The Bloomington City Council heard reports from city offices Wednesday about progress on an emergency shelter for unhoused individuals and how recent construction may limit Kirkwood Avenue’s Expanded Outdoor Dining Program this summer.
Progress on unhoused emergency shelter
Bloomington Mayor Kerry Thomson told the council that First Christian and First United Methodist Churches of Bloomington are hosting an emergency shelter for unhoused individuals in the case of extremely cold weather.
The churches are looking for overnight volunteers to help staff the shelters. However, all volunteers will go through an in-person training, which includes training on how to use de-escalation and metal detectors, according to a city of Bloomington Facebook post.
First United Methodist Church will host a training at 7 p.m. Thursday at 219 E. Fourth Street. First Christian Church will host a training at 3 p.m. Feb. 17 at 205 E. Kirkwood Ave. Thomson said she did not know if there would be any future training.
“The more people we can train, the better,” Thomson said. “It’s a great way to give back to your community.”
Thomson said the shelter can provide for up to 20 people a night and will prioritize helping those with medical needs and women.
The city has cleared two unhoused encampments in Bloomington since Thomson was sworn into office Jan. 1. The city cleared an unhoused encampment near the intersection of Fairview Street and Patterson Drive on Jan. 4, displacing up to a dozen people. Volunteers also evacuated a dozen individuals after the city cleared an unhoused encampment behind Wheeler Mission Jan. 25.
Bloomington also began enforcing a policy prohibiting tents and other enclosed structures in Bloomington public parks during daytime hours beginning in August 2023.
Reconstruction project could limit city’s Expanded Outdoor Dining Program
Andrea de la Rosa, assistant director for small business development for the City, told the council during her report Wednesday that the Clear Creek Culvert Reconstruction project, which began Feb. 5, may limit the city’s ability to close parts of Kirkwood Avenue for the Expanded Outdoor Dining Program. This program has typically closed two and a half blocks of Kirkwood Avenue to motor traffic during warmer months to allow for outdoor dining on the street. This program was launched in 2020 to help restaurants struggling financially during the pandemic. In 2023, the program ran from April 3 to Oct. 1.
The Clear Creek Culvert Reconstruction project aims to improve stormwater drainage and utility infrastructure by replacing an existing limestone tunnel with a new concrete tunnel. The project will occasionally limit traffic and parking in the area surrounding Dunn Street and Indiana Avenue until its expected completion in October.
De la Rosa said construction associated with the project will significantly impact traffic patterns in the area, so the city will likely need to keep Kirkwood Avenue — specifically the 500 block — open to cars to ease traffic burden.
To make up for the limited outdoor dining availability, de la Rosa said the city may expand its “Parklet” program, which allows restaurants in downtown Bloomington to convert parking spaces next to their businesses into additional spots for outdoor dining.
Phase five of the Clear Creek Culvert Reconstruction project may also impact two major festivals using space on Kirkwood Avenue: the Granfalloon Festival, usually held in June, and Bloomington Pridefest. De la Rosa said the city is looking at alternative locations to host these events.
“These events are very important for our downtown economy, so to move them very far away is a pretty negative impact on the business owners during a time when they really rely on those festivals,” De la Rosa said. “We are trying to be as careful as possible, trying to keep everything as close as possible to where they normally are.”
Councilmember Sydney Zulich urged the city to consider IU students when selecting a new location to hold the festivals.
“This is something a lot of students look forward to, especially Pridefest,” Zulich said.
The council also voted to amend the Bloomington Municipal Code Title 12, which addresses standards related to streets, sidewalks and storm sewers, by adding a new section detailing tree protection measures and updating language throughout the code.
The new section, 12.24.075, states that any existing public tree will be considered within a “Tree Protection Zone” during any surrounding construction or development activity. The Tree Protection Zone requires those constructing around the trees to install a barrier at least four-feet tall surrounding the protected trees.
Construction, storing equipment or supplies, moving equipment, stockpiling, resting, picnicking and altering soils will be prohibited within these zones. The amendment states that if the Tree Protection Zone impedes a project, parties must consult the city’s urban forester by submitting a tree work permit application.
