Council voted 6-0 to adopt the Parks, Arts, and Recreation Commission's 2026 work plan, which includes continued sponsorship/naming-rights negotiations (an unnamed company reportedly in active talks regarding the Bloomington Ice Garden), an urban forestry master plan, a mid-point update to the Park System Master Plan, and participation in a Dakota public art sculpture selection panel and a youth sports facility study.
Council voted 6-0 to authorize issuance and sale of General Obligation Sewer Revenue Bonds, Series 2026C, in an amount not to exceed $24,630,000, funding a new sanitary sewer line to serve high-density redevelopment near I-35W/494. The project will be funded through the wastewater fund; the bond sale is set for May 18, with results returning to council that evening. Staff noted the city is also seeking up to roughly $2M in state and full federal appropriations funding that could offset other sewer projects.
Following a public hearing with no speakers, council voted 6-0 to approve the 2026 Community Development Block Grant Annual Action Plan, which will receive $477,190 in federal HUD funding (up from an estimated $465,000) plus significant carryover funds. Money will fund home rehab loans, public services for low/moderate-income residents, an acquisition-demolition program for blighted properties, and affordable homeownership partnerships with Homes Within Reach.
Staff presented a study on reducing corner-lot setback (30ft to 20ft), lot width, and lot area requirements to ease infill development and accessory dwelling units (ADUs); most comparable metro cities don't impose separate corner-lot size rules. Council members split, with two supporting the least-restrictive option matching interior-lot standards and the mayor favoring the planning commission's more modest middle-ground recommendation; no vote taken as this was a study/discussion item. Next steps: planning commission public hearing May 21, council public hearing June 15.
Chief Booker Hodges reported a 10% citywide crime decrease in 2025 but noted three murders and an increase in reported rapes (attributed to more victims coming forward). He announced the department will stand up a new Executive Protection Unit for city officials and visiting dignitaries — a response to rising political violence and threats against elected officials nationally — plus a new Human Trafficking Unit given the city's roughly 10,000 hotel rooms. He also touted the department's brain-health/co-responder program, citing a 21% reduction in mental-health holds and 27% reduction in police/EMS/hospital resource use on such calls.
Officials reported the $14.8M facility's 100% construction documents are complete and construction is underway for a planned late-2027 opening. Due to favorable bidding, a third gymnasium was added to the project at no extra cost, alongside a new drop-off lane off Penn Avenue and relocated outdoor trash enclosure. The project remains on track for LEED Silver certification (56 points, within the 50-60 range).
