or so, we built or approved almost 12,000 units of market rate housing 00:46:34.053 --> 00:46:36.318 - with zero impact on affordability. 00:46:37.794 --> 00:46:45.050 - Housing is unaffordable mainly because it's been transformed from a practical necessity to a tradable 00:46:45.050 --> 00:46:52.235 - investment asset. New housing has intrinsic value to large investors asset portfolios whether anyone 00:46:52.235 --> 00:46:59.705 - lives in it or not. Those investors can outbid families or mom and pop landlords for existing properties 00:46:59.705 --> 00:47:03.902 - with all cash offers. So prices have nowhere to go but up. 00:47:05.154 --> 00:47:12.949 - Ditto taxes, if you live in a single-family community that gets rezoned for multi-family, assessed values 00:47:12.949 --> 00:47:20.377 - go up because each property is now eligible to become multiple units. We witnessed that firsthand in 00:47:20.377 --> 00:47:28.319 - the city, even before the UDO was even amended. Our mayor at the time claimed that Bloomington's population 00:47:28.319 --> 00:47:33.982 - was growing by 1% a year. It wasn't. The population has hardly grown at all, 00:47:34.338 --> 00:47:41.313 - By some projections, it's shrinking. And I haven't heard of any major new employers moving into the 00:47:41.313 --> 00:47:48.845 - area. So it's fair to ask, where's the pressing need? So to my neighbors, if you're hearing these arguments 00:47:48.845 --> 00:47:56.099 - and you're not seeing the need to make room for new density, don't feel bad. You're being asked to make 00:47:56.099 --> 00:48:03.422 - a sacrifice in the quality of life in this rural county, and you don't see the crisis that justifies it. 00:48:03.714 --> 00:48:10.731 - Sorry to interrupt. Neither do I. Sorry to interrupt. Three minutes. Thank you, sir. Okay, next up. 00:48:10.731 --> 00:48:14.942 - Please state your name, sign in, and give us your thoughts. 00:48:34.786 --> 00:48:40.434 - My name is Kenan Smith and I'm here reading a comment on behalf of Trent Deckard, a member of the County 00:48:40.434 --> 00:48:46.190 - Council at large. Thanks for the opportunity to offer public comment. I'm sending a representative because 00:48:46.190 --> 00:48:51.569 - I'm in another community meeting ironically dealing in part with housing and healing from residents 00:48:51.569 --> 00:48:55.550 - greatly concerned with their own well-being as renters in this community. 00:48:56.066 --> 00:49:01.568 - I was able to hear Dr. Clements presentation this morning in the commissioner meeting. I appreciated 00:49:01.568 --> 00:49:07.124 - getting a chance to hear her conclusions and I follow up with these questions for the plan commission 00:49:07.124 --> 00:49:12.681 - and commissioners. What are we doing with this data. What is the process by which we got the data and 00:49:12.681 --> 00:49:18.782 - how do we verify its accuracy. How do we explain that accuracy. How does this data allow for stakeholder input. 00:49:19.106 --> 00:49:24.975 - The presentation also respectfully begins with an adversarial position in opposition to pass action 00:49:24.975 --> 00:49:31.020 - of Bloomington and other reports also diligently prepared by others. What if instead of beginning with 00:49:31.020 --> 00:49:36.890 - an adversarial position we instead began with a collaborative approach to getting everyone together 00:49:36.890 --> 00:49:42.759 - on discussing goals for collecting data goals for policy and ways we can vet data to make sure it's 00:49:42.759 --> 00:49:47.102 - it is the most beneficial. In the last year and a half I've been intently 00:49:47.362 --> 00:49:53.065 - been talking with residents employers and other stakeholders on issues concerning the community. The 00:49:53.065 --> 00:49:58.937 - results of those conversations which also reflect what I've heard as a county council member since 2019 00:49:58.937 --> 00:50:04.584 - is the overall affordability overwhelmingly centered around housing access is a core pillar remains 00:50:04.584 --> 00:50:09.214 - one of the largest detriments to starting or maintaining a life in Monroe County. 00:50:09.378 --> 00:50:15.532 - In increasingly difficult economic times with higher inflation, flagging school enrollment in MCCSE 00:50:15.532 --> 00:50:21.994 - and steady rates at RBBSC, it is imperative that Monroe County give bold attention to every way in which 00:50:21.994 --> 00:50:28.456 - a home becomes a home in our community. Unfortunately, we have become somewhat like country clubs, where 00:50:28.456 --> 00:50:34.610 - I used to wait tables in my younger years accessible to only a few with an even longer waiting list 00:50:34.610 --> 00:50:36.702 - for those lucky enough to get in. 00:50:36.834 --> 00:50:43.492 - Leaving that example, still other residents are locked into current homes as families shift size needs 00:50:43.492 --> 00:50:50.150 - change under family planning and loss. Communities should not be country clubs. People should have the 00:50:50.150 --> 00:50:55.838 - same reasonable access to housing that many of us did when we started in the community. 00:50:56.034 --> 00:51:02.302 - As a product of nine generations in Monroe County, most of which found a place in this community, I 00:51:02.302 --> 00:51:08.696 - can remember a time when all of this was not as difficult and local officials responded to the needs. 00:51:08.696 --> 00:51:15.027 - I feel my daughters, our family, nine generations were a few options to buy into a community that is 00:51:15.027 --> 00:51:16.030 - their home too. 00:51:16.258 --> 00:51:22.435 - The overall public needs a chance to comment if the conclusions of those report match their own experiences. 00:51:22.435 --> 00:51:28.101 - The stakeholders of this community who also care about our future should also get a chance to weigh 00:51:28.101 --> 00:51:34.051 - in. Those reports include our Indiana Uplands, Realtors Association, Chambers of Commerce in Bloomington 00:51:34.051 --> 00:51:39.944 - and Ellisville, Bloomington Economic Development Corporation, and so many employers. Thank you for your 00:51:39.944 --> 00:51:42.494 - time. Spot on when your time. Okay, next up. 00:51:42.914 --> 00:51:51.372 - Go ahead and sign in, state your names and give us your views. Hi, my name is Cynthia Bradheim and I've 00:51:51.372 --> 00:51:59.505 - been a resident of Bloomington for almost 40 years and we've been through this before. You all know 00:51:59.505 --> 00:52:07.801 - much more about realty, real tours and real estate industry than I do and we know that housing is not 00:52:07.801 --> 00:52:10.078 - peaches. It doesn't go bad. 00:52:10.658 --> 00:52:18.637 - and realtors don't compete with prices, you know that. I checked to see the vacancy and occupancy tests 00:52:18.637 --> 00:52:26.462 - that have been done so that we know whether all of these apartment buildings that we've added in city 00:52:26.462 --> 00:52:32.062 - limits, whether they're occupied or whether many of them are unoccupied. 00:52:32.418 --> 00:52:39.198 - And have the rents gone down everyone that I've asked has said no, the rents have not gone down and 00:52:39.198 --> 00:52:46.045 - the occupancy does not relate to the last inventory that was done. I think that was 2019 it was done 00:52:46.045 --> 00:52:48.350 - by this business school and they. 00:52:48.482 --> 00:52:54.410 - Not only queried a couple of new apartment buildings, but mostly older apartment buildings, some of 00:52:54.410 --> 00:53:00.397 - which had been around for 30 years, had the lowest rent and had waiting lists to get in. But most of 00:53:00.397 --> 00:53:06.503 - the apartment buildings, the hundreds that we have added in the last 10 years are not occupied. That's 00:53:06.503 --> 00:53:11.838 - no long. You can't just over the board say they're all 75% occupied or we were also told. 00:53:12.002 --> 00:53:18.134 - The citizens in general were also told I forgot to set my timer. We're also told that it was 80% occupied 00:53:18.134 --> 00:53:23.919 - but we should have an inventory so we know that and if you're going to add housing in Monroe County 00:53:23.919 --> 00:53:29.704 - in the county which is really important you're right for taxes. How are all those cars going to get 00:53:29.704 --> 00:53:30.398 - in and out. 00:53:30.498 --> 00:53:36.456 - Is this a sustainability issue and are we going to be removing trees and farmland in order to build 00:53:36.456 --> 00:53:42.652 - housing that may or may not be occupied which just calls for one more tax deduction because it's a loss 00:53:42.652 --> 00:53:49.086 - for the builder and what is that going to do to our infrastructure it's really important that all of these. 00:53:50.402 --> 00:53:56.684 - Issues and all of these details be considered and I know you all are doing that And I know that developers 00:53:56.684 --> 00:54:02.613 - want to develop and we've got to find the best way to do that So that it doesn't overtax our current 00:54:02.613 --> 00:54:08.483 - infrastructure and our residential property taxes as well as our tax rates and the inequity between 00:54:08.483 --> 00:54:14.413 - the very wealthy and the very poor because we got a lot of working people who are not earning eighty 00:54:14.413 --> 00:54:16.350 - five thousand dollars a year and 00:54:16.866 --> 00:54:22.876 - And we need housing, we need good housing, and we want to take care of our county housing as well. And 00:54:22.876 --> 00:54:28.887 - that's what you all are doing here. So please take that into consideration. And if you can arrange for 00:54:28.887 --> 00:54:35.014 - an accurate, honest inventory of vacancy occupancy, then you can make your decision more heartily. Thank 00:54:35.014 --> 00:54:40.382 - you so much. My name is Cynthia Bradheim. Thank you very much for your comments. Thank you. 00:54:53.986 --> 00:55:02.632 - state your name and sign in. My name is Jean Simonian and I'm a resident and homeowner of the city. 00:55:02.632 --> 00:55:11.278 - You have in your packet an analysis that I wrote a few years ago during the upzoning struggle and I 00:55:11.278 --> 00:55:20.010 - won't go through that again. Other than echoing what both Mr. Dorfman and Ms. Bretheim said, I would 00:55:20.010 --> 00:55:21.566 - like to point out 00:55:22.242 --> 00:55:31.690 - The analogy to selling peaches is an apt one. No less than the Harvard Joint Center on Housing Studies, 00:55:31.690 --> 00:55:41.228 - hardly a bastion of anti-capitalism and anti-development, flatly declares, the minute you up zone, maybe 00:55:41.228 --> 00:55:50.494 - even the minute you consider up zoning or otherwise density, you raise land values. We all know this. 00:55:51.778 --> 00:56:01.662 - With raised land values comes reassessment by law and raised taxation. What we see in the city, those 00:56:01.662 --> 00:56:10.869 - of us who pay attention, has been increasing property values. Now, who's benefiting from this? 00:56:10.869 --> 00:56:18.718 - As a homeowner, I'm not. My taxes keep going up. I'm trying to stay in my house. 00:56:19.554 --> 00:56:28.787 - If I were renting, my rent would be going up, as it has. The only people benefiting are those who are 00:56:28.787 --> 00:56:38.111 - treating housing as a commodity, the investors. And if you look at Bloomington as an example, you will 00:56:38.111 --> 00:56:44.990 - see that the proportion of equity-owned property has steadily risen, and it 00:56:45.218 --> 00:56:53.852 - what appears to me to be a faster pace than would otherwise have been true. This is a national problem. 00:56:53.852 --> 00:57:02.736 - We're not immune to it, but we don't have to feed the fire. We can choose through a community conversation 00:57:02.736 --> 00:57:11.287 - to say no to profiteering because that's what's going on. This ownership from New York and Chicago and 00:57:11.287 --> 00:57:14.110 - Texas and California, they're not 00:57:14.498 --> 00:57:22.800 - We're not talking about mom and pop landlords here. I mean, I'm not anti-development. I'm a happy capitalist. 00:57:22.800 --> 00:57:30.347 - I'm far more capitalistic than most of my friends arguing this issue. And I want developers to make 00:57:30.347 --> 00:57:38.347 - a profit. I don't want profiteering. And that's what we're seeing in Bloomington. So I would just implore 00:57:38.347 --> 00:57:43.102 - you. And I think these comments probably address question one. 00:57:43.202 --> 00:57:51.513 - underlying question one, I would implore you to look carefully at the housing inventory as provided 00:57:51.513 --> 00:58:00.073 - by Dr. Clements. It's the excellent work I was hoping someone would come forward with when I submitted 00:58:00.073 --> 00:58:08.467 - my initial analysis. Thank you. Thanks. Thank you for your comments. Anybody else in the room before 00:58:08.467 --> 00:58:09.630 - we go online? 00:58:12.802 --> 00:58:35.862 - Okay, oh, I'm sorry. Mr. Martin, we know who you are, but please sign in anyway and state your name. 00:58:35.862 --> 00:58:41.342 - Hi, I'm Richard Martin. 00:58:42.530 --> 00:58:51.564 - I am the current president of the Monroe County Redevelopment Commission. I received a special invitation 00:58:51.564 --> 00:59:00.087 - to be here tonight. For the past almost two and a half years, the Redevelopment Commission has been 00:59:00.087 --> 00:59:09.377 - studying the prospect of what's called a residential tax increment financing district. The early legislation 00:59:09.377 --> 00:59:11.422 - simply was not suitable 00:59:11.778 --> 00:59:18.987 - been modified a couple of times since then. And we're taking another look at it. We have had one very 00:59:18.987 --> 00:59:26.267 - large neighborhood meeting where the residents essentially told us they didn't want a TIF because they 00:59:26.267 --> 00:59:33.901 - didn't want more housing. And we took that lesson to heart, and we're not going to try and do that anymore. 00:59:33.901 --> 00:59:41.534 - It's not quite clear that the project would have worked anyway. We are now going to look at potential areas 00:59:42.146 --> 00:59:50.794 - for residential TIF that are primarily focused on your existing rural communities. We're not sure how 00:59:50.794 --> 00:59:59.442 - this is all going to work out, but many years ago when I was on the Planning Commission, we did rural 00:59:59.442 --> 01:00:05.886 - community plans for the area in Smithville and for the area in Harrodsburg. 01:00:06.242 --> 01:00:13.543 - both of those can potentially, one of them is already serviced by sewer, the other is potentially serviceable 01:00:13.543 --> 01:00:20.312 - by sewer. So those are kind of logical areas. They're a little far apart from each other for one TIF, 01:00:20.312 --> 01:00:27.281 - but we'll have to look and see if we can figure out a way to do it. The biggest problem with residential 01:00:27.281 --> 01:00:30.334 - TIFs is that the revenue growth is very slow. 01:00:31.394 --> 01:00:37.886 - to create a bond, to put in any infrastructure to support that residential growth, you have to have 01:00:37.886 --> 01:00:44.442 - a revenue stream that starts out high. And that's the problem we have to figure out how to solve, is 01:00:44.442 --> 01:00:51.064 - where do we get that initial chunk of revenue for the early years that will allow us to pay the bond? 01:00:51.064 --> 01:00:57.751 - Difficult problem to solve, and we're gonna see if we can't figure out a way to do it. Unless somebody 01:00:57.751 --> 01:01:00.542 - wants to step forward with a lot of money, 01:01:01.058 --> 01:01:09.103 - to support something like that. We are also going to look at the areas probably to the immediate west 01:01:09.103 --> 01:01:16.989 - of Bloomington, but that depends upon some kind of a resolution of the sewer extension problem with 01:01:16.989 --> 01:01:25.349 - the city of Bloomington because there are no sewer systems on that side already. But those are the things 01:01:25.349 --> 01:01:29.214 - that we're looking at now. It is not our opinion 01:01:29.698 --> 01:01:36.824 - that planning and zoning are in any way inhibiting that kind of activity. I think that the areas we've 01:01:36.824 --> 01:01:43.950 - looked at all have sufficient zoning to support what we wanna do. It's just that we have to figure out 01:01:43.950 --> 01:01:50.938 - a way to get it done to make them affordable. So I'll be happy to answer any questions. You are more 01:01:50.938 --> 01:01:58.064 - than welcome to any of our meetings. It's a difficult problem to solve. Thank you for your time. Thank 01:01:58.064 --> 01:01:59.102 - you very much. 01:02:00.290 --> 01:02:08.637 - Anybody else in the room before we go online here? OK, I think the first one is Carrie Bennett. Hello 01:02:08.637 --> 01:02:16.985 - everyone, this is Carrie Bennett. I'm operations director with Habitat for Humanity of Monroe County. 01:02:16.985 --> 01:02:25.168 - We offer the following recommendations regarding housing development in Monroe County. First, it is 01:02:25.168 --> 01:02:29.342 - time to update Monroe County's comprehensive plan. 01:02:29.442 --> 01:02:36.821 - The most recent plan is nearly 15 years old and much has changed in our community since it was developed. 01:02:36.821 --> 01:02:43.992 - The planning process would present an opportunity to engage residents in discussions about the housing 01:02:43.992 --> 01:02:51.232 - options they need and want. Two, informed by an updated comprehensive plan, the county should establish 01:02:51.232 --> 01:02:58.750 - zoning districts based on the future it wants to shape, not current limitations such as sewer availability. 01:02:58.850 --> 01:03:06.433 - As an example, the county should revisit the 2025 rezoning of the 232 parcels comprising 175 acres. 01:03:06.433 --> 01:03:13.486 - These parcels were rezoned from high development to residential one. Many of the parcels are 01:03:13.486 --> 01:03:21.297 - now nonconforming and unable to be developed or redeveloped at a density that is supportive of housing 01:03:21.297 --> 01:03:24.254 - for lower and middle income residents. 01:03:25.602 --> 01:03:33.357 - Three, the county should evaluate each residential zone and each, or each residential use in each residential 01:03:33.357 --> 01:03:40.689 - zone to determine the appropriateness of the use specific standards, conditions, and prohibitions. It's 01:03:40.689 --> 01:03:48.091 - up on the screen now, and Director Gellin talked about this earlier in her presentation. Please consider 01:03:48.091 --> 01:03:54.366 - identifying and eliminating barriers to household living and residential use. Excuse me. 01:03:54.978 --> 01:04:02.399 - eliminate barriers to household living and residential uses. And then finally, the county should evaluate 01:04:02.399 --> 01:04:09.400 - reductions to minimum lot sizes, widths and setbacks and residential zones to allow more affordable 01:04:09.400 --> 01:04:16.541 - options. Thank you for your consideration of these recommendations. All right, looks like we have one 01:04:16.541 --> 01:04:23.262 - more online. I don't see anybody else in the room. If there's anybody else in the room, please. 01:04:24.322 --> 01:04:31.831 - Raise your hand. All right. We have one left, I think, and that's that was Mr. Emkey, right? Or has 01:04:31.831 --> 01:04:39.640 - he dropped off? Good evening, Colonel Ferris and the commission. This is Chris Terengi from the Greater 01:04:39.640 --> 01:04:47.149 - Bloomington Chamber of Commerce. We represent nearly 925 member members. More than 80% of those are 01:04:47.149 --> 01:04:52.030 - small and nonprofits. Now we submitted a memorandum to tonight's 01:04:52.450 --> 01:04:58.346 - hearing that you, I think, see on your screen. Our message is pretty straightforward. Monroe County 01:04:58.346 --> 01:05:04.301 - needs more attainable owner occupied homes of all shapes and sizes that working families can afford. 01:05:04.301 --> 01:05:10.197 - And we have three simple priorities. You heard Ms. Bennett from Habitat talk about this, but remove 01:05:10.197 --> 01:05:16.093 - the remaining barriers to the CDO. The county has made some changes, but they should keep examining 01:05:16.093 --> 01:05:21.694 - those minimum lot sizes, the subdivision standards, the setbacks, discretionary approvals that 01:05:21.986 --> 01:05:28.467 - that makes smaller homes harder and more expensive to build. When a project meets a zoning and infrastructure 01:05:28.467 --> 01:05:34.477 - standards, approval should be pre-predicted. Second, let's turn planned housing into completed homes. 01:05:34.477 --> 01:05:40.604 - Earlier today, the commissioners heard from the Center of Knowledge Diffusions Housing Inventory Study, 01:05:40.604 --> 01:05:46.496 - and since there was an opportunity for public comment on that particular presentation, we'll take a 01:05:46.496 --> 01:05:49.854 - little bit of an opportunity now. Now, the IU or the ROI 01:05:50.466 --> 01:05:55.773 - did their housing inventory a little bit different, but we cannot treat every housing unit 01:05:55.773 --> 01:06:01.954 - as interchangeable. Abundance of one type of housing, which we've heard a lot of pushback on multi-family 01:06:01.954 --> 01:06:08.019 - student housing in the city, doesn't resolve a shortage of another owner-occupied housing. And approved 01:06:08.019 --> 01:06:13.909 - development is not a completed home. We have a market. We should look toward it. We asked the county 01:06:13.909 --> 01:06:20.382 - to review the proposed and approved project individually. What's holding them back? Financing, sewer capacity? 01:06:20.642 --> 01:06:26.375 - road access, CDO requirement, then change what the county controls. Now third, we heard it from the 01:06:26.375 --> 01:06:32.453 - RDC president. The infrastructure investment to spur growth. Sewers, roads, and utilities often determine 01:06:32.453 --> 01:06:38.415 - whether housing is feasible. The Redevelopment Commission can capture some revenue, reinvest and unlock 01:06:38.415 --> 01:06:44.149 - private development. We aren't prescribing locations. We're asking the county to define where those 01:06:44.149 --> 01:06:50.398 - public dollars are going to be the most good, enabling housing, attracting private investment, expanding our 01:06:50.626 --> 01:06:57.318 - Tax base. So let's go. We have more than 14,000 workers commuting into Monroe County that are basically 01:06:57.318 --> 01:07:04.075 - free riders. There's no keep rural rural tax. There's no commuter tax. So what if we could attract 5,000 01:07:04.075 --> 01:07:10.510 - of these particular workers to live here? Consider what that would mean a local income tax revenue, 01:07:10.510 --> 01:07:13.406 - neighborhood businesses and MCCS enrollment. 01:07:13.794 --> 01:07:20.681 - infrastructure decisions should weigh housing potential long-term costs and existing school capacity, 01:07:20.681 --> 01:07:27.771 - not just where development has historically occurred. Let's remove those barriers. Build what's approved 01:07:27.771 --> 01:07:34.725 - and invest public dollars that matter the most. Thank you. Appreciate it. Hey Chris, thanks very much. 01:07:34.725 --> 01:07:41.342 - I don't see anybody else in the room and I don't see any hands raised online. Do you see anybody? 01:07:42.050 --> 01:07:48.805 - Do you have any, uh, any other documents that surprisingly magically appeared that we don't know about 01:07:48.805 --> 01:07:55.560 - that we should talk about? I have not received any as of 4 30 today, but I will triple check my email. 01:07:55.560 --> 01:08:02.118 - Jackie, what I'd like for you to do before we go to final comments from the plan commission, please 01:08:02.118 --> 01:08:08.741 - restate the next steps and the road ahead on what we're going to do with all this information. Sure. 01:08:08.741 --> 01:08:11.102 - So following tonight's meeting are. 01:08:11.682 --> 01:08:19.326 - requirement is that we type up verbatim minutes from the hearing. We're going to be taking all of the 01:08:19.326 --> 01:08:25.022 - comments that the public has made under advisement and then by December 3rd 01:08:25.122 --> 01:08:31.408 - We need to have the Planning Commission review and approve those meeting minutes and then they will 01:08:31.408 --> 01:08:37.694 - go to the County Commissioners for review and approval. We anticipate by December 3rd that we would 01:08:37.694 --> 01:08:44.042 - also hear from the Planning Commission whether they want us to immediately consider edits to the CDO 01:08:44.042 --> 01:08:48.254 - or if they would like to not do any edits at this time to the CDO. 01:08:48.386 --> 01:08:56.434 - but as I mentioned before, it doesn't preclude us from changing the CDO say next year or the year after 01:08:56.434 --> 01:09:04.173 - even if we don't do it now. So we have officially closed out the public comment. I would like to go 01:09:04.173 --> 01:09:12.221 - to the county commissioners first to see if they have any comment. I'll be brief. I do again appreciate 01:09:12.221 --> 01:09:18.334 - everyone who's here for being here and those who are online for participating. 01:09:18.658 --> 01:09:28.818 - that. Um it's a strange request from the legislature. Um you know, it's a scarcely veiled effort. To 01:09:28.818 --> 01:09:38.977 - try to bully various cities and counties into a different zoning environment and creating one and I. 01:09:38.977 --> 01:09:46.622 - You know, but we fulfilled what we had to do, and I appreciate that you all 01:09:46.754 --> 01:10:08.594 - I don't understand why the city's building so many darned apartment buildings for students. Um and when 01:10:08.594 --> 01:10:16.574 - I drive by newly built recently built 01:10:16.866 --> 01:10:26.334 - I see dark windows at night and the same dark windows every day. That's a problem. And the issue that 01:10:26.334 --> 01:10:35.709 - we're running across is that that raises land values everywhere. But the other thing that it does is 01:10:35.709 --> 01:10:40.350 - that it provides, it makes it difficult to follow 01:10:40.706 --> 01:10:48.166 - where the vacancies are because nobody will admit or publicize any no apartment complex will admit or 01:10:48.166 --> 01:10:55.259 - publicize how many vacancies they have because it will damage their ability to get more tenants. 01:10:55.259 --> 01:11:02.865 - I get it. I don't blame them. But at the same time, it makes it very difficult for us to say, OK, yeah, 01:11:02.865 --> 01:11:08.862 - they built enough apartments. We have enough housing because people with families 01:11:09.122 --> 01:11:16.159 - to live in those apartments. Non students are not really intended to live in those apartments. So I 01:11:16.159 --> 01:11:23.549 - still I think that what what Dr Clements study has shown us is what those numbers are. So we know what's 01:11:23.549 --> 01:11:30.656 - been built. And I would never say well, we've hit the 12,000 mark. We're done because we're not. But 01:11:30.656 --> 01:11:37.342 - I think it it behooves us to think about different housing styles. Developers will come in and 01:11:37.666 --> 01:11:46.109 - We need to look at those numbers more carefully. What have we built? Have we built single family? Have 01:11:46.109 --> 01:11:54.798 - we built duplexes? What have we done? And what is the demand out there for that particular housing style? 01:11:54.798 --> 01:12:03.486 - And so this allows us to be self-reliant and have the data behind it to know the numbers. There's nothing 01:12:03.486 --> 01:12:04.798 - policy related. 01:12:05.026 --> 01:12:12.281 - the building department. We don't have to add at all in this housing report. It is a study of data from 01:12:12.281 --> 01:12:19.536 - the building department. It's the permits from the building department. We still have to add Ellsville. 01:12:19.536 --> 01:12:26.512 - And that's something that staff is working on. We have to figure out how to do that. That will make 01:12:26.512 --> 01:12:31.326 - this even more comprehensive in terms of data and keeping it updated 01:12:31.554 --> 01:12:38.583 - And they can look at it and say, plan commission, why aren't you doing more of X? Why aren't you allowing 01:12:38.583 --> 01:12:45.613 - more of Y? They can hold us accountable. Perfect. Do that. But there's data now instead of the subjective 01:12:45.613 --> 01:12:52.576 - sense of what's going on in our community that people don't like. And I have that same subjective sense. 01:12:52.576 --> 01:12:58.014 - I don't understand why there's so many student apartments, and I don't understand 01:12:58.850 --> 01:13:06.071 - how that hasn't damaged all of us, because it's put pressure on the county to build more and become 01:13:06.071 --> 01:13:13.365 - denser in building. And that's unfortunate. But I do think there are ways we can address the housing 01:13:13.365 --> 01:13:21.019 - issue. And I think affordability begins not with the cost of land and construction, which are set. Nobody 01:13:21.019 --> 01:13:24.702 - can do it cheaper. You can't build a cheaper home. 01:13:26.242 --> 01:13:33.300 - that's what we really need to do. But what it can be done with is better jobs, better wages so people 01:13:33.300 --> 01:13:40.496 - can afford the homes in this county. I think that's what we really need to do. We need to look at that. 01:13:40.496 --> 01:13:47.830 - Anyway I want to thank everyone again and thanks staff and thank Dr Clements for report. Um and we really 01:13:47.830 --> 01:13:54.334 - appreciate everything. Um and we do want to hear from people in the future, so you can always 01:13:57.634 --> 01:14:06.926 - We'll go back to the Plan Commission comments from folks up here from the right. Yeah, I'll be brief. 01:14:06.926 --> 01:14:16.126 - I really appreciate people coming out. I have the same concerns that were expressed about how can we 01:14:16.126 --> 01:14:25.327 - do. Like a smart growth approach, you know, eliminate you know people here just to profit. Also, how 01:14:25.327 --> 01:14:27.422 - we can maybe work with 01:14:27.970 --> 01:14:37.392 - our local community to empower them to build and keep that revenue and that growth within our own community. 01:14:37.392 --> 01:14:46.728 - Retain that economic benefit, if you will. I feel like the term economic right now is a little bipolarized. 01:14:46.728 --> 01:14:55.719 - People might see it positive way and people might see it negative. And when things get galvanized, it's 01:14:55.719 --> 01:14:57.534 - a hard way to have a 01:14:57.666 --> 01:15:05.603 - conversation to figure out how we can meet in the middle. So I'm going back just to expand on what I 01:15:05.603 --> 01:15:13.619 - said prior to what is really a listening session for us. And I want to know that or want to make sure 01:15:13.619 --> 01:15:19.198 - everyone knows I did a great job of listening. And I think we all did. 01:15:20.994 --> 01:15:28.091 - I actually I think I always do a pretty good job of listening. I might not agree with everything, but 01:15:28.091 --> 01:15:35.119 - that's fine. And what I'm getting at is I think approaches to what has been said a lot is how can we 01:15:35.119 --> 01:15:42.217 - lower some of these barriers that make things so costly. Now, you know, we were thrust on this septic 01:15:42.217 --> 01:15:43.678 - and sewer issue, but 01:15:43.842 --> 01:15:52.012 - Now we have standards where you have to have lot sizes that are 10 acres to do a majority of our subdivision 01:15:52.012 --> 01:15:59.807 - options. So, you know, unless you do a sliding scale and have a sizable bound of acreage, you can maybe 01:15:59.807 --> 01:16:07.453 - get three 2.5 lots out of that. But after that, that parent parcels kind of locked up for you. If you 01:16:07.453 --> 01:16:13.374 - wanted to do a minor subdivision and if you can't have sewer, you have to have 01:16:13.570 --> 01:16:22.249 - that's going to make cost of building quite high. And I think if we look at these standards, we can 01:16:22.249 --> 01:16:31.189 - really address that other question. I'm going to kind of quote Richard March Martin, and I'm not going 01:16:31.189 --> 01:16:39.868 - to refute that our zoning and what we have allowed in it. Wouldn't sustain the growth that we need. 01:16:39.868 --> 01:16:43.166 - But if we don't address some of these 01:16:43.298 --> 01:16:50.816 - when we started to write this in 2016 and 17, anticipating that we would have sewer options, it has 01:16:50.816 --> 01:16:58.709 - bottlenecked everything and it's made a really big challenge. So a lot of my comments are for the people 01:16:58.709 --> 01:17:06.302 - that live here and have a little bit of property and maybe could carve out five acres and not create 01:17:06.754 --> 01:17:14.550 - crazy density where we have to worry about our infrastructure to the point where we can't maintain the 01:17:14.550 --> 01:17:22.195 - growth. That's kind of where my thoughts are. That's always where my thoughts are. Sometimes when we 01:17:22.195 --> 01:17:28.478 - get in these discussions, you might not be able to tell if I'm like pro density or 01:17:29.154 --> 01:17:36.888 - rule, rule, urban, urban. No, I'm smart growth, looking at the challenges people are facing and trying 01:17:36.888 --> 01:17:44.471 - to find a middle ground and lowering those barriers so we can actually see generations of folks live 01:17:44.471 --> 01:17:52.054 - in this community, grow in this community, or new people come. And to be honest, folks that can make 01:17:52.054 --> 01:17:55.358 - an investment and maybe a slight profit and 01:17:55.554 --> 01:18:03.061 - to do better for them and their future generations. But I do think we have to have safeguards, and that's 01:18:03.061 --> 01:18:10.568 - why we have the standards here. So we don't see some of what we see happening in the student zone overlay 01:18:10.568 --> 01:18:17.651 - in the city. But I do want to make a clear point is, what are we doing in the county? We've heard a 01:18:17.651 --> 01:18:22.750 - lot about what's going on in the city. What are we doing in the county? 01:18:23.010 --> 01:18:32.898 - And that's what's really important. And with smart folks looking for. A way to lower those barriers. 01:18:32.898 --> 01:18:42.883 - I think we can see growth and also drive down some cost of what it. Is to buy a home. Thank you, Tom. 01:18:42.883 --> 01:18:45.918 - Anybody else here on the left? 01:18:48.770 --> 01:18:56.265 - when it was a question that was asked, like how can the data be checked? All of the building permit 01:18:56.265 --> 01:19:04.135 - data that was analyzed is available online. It's been posted in a meeting packet for the plan commission 01:19:04.135 --> 01:19:11.855 - administrative meeting. And so every single building permit that was used to in the production of this 01:19:11.855 --> 01:19:18.526 - report is replicable, checkable, accurate. If it's not, let us know because we'd like to 01:19:18.722 --> 01:19:28.812 - the data, but, you know, it is an ongoing dynamic process, and the conclusion of the report was actually 01:19:28.812 --> 01:19:38.517 - to call for collaboration and to call for a shared vision, and that remains my sincere hope that the 01:19:38.517 --> 01:19:47.646 - community can come together to create a vision that helps all of our community members thrive. 01:19:48.610 --> 01:19:55.189 - So thank you. I would like to close out item two here. There is no vote. There is no motion. So we'll 01:19:55.189 --> 01:20:02.026 - just go ahead to item three. Item three is now for items not on the agenda. And this is really for public 01:20:02.026 --> 01:20:08.669 - comment. Anybody in the room or online, if you've got something you want to bring up that's not on the 01:20:08.669 --> 01:20:15.119 - agenda, now's the time to do it. And you have three minutes. I see nobody in the room. Oh, I see. I 01:20:15.119 --> 01:20:17.054 - see someone in the room. Hey. 01:20:18.178 --> 01:20:24.897 - I usually don't have any books. Please sign in and restate your name. I'll do it all over again, and 01:20:24.897 --> 01:20:31.815 - I write slowly. I just want to point out quality of life. Quality of life. Economic development is very 01:20:31.815 --> 01:20:38.600 - important and how it affects quality of life for everyone, whether they're a renter or a homeowner or 01:20:38.600 --> 01:20:45.518 - a business, especially our local businesses, especially our local farmers, making use of this beautiful 01:20:45.518 --> 01:20:46.782 - land that we have. 01:20:47.554 --> 01:20:54.788 - So that we have affordable housing I still am not clear how building more can become affordable I love 01:20:54.788 --> 01:21:01.952 - the Terran robotics projects that they're doing in hopes of reducing the labor costs of houses but we 01:21:01.952 --> 01:21:08.062 - haven't figured that out as an industry yet and we haven't figured out as an industry. 01:21:08.802 --> 01:21:15.440 - how to bring down or allow for allowances so that our developers could offer affordable housing that 01:21:15.440 --> 01:21:22.012 - should relate to what people are being paid. And if there's a way we can get transportation so that 01:21:22.012 --> 01:21:28.584 - we have a lot of people who are online as businesses, and that's fine, that would reduce the amount 01:21:28.584 --> 01:21:35.550 - of cars going back. I don't know if y'all have driven to the east side, 446, but it's terrible right now. 01:21:35.714 --> 01:21:42.256 - And some of the new streets they put in are way too skinny. At any rate, that doesn't matter. But the 01:21:42.256 --> 01:21:49.118 - point is, there must be a way to make housing so that developers can feel satisfied with their investment, 01:21:49.118 --> 01:21:55.788 - satisfied for serving the community, while serving quality of life for everyone. And that might involve 01:21:55.788 --> 01:22:02.202 - some novel thinking, because there's no way in hell construction is getting cheaper. And there's no 01:22:02.202 --> 01:22:04.126 - way in hell rents and housing 01:22:04.226 --> 01:22:11.635 - is getting cheaper and we've got to find some way, but we can do it and you can do it. That's I'm hoping 01:22:11.635 --> 01:22:18.691 - what we're here for. Thank you very much. Any other pearls of wisdom inside the room or online? OK, 01:22:18.691 --> 01:22:25.959 - I see none. Let's go ahead and move toward reports. So Director Jalen, do you have anything other than 01:22:25.959 --> 01:22:30.334 - what you've already talked about you'd like to share with us? 01:22:31.202 --> 01:22:39.588 - I would just like to report that we are fully staffed. We have a new planner to joining us online Ari. 01:22:39.588 --> 01:22:47.893 - She has quite a bit of knowledge and history in the stormwater space. She actually worked for city of 01:22:47.893 --> 01:22:55.710 - Bloomington utilities just prior but has had a lot of history working with the city of Seattle. 01:22:55.906 --> 01:23:04.072 - So we are very thankful for her knowledge and then we also have our office manager Angie Acuff who joined 01:23:04.072 --> 01:23:11.853 - us from another department in the county so we are Ready to respond to the public and we are excited 01:23:11.853 --> 01:23:19.788 - to be fully staffed finally and everyone's doing really well, so Okay, mr. Legal you have any comments 01:23:19.788 --> 01:23:23.486 - you'd like to share with us and your I do not I 01:23:24.258 --> 01:23:30.526 - Can we have a motion to adjourn, please? Done. Thank you.