Page last updated on October 5, 2023 at 3:22 pm
For more information, please contact
Scott Robinson, Director of Planning robinsos@bloomington.in.gov
The Challenge
If you’ve been in Bloomington long enough, there’s a good chance the topic of housing has come up in conversation. Like many communities across the country, Bloomington has taken several steps to understand the community’s housing ecosystem. In recent years, the City of Bloomington and the Bloomington Common Council have explored various approaches to allowing ADUs (accessory dwelling units) in certain areas of town.
An ADU, sometimes referred to as a granny flat, in-law suite, or backyard cottage, is a small, independent home that is located on the same property as a larger, primary house. An ADU can be attached to a main house or detached on its own. ADUs are often used to provide extra living space for family members, create rental income for homeowners, or simply make better use of available land.
When the City of Bloomington began allowing accessory dwelling units starting in 2017, with greater flexibility and simplified review procedures adopted in 2020, not many residents were aware of the many benefits ADU’s offer and have perceived regulatory barriers about eligibility and zoning standards required of their construction. The City needed a way to promote ADUs, lower the barrier to entry, and guide individuals through the process.
The Idea
The word has been spreading about ADUs, in part due to the efforts of the City of Bloomington Planning & Transportation Department. In May of 2022, Director of Planning Scott Robinson held a community workshop for property owners and developers to promote ADUs. In this workshop, officials from Planning & Transportation reviewed the new local rules and regulations on ADUs, challenges with designs and construction financing, and offered guidance on ways to promote this housing type. One idea was to provide designs that are compliant with the new requirements. Planning & Transportation contracted with eight local architects and designers who produced 12 pre-approved ADU designs. In addition, the Planning & Transportation team built a handy ADU website that showcases the designs and uses interactive tools to provide detailed information. This website is designed to help guide property owners interested in building an ADU. Using the interactive tool, users can pick a design, then determine if their property qualifies for an ADU and that specific design; understand the fees associated with each design, and contact information for each of the local architects and designers.
The Cost
The 12 pre-approved designs cost approximately $30,000. The designs and related information is posted on the City’s website. A total of 30 ADUs have been approved by the City of Bloomington since 2017.The ADU website was launched in March of 2023 and one ADU is under contract with a local designer.
The Benefits
The City launched the ADU workshop and web tool to help residents navigate a lower barrier to entry for this new housing opportunity. The benefits of ADUs in the local housing market include affordability, accommodation of friends and family, and better opportunity cost for residents considering staying in Bloomington. Allowing this creative housing typology expands choices and opportunities for a more diverse socioeconomic market.
Metadata
Department(s): Planning & Transportation
Department Point(s) of Contact: Scott Robinson
Partner(s): Ryan Robling, Eric Greulich
Partner Point(s) of Contact: n/a
Type of Innovation: Technical / Software, Process Improvement, New Service
Date Implemented: March 2023