Planning & TransportationCitizens Academy Presentation 2019

Why We Exist

The Department of Planning & Transportation helps to protect the health,

safety and general welfare of the residents, visitors, and businesses within

the city of Bloomington by guiding the form and function of the built

environment and land uses with the natural environment in order to

sustain Bloomington’s high quality of life.

The Department is also responsible for the preparation, update, and

implementation of the Comprehensive Plan; the administration and

maintenance of local zoning, development, and traffic regulation codes;

the planning, design, and implementation of local multimodal

infrastructure projects; and the review and issuing of permits.

Why We Exist

In short, the Planning & Transportation Department is responsible for the development

and implementation of plans and policies that ensure that the growth and mobility of our

community is consistent with Bloomington’s vision towards the future.

Organizational Chart

Background

● 26 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees

● Includes Planning Services Division, Development Services and Permits

Division, Transportation and Engineering Services, and the Metropolitan

Planning Organization (MPO)

● Major initiatives include:

○ Implementation of the Comprehensive Plan

○ Implementation of the new multimodal Transportation Plan

○ Update of the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO)

○ Implementation of recommendations from Transportation Demand

Management (TDM) Study

○ Administer local zoning, development and traffic regulation codes

○ Review and issue permits

P & T Staff Supports the Following Boards, Commissions, and

Organizations:

•Common Council

•Plan Commission

•Board of Zoning Appeals

•Plat Committee

•Hearing Officer

•Board of Public Works

•Environmental Commission

•Bicycle & Pedestrian Safety Commission

•Traffic Commission

•MPO Policy Committee

•MPO Technical Advisory Committee

•MPO Citizens Advisory Committee

•Parking Commission

•Utilities Service Board

•Development Review Committee

•Historic Preservation Commission

•Land Use Committee

2019 Budget Goals UpdatePlanning Services

Beth Rosenbarger, Planning Services Manager

✔ 2019 Transportation Plan adopted

➢ Develop implementation strategy for Transportation Plan

✔ 5 events to encourage more bicycle transportation

➢ Traffic counts and crash data continue to be updated and

posted to B Clear https://data.bloomington.in.gov/dataset/traffic-data

2019 Budget Goals Update

Development Services

Jackie Scanlan, Development Services Manager

✔ Prepare Adoption Draft of UDO for public review

➢ Review permits for UDO compliance and issue in a timely manner

● 430 permits submitted to date

➢ Respond to and investigate uReport complaints

● 308 uReports investigated to date, 199 closed (65%)

➢ Review development petitions for Comp Plan/UDO compliance

● 64 petitions filed and reviewed to date

2019 Budget Goals Update

Transportation & Engineering Services

Neil Kopper, Interim City Engineer

✔ Complete ROW acquisition for 17th Street reconstruction

Project on track for year-end completion

➢ 97% of ROW excavation and seating permits reviewed within 10 business days

● 247 out of 254 permits have been reviewed to date

➢ Execute engineering services contracts for 11 projects

● 7 contracts executed to date (64%)

● 5 additional contracts in queue

➢ Develop a long-term capital improvement plan

● Adoption of Transportation Plan was the first step for this goal

2019 Budget Goals UpdateMetropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)

Pat Martin, Senior Transportation Planner

✔ Adopt new 2019 Complete Streets Policy

✔ Develop and adopt FY 2020-2024 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)

Adopted by MPO Policy Committee in April

➢ Collect and analyze annual crash data

● In process of identifying high crash areas in Bloomington/Monroe County

➢ Initiate an update and adoption process for Transform 2045. The following new chapters will be added:

● Climate Change

● Complete Streets Strategies

● Adoption of a Vision Zero Plan

● Sustainability in Surface Transportation

2020 Budget Goals

Planning Services DivisionLead implementation of the 2018 Comprehensive Plan and coordinate

and/or conduct studies and plans to help further general planning and

transportation policies as established by the community’s vision

for the future of Bloomington.

• Coordinate the development of a vision/special area plan for the

current IU Health Hospital location.

• Conduct a design charrette to gather input and ideas on

redesigning Kirkwood Avenue, from Indiana to Walnut, as a

shared street with focus on pedestrians.

• Hold a minimum of 2 special events to encourage bicycle transportation and increase the

total number of event participants by 10% based on 2019 event participation.

• Implement at least 2 key strategies identified in the Transportation Demand Management

Plan.

2020 Budget Goals

Development Services DivisionAs the first point of contact for projects in the built environment within

city boundaries, review all development petitions and permits for

compliance with the Comp Plan and UDO.

• Review development petitions for compliance with the Comprehensive

Plan and the UDO, and prepare and present recommendations to the

Plan Commission, Board of Zoning Appeals and Council.

• Respond to all permit applications for compliance with the UDO within

10 business days of receipt of a complete application.

• Resolve 85% of uReports assigned to Development Services.

• Facilitate transition from the former UDO with outreach and education to elected officials

and interested groups/organizations.

2020 Budget Goals

Transportation & Engineering Services DivisionImprove the safety, mobility and sustainability of local multimodal

infrastructure projects, particularly those that impact the city’s right

of way. Oversee the planning, design, construction and operation

of these projects and monitor to ensure compliance with safety

standards.

• Host a minimum of 3 neighborhood meetings to present traffic/transportation-related

information and collect feedback.

• Improve mobility options and meet Vision Zero goals (a multi-national road safety project

that aims to achieve a highway system with no fatalities or serious injuries involving road

traffic) through annual crash and transportation data reporting and analysis.

• Review 90% of all permits requested for right of way excavation and outdoor seating within

10 business days of receipt of complete applications.

• Monitor and actively manage construction project schedules to ensure 90% of construction

contracts awarded are completed within the timelines specified in the bid packet.

2020 Budget Goals

Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)The MPO is a federally mandated organization charged with managing

and monitoring approximately $42M annually in federal multimodal

transportation funding for eligible transportation improvement projects.

• Reach at least 80% completion rate of planning activities detailed in

the annual fiscal year completion report, which details the progress for planning activities

identified within the 2019 & 2020 Unified Planning Work Program.

• Complete 100% of annual Federal reporting requirements for Metropolitan Planning

Organizations by end of Q2.

• Conduct 4 Quarterly Project Tracking meetings for all jurisdictional multimodal federal aid

projects.

• Collect and analyze traffic and crash data and publish an Annual Crash Report by end of

Q4.

Conclusion

The 2020 Planning & Transportation Department budget request reflects the

implementation and continuance of essential projects and services for the City

of Bloomington that align with the stated goals of:

● Careful planning of the built and natural environments to sustain and

improve Bloomington’s high quality of life

● Ensuring that the growth and mobility of our community is consistent with

Bloomington’s vision towards the future

● Improving safety for pedestrians and all multimodal transportation users

in the city

Thank you! I am happy to answer any questions.