FAQ

No.

• •When a city renames a street, state law has the city clerk notify the county, which updates the voter records itself.
• •State law also bars a rename from taking effect in the 45 days before an election, and the council set the change to take effect Nov. 4, the day after the Nov. 3 election.

Their driver's licenses (a $26 duplicate) and vehicle records, and the city is giving each home $1,000 to cover the change.

• •Driver's Vehicle Services asks for a license address update within 60 days, in person, as a $26 duplicate, and vehicle records must be updated separately.
• •Whether that 60-day rule applies when a household hasn't moved isn't settled.
• •The council asked staff to tell residents the effective date and that their voter registration stays valid.

Not under the rule the council passed Sept. 28: grazing needs at least an acre, is limited to 30 days per site and isn't allowed December through March.

• •The council floated pooled applications and asked staff to report back.
• •Golden Valley is a nearby model for small lots, allowing up to four goats on 10,000 square feet with no minimum lot size, while Edina, Richfield and Minneapolis effectively don't allow it.

Probably not.

• •The new definition covers "an establishment" that details cars by hand, so the zoning use doesn't reach a mobile service, and the code has no mobile-detailing rule at all.
• •City staff said at the meeting they didn't think it applied but weren't sure.

That's still open; CenterPoint said it isn't a construction expert and will provide details later.

• •Bloomington, Orono and Brooklyn Center are the finalists.
• •CenterPoint plans to pick a site early in 2027, hopes to start construction that year and expects the system to be running in late 2028 or early 2029.
• •The health center itself is scheduled to open in 2027.

Call Environmental Health at 952-563-8934 or email [email protected], and an inspector visits within a few days and the owner gets 10 days to fix the problem.

• •Include the address and a description; reports can be anonymous, and there's no online form.
• •Tall grass and weeds get 7 days instead of 10.
• •If the owner doesn't comply, the city may hire a contractor or issue fines, and unpaid bills go onto the property taxes.

It's a set of agreements dating to 1999 between the city and the former Lutheran high school at 8201 Park Ave. S., now the Al Farooq Youth and Family Center.

• •They provide shared parking on city land and keep the jointly built fields and courts open to the public, and they run with the land.
• •The 25-year term ran to 2024 with a 10-year renewal option; whether it was renewed is unconfirmed.

A lot already: residents can keep up to four hens (no roosters), keep beehives with limits by lot size, garden in every zoning district and compost in an enclosed backyard bin.

• •They can also plant boulevard trees with a City Forester permit and rent one of 205 city garden plots for $45.
• •Selling from home is the tight spot: home-business rules bar on-site sales.
• •Carter asked planning staff and the commissions to review the rules for the 2027 work plan.

No.

• •The limit counts cars on the street tied to the house, so a home with nine cars outside is already over the current limit of four and would still be over at six.
• •Cars in a garage, or there briefly for a visit or service call, don't count.
• •Violations can be reported to Environmental Health at 952-563-8934 or [email protected].

Environmental Health investigates, usually after a complaint, city staff said: inspectors record license plates and check whether the vehicles are registered to the property before issuing an order to it.

• •Enforcement is already busy, with an average of 128 properties a year getting orders for too many vehicles over the last five years.
• •Complaints go to 952-563-8934 or [email protected].

That's still open.

• •Staff said they would use the new standard as the baseline for whatever is new and compare it with what was originally approved.
• •The staff report says the new minimums apply to future development applications and don't undo parking reductions already granted, but it doesn't say how a partial rebuild of an existing site is counted.

The cap applies per development or site, and whether each phase gets its own two is still open.

• •The ordinance says "a development or site may select a maximum of two parking flexibility measures," and staff read that as applying to a development, building or site.
• •Staff said a later phase could likely seek different measures than the first, but the text doesn't address phases.
• •A commissioner asked staff to make the wording clearer before it goes into code.

Mostly the approval itself: staff review the project's documents and age-restricted marketing when it's approved.

• •The city definition only says the housing is meant mainly for people 55 and older and doesn't mention a recorded restriction.
• •Federal fair housing law requires 55+ housing to have someone 55 or older in at least 80% of occupied units and to follow published age policies.
• •Staff said Bloomington hasn't seen such a conversion.

Staff have suggested compact spaces to a few applicants, but the savings are small, and staff said the 50-stall minimum for counting them might deserve study.

• •A compact space is 8 by 16 feet versus 9 by 18 for a standard stall.
• •Up to 20% of required spaces may be compact, and they count only in lots of 50 or more stalls; the parking ordinance doesn't change that.
• •Staff said the 20% cap works well.

No.

• •EV charging spaces count as regular required parking, not as a flexibility measure.
• •The code requires 1 space per 50 apartment units to have a Level 2 charger or better.
• •A development or site may choose at most two flexibility measures, such as proof of parking or shared parking.

Not yet.

• •No report has been published since the 2024 streamlining ordinance, only examples, such as a restaurant patio and a business near France Avenue and Old Shakopee Road that were approved administratively.
• •Staff said they could prepare a report if the commission wanted one, and a commissioner urged them to start collecting data, but staff made no firm commitment.

Not directly.

• •A South Loop zoning review is on the adopted 2026 work plan, though it isn't focused on parking.
• •A Sept. 17 motion to drop parking minimums in the development districts failed 2-3, and the commission suggested a future study of district parking.
• •The commission can recommend that project for next year's work plan, which the council approves and hasn't yet adopted.

Hennepin County restriped France from four lanes to three during summer 2026 pavement work, adding left-turn lanes at 102nd Street and a shorter school crossing, and a 102nd Street study is planned but isn't next.

• •The three-lane stretch, with a center turn lane, runs between about 98th Street and Old Shakopee Road.
• •The change also adds flashing-yellow signals.
• •A school-zone speed limit is possible in 2026-27.
• •The city engineer said the 102nd Street study would run from Normandale to France, and that moving curbs costs far more than restriping.

Not moving out, city staff said: the drops came from positions left unfilled, not relocations, and a company that left Bloomington wouldn't be on the list at all.

• •The city's 2025 financial report shows the shift but not the reasons.
• •Its top 10 employers have 23,189 workers, 26% of city jobs, down from 24,748 and 28% in 2016.
• •Mall of America tenants fell from 13,000 to 11,000, while Evernorth roughly doubled to 1,309.

That's still open.

• •Staff said companies needing tall, modern buildings mostly won't find them here, and that Bloomington's edge is its location near the airport, I-494 and the interstates.
• •Staff put industrial occupancy at 96%, though the city's 2026 Assessing Report doesn't publish a vacancy rate.
• •The report does say industrial values fell a net 2.1% this year, across 302 parcels worth $1.33 billion.

That's still open.

• •The mayor said available land is the key to landing employers, and staff said colleagues will survey city-owned and vacant land; no survey or site list has been published.
• •State law lets the Port Authority buy property from other public bodies and, with City Council approval, issue bonds to pay for it.
• •The SICK campus was built on 14 acres of city-owned land east of the Mall of America.

Yes, and state law requires it when the Port Authority sells.

• •The sale terms must spell out the buyer's allowed use, and the deed carries it as a covenant that runs with the land.
• •The buyer has a year to put the land to that use or start the work, or the authority can cancel the sale and take the title back.
• •Every sale needs a public hearing with published notice.

It was readied for whoever came next, not for one company.

• •The parcels, 14 acres east of the Mall of America, were already city-owned when SICK began a nationwide site search in 2018, and city staff pitched them.
• •A 2020 agreement lets SICK build in up to four phases, with more than 500,000 square feet of office and production space planned by 2035.

City Manager Walker said inflation isn't the right yardstick because the city is "in the people business," and personnel is 74% of the general fund.

• •The preliminary 2027 levy is $100.2 million, up 6.64%, which works out to a 7.75% increase, about $128 a year, for the median-value home.
• •The council can still lower the levy in December but can't raise it.

City Manager Walker said the city would either draw on reserves within its financial policies or cut spending right away through hiring freezes or service reductions.

• •Federal grants are about $6 million, or 4.66%, of 2027 general fund revenue, while property taxes are 69%.
• •The city's minimum reserve level wasn't stated at the meeting and doesn't appear in the budget packet.

That's still open; the mayor said he didn't know and would follow up.

• •A 10-year, $22.1 million Axon deal that keeps the city's license plate readers and adds drones is on the Oct. 12 consent agenda.
• •State law says plate data not tied to an active criminal case must be deleted within 60 days and shared only with other police agencies under set standards.
• •Bloomington says its police don't take part in immigration enforcement.

Because the city can't track every pending sale, the city attorney said; title companies usually call the city and are told about pending charges.

• •Buyers and title companies can request a written special assessment search from the Assessor's Office at 952-563-8722.
• •Sellers must disclose material facts they know of, though state law doesn't list city fines specifically.
• •Whether time-of-sale rules will add pending fines is still open.

The bill covered a city contractor removing nine bags of yard waste March 19, 2025, after a Feb. 18 nuisance notice the owners didn't appeal; the resident said he was abroad.

• •Staff had already dropped a $100 inspection fee, leaving $155.36.
• •Councilmembers compared it with the city's roughly $4.81-per-bag pickup fee and removed the charge Sept. 14, 7-0.
• •The city's on-call bag pickup doesn't start until mid-April.

It could stay R-1.

• •Detached townhomes are allowed there too, but with larger setbacks, 30 feet vs. 20 in R-3, which staff said would probably cost one or two lots.
• •The lots have been guided for medium density, up to 15 units an acre, since 1981.
• •R-3 caps density at 12 an acre, and the plan is nine homes.

No.

• •R-3 has no minimum, and the developer plans to plat nine lots and sell them to builders rather than build homes, so builders and buyers set the pace.
• •The developer said he keeps control of the site until all nine lots sell, and an HOA would maintain the private drive.
• •Changing the plan later would require a new plat process.
• •The council takes the item up again Oct. 12.

Yes, with the developer's agreement, and the developer has offered one.

• •R-3 allows up to 50 feet, and staff said a construction management plan can't limit height, but the council could add a condition the developer accepted.
• •On Sept. 23 the developer asked for a 40-foot cap, and staff drafted it as a condition for Oct. 12.
• •Concept plans show a 20-foot one-story and a 40-foot two-story home.

No.

• •A fence isn't on the plans, and none of the 20 draft conditions requires one.
• •After the Sept. 14 meeting, the developer added 12 arborvitae shrubs along parts of the north and south lines, near neighboring homes, for screening.
• •Staff can fold them into the approved landscape plan.

City staff say it can.

• •James Avenue carries about 200 cars a day, well under the 500 that draws concern, according to the city's traffic engineer, and the project adds about 66 trips; the 32-foot street still allows parking on both sides.
• •Construction equipment can't be stored on the street, work hours are 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., and a construction management plan must be approved before a building permit.

That's unknown.

• •The program collects demographic data but not whether a household was affected by immigration enforcement; staff offered to send racial data later.
• •VEAP spent its full $125,000 by Aug. 19 helping 40 households, and the HRA voted 6-0 on Sept. 8 to give it another $55,000 to spend by Dec. 31.
• •Staff said VEAP offers in-person help as well as online applications.

That's still open.

• •A commissioner suggested looking for a smaller fund without state conditions but didn't know whether that would be legal, and staff didn't answer.
• •State law allows LAHA rent help only for households earning under 80% of area median income.
• •The paperwork has already cost a partner: Sakan, one of five groups picked in February, never reached a contract because it couldn't meet state compliance requirements.

It's unclear.

• •Staff said they didn't think private businesses are eligible for LAHA money but would look into it, and that gap financing for a private developer may be allowed.
• •State law lists support for nonprofit housing providers as one use, but its category for rehabbing or gap-financing affordable housing doesn't require a nonprofit owner.
• •Bloomington has 89 for-profit group homes of the same type as MORA's.
• •The board denied MORA's request 6-0 and asked it to reapply once a formal application exists.

Staff expect a draft application by the end of 2026, likely at an HRA meeting this year; it isn't on the Oct. 13 agenda, and the scoring system isn't built yet.

• •Timing matters because each year's LAHA money must be committed within about three years or paid back to Minnesota Housing.
• •Of the $3.43 million received through 2026, $1.66 million has been spent or committed.

HousingLink builds it itself, city staff said, and it was designed not to take names, locations or other details that could identify someone.

• •No public description of its privacy protections has been found; the city's report says only that HousingLink got block grant money to help develop the chatbot.
• •HousingLink finished the funded work after the June 30 program-year deadline, and staff offered to get more details.

Not for this program right now: staff said Senior Community Services isn't being funded in 2026, so the city has no lever there.

• •Future requests for proposals could require an affirmative marketing plan.
• •The group's home program helped 92 people in the year ending June 30, 2026, and 81 were White, or 88%, compared with 65% of Bloomington; the city's report calls that expected because the program serves homeowners.

There are no numbers yet.

• •The HRA made no new rehab loans in the year ending June 30, 2026, because HUD added a SAVE eligibility check the HRA couldn't use for most of the year and the grant agreement came late.
• •Three loans are now in process.
• •Staff promised figures from earlier years and said they are working on outreach and a wider pool of contractors before the waitlist reopens.

No homeowners association is needed, and staff said the road will be public.

• •The HRA designed the site to work without a homeowners association in all three layouts, and the only shared arrangement would be the common wall in a duplex.
• •Staff said the stormwater system may be public too.
• •The tradeoff is cost: the estimated subsidy gap runs from about $240,000 a home with 24 homes to $318,750 with 16.

No.

• •The grant requires 16 homes, and any market-rate homes would be extra, separate from the grant requirements, and could only help cover the funding gap.
• •The HRA is also chasing other money: it got a $225,000 Met Council grant in September and plans to apply for $1.575 million more by Oct. 15.
• •Construction is set to start in summer 2027.

Hidden structural damage, prevailing-wage rules, extra facade and balcony repairs and a subcontractor that went out of business are behind it, and the HRA isn't obligated to pay, though staff recommend it help.

• •The garage rehab at 8045 Xerxes Ave. S. needs another $697,222, for about $3.2 million total.
• •Completion slid to summer 2027.
• •Staff recommend a $622,222 forgivable loan, with the HOA putting in $75,000 first, up for a vote Oct. 13.

Probably.

• •City staff said a parking analysis found enough room because the studio's busy hours differ from the offices', and the applicants put the site at 200 to 250 spaces.
• •The code has no line for sports training facilities like dance studios, so the city sets the requirement from similar uses; a health club needs 1 space per 250 square feet, or 1 per 300 under the ordinance before the council Oct. 12.
• •The studio must still meet the minimum at building permit review.

A studio representative estimated about 60 people at the busiest hour, and whether it will host competitions is still open.

• •The busiest hour would be in three groups, and the slowest would have about 20 people.
• •The applicant's narrative describes recreational and competitive classes, rehearsals and performances, mostly on evenings and weekends, but doesn't say whether competitions would be held there.
• •City code allows competitions at a dance studio only as a side activity, and only with sufficient parking.

That's still open.

• •The applicants said the site reaches both Highway 77 and I-494 and the studio wouldn't affect traffic, and a commissioner asked staff to watch parking and traffic on American Boulevard closely.
• •The staff report says staff aren't concerned because the FD-2 district sits along high-volume roads, but it cites no traffic study.
• •FD-2 is meant in part to keep heavy traffic generators from congesting the freeways.

Rented, according to Assistant City Attorney Toskey, who said they come from companies that lease goats and sheep to landowners to clear buckthorn and other invasive plants.

• •The city already uses goats on city-owned land, and Park Maintenance asked to add sheep and raise the herd limit to two per tenth of an acre.
• •Anyone grazing needs a commercial animal license, sites must be at least an acre, and grazing isn't allowed December through March.

Because the city already requires it for duplexes and apartment buildings, and whether townhouses should be added is still open.

• •The ordinance the council took up Sept. 28 extends the rule to three-family, fourplex and multiplex homes.
• •Planning staff added that state licensing may limit splitting a building, which couldn't be confirmed.
• •Townhouses aren't on the list.
• •Staff said attached townhouses could be added if the commission recommended it, and a commissioner said he might raise it for the 2027 work plan.

No figure was given, though planning staff said detailing likely uses less water than a car wash, and runoff isn't supposed to reach storm drains.

• •City code now treats detailing as low-volume hand work, separate from car washes.
• •The state plumbing code sends floor drains in vehicle wash bays to the sanitary sewer, with oil interceptors at vehicle wash facilities, and the city counts car wash water in storm drains as an illicit discharge.
• •Building permit review checks drains and sewer connections.

The first phase of public engagement wrapped up by September, with 608 resident interactions.

• •City staff said draft value statements and guiding principles go to the city's boards and commissions in October, with a formal presentation to the Planning Commission at the end of October.
• •The Vision & Values phase starts in early 2027 and a third phase follows in summer and fall 2027.
• •The City Council and Met Council must review the final plan.

Yes.

• •City code says final site and building plans "expire two years after approval if no building permit ... is issued for the approved development within that timeframe."
• •Before they expire, the owner may ask the community development director for one extension of up to a year, granted only if the applicant is making "a good faith effort."
• •The rule doesn't require the homes to be finished, and it doesn't undo a rezoning.

The lots are zoned R-1 but have been guided Medium Density Residential since the 1981 comprehensive plan, and R-3 allows the nine planned detached townhomes.

• •MDR "allows up to 15 units per acre."
• •R-3 allows detached townhomes with a 12-units-per-acre maximum.
• •Staff note detached townhomes are allowed in R-1 too, "but subject to slightly different performance standards, most notably slightly larger front and rear setbacks."

Up to 40 feet under a staff-drafted condition the developer asked for, though R-3 itself allows up to 50 feet.

• •Concept plans show a 20-foot one-story home and a 40-foot two-story home.
• •On Sept. 23 the developer asked for "a building height restriction of no more than 40' for any future structures," and staff drafted condition 17: "Building height is limited to 40 feet."
• •Required setbacks are 20 feet front and rear, 10 feet side.

No.

• •The applicant "would not be doing vertical construction"; it intends to plat the nine lots and sell them to builders.
• •An HOA would maintain the private drive and common areas.
• •Home designs may change, and code-compliant plans are reviewed administratively at building permit.

None of the 20 draft conditions in the staff report requires a fence.

• •After Sept. 14 the applicant added 12 arborvitae shrubs "along a portion of the north and south site boundary in proximity to neighboring single-family dwellings" for screening, which staff can fold into the approved landscape plan.

Staff say James Avenue can handle the estimated 66 extra trips a day, and construction equipment may not be parked or stored on the public street.

• •Staff estimate a net increase of 66 trips a day and say James Avenue "has capacity to handle the additional trips."
• •The street was narrowed to 32 feet in 2018, which still allows parking on both sides.
• •Construction hours are 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. under the noise ordinance, and equipment "may not be parked and stored on the public street by condition."
• •A construction management plan must be approved before a building permit.

By Nov. 12, 2026, the 120-day deadline the city extended its review to.

• •The application was filed July 15, 2026.
• •The council closed the public hearing Sept. 14 and continued the item to Oct. 12, where it is agenda item 4.2.

VEAP spent its full $125,000 allocation of Local Affordable Housing Aid by Aug. 19, 2026, "assisting 40 eligible households."

• •Staff recommended moving another $55,000 to VEAP, raising its total to $180,000, and said VEAP "will be able to expend the additional $55,000 in the original contract term through December 31, 2026."

Yes.

• •The draft minutes say a motion by Commissioner Wooten, seconded by Commissioner Carter, "to authorize an amendment to the Professional Services Agreement for Emergency Rental Assistance" passed 6-0 on Sept. 8, 2026.
• •The minutes are up for approval Oct. 13.

Two of the five groups picked Feb. 26, 2026, to share $215,000 didn't take their share: "St. Vincent de Paul – Bonaventure declined its award, and Sakan has not advanced to contracting due to challenges meeting applicable state compliance requirements."

• •That freed $15,000 and $40,000.
• •Oasis for Youth and St. Vincent de Paul – Nativity of Mary were still giving out their funds.

The program focuses on households "at or below 50% of the Area Median Income."

• •Starting in September 2026, VEAP also gets Hennepin County rent-help money, but that is "restricted to families making at or below 30% AMI," so the HRA money fills the gap for families between 30% and 50% AMI.

Not from its data.

• •The draft minutes say "demographic information is collected and could be provided to the Board, although the data does not specifically identify whether households were affected by recent immigration enforcement activity."
• •Commissioners discussed reaching immigrant and Latino households and VEAP's in-person help.

It is money "generated by a 0.25% sales tax collected across the entire seven-county metropolitan area by the Minnesota Department of Revenue" to help cities and counties with affordable housing.

• •Bloomington got its first payment July 26, 2024, and the HRA administers it for the city.

Qualifying uses include emergency rent help for households under 80% of area median income; "financial support to nonprofit affordable housing providers"; building, buying, rehabbing or gap-financing affordable housing; "financing the operations and management of financially distressed residential properties"; supportive services; and emergency shelters.

• •Rental projects serving households at or below 50% of median income get priority.

Each year's aid must be committed to a qualifying project by Dec. 31 of the third year after the year it arrives and spent by Dec. 31 of the fourth year.

• •A city that misses the deadline or misuses the money must pay it back to Minnesota Housing.

By the end of 2026 the HRA will have received $3,431,551.71, and $1,656,538 of it has been spent or committed.

• •Projects include Southview Estates, Bloomington Affordable Homeownership, Habitat for Humanity down payment help and rent-help programs.

MORA asked for $85,204 in Local Affordable Housing Aid for repairs at two nonprofit group homes in Bloomington, Bloomington Home and Valley High Home.

• •Residents average 18% of area median income.
• •Staff called it "the first time an external organization has submitted a project specific request for LAHA funding" and recommended approval.

No.

• •The draft minutes say Commissioner Carter moved to deny it, "with the request that staff encourage MORA to apply once the formal LAHA application process is available," and the motion passed 6-0 on Sept. 8, 2026.
• •Commissioners backed the repairs but wanted a formal process first.

Bloomington has 225 state-licensed group homes with room for about 2,000 residents.

• •Of those, 113 are Community Residential Settings serving about 400 people: 22 run by nonprofits, two run by the state and 89 run by for-profit businesses.

Staff proposed a website form asking for organization history, project description, site, detailed sources and uses, timeline, public purpose, an ongoing maintenance plan, financial statements, construction plans with itemized costs, and service to "at-risk" populations.

The draft Sept. 8, 2026, minutes say "a draft application is being developed and could be completed by the end of the year."

• •Commissioners also discussed adding a scoring system.

Senior Community Services' HOME program helped 92 residents in the year ending June 30, 2026, and 81 of them were White.

• •The program spent $19,970.
• •The report says that's 88% White, "higher than the Bloomington racial demographics at only 65% White," which it calls "not unexpected given the funding focus on homeowners."

HUD added a requirement to verify eligibility through the SAVE system, which the HRA couldn't use for most of the year, and the grant agreement wasn't done until late in the year.

• •The HRA issued no new rehab loans in the 2025 program year.
• •The HRA has a waitlist and hopes to catch up in 2026.

"HousingLink was awarded funds to support the development of an AI Chatbot for fair housing."

• •It had requested some of the money but the work wasn't finished by June 30, 2026, so it will be reported in the 2026 report.
• •The city's report gives no details on how it handles privacy.

Per the draft Sept. 8 minutes, three HRA rehab loans were in process with more applications under review; Homes Within Reach was working to buy two homes; VEAP was expected to spend its $30,000; and HousingLink "had completed its funded activity after the program-year deadline."

Yes.

• •The draft Sept. 14, 2026, council minutes show the report approved for submission to HUD on the consent agenda, moved by Rivas and seconded by Lowman, which carried 7-0.
• •The HRA had recommended it Sept. 8 on a 5-0 vote with Commissioner Wooten abstaining.

Owner-occupied homes, on the roughly 4-acre site at 86th Street and Xerxes Avenue that the HRA bought in early 2026.

• •The purchase used money from several sources, including a Minnesota Housing grant.
• •The original concept had grant-funded homes for households at 80% of area median income, and construction is expected to start in 2027.

Staff laid out three layouts, of 16, 22 or 24 homes.

• •The 16-home option has 10 duplex units and 6 single lots, all at 80% AMI, with an estimated gap of $318,750 per home.
• •The 22-home option has small-lot single-family homes (16 affordable, 6 market-rate), about $290,000 per home.
• •The 24-home option has 15 triplex units and 9 small-lot homes (8 market-rate), about $240,000 per home.
• •Road and land costs are about the same in each, so fewer homes means more subsidy per home.

No.

• •"The HRA has specifically designed this site to function without the need for a Homeowners' Association (HOA) and none of these options contemplated the need for an HOA."
• •Twinhomes would still share a common wall.

No.

• •The draft minutes say "the existing grant requires development of 16 additional grant-funded units; any market-rate units added to the development would be separate from those grant requirements and could potentially serve as a gap-filling mechanism."

Staff's schedule has construction starting in summer 2027.

• •In fall 2026, developers are selected and site civil design begins.
• •Winter 2026 brings developer training, site plans and bidding the public infrastructure.
• •The infrastructure is built in spring and summer 2027.
• •Lot closings and permits are also set for summer 2027.

The HRA received a $225,000 Met Council grant in September 2026 and plans to apply for $1,575,000 more from the Met Council's Livable Communities Demonstration Account for the road, lot grading and stormwater work.

• •The application is due Oct. 15, 2026, and needs an HRA resolution of support.

The HRA plans to select and train emerging developers as partners.

• •It paid NEOO Partners $45,000 to design a six-course curriculum and selection rubric, and on Oct. 13, 2026, will consider a $50,000 NEOO contract to run the training in January and February.

Staff cite hidden structural damage, prevailing-wage requirements, added facade and balcony repairs, a subcontractor that went out of business mid-job, and slow draw and change-order responses.

• •The garage rehab at 8045 Xerxes Ave. S. needs another $697,222, for about $3.2 million in construction and contingency.
• •Completion moved from fall 2026 to summer 2027.

After the city closed the garage in fall 2024, a Housing Improvement Area was created with $2.4 million in bond and interfund loan financing from the HRA and city, plus tax increment financing to help repay it.

• •In August 2025 the package grew to $2,833,187, with owners' monthly assessments estimated at $401.16 to $546.46 per unit.

Staff recommend a $622,222 forgivable loan of Local Affordable Housing Aid at 0%, forgiven after three years if the project is finished and HOA fees meet a new reserve study.

• •The HOA would put in $75,000 first, and the project deadline would move to June 30, 2027.
• •The City Council must also approve the amended agreement.

No.

• •The draft Sept. 8 minutes say "the HRA is not obligated to provide additional funding and that any additional funding request would require further Board consideration."

Yes: the landlord must keep the unit in reasonable repair, and a lease clause putting repairs on the tenant is not enforceable.

• •"According to Minnesota law, the landlord is responsible for keeping the unit in reasonable repair" (Minn. Stat. 504B.161).
• •Landlords must also "Supply heat at a minimum temperature of 68 degrees Fahrenheit from October 1 through April 30."

"Tenants who need a repair should notify their landlord in writing and keep a copy for their records."

• •The options listed are: call the local housing, health, energy or fire inspector; place the full rent in escrow with the court; sue under the Tenant Remedies Act; sue for rent abatement; or use the failure to repair as a defense to an eviction for nonpayment.

Notify the landlord in writing, and if the problem isn't fixed within 14 days, deposit the rent with the court administrator.

• •"If the problem is not corrected within 14 days, the tenant can deposit the rent payment with the court administrator along with a copy of the letter."
• •Alternatively, deposit the rent after an inspector's repair deadline passes (Minn. Stat. 504B.385).
• •The tenant must pay all rent that is due.
• •"There is a small filing fee, but the administrator can waive the fee if the tenant's income is very low."

If the tenant proves a violation, the judge may order repairs, return or abate rent, or fine the landlord; if no violation is proven, the money goes to the landlord.

• •"The hearing will take place within 10 to 14 days."
• •The full list of remedies is: order repairs, allow the tenant to repair and deduct the cost, appoint an administrator, return rent, abate future rent, or fine the landlord.
• •If the tenant doesn't deposit the full rent, the landlord can evict.

It is a more complicated district-court suit (Minn. Stat. 504B.395) over housing violations, failure to repair, or discrimination.

• •If no inspector is used, "the tenant must inform the landlord in writing of the repair problem at least 14 days before filing a lawsuit."
• •"Court fees in emergency tenant remedies actions and lockout petitions are around $70."

Per the AG, citing Minn. Stat. 504B.381: "A 'repair emergency' includes a non-working refrigerator, promised air-conditioning, serious infestations, and a city notice of intent to condemn the property."

• •For unlawful utility shut-offs, tenants can recover "triple damages or $500, whichever is greater."

No: "A landlord may not retaliate by filing an eviction notice, increasing rent, or decreasing services because a tenant contacts an inspector" (Minn. Stat. 504B.441).

• •"The law presumes that the landlord is retaliating if, within 90 days of a tenant's action, the landlord starts an Eviction Action or gives the tenant a notice to vacate."

It's risky: the AG warns it "presents risks to the tenant" and says "A Rent Escrow Action may be preferable to withholding rent."

• •Tenants who withhold should notify the landlord in writing, notify the inspector, and state in writing that rent will be withheld.
• •The AG's online chapter adds: "It is very likely that the landlord will begin eviction proceedings."

Bloomington 2050 is the city's once-in-a-decade comprehensive plan update.

• •It sets a 20-year vision for land use, housing, transportation, parks, infrastructure and climate adaptation and mitigation.
• •The process launched in April 2026 and runs through 2028.
• •It replaces Forward 2040, which the City Council adopted Aug. 5, 2019.

State law requires an update every 10 years, and Bloomington is forecast to add 13,000 residents by 2050.

• •The law requires cities in the seven-county metro to update their comprehensive plans every 10 years to align with the Met Council's regional guide, Imagine 2050.
• •The forecast is for 13,000 more residents, "for a total population of 103,400."

Phase 1 (Big Ideas & Key Issues) engagement wrapped up by September 2026, with 608 unique interactions with residents.

• •Phase 2 (Vision & Values) starts at the beginning of 2027 and Phase 3 is set for summer and fall 2027.
• •Final adoption needs review by the City Council and the Metropolitan Council.

New remote airport parking (set up after Sept. 29, 2025) "must be located entirely within a parking structure in existence as of September 29, 2025, that is determined to have excess off-street parking supply."

• •The excess can be shown by a parking study done by an independent traffic engineer under city supervision and paid for by the applicant; if other uses sharing the ramp are vacant, the study must model them "as if they were operating at full occupancy."
• •All parking, access gates and shuttle storage must be inside the structure.

The City Council passed Ordinance 2025-19 on Sept. 29, 2025, effective on publication Oct. 9, 2025.

• •It lifted the citywide moratorium on airport parking facilities, made new remote airport parking a conditional use in the HX-R district, and says no interim permit for an existing remote airport parking lot may be extended beyond Aug. 8, 2027.

New remote airport parking must meet the city's exterior lighting rules (§ 21.301.07), which say "all lighting, unless specifically allowed in this section, must be 90 degree cut-off with a flat lens design."

• •Fully enclosed and secured parking structures are exempt from the cut-off and lens limits.
• •Walkway lights in ramps must be at least twice the average light level, or a clearly different color, from the lights over parking and drive aisles.

The code doesn't list a sale among the ways a permit ends, and it ties the permit to the land record: "A certified copy of the resolution approving a conditional use permit must be recorded with the county."

• •A permit expires if the use hasn't started within one year of approval (one extension of up to a year is allowed) or if the use stops for a continuous year or longer.

Yes, but only for cause.

• •The City Council may suspend or revoke a permit if the permittee, owner, operator, tenant or user fails to follow city code, state law or a condition of approval.
• •It must first give written notice of at least 10 days stating the charges, and hold a hearing.

Three business days.

• •The applicant or any member of the public may appeal to the City Council by filing an appeal request with supporting materials within three business days of the decision.
• •A tie vote, or a vote that goes against the staff recommendation, sends the permit to the council automatically.
• •Changes to conditions must be made by the body that approved the permit.

Each sits in a separate LLC, with Hennepin County records listing the ramp parcel's owner as Bloomington QOZ Ramp LLC.

• •The ramp parcel had a December 2025 sale for $4.9 million.
• •The parcel at 8009 34th Ave. S. is owned by Bloomington QOZ Office LLC (also a December 2025 sale).
• •The 3 Appletree Square parcel is owned by Empire IV Bloomington LLC, with Bloomington QOZ Ventures LLC as taxpayer.

Yes, since Jan. 1, 2026 (Ordinance 2025-55).

• •A ramp needs a city operating license once it's past the fifth anniversary of its certificate of occupancy.
• •A license is issued or renewed only after a licensed civil or structural engineer inspects the ramp and reports that it can carry its design loads and lists any repairs needed.
• •Licenses run about two years and cost $175.
• •The council can revoke one if the Building Official declares the ramp hazardous.

They fell.

• •The 2026 Assessing Report says the industrial market "saw declining values for the 2026 assessment, a change in direction from years past," with a net decline of 2.1% as rent growth slowed and expenses rose.
• •The city's 302 industrial parcels were valued at $1.33 billion, 7.3% of the city's total value.

The city's meeting page says the agenda and documents are at blm.mn/meetings.

• •The City Council Office can be reached at 952-563-8782 or [email protected].
• •The packet itself was not retrieved, so the $1,000 payment, the two affected homes and the Nov. 4 effective date could not be checked against a city document.

The city's construction page doesn't say so; it uses both street names and does not mention the rename.

• •It covers concrete curb and gutter, utility work and paving on Hopkins Road/Mission Road in August and September 2026, for example: "Concrete installation was completed during the week of September 7."

Yes.

• •Minn. Stat. 201.11, subd. 2 says that if a municipality administratively changes the number or name of a street address of an existing residence, "the municipal clerk shall promptly notify the county auditor and the county auditor shall immediately update the voter records of registered voters in the statewide voter registration system to accurately reflect that change."
• •The city and county update the voter record; the law does not put that step on the voter.

Minn. Stat. 201.11, subd. 2 bars a city from making a street name change effective during the 45 days before an election, and a Nov. 4 effective date, just after the Nov. 3 election, is consistent with that rule.

• •The statute reads: "A municipality must not make a change to the number or name of a street address of an existing residence effective during the 45 days prior to any election in a jurisdiction which includes the affected residence."

The SOS register-to-vote page says: "You will need to re-register if your name or address changes."

• •It also says: "If you submit a Change of Address with USPS, that may also trigger an update of your registration."
• •The page is about moving in general and does not address city-initiated renames, which Minn. Stat. 201.11 subd. 2 covers.

Yes, the SOS register-to-vote page says Minnesota offers Election Day registration at polling places.

• •The specific proof-of-residence page could not be retrieved because the SOS site's bot protection blocked automated fetches.

Yes, Minn. Stat. 201.13, subd. 3 requires the Secretary of State to get a monthly list of registered voters who filed a USPS change of permanent address, and allows the use of DVS replacement-license address data.

• •The secretary "must not load data derived from these lists into the statewide voter registration system within the 47 days before the state primary or 47 days before a November general election."
• •When a voter's address is updated this way, the county auditor mails a notice, and the voter must respond within 21 days if the new address is wrong.

DVS says: "Update the address on your card within 60 days of your move or within 30 days if you are a commercial driver."

• •It must be done in person: "Visit an office that offers duplicates or renewals to complete an application."

Minn. Stat. 171.11 says a person who "shall change permanent domicile" or changes their name "shall, within 30 days thereafter, apply for a duplicate driver's license upon a form furnished by the department and pay the required fee."

• •This 30-day figure differs from the 60 days on DVS's page.
• •The statute is written in terms of changing domicile.
• •Whether it applies to a city rename when the resident hasn't moved is not addressed by either source.

Yes, and you "can pre-apply before going to an office for faster service," but the address change itself must be done in person.

• •DVS says: "You will need to get a duplicate license or ID card if your address or your name has changed, or if your license or ID has been lost, stolen or damaged."
• •The page mentions no free sticker or no-fee option.

The DVS fee table says a "Duplicate driver's license - all classes" costs "$26".

• •The fee page does not list a separate duplicate fee for ID cards.

For a standard license or ID, no proof of the new address is required.

• •A REAL ID or enhanced card requires "two proofs of residence," and an enhanced card also needs a new photo.
• •"Changing the address on your license or ID does not change the address on your motor vehicle records"; vehicle addresses are updated separately at a deputy registrar or online.

USPS charges a $1.25 identity verification fee, and standard forwarding lasts 12 months.

• •The page says: "Pay the $1.25 identity verification fee."
• •"Standard mail forwarding lasts 12 months.
• •You can pay to extend mail forwarding for 6, 12, or 18 more months (18 months is the maximum)."
• •The page says nothing about city street renames.

These are agreements between the City and the Lutheran High School Association, which owned the school at 8201 Park Ave. S. next to Smith Park.

• •Together they built parking on City land and athletic facilities on school land.
• •The agreements "provide for joint parking and for joint use of the football/soccer field, the basketball court and the tennis court through the year 2024 and can be further extended," and they run with the land to later owners.

A May 17, 1999 agreement lets the 8201 Park Ave. S. site count the City's northwest Smith Park lot toward its parking capacity, for 25 years plus a 10-year renewal if both parties agree.

• •It runs "for 25 years with an additional 10 year renewal with the same terms, subject to both parties agreement."
• •Staff noted that if the parking is no longer available in 2034, the user must make other arrangements.
• •The site has written use of 110 Smith Park spaces: 74 in the northwest lot and 36 in the southeast lot.

The former Lutheran/Concordia school building at 8201 Park Ave. S. became the Al Farooq Youth and Family Center (Dar al Farooq) under a Conditional Use Permit the City Council approved May 2, 2011.

• •Under the run-with-the-land agreements, it took on the shared parking rights and the duty to keep the jointly built fields and courts open to the public.
• •The City said these "cannot be permanently reserved for the exclusive use of AFYFC."

Yes.

• •In 2016, attorney Larry Frost spoke at the June 27 council meeting, and on July 25 he filed a petition for the 'Friends of Smith Park' neighbor group asking the city to enforce the conditions of the property's conditional-use permit ("Just enforce the deal we made").

Hennepin County awarded Bloomington funding for a new organics drop-off at Smith Park, chosen because it is close to large apartment buildings and sits in an Environmental Justice Zone.

• •"The City will build the Smith Park organics drop-off in 2026."

It studied whether a dedicated bus rapid transit system could work on American Boulevard, which runs parallel to I-494 across north Bloomington.

• •It identified two possible transit routes with transit partners, made land-use recommendations for the city to consider adding to its Comprehensive Plan, and recommended intersection and pedestrian upgrades.
• •The corridor covers about 60,000 jobs.

The city's 2025 sustainability report says "The City Council adopted the final plan in December" 2025, after Planning Commission review on Nov. 6, 2025.

• •The project page had scheduled the council vote for Dec. 8, 2025.
• •A CitizenPortal.ai summary (not read directly) reports a 6–1 vote on Dec. 22.
• •Either way, the city's records say December 2025, not 2026.

Yes, roughly.

• •The city's Pavement Management Program StoryMap has a "5-Year Projection Plan" map that "displays possible future PMP projects being considered for overlays, reconstructs, and trails," and a street restoration map showing the last five years, the current year and "the next 3 projected years."
• •Staff walk a third of city streets each year to score them.
• •Questions go to Engineering at 952-563-4870.

Owners can pay in full before Nov. 24, 2026, with no interest, or prepay part of it.

• •Anything left is spread over 10 years on property taxes, with 5.5% interest a year on the declining principal.
• •The balance can be paid off in full any time during the 10 years, but no partial payments are accepted after Nov. 24, 2026.

Thirty days.

• •Under Minn. Stat. 429.081, within 30 days after the assessment is adopted an aggrieved owner may appeal to district court by serving notice on the mayor or city clerk, then must file the notice with the court within 10 days after serving it.
• •Owners who didn't object before or at the assessment hearing generally can't appeal unless they had reasonable cause.

The city's Pending Assessments page directs "requests for a written Special Assessment Search" to the Assessor's Office at 952-563-8722.

Because the fines were the former owner's: the City Attorney's Office said the current owner was not responsible, and the property now complies.

• •Among 17 cases heard Aug. 26, 2026, two homes on 22nd Avenue South each had $2,200 in fines that "The former owner incurred ... but later sold the property to the current owner, still subject to the unpaid fines."
• •The City Attorney's Office recommended dismissal "because the current owner was not responsible for the violations" and the property now complies; the hearing officer agreed.

Minn. Stat. 513.55: before signing a sale agreement the seller must give a written disclosure that includes "all material facts of which the seller is aware that could adversely and significantly affect" an ordinary buyer's use and enjoyment of the property.

• •The statute doesn't specifically list pending city fines.

The resolutions adopted Sept. 14 say an owner may, "at any time prior to certification of the assessment to the County Auditor on November 24, 2026, pay the whole assessment" with no interest.

• •After that, the delinquent-utility assessment is due with 2027 taxes, with 6% interest from Oct. 1, 2026, plus a $50 administrative fee.

Yes, and state law requires it.

• •Under Minn. Stat. 469.065, "the terms and conditions of sale of the property must include the use that the bidder will be allowed to make of it," and the deed must carry those use conditions "as a covenant running with the land."
• •The authority may also require the buyer to post security to guarantee that use.

If the buyer misses the one-year deadline to put the land to its agreed use, the authority can cancel the sale and take the title back.

• •The buyer must put the land to its agreed use, or start the work to do so, within one year, and can't transfer title within a year of buying without the authority's consent.
• •If the deed's use covenant is broken, the authority can ask district court to declare a forfeiture and cancel the deed (Minn. Stat. 469.065).

Yes.

• •Minn. Stat. 469.065, subd. 2: "A port authority shall hold a hearing on the sale," with notice published in a newspaper at least 10 but not more than 20 days before.
• •The sale must be found to be in the best interests of the district and its people and to further its development plan.

It may lease or buy real property from another public agency or unit of government, and may issue bonds to pay for that property with the City Council's approval.

• •Minn. Stat. 469.071 gives Bloomington's port authority the same powers as other Minnesota port authorities.
• •It also says the authority "may lease or purchase and accept a conveyance of real property from another public agency, commission, or unit of government."

14 acres of city-owned land east of the Mall of America, under a 2020 development agreement and purchase-option agreement with SICK.

• •A city and Port Authority project sheet says SICK began a nationwide site search in 2018 and staff pitched "City owned parcels east of the Mall of America": the undeveloped Alpha Site parcels and three Interstate Diesel properties.
• •The 2020 agreements cover up to four phases and more than 500,000 square feet of office and production/logistics space by 2035.
• •The city's original link is gone; this is an archived copy.

Seven commissioners: President Bob Erickson (term ends Dec. 31, 2028), Vice President and Mayor Tim Busse (2027), Treasurer Cynthia Hunt (2030), Secretary Shawn Nelson (2029), Rob Lunz (2026), Steve Peterson (2028) and Cecilio Santana (2026).

• •Regular meetings are the third Tuesday of the month at 5:15 p.m. in Council Chambers.
• •State law sets seven members, including the mayor and a council member.

The preliminary 2027 city levy is $100,236,768, up $6,241,299 or 6.64% from $93,995,469, and the council can still lower it in December but not raise it.

• •The staff memo says: "The preliminary levy represents the maximum amount of property taxes that can be collected.
• •The Council may decrease the levy when adopting its final budget and levy in December, but it may not increase it."
• •The council adopted it 7-0 on Sept. 14 (Resolution 2026-160, per the draft minutes).

The city's budget slides say the "6.64% increase to the tax levy is a 7.75% increase for the median value home": $2.47 a week, $10.71 a month or $128.49 a year (city share only).

"Personnel costs represent the largest share of the General Fund budget at 74%," according to the city's 2027 budget presentation, which also cites Minnesota Paid Leave and recruitment and retention as pressures.

Federal grant revenue is $6,046,966, or 4.66% of revenue, in the 2027 preliminary general fund budget.

• •The property tax levy brings in $90,008,821 (69.31% of revenue).
• •Lodging and admission taxes are $11,729,640 (9.03%).

Generally no.

• •Minn. Stat. 275.065, subd. 6: the levy a city certifies "must not exceed the proposed levy determined under subdivision 1," with narrow exceptions such as levies voters approve afterward.
• •Cities certify the proposed levy by Sept. 30 and the final levy within five working days after Dec. 20 (Minn. Stat. 275.07).

The city lists a budget study session with public comment on Nov. 16, 2026; utility rate hearings Nov. 9; the Truth in Taxation public hearing on the 2027 levy and general fund budget Dec. 7; and "December 14, 2026: City Council to approve final tax levy and budget."

The City of Bloomington Assessor's Office estimates each property's market value, the likely price it would sell for on the open market, as of January 2 each year.

• •Every property in the city is visited and reviewed in person at least once every five years, and properties with building permits are reviewed during the year.
• •Property data such as size, age, quality, condition and basement finish go into a computerized mass appraisal system.
• •Assessors study sales from the 12 months before the January 2 assessment date, October 1 to September 30.
• •The State Board of Equalization requires the overall level of assessment to be between 90 and 105 percent of market value.

The City of Bloomington mailed its 2026 estimated market value notices in mid-March 2026.

• •The city asks owners with questions or concerns to contact the Assessing Division as soon as possible at [email protected] or 952-563-8722.
• •Owners may request an informal appeal in the weeks after the notice arrives, and a recent appraisal or comparable sales can help.
• •By the time proposed tax notices are sent in November, the city says, it is too late to informally appeal a valuation.

Next year's: the value notice the Assessor's Office mails in March is the basis for the following year's property taxes.

• •The assessment is set as of January 2, and taxes paid in May are based on the previous year's taxable market value.
• •Taxable market value is the value taxes are actually based on, after all reductions, limitations and deferrals.
• •The notice also shows the value of new improvements made to the property in the last 5 years.

Property taxes, paid to Hennepin County, are due May 15 and October 15.

• •If a due date falls on a weekend or holiday, taxes are due on the next business day.
• •Mailed checks, payable to Hennepin County Treasurer, must be postmarked on or before the due date or penalties apply.
• •State law adds a penalty to any payment made after the due date, and penalties keep accruing monthly on unpaid balances.
• •Online e-check payments have no fee, while card, PayPal and Venmo payments carry a 2.29% service fee, or $2.95 flat for Visa debit cards.

Hennepin County mails property tax statements in March, with a detailed breakdown of the taxes due and payment stubs.

• •A proposed levies and taxes notice, the Truth in Taxation notice, goes out in November with an estimate of the following year's taxes.
• •That November notice doesn't include special assessments that may be added to the final bill.
• •Valuation notices also go out in March, but for Bloomington properties the county directs owners to the local city assessor.

Start by contacting the City of Bloomington Assessor's Office (residential properties: 952-563-8724), then take an unresolved case to the Local Board of Appeal and Equalization.

• •For 2026 values, appeal applications were due April 3, 2026, and the local board heard formal appeals starting April 15, 2026 in the Council Chambers.
• •Owners must go before the local board before the Hennepin County Board of Appeal and Equalization, which started June 15, 2026 and took appointments by May 20, 2026 at 612-348-7050.
• •Owners may also petition the Minnesota Tax Court directly without the local steps.
• •The owner must show clear and convincing evidence that the value is incorrect, and city appraisers do a full interior and exterior review during an appeal.

Roughly one-third of a Bloomington property tax bill goes to the city, Mayor Tim Busse wrote in February 2026.

• •The remaining two-thirds goes to Hennepin County and Bloomington Public Schools.
• •The council's final 2026 levy increase was 6.96%, an increase of $124.39 per year for the owner of a median-valued home.
• •More than 82% of the 2026 budget goes to police, fire, public works, parks and recreation, and community development.

"Call 952-563-8934" or "Email [email protected]."

• •Give the property address or name of the establishment and describe the problem; contact information is optional.
• •No general online complaint form is listed on the city's code-enforcement page.

Yes.

• •The city says: "Complainants may remain anonymous."

"An inspector visits the property within a few days of the complaint.

• •If violations of City Code are found, a notice is sent to the owner so that they may correct the problem."

A complaint is received or a violation is found, and a correction notice is issued: "The owner is given 10 days to comply (7 days for tall grass and weeds)."

• •Staff do a follow-up inspection.
• •If the owner doesn't comply, a city contractor may do the work or staff may issue fines.
• •"The owner is billed.
• •If the bill or fines are not paid, the amount is assessed to the property taxes."

The city asks owners to call and discuss one: "Our deadlines are usually ten days, so if the project will take you longer, please call us so that we may discuss a timeline that works for you and for the City."

• •The page says nothing about appeals.

The city says the process covers 25,000+ single-family homes, 10,000 multi-family units and 1,900 commercial properties.

The city's top 10 are: vehicles parked on lawns, exterior storage, exterior maintenance (peeling paint), refuse storage, weeds and grass ("may not be taller than 8 inches"), brush piles, home businesses, noise ("Quiet hours are 10 p.m. to 7 a.m."), glare and public health nuisances.

The program licenses "single-family homes, townhouses, condominiums, duplexes, multi-family buildings and units, accessory dwelling units" and group housing.

• •Exceptions include owner-occupied homes, hotels and motels, and group housing with six or fewer residents.

"Environmental Health inspectors conduct new rental license inspections and inspect all other rental properties within Bloomington annually"; "at least 10% of all multi-family dwelling units are inspected each year."

• •Fees are not listed on the page.
• •Applicants must pay the fee before an inspection is scheduled.

Environmental Health: 952-563-8934 or [email protected].

• •Business Licensing: 952-563-8728.
• •Address: 1800 West Old Shakopee Road, Bloomington, MN 55431-3027.

Park Maintenance staff wanted to use sheep too, and to raise the herd limit from one animal to two per tenth of an acre "to be in more alignment with neighboring communities."

• •The staff report says "The City currently uses goats for prescribed grazing on City-owned property."
• •The report doesn't say whether the city owns or rents the animals.

Prescribed grazing "Requires an annual or temporary commercial animal license," "Is not allowed December through March," "Is not allowed on sites less than one acre in size," and "Is allowed for no more than 30 consecutive days per location on a site."

• •The code adds: "A minimum of 30 days must pass before goats and sheep may graze the same location."
• •The section history lists "Ord. 2026-32A, passed 9-28-2026."

Only where vegetation can't reasonably be removed with conventional mechanical methods, and it is not meant for raising or keeping goats or sheep.

• •Prescribed grazing "Is allowed only where vegetation, which may include non-native, invasive or noxious species, cannot otherwise be reasonably removed using conventional mechanical methods."
• •The code's example: "An example is the grazing of goats to remove buckthorn in a wooded area."
• •It "Is not intended to allow the raising or keeping of goats or sheep" as animals regulated under Chapter 12.

Up to two goats or sheep per 1/10 acre of enclosure, with male goats neutered, a written grazing plan and posted signs required.

• •"Herd size must not exceed two total goats or sheep per every 1/10 acre of the designated enclosure area."
• •Male goats must be neutered, except unneutered males under six months old that are accompanied by at least one female of the same species.
• •Grazing must follow a written plan with a pre-grazing plant inventory, and the licensee must post signs with a 24-hour contact and give that contact to Police Dispatch.

"Fencing is required," and shelters, if provided, must be small, out of the front yard and set back from neighboring homes.

• •Temporary fencing must be removed within seven calendar days after the license ends or the animals leave.
• •If shelters are provided, they must not be in a front yard, must be "less than 200 square feet," "less than seven feet in height," and "set back a minimum of 100 feet from any lot used residentially and 150 feet from any dwelling on a neighboring lot."

I found no rule limiting it to the property owner or to a commercial grazing contractor; individuals, corporations, partnerships and unincorporated associations can apply.

• •Applications under this license division must be signed and sworn to: by the person if an individual, "by an officer" if a corporation, "by one of the general partners" if a partnership, or by the manager of an unincorporated association.

The code requires at least one acre per animal for farm animals, including goats and sheep.

• •Owners of farm animals "such as, but not limited to, horses, cattle, goats, sheep, llamas, potbellied pigs, and pigs, shall have at least one acre per animal."

Not that I found: Richfield's code has no vegetation-grazing provision and treats animals outside its domestic-animal list as a nuisance.

• •Richfield code treats animals outside its domestic-animal list (dogs, cats, rabbits, etc.) as "non-domestic creatures," and keeping them "is considered a nuisance" except as allowed in Section 906 (Beekeeping).
• •The only temporary permit is up to 60 days "for use in connection with an exhibition or seasonal display."
• •A search of Richfield's code for "grazing" turned up only a floodplain section, so I found no vegetation-grazing provision and no minimum lot size.

Not that I found: Edina bars keeping livestock, which it defines to include sheep and goats, and I found no grazing exception.

• •Edina code says "No person shall keep within the city: (1) Any livestock with the exception of a maximum of four female Gallus gallus domesticus" (hens).
• •It defines livestock to include "sheep, goats."
• •I found no grazing exception or minimum lot size in Edina's Chapter 8 (Animals).

Not under any grazing section I found: keeping sheep and goats is unlawful outside areas where City Code Chapter 11 allows them and a few other listed exceptions.

• •Eden Prairie lists sheep and goats as "farm animals."
• •Keeping them is unlawful except "in that portion of the City where they are a conforming or non-conforming use under City Code Chapter 11" or under a few other listed exceptions (shows, parades, labs, vet clinics).
• •I found no grazing section or minimum lot size in the code.

A news report says yes, on a trial basis: The Preserve Association worked with the city on a temporary permit.

• •The Sun Sailor reported that "Because Eden Prairie has an animal grazing ordinance," The Preserve Association "worked with the city at getting a temporary permit on a trial basis."
• •The first tract was 4 to 5 acres.
• •This is a news report; I could not find the ordinance it refers to in the city code.

Generally no: Minneapolis bans keeping sheep or any other hoofed animal, though a permit can allow a prohibited animal for up to 21 days.

• •"No person shall keep, harbor, or maintain care, custody, or control over any horse, cow, sheep, pig, or any other hoofed animal any place in the city."
• •Under 63.160, a person may request a permit from Minneapolis Animal Care and Control (MACC) to keep a prohibited animal "for a period not to exceed twenty-one (21) days."
• •No minimum lot size is stated.

Golden Valley's Ordinance No. 772 sets up a temporary goat grazing permit for vegetation management with no minimum lot size.

• •It allows "Up to four goats ... on properties that are 10,000 square feet in area or less," plus "one additional goat per 2,500 square feet" over that, with a cap of 50.
• •Goats may stay no more than "30 consecutive days or 60 days ... in any 12-month period," and no permit is needed for vegetation management on city-owned property.
• •It covers goats only, not sheep.

Car detailing had been classified as a car wash, which is allowed only conditionally in a few places, so some detailing businesses couldn't reuse commercial or industrial space.

• •Staff described detailing as "a low-volume, appointment-based cosmetic service," while a car wash "typically has higher-volume vehicle throughput and includes automated equipment like conveyors, high-pressure sprayers, and dryers."

To the sanitary sewer.

• •The state plumbing code says floor drains "used for maintenance or as vehicle wash bays, shall discharge to the sanitary sewer if a municipal sewer is available," with an oil and flammable liquid interceptor where required.
• •Floor drains in open parking areas go to the storm sewer.

Repair garages, gas stations with grease racks or pits, parking garages over 1,000 square feet, "vehicle wash facilities," and factories with oily or flammable waste "shall be provided with an oil or flammable liquid interceptor that shall be connected to necessary floor drains."

No.

• •The city says illicit discharges "include anything other than clean rainwater entering the storm sewer system," and names "dumped car wash water" among common culprits.
• •It tells residents to wash cars at a carwash or on the lawn, and to report dumping at blm.mn/water-and-you, 952-563-4870 or [email protected].

"CAR DETAILING.

• •An establishment primarily engaged in the cosmetic cleaning, restoration, and finishing of motor vehicles by hand.
• •Services may include interior vacuuming, shampooing, upholstery cleaning, polishing, and exterior waxing or buffing.
• •Car detailing operations do not involve continuous or high-volume vehicle throughput and do not include automated or self-service washing equipment."

"CAR WASH.

• •An establishment primarily engaged in the rapid and repeated cleaning of motor vehicles using automated, mechanical, or manual methods.
• •This includes self-service bays, automatic drive-through systems, and full-service hand washes designed for high-volume vehicle processing ...
• •For zoning purposes, car washes are considered distinct from car detailing businesses, which provide low-volume, appointment-based cosmetic services."

In the use tables, car detailing is a permitted use ("P") in the B-2 commercial district and in the I-1, I-2 and I-3 industrial districts.

• •It has no letter in any other commercial or industrial district shown, and "Uses not associated with a letter in the zoning district column are prohibited uses in the respective zoning district."
• •For comparison, a car wash is conditional (C) in B-2 and conditional accessory (CA) in C-1 and C-2.
• •A car wash next to collector or arterial streets is limited (L) in I-1 and conditional (C) in I-3.

Yes, up to four hens on a single-family or two-family residential property, and no roosters.

• •The code says "No person shall keep on any single-family or two-family residential property more than four total hen chickens," which is in addition to the limit of four pets.
• •"No person shall keep roosters, or adult male chickens, on any property within the city."
• •Chickens are not allowed on properties with three or more dwelling units, and the owner must live on the property.

Coops and runs must be 30 feet from the lot line, a coop must be 50 feet from a dwelling on an abutting parcel, and whether a permit is required is unconfirmed.

• •Coops and runs "must be set back a minimum of 30 feet from the property lot line."
• •A coop must be at least "50 feet from any dwelling on an abutting parcel" and in the rear or side yard.
• •Coops may be at most 120 sq ft and 6 ft tall.
• •Neither the code section nor the city's chickens page mentions a permit or license, and whether one is required anywhere else is unconfirmed.

Yes, and the number of hives depends on lot size, from 2 on ½ acre or smaller to no limit over 5 acres.

• •Hives are limited by lot size: "½ acre or smaller = 2"; more than ½ to ¾ acre = 4; more than ¾ to 1 acre = 6; more than 1 to 5 acres = 8; over 5 acres, no limit.
• •Hives must be "at least 25 feet from any dwelling unit on adjacent property and at least 25 feet from any public right-of-way," at least 15 feet from any lot line, and not in a front yard.
• •Rooftop hives are banned on homes, and hives are not allowed on properties with three or more units.

Yes, gardens are permitted in all zoning districts, but whether front-yard gardens specifically are allowed is unconfirmed.

• •The zoning code says "Growing and harvesting plants for food or enjoyment within individual or community gardens is considered to be customarily incidental to other land uses and is permitted in all zoning districts."
• •I found no rule specific to front yards, either allowing or banning gardens there.

Yes: the three-foot circle around hydrants, fire hose connections and utility boxes must stay eight inches or lower, and landscaping can't interfere with the clear view triangle.

• •The code says "The three-foot, circular setback around all fire hydrants, fire hose connections, and utility boxes must be maintained to a height of eight inches or lower."
• •Landscaping placed in a public easement "may be removed without compensation" if needed for utility, sidewalk or drainage work.

Not without a permit from the City Forester, because the boulevard is public right-of-way, where trees generally shall not be planted.

• •The code says "In general, trees shall not be planted in public street rights-of-way, or in the clear view triangle at corners.
• •Any person wishing to plant in such areas must first secure a permit from the City Forester."
• •The code also says the boulevard (between property line and curb) "is public right-of-way," and "No person shall plant or remove trees or shrubs in public places, without first filing an application and obtaining a permit from the City Forester."

Yes: 205 plots in 2026, at $45 for Bloomington residents or $57 for nonresidents.

• •"In 2026, Bloomington Parks and Recreation has a total of 205 garden plots available to rent," for use "from late April through late October."
• •"Each plot costs $45 for Bloomington residents or $57 for nonresidents."

There are four sites (Brookside, Harrison, Smith and South Loop), and you sign up online at blm.mn/webtrac, by phone at 952-563-8877, or with a signed paper application.

• •The sites are Brookside (80 plots of 10'x15', Xerxes Ave. S just north of 102nd St), Harrison (39 ground plots plus 5 raised beds, 1701 W 100th St), Smith (54 plots, Park Ave S between 82nd and 83rd) and South Loop (32 plots, E Old Shakopee Rd just south of E 86th St).
• •Each household may have up to 3 plots.
• •For 2026, returning gardeners applied Feb. 10–19 and general applications opened March 2.

Home cooks may sell non-potentially-hazardous foods and acidic home-canned goods (pH 4.6 or lower) without a food license if the food is labeled and a sign reads "These products are homemade and not subject to state inspection."

• •Sales are capped at "$78,000 or less in a calendar year," and sellers must register with the MDA.
• •Today there are two tiers: Tier 1 (up to $7,665 a year) takes a free online course, and Tier 2 ($7,666 to $78,000) takes an approved food safety course.
• •MDA says 2025 changes take effect August 1, 2027: one tier, a $30 yearly fee for everyone, and shipping within Minnesota.

Yes to both: cottage food may be sold directly from home, but only to the extent local ordinance allows, and local licensing, health and zoning rules still apply.

• •Exempt food may be sold "directly from the person's home to the ultimate consumer, to the extent allowed by local ordinance."
• •The law "does not preempt the application of any business licensing requirement or sanitation, public health, or zoning ordinance of a political subdivision."

Yes: state food licensing doesn't apply to people selling the products of a farm or garden they occupy and cultivate.

• •State food licensing (Minn. Stat. §§ 28A.01 to 28A.16) does not apply to "Persons selling the products of the farm or garden occupied and cultivated by them."

Yes.

• •Cottage food operations under M.S. § 28A.152 are listed as a Type I home business, while "Food establishments" under MN Rules 4626.0020 are prohibited home businesses.
• •The general home-business rule says "No retail, wholesale or other sales activity may be conducted on site other than by telephone, mail, internet or other electronic medium.
• •Also no items may be displayed for sale on the premises."
• •Type I businesses are also limited to six customers a day and two at a time.
• •I found no Bloomington rule that specifically covers raw produce stands.

Only within limits: they cannot advertise eggs for sale, and they must follow the city's home-business rules and the state's egg-sale requirements.

• •Chicken owners "cannot advertise the sale of chickens or eggs and must comply with all requirements and performance standards for home businesses in § 21.302.13 and all State Department of Agriculture requirements for the sale of eggs."

Composting must happen in an enclosed container of no more than "100 cubic feet" on lots under 10,000 sq ft, or "150 cubic feet" on larger lots, made of durable material.

• •Containers must be at least ten feet from lot lines (five feet from an alley) and "no closer than 50 feet from any dwelling unit located on adjacent property."
• •Only yard waste and plant kitchen waste are allowed; meat, bones, fat, oil, dairy, and pet or human waste are banned.

It was the bill for the city's contractor removing "nine bags of yard waste stored outdoors" on March 19, 2025, after a nuisance notice the owners didn't appeal.

• •The city served the notice Feb. 18, 2025, with a March 4 deadline.
• •The bill was $255.36 including a $100 inspection fee, which staff later dropped, leaving $155.36.
• •The council adopted the roll Sept. 14 "exempting the assessment at a Crest Road home," 7-0.

On-call yard waste runs "Monday of the second week in April through Friday of the last week of November," weather permitting.

• •Stickers are sold at the Finance Department front desk or by calling 952-563-8757; schedule with Utility Billing at least 48 hours before your collection day.

Yes, recreational fires are allowed in Bloomington when done safely and responsibly.

• •Fires must be small, with stacked firewood no larger than three feet in diameter and two feet high.
• •They must be at least 25 feet from structures and combustible materials such as fences, tall grass or trash containers.
• •A responsible adult must watch the fire at all times and keep extinguishing tools such as a hose, shovel or fire extinguisher nearby.
• •Questions go to the Fire Prevention Division at 952-563-4801.

Between 7:00 AM and midnight, and only when sustained winds are less than 10 miles per hour as measured by Police Dispatch.

• •The fire must be constantly attended by a person within sight of the flames until it burns out completely or is extinguished.
• •Buckets, shovels, garden hoses or a fire extinguisher with at least a 4-A rating must be readily available nearby.
• •A fire must be put out immediately if the Fire Marshal, Fire Chief, a responding police officer or a city official determines it is creating a fire safety hazard.

Only firewood: dry, clean wood such as Presto Logs, charcoal or cordwood.

• •Firewood does not include wood that is green, has leaves or needles, or is rotten, wet, oil soaked, or treated with paint, glue or other preservatives.
• •Construction debris and refuse are not firewood.
• •Allowed starter fuels are dry untreated firewood or charcoal fire starter.
• •City code requires firewood to be stored in neat stacks, 10 feet from the property lines, screened from view and not in the front yard.

Apply to the city's Fire Prevention Division, which issues an Open Burning Permit for burning brush, slash, trees, grass, leaves or other listed material.

• •A separate permit is required for each address where a burn will take place.
• •Applicants must attach a burn plan, a burning site map and a DNR approved burn permit.
• •The permit is valid for open burning as allowed under Minnesota Statutes section 88.17, the State Fire Code and local ordinances.
• •Fire Prevention can be reached at 952-563-8933 or [email protected].

$55, according to the city's permit fee page as of October 2026.

• •The fee is listed under Fire Prevention, alongside a $50 daycare or foster care permit.

The DNR requires an open burning permit when a fire is more than 3 feet high and 3 feet in diameter, when the ground is not covered by at least 3 inches of snow, when the fire is not in an approved burner or a cooking or heating device, or where a local jurisdiction requires one.

• •No permit is needed for a campfire for cooking, warming or ceremonial purposes no larger than 3 feet in diameter by 3 feet high, with the ground 5 feet around it cleared of combustible material.
• •A permit lets the holder burn small amounts of dry leaves, plant clippings, brush, and clean untreated, unpainted wood if weather conditions do not pose a fire hazard.
• •An online permit costs $5.00 and is good for the calendar year, and it must be activated each day before burning.
• •The DNR notes that local permits or stricter rules may apply in a municipality that controls open burning.

Yes, with the property owner's consent: Bloomington allows a maximum of four garage sale signs, for up to seven days per year.

• •The rule is in City Code Section 21.304.13(c), online at blm.mn/code.
• •Questions go to Environmental Health at 952-563-8934 or [email protected].

Bloomington never allows signs on someone else's property, within 15 feet of a curb or intersection, on poles, traffic signs, trees or other natural features, or in parks or public areas.

• •Lawn and street corner signs that advertise services, jobs or buying houses, often called bandit signs, are typically not allowed under City Code.
• •If you see one, the city asks you to remove it.
• •On-site commercial signs require a city permit and must follow specific size and placement guidelines.

With the property owner's consent, election signs are allowed from 46 days before an election to 10 days after.

• •Contractor signs during active work, other non-sales signs, and real estate open house signs while on-site are also allowed with the owner's consent.
• •The rules are in City Code Section 21.304.13(c), and Environmental Health answers questions at 952-563-8934.

Not in the state's election window: in a state general election year, noncommercial signs of any size may be posted in any number from 46 days before the state primary until ten days after the state general election.

• •At other times, municipal ordinances may regulate the size and number of noncommercial signs.
• •The rule is Minnesota Statutes section 211B.045.

Usually, yes: the city says a permit is required in most instances to display a temporary sign, such as one for a business's temporary promotion.

• •The requirement is in City Code Section 21.304.13.
• •Temporary sign permits are applied for on the city's online Permit Portal.
• •Permanent signs are processed by the city's Planning Division.

Usually not: a permit is required only for a fence seven feet or taller, a fence in the floodplain, or a fence in a shore area no more than 10 feet inland from the ordinary high-water level.

• •Code requirements still apply even when no permit is needed.
• •On interior lots, a fence may rise to four feet in the front yard and six feet in the side and rear yards; on corner lots, four feet in the front yard and the home's side yard, and six feet in the rear yard and the side yard behind the rear plane of the home.
• •Fences and their footings must sit entirely on the owner's property, at least two feet back from a public sidewalk, and outside a three-foot radius around fire hydrants, fire hose connections and utility boxes.
• •The rules condense City Code Section 21.301.08, and the Planning Division answers questions at 952-563-8920.

Yes, if the deck is attached to the house or is a detached deck more than 30 inches above the ground.

• •The permit submittal needs a lot survey showing the deck's location and dimensions, plus deck plans showing how it will be built.
• •Replacing only the decking boards does not require a permit.
• •Decks are not permitted within 10 feet of an overhead power line.
• •Pin footings such as Diamond Piers are acceptable for decks but not for porches or additions.

Only if it is larger than 200 square feet, in which case you need a building permit from the Building and Inspections Division.

• •A single-family property may have at most two detached accessory buildings, with exceptions for one pool equipment storage building and two temporary growing season extenders of up to 50 square feet.
• •Accessory buildings other than garages may be no taller than 15 feet in single-family districts, and no taller than the house.
• •In the R-1 and RS-1 districts they must be set back at least 30 feet from the front lot line and 5 feet from side and rear lot lines, or 10 feet if connected to sewer or water.
• •Exterior materials and finish must match or complement the house.

Yes, whenever you replace more than one square (a 100 square foot area) of roofing, you need a residential roofing/siding permit.

• •You may roof over one layer of existing asphalt shingles, but not over more than one layer.
• •No permit is required to install soffits, fascia or gutters.
• •For new siding, a house wrap inspection by a city inspector is required before the siding goes on, and skipping it means removing at least an 8 foot by 8 foot section of siding and paying a re-inspection fee.
• •Roofing and siding permits expire one year after they are issued.

As of October 2026, the city lists a flat $100 fee for a residential roofing permit, $150 for a residential siding permit, and $250 for roofing and siding combined.

• •Deck fees are based on calculated valuation, and the city asks you to call 952-563-8930 for that fee information.
• •Payment can be made by Visa, Mastercard, American Express or Discover, or by check payable to the City of Bloomington.

Yes, a driveway permit is required to overlay, build, replace or alter a residential driveway, off-drive parking area or turnaround area, with limited exceptions for repairs.

• •The application needs an accurate sketch with measurements of the current driveway, if any, and the proposed width, setbacks and slopes.
• •Changing the driveway approach between the street and your property line needs a separate review and Right-of-Way permit from the Engineering Division.
• •Driveways must be paved with concrete, asphalt, or brick, stone or concrete pavers with gaps of no more than 1/4 inch, and gravel is not permitted.
• •The minimum driveway width is 10 feet, and driveways must be set back at least 5 feet from side and rear property lines.

Online: register at blm.mn/portal to apply, because the City of Bloomington no longer accepts paper applications.

• •Questions about registering or using the portal go to 952-563-8930 or [email protected].
• •Community Development is open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
• •Trade contractors doing mechanical, HVAC and gas-related work in Bloomington must also hold a contractor license from the city's Building and Inspections division.

Bloomington's quiet hours are 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 p.m. to 9 a.m. on weekends.

• •To get an exception to these hours, you must apply for a Type I Noise Exception Permit through the Environmental Health Division.
• •Completed applications can be emailed to [email protected] or mailed to Civic Plaza, 1800 West Old Shakopee Road, Bloomington, MN 55431.

Construction is allowed from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturdays, according to the city's Building and Inspections FAQ.

• •Questions go to Building and Inspections at 952-563-8930.

Between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. on weekdays, and between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. on weekends and holidays.

• •City Code Section 10.29.07(b) covers outdoor power implements, including power lawn mowers, snow blowers, leaf blowers, weed trimmers, parking lot sweepers and power hedge clippers.
• •Golf course operation and maintenance that meets the city's noise source standards is exempt from these hours.
• •Violating the noise code is a misdemeanor, and civil penalties may also be issued.

Yes, playing a radio, instrument or other sound device between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. loud enough to be plainly audible at the property boundary is a presumptive public nuisance under City Code Section 10.30.

• •At any hour, the code bars noise likely to annoy, disturb, injure or endanger the comfort, repose, health, peace or safety of a reasonable person.
• •Violating the noise code is a misdemeanor, and civil penalties may also be issued.

Only a short list of non-explosive, nonaerial items is legal; Minnesota law makes it unlawful to sell, possess, use or explode anything else that counts as fireworks.

• •The legal items are wire or wood sparklers with no more than 100 grams of mixture each, other nonexplosive and nonaerial sparkling items with 75 grams or less per tube or 500 grams or less for multiple tubes, snakes and glow worms, smoke devices, and trick noisemakers such as party poppers, string poppers, snappers and drop pops.
• •The state definition of fireworks names firecrackers, torpedoes, skyrockets, Roman candles and similar items.
• •These rules are in Minnesota Statutes sections 624.20 to 624.25.

Not on public property: Minnesota law says even the legal sparklers and novelty items may not be used there.

• •Buyers must be at least 18, and the buyer's age must be verified with photo identification.
• •A violation involving fireworks other than explosive fireworks can bring up to 90 days in jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both.
• •A violation involving 35 pounds or more of explosive fireworks can bring up to 364 days in jail, a fine of up to $3,000, or both.

Yes, all dogs and cats over the age of six months must be licensed, with the tag attached to the animal's collar.

• •Bloomington sells a lifetime license at Bloomington Civic Plaza, 1800 West Old Shakopee Road.
• •You need proof of current rabies vaccination to buy it.
• •People who adopt from the city shelter must show the city, within 30 days, that the animal has been licensed (if living in Bloomington) and spayed or neutered.

$25 per animal, for a lifetime license covering a cat, dog or ferret.

• •The city adopted lifetime animal licensing with this flat fee as of September 21, 2017.
• •A license is good for the life of the animal and is non-transferable.
• •You must provide a rabies certificate at the time of purchase showing the animal is current on its rabies vaccination.
• •Questions go to the Licensing Department at 952-563-8728.

Four: no household may have more than four animals, counting dogs, cats and ferrets over six months old.

• •Questions go to the city's Licensing Department at 952-563-8728.

Yes, Bloomington requires pets to be restrained at all times.

• •At home, a dog must be within a sturdy, enclosed fence or building, and a dog may also be restrained within a secure vehicle.
• •When you are walking a leashed dog and a person or animal comes within 20 feet, the leash must be shortened to six feet.
• •Voice control is allowed only on the owner's property, at a dog show or obedience demonstration, while hunting or retrieving game, or on city-owned property designated as an off-leash area.
• •Unlike dogs, cats and other pets must always be kept on the owner's property.

Report it: excessive animal noise is prohibited in Bloomington, and for barking happening right now the city says to call its dispatch center at 952-563-4900.

• •Animal Control takes noise reports, and if an Animal Control Officer is not available, a police officer will respond.
• •Excessive animal noise is defined in City Code Section 12.99.

Call Bloomington Animal Control at 952-563-4942 for general questions.

• •For calls in progress, such as a barking dog or an animal at large, call the dispatch center at 952-563-4900, and call 911 for emergencies.
• •Lost and found animal reports can be made 24 hours a day at 952-563-4942.
• •Animal bites and aggressive animal behavior should be reported to police by calling 911.
• •Animal Control Officers do not remove healthy wildlife, but they will respond to assist or remove injured wildlife.

The shelter charges a $75 impound fee plus $31 a day for boarding, with tax at 9.025% adding $2.80 per calendar day.

• •Fees are based on a calendar day, not a 24-hour period.
• •The shelter is at 9920 Logan Avenue South, and impounded animals are listed on its web page.
• •Staff make every attempt to return animals to their families.

After studying 84 sites in 42 Minnesota towns, CenterPoint named Orono, Bloomington and Brooklyn Center as the three locations under consideration for the project.

CenterPoint plans to choose the final site early next year (2027) and hopes to start construction in 2027.

• •It expects the system to be running in either late 2028 or early 2029.

Not according to CenterPoint, which says it isn't seeking compensation from the cities; it wants a site that maximizes emission reductions, has a mix of public, commercial and residential customers, and can be expanded later.

• •A CenterPoint spokesperson said "CenterPoint is not looking to any of the cities for any sort of compensation."
• •CenterPoint held Community Connect sessions in all three finalist cities through early October 2026.

It heats and cools multiple buildings through underground water pipes and electric heat pumps, and Resource Innovations and Salas O'Brien are helping CenterPoint plan it.

• •The system serves residential, commercial and public buildings, using the earth's steady temperature.
• •CenterPoint hired Resource Innovations and Salas O'Brien for site selection and the feasibility study, and called it "our first networked geothermal system in Minnesota."

A Feb. 2026 CenterPoint presentation lists a "CenterPoint Energy-owned networked geothermal system" to be developed "in a neighborhood (yet to be identified) in our existing service territory".

• •The same plan has a separate customer-owned networked geothermal track aimed at large business or school campuses.

The NGIA lets natural gas utilities file innovation plans with the PUC to cut greenhouse gas emissions using "innovative resources."

• •These are "biogas, renewable natural gas, power-to-hydrogen, power-to-ammonia, carbon capture, strategic electrification, district energy, and energy efficiency."
• •It is codified at Minn. Stat. 216B.2427, created by 2021 session law chapter 4, article 8, section 20.

"An innovation plan has a term of five years," and a first plan's cost is capped at the lesser of 1.75 percent of the utility's Minnesota gas operating revenues or $20 per nonexempt customer a year.

• •District energy pilots cannot exceed 20 percent of total approved costs.

The Minnesota PUC approved CenterPoint Energy's 2023 Natural Gas Innovation Plan, "the first of its kind in Minnesota," which CenterPoint had proposed with "seventeen pilot programs and seven research and development projects."

• •The plan stems from the 2021 NGIA.

The PUC's NGIA page lists CenterPoint's plan as docket 23-215, approved in July 2024.

CenterPoint filed its first plan in June 2023 and the PUC approved it in July 2024; CenterPoint's 2023 proposal put the total at about $106 million over five years.

• •The NGIA passed in June 2021.
• •The PUC held its hearing in July 2024 and issued its order in October 2024.
• •The plan runs 2024–2029, and a second plan is due to the PUC in summer 2028.

The Energy Action Plan, dated May 7, 2018, sets a "75% reduction in city-wide energy-related greenhouse gas emissions by 2035, relative to 2016 levels."

• •Its sub-goals are a 95% cut in electricity-related emissions and a 33% cut in natural gas-related emissions by 2035.

The 2025 Annual Sustainability Report says the new 2,500-square-foot Bryant Park building has solar panels and geothermal heating and meets net-zero carbon emissions.

• •The city also contracted Frontier Energy, which does natural gas analyses on behalf of CenterPoint Energy, to launch discounted commercial and industrial audits in 2026.

Bloomington had no formal watering restrictions as of July 30, 2026, though the city urged residents and businesses to use water wisely.

• •That day the city said Bloomington was in moderate drought and the Mississippi Headwaters, one source of its drinking water, was in severe drought.
• •If drought conditions worsen, the city said, it will implement measures to reduce water use, including outdoor watering restrictions.
• •The city's lawn tips are to water during the coolest part of the day and water grass only when it needs it, since most lawns only need an inch of water a week.
• •Questions go to the Utilities Division at 952-563-8777 or [email protected].

Yes, the city's June 2026 Water Quality Report lists no violations in its 2025 results, and the city says Bloomington continues to meet all state and federal drinking water standards.

• •In the latest tap testing for lead, from July 2023, 90% of results were under 1.9 ppb against a 15 ppb action level, and 0 of 30 homes had high levels.
• •All of Bloomington's wells have been tested for PFAS with no results exceeding federal limits, and the highest PFOA result was 0.74 ppt against an EPA limit of 4.0 ppt.
• •Fluoride, which state law mandates, ranged from 0.65 to 0.71 ppm.
• •People with weakened immune systems are advised to consult their healthcare providers about drinking water safety.

Bloomington's water comes from the city's own deep groundwater wells plus treated water bought from Minneapolis.

• •The wells extend into the Jordan Sandstone, Prairie du Chien Group and Tunnel City-Wonewoc Sandstone aquifers.
• •Minneapolis' surface water treatment plant draws from the Mississippi River, and its treated water is blended with water from Bloomington's plant.
• •In 2025 the city served 26,097 residential, commercial and multi-family customers 3.5 billion gallons, or 9.45 million gallons daily.

Usually not, because Bloomington is one of just 24 municipal utilities in Minnesota that provide softened water.

• •The city's lime-softening process reduces hardness from 19 grains per gallon to approximately 5.2 grains per gallon.
• •The report puts home water softening at $5.37 to $6.11 per 1,000 gallons, compared with $5.02 per 1,000 gallons for city-treated water in 2025.
• •The water is also treated to be noncorrosive, helping prevent lead and copper from leaching from home plumbing.
• •The report notes home water softening can increase the level of sodium in your water.

Bloomington flushes about 320 dead-end hydrants each summer from May through the end of June, with crews working 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

• •Most of these hydrants are in cul-de-sacs whose mains can't be looped to another main, which can lead to stagnant water and sediment.
• •Flushing can bring discolored water, pressure changes or a stronger chlorine odor, and the city says the sediment is not a health issue.
• •To clear discolored water, open all cold water faucets and let them run at the same time until the water clears.
• •The city suggests checking water color before doing laundry, since discolored water may stain clothes, particularly whites.

The property owner does, because the City of Bloomington is not responsible for cleaning, maintaining or repairing individual service connections to the main.

• •The city will check the sanitary sewer main line in the street at no charge when you report a backup.
• •Report backups to the Utilities Division at 952-563-8777 from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, or 952-563-4905 after hours.
• •A city utility supervisor says the common causes of service line backups are paper towels, disposable diapers, cooking grease and garbage disposal misuse.

Onto the ground outside the building, at least 10 feet from the foundation so the water does not recirculate.

• •City of Bloomington and Minnesota State Plumbing Codes require that sump pump water not be discharged into a floor drain or laundry tub.
• •Incorrectly installed sump pumps put clear water into the wastewater system, which the city says costs everyone.

Minn. Stat. 626.19 bars police from using a drone without a search warrant except in listed cases, including emergencies with a risk of death or bodily harm, public events with heightened risk, collecting information in a public area "if there is reasonable suspicion of criminal activity," crash reconstruction and searching for a missing person.

• •Drones can't carry weapons or use facial recognition without a warrant, or collect data on protests without a warrant or an exception.
• •Each use must be documented with a case number, and data must be deleted "no later than seven days after collection unless the data is part of an active criminal investigation."

Yes.

• •Under Minn. Stat. 626.19, an agency "must provide an opportunity for public comment before it purchases or uses a UAV," accepting comments at least electronically or by mail, and the governing body over its budget "must provide an opportunity for public comment at a regularly scheduled meeting."
• •Before flying, the chief must adopt a written drone policy, with public comment, and post it on the agency's website.
• •Agencies report each year's warrantless drone deployments and program cost to the state by Jan. 15.

The city says that during the pilot, "drones responded to 396 calls, including welfare checks, structure fires, assaults in progress, stolen vehicle reports, K9 tracks and high-risk traffic stops," arrived before first responders 47% of the time and helped locate 52 people and 35 vehicles, with no crashes, malfunctions or property damage.

• •It said any future program would follow federal and state privacy and transparency rules, with community engagement.

Testing and demonstrations began the week of May 18, 2026, for about two weeks.

• •The city had announced May 15, 2026, that it was exploring Drone as First Responder technology, in which "remotely operated drones" respond to certain emergency calls ahead of police, fire or other responders.
• •The city said it planned more opportunities for public engagement and feedback.

An independent audit done July 10, 2025, covering April 2023 through June 2025, reviewed BPD's Axon body cameras and Evidence.com cloud storage under Minn. Stat. 13.825 and 626.8473 and noted no discrepancies.

• •Nonpublic footage is available only to people "whose work assignment reasonably requires access," access is captured in an audit trail, and the department's policy makes unauthorized access a misdemeanor and just cause for suspension or dismissal.
• •The report says BPD had no security breaches.

It keeps the city's existing technology, including license plate readers, and adds Drone First Responder technology and a fixed-wing drone, for $22,085,396.40 over 10 years.

• •Item 3.12 on the Oct. 12, 2026 consent agenda asks approval of a consolidated agreement with Axon Enterprise, piggybacking on State of Minnesota/NASPO contract 247327.
• •The item says it "would maintain existing technology, including automated license plate reader (ALPR) systems," and add "Drone First Responder technology and a fixed-wing drone," for "a total contract value of $22,085,396.40, invoiced over 10 years."
• •Staff say the first payment is in the proposed 2027 budget.

The budget slides list "Investments in Public Safety Technology": AI and workflow tools, Drone First Responder and an "Integrated Axon Platform," with "$500K investment in both 2027 and 2028" and a "Potential additional $558K investment beginning in 2029."

Data not tied to an active criminal investigation must be destroyed within 60 days, and it may be shared only with another law enforcement agency that meets the statute's request standards.

• •Minn. Stat. 13.824: ALPR data "not related to an active criminal investigation must be destroyed no later than 60 days from the date of collection."
• •Such data "may not be shared with, disseminated to, sold to, or traded with any other individual or entity unless explicitly authorized."

The city's page says: "The Bloomington Police Department has not been asked by federal agencies to enforce immigration laws, and they do not participate in immigration enforcement actions," and that the department "does not maintain records that include information about people's immigration status."

Yes.

• •The draft Sept. 28 council minutes say the council adopted Ordinance No. 2026-31, designating "sports training facility as a permitted use in the FD-2 Zoning District," 5-0, and authorized summary publication of it (Resolution No. 2026-175), also 5-0.
• •The Planning Commission had recommended it 5-0 on Sept. 3.

Not as of Oct. 12.

• •In the industrial use table of the current online code (2026 S-16), the sports training facility row shows "P" (permitted) for I-1, I-2, I-3, IP and TI, and the FD-2 column is blank.
• •Ordinances take effect after passage and publication.

Only as a side activity.

• •The code defines a sports training facility as one "primarily designed to provide for sports training," including "dance training studios," and says: "With sufficient parking, SPORTS TRAINING FACILITIES may include accessory large group classes and competition as subordinate activities."

The applicant's narrative describes "recreational and competitive dance instruction for children and young adults": classes, rehearsals, instruction, performances and administrative work, all indoors.

• •It says "The majority of classes and programming occur during evenings and weekends," when nearby offices use less parking.
• •It doesn't give class sizes or say whether competitions would be hosted there.

There's no fixed amount, because the off-street parking table has no line for sports training facilities.

• •For "Uses not covered by this table," requirements "will be determined by the issuing authority based on similar uses and/ or authoritative sources accepted by the city."
• •The closest listed use, health club, needs 1 space per 250 square feet of gross floor area; the parking ordinance before the council Oct. 12 would change that to 1 per 300.

The code says FD-2 is meant "to provide for a limited mixture of compatible land uses," to accommodate industry near freeways and "certain uses large in area and with a metropolitan clientele," and "so far as may be possible, to protect the freeways from congestion by proper location of heavy traffic generators and exclusion of most retail businesses."

• •FD-2 land runs mainly along American Boulevard from Lyndale Avenue to Old Cedar Avenue.

The staff report says "Staff is not concerned about the potential traffic or parking impacts because the FD-2 zoning district is located along high volume roads," and that sports training facilities "can provide beneficial services without causing unreasonable traffic impacts."

• •It cites no traffic study.
• •Staff said they would review site improvements such as exterior lighting at building permit review.

The industrial use table permits a "health club, adjacent to arterial or collector road and not exceeding 50% building floor area" in the IT, I-1, I-2, I-3, TI and FD-2 districts (not IP).

• •A health club without those limits is permitted only in TI.
• •Sports training facilities are permitted in I-1, I-2, I-3, IP and TI.

A health club is a facility where people pay to use equipment or space for exercise, such as swimming, court games, martial arts and aerobics.

• •A sports training facility is "primarily designed to provide for sports training for athletes in a particular sport," and may include competition as a subordinate activity.
• •Indoor recreation and entertainment covers "theaters, movie theaters, bowling alleys, skating rinks, game arcades, ballrooms and the like."

Yes.

• •The 2026 work plan, adopted Jan. 5, 2026, lists "Aligning Indoor Recreation, Sports Training, and Health Clubs" as a second-priority new project.
• •It also lists a "Permitted Setback and Encroachment Review" and an "Evaluation of South Loop Zoning Districts & Design Standards."
• •The plan says the city's 2050 comprehensive plan must be approved by the Met Council by Dec. 31, 2028.

It replaces the existing Public Health building and Creekside Community Center, on the current Creekside site at 9801 Penn Ave. South.

• •The site is at the corner of West 98th Street and Penn Avenue South.

The Bloomington Forward page says "The City will invest $101.8 million to build the new Community Health and Wellness Center."

• •A May 6, 2026 city briefing says adding back a third gymnasium keeps the project "within the approved $104.8 million budget."

It is funded by a half-percent local sales tax that voters approved on Nov. 7, 2023 and that took effect April 1, 2024.

• •The tax "will generate $101.8 million for the project," and the State of Minnesota is contributing $1.8 million for pre-design.
• •All three Bloomington Forward projects together are estimated at $159 million.

Ground was broken in October 2025, and the project page's schedule shows a 2027 grand opening ("all schedules subject to change").

• •The September 2025 city briefing said the opening was "tentatively slated for 2027."
• •HGA is the architect and JE Dunn Construction is construction manager (selected July 2024).

Plans call for a 106,000-square-foot center with an aquatic facility, gymnasiums and Public Health offices among other spaces, and in August 2026 its glass walls and interior framing were being installed.

• •The full plan includes an aquatic facility, indoor play area, fitness center, three fitness studios, gymnasiums, meeting spaces, a cafe, a walking track and Public Health offices.
• •The lap pool base and a geothermal/Darcy well were also being installed in August 2026.
• •The building is pursuing LEED Silver.

Use the city's online pothole form, or call Street Maintenance at 952-563-8760.

• •The city's goal is to respond to all potholes within 2 business days, starting with a temporary patch.
• •Potholes are then prioritized by size, number and street traffic volume to see whether more extensive repairs are needed.

Hennepin County fixes potholes on county roads, and MnDOT fixes them on state highways.

• •County roads include all of Old Shakopee Road and the parts of 24th Avenue, Portland Avenue, Nicollet Avenue, Penn Avenue, France Avenue, Normandale Boulevard and Bush Lake Road north of Old Shakopee Road.
• •Report potholes on those roads to Hennepin County Operations Dispatch at 612-596-0299.
• •State highways include I-35W, Cedar Avenue, I-494 and TH 169, and MnDOT has its own web page for reporting potholes.

Use the city's online street light malfunction form, or call the Maintenance Division at 952-563-8760.

• •The form asks for the approximate location, such as which corner of an intersection or side of the block.
• •It covers lights that are out, dim, on during the daytime or cycling on and off, as well as broken or hanging lenses and broken or leaning poles.

The city's Street Maintenance crews repair sidewalks in the public right-of-way and maintain about 600 miles of curb and gutter.

• •Sidewalks are divided into three districts, and each year one district is inventoried, surveyed and scheduled for repair.
• •The city removes right-of-way trees that heave a curb or sidewalk at no direct charge to the property owner.
• •Report sidewalk or curb problems at 952-563-8760.

City streets are swept twice a year, in spring and fall.

• •Spring sweeping begins in early April and takes about four to five weeks, and fall sweeping is complete in October.
• •Fall sweeping is not meant to pick up leaves, and residents are responsible for leaf collection.
• •The city asks residents not to rake leaves into the street, where they clog storm sewer grates and pipes.

Call the city's 24-hour emergency line at 952-563-4905 for water main breaks, water leaks and sewer backups.

• •During normal business hours, backups and leaks can also be reported at 952-563-8777.
• •Billing questions, such as starting or canceling an account, go to 952-563-8726 or [email protected].

No, the city reports no lead service lines in Bloomington.

• •Staff classified every active and inactive water service and found all of them non-lead, with no galvanized lines requiring replacement and no unknown materials.
• •The inventory was submitted to the Minnesota Department of Health under the EPA's Lead and Copper Rule Revisions and can be viewed on the Lead Inventory Tracking Tool at maps.umn.edu/LSL.

Call 952-563-8700 or email [email protected].

• •The city's mailing address is 1800 West Old Shakopee Road, Bloomington, MN 55431-3027.
• •Its online contact form aims for a reply within one business day, but submissions are not monitored in real time, so call 911 in an emergency.
• •Direct lines include the Police Department at 952-563-4900, Maintenance at 952-563-8760, Utility Billing at 952-563-8726 and Building and Inspections at 952-563-8930.

Bush Lake Beach is open 9 AM to 8 PM during the swimming season, Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, under Three Rivers Park District's beach hours as of September 2026.

• •Three Rivers says its swimming beaches, Bush Lake among them, are unguarded and free.
• •Dogs are not allowed to swim in designated swimming areas, though leashed dogs may wade and swim in water next to a trail or picnic area.
• •Children who are not toilet trained must wear swim diapers in the beach areas.

Three Rivers Park District has managed Bush Lake Beach and the surrounding Bush Lake Park since January 1, 2025, under a cooperative agreement with the City of Bloomington.

• •The beach is at 9140 East Bush Lake Road.
• •The city says the beach has drawn swimmers since 1956 and gets over 100,000 visitors per year.

In 2026 the Bloomington Family Aquatic Center was open June 6 through August 23, weather permitting, with open swim from noon to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and Sunday, and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday.

• •Weekday mornings from 10 a.m. to noon were a No Wake Zone, a special admission before general admission begins.
• •The pool closes for severe weather, when the temperature or wind chill falls below 70 degrees, or when fewer than 20 customers are in the pool for any one-hour period.
• •The center is at 201 East 90th Street, phone 952-563-4634.

A 2026 daily pass at the Bloomington Family Aquatic Center was $11 for everyone age 2 and up, or $6 after 4 p.m. on the twilight rate.

• •Children age 1 and under enter free.
• •Resident season passes were $75 for adults 16 to 54, $55 for ages 11 to 15, and $50 for children 2 to 10 and seniors 55 and up.
• •Nonresident season passes were $106 for adults, $77 for ages 11 to 15, and $63 for children and seniors.
• •Buying a pass in person requires a driver's license or state ID to verify Bloomington residency.

Open skate at the Bloomington Ice Garden, from September 8, 2026 through May 31, 2027, is 9 to 10:30 a.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays and 5:30 to 6:45 p.m. on Sundays.

• •It costs $5 per person, with skate rental at $5 per pair and a book of 6 coupons for $25.
• •The New Year's Eve skate runs from 4 to 7 p.m. on December 31, 2026, for $8 per person with free skate rental.
• •The schedule is subject to change, and the city asks skaters to confirm ice availability at blm.mn/ice-schedule.
• •The arena is at 3600 West 98th Street.

Bloomington park shelters are reserved online at blm.mn/webtrac, and requests for 2026 opened at 9 a.m. on January 6, 2026.

• •Shelters are open from April 15 through October 15.
• •The 2026 rentable shelters are at Bryant Park, Dred Scott Playfield, Smith Park, Valley View Playfield and Wright's Lake Park, while Moir Park shelters are unavailable in 2026 because of the Nine Mile Creek Corridor Renewal Project.
• •Shelters at Bush Lake Park are reserved through Three Rivers Park District at ThreeRiversParks.org or 763-559-6700.
• •Renters who cancel at least 2 weeks ahead get a full refund minus a $25 processing fee, and cancellations within 2 weeks get no refund.

Yes, Bloomington's off-leash recreation area for dogs is a 25-acre site at Nesbitt Avenue and West 111th Street.

• •It has a large grassy area, hills, a separate fenced area, trees and a pond.
• •Dogs must be licensed in the city where the owner lives, and each handler may bring at most two dogs.
• •Dogs must be under voice control at all times, handlers must have leashes in hand, and dogs must be leashed entering and exiting.
• •The area closes from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each month for maintenance.

Bloomington has more than 50 miles of trails, with picks like Girard Lake Park, Hyland Lake Park Reserve and the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, the city said on June 30, 2026.

• •Girard Lake Park, 8401 France Avenue South, has a 0.8 mile loop of natural trail around the lake.
• •Hyland Lake Park Reserve spans more than 2,600 acres, including Richardson Nature Center, Bush Lake and Normandale Lake parks.
• •The Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge hosts more than 46 miles of trails with access points such as the Bloomington Education and Visitor Center on American Boulevard East.
• •Harrison Park and its trail access are closed, and other Moir and Central Park trailheads were set to close in late summer or early fall 2026 for the Nine Mile Creek corridor renewal work.

Call the city's snow emergency hotline at 952-563-8768, or sign up for the city's email or text alerts.

• •The city also posts snow emergencies on its Facebook page.
• •City staff can call a snow emergency any time conditions warrant, and it stays in effect until the snow event and the plowing that follows are over.

Yes, a parking ban takes effect when the city declares a snow emergency, and all vehicles must be moved off city streets until they are plowed full width.

• •Cars parked on the street during a parking ban may be towed.
• •The city suggests moving your vehicle ahead of time to avoid a last-minute scramble and a possible ticket.

A snow parking ban lasts 48 hours, or until the street you park on has been plowed full width, whichever comes first.

• •Cars left on the street during the ban may be towed.

Call 911, and begin the call by saying "this is not an emergency."

• •The city says this helps the dispatcher understand the nature of your call.

Plow crews hit the streets as early as 2 a.m., starting with main roads and working their way to neighborhoods and cul-de-sacs.

• •To avoid shoveling twice, the city suggests waiting until your street is fully plowed before clearing your driveway.
• •For more information, visit blm.mn/snow or call 952-563-8768.

The city's Park Maintenance crews clear snow from over 260 miles of sidewalks, using 10 sidewalk snow removal units.

• •First priority goes to school walking areas, heavily used wheelchair-accessible areas and high-use areas by main roads.
• •Second priority is walks expanding out from schools and along major roads, and third is residential and industrial areas.
• •Clearing a 3 to 5 inch snowfall takes about four days.
• •Obstacles in the right-of-way, such as timbers, boulders, shrubs or trash cans, slow sidewalk snow removal.

Move vehicles off the street during snow events, and place garbage and recycling bins behind the curb.

• •Make sure your mailbox is properly installed and in good repair.
• •On the road, give plows plenty of space, avoid cruise control and watch for black ice, especially on bridges and overpasses.

Call Street Maintenance at 952-563-8760 if snow removal damages your mailbox or turf.

• •The city says mailboxes should not extend past the curb and should have sturdy four-by-four timber posts.
• •It also says the bottom of a mailbox should be no less than 45 inches off the ground, on the left side of your driveway.

Garbage and organics recycling are picked up weekly, year round, on a regular collection day set by where you live.

• •Monday covers the east city limit to Portland Avenue South, Tuesday is Portland Avenue South to Penn Avenue South, and Wednesday is Penn Avenue South to France Avenue South.
• •Thursday is France Avenue South to Normandale Boulevard, and Friday is Normandale Boulevard to the west city limit.
• •Regular recycling is collected every other week, and yard waste is collected seasonally.
• •On the city's hauler map, a star marks addresses enrolled in city garbage and recycling service, with that address's hauler and pickup day.

Yes, if your regular collection day is on or follows a major holiday, collection is delayed by one day.

• •The major holidays are New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
• •A holiday that falls on a weekend does not affect collection.
• •The city's collection calendar shows which holidays affect pickup each year.

In 2026, weekly pickup costs $13.24 a month for a 35-gallon cart, $23.17 for a 65-gallon cart and $33.11 for a 95-gallon cart.

• •A new every-other-week option for the 35-gallon cart costs $9.93 a month.
• •The rates include the State Solid Waste Tax and the Hennepin County Solid Waste Management Fee.
• •The City Council approved the 2026 rates after a November 17, 2025 public hearing, widening the price gaps so smaller carts cost less.

You can set extra bags next to your cart, but each one is charged as overflow trash, $6.24 per bag in 2026 including taxes and fees.

• •Garbage must fit in the cart with the lid closed.
• •To change your cart size, use the online form at blm.mn/carts, call Utility Billing at 952-563-8726, or visit Utility Billing at Civic Plaza, 1800 West Old Shakopee Road.

Recycling is collected every other week, placed loose in your blue recycling cart.

• •Do not bag it: empty any bags into the cart, and put plastic bags in the garbage or take them to a plastic bag drop-off location.
• •Give items a quick rinse, keep caps on plastic bottles and jugs, and flatten boxes.
• •Plastic bottles, jugs, cups and containers marked #1, #2 and #5 are accepted, along with mail, paper, magazines, newspapers and flattened boxes.
• •Extra recycling can go in a paper bag beside the cart, and a larger or additional recycling cart from Utility Billing costs nothing.

Households with city garbage and recycling service can schedule one monthly curbside pickup through Better Futures Minnesota, the city's contractor, at no extra charge.

• •Schedule by 4 p.m. at least two business days ahead, by phone at 612-353-5400 or online at betterfuturesminnesota.com/curbside-collections.
• •Items are picked up the first full week of each month on your regular garbage and recycling day, and must be set out by 7 a.m. and dry.
• •Each month you can set out up to 2 large items, such as mattresses, large appliances or furniture, or one of the other mixes of medium items and building materials the city lists.
• •Bulky garbage pickup is also available year round for a quoted fee by calling Utility Billing at 952-563-8726.

Take it to Hennepin County's drop-off facility in Bloomington at 1400 West 96th Street.

• •It is open Tuesday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and closed Sunday and Monday.
• •Bring proof of residency, such as a driver's license or utility bill.
• •Transport hazardous waste in sealed, labeled containers of 5 gallons or less, upright in a plastic-lined box.
• •Check the county's Green Disposal Guide first, or call 612-348-3777, to see whether an item is accepted.

Yard waste pickup is a subscription for households with city garbage and recycling service, and you sign up through Utility Billing at 952-563-8726 or [email protected].

• •The 2026 season runs Monday, April 13 to Saturday, November 28, weather permitting.
• •A subscription includes a yard waste cart if you want one, plus up to 20 bags or bundles a week.
• •Bags must be compostable paper or compostable plastic, and bags and bundles can weigh no more than 40 pounds.
• •Branches must be about three feet long and three inches or less in diameter.

Pay online through the city's bill pay service at blm.mn/paymybill, or by phone at 844-368-4567.

• •The online service accepts MasterCard, Visa, Discover and e-check.
• •It also lets you schedule future payments, set up AutoPay and enroll in paperless billing by email.
• •The automated phone line takes payments and gives balances all day, every day.

Yes, mail payments to the City of Bloomington, 1800 West Old Shakopee Road, Bloomington, MN 55431-3027, or pay at the cashier's window at City Hall.

• •The city asks that mailed payments go out seven days before the due date.
• •There is a drop box in the City Hall parking lot and at each main entrance, but on the due date, bring your payment inside to the cashier so it posts that day.
• •Credit card payments by phone go through the cashier at 952-563-8757, and Visa and Mastercard are accepted.

Residential accounts are billed six times a year, every eight to nine weeks, by geographic area.

• •The bill is sent about three weeks after the meter reading date.
• •Due dates are not flexible within a billing cycle, and the city says it cannot set custom due dates at this time.
• •Commercial and multi-family residential accounts are billed monthly.

The late fee is 5 percent of the total amount due, added to your next bill.

• •Payment must be received in City offices on or before the due date, and postmark dates are not used.
• •A returned check adds a $30.00 fee.
• •A bill is delinquent when any part of the balance is more than 30 days past due and no payment arrangement has been agreed with Utility Billing.

For single-family homes in 2026, water costs $5.17 per 1,000 gallons up to 12,000 gallons and $9.11 per 1,000 gallons above 12,000.

• •The single-family water minimum is 4,000 gallons.
• •Sewer costs $6.01 per 1,000 gallons.
• •The single-family storm water charge is $9.83 a month, or $19.66 on a bi-monthly bill.

Call Utility Billing at 952-563-8726.

• •Moving out, call about a week ahead with your forwarding address, a phone number, the moving date and the new occupant's name if you have it.
• •Moving in, give your name, the address for the bill and your move-in date.
• •Either way, take an inside meter reading within 24 hours of the move and call it in to the meter reading line at 952-563-4971.
• •The city bills for water, sewer, storm sewer, garbage, recycling, organics and bulky item management, while electricity comes from Xcel Energy and natural gas from CenterPoint Energy.

The city can shut off water for nonpayment, and past-due amounts can be assessed to the property's taxes.

• •Before a shutoff, the owner and occupant get a written notice 15 days ahead with the reason, the shutoff date and the amount past due.
• •To reconnect, the total due for all city utilities must be paid, plus service charges, late fees, penalties and the cost of the disconnect and reconnect service calls.
• •On or before July 1 each year, accounts with a past-due amount are sent a notice of possible assessment.
• •If you get a disconnect notice, call Utility Billing at 952-563-8726 as soon as possible.

No, the city says utility bills must be in the name of the property owner.

• •The bill can go to the owner's home or business address, or to a property manager if the city gets a copy of the owner-signed management agreement and the owner's name appears in the billing address.
• •The city cites state law, Minn. Stat. 444.075, which lets it charge the owner and certify unpaid charges against the property as a tax.

One.

• •City code allows "no more than one commercial motor vehicle" per single-family or two-family unit, and it counts toward the total vehicle limit.
• •Any vehicle parked in a residential district may be at most 22 feet long and 12 feet tall, so semis are prohibited.
• •Up to two trailers, each up to 25 feet long, are allowed and don't count toward the limit.
• •Commercial vehicles and trailers can't be parked on a public street in a residential district and must belong to or be regularly used by someone living there.

No.

• •The ordinance text raises the limit from four to six motor vehicles "outside a garage or on a street" and extends it to detached townhomes and cottage courts.
• •It leaves in place "No more than one commercial motor vehicle" per single-family or two-family unit, still counted toward the total, and the two-trailer limit.

General retail under 10,000 square feet goes from 1 space per 180 square feet to 1 per 250, a 28% cut.

• •Retail of 10,000 to 99,999 square feet drops about 27%, and retail of 100,000 square feet or more about 26% to 43%.
• •Large-item retail drops 24% to 50%, office 12% and indoor restaurant seating 25%.
• •The 50% cuts are for manufacturing, warehousing and wholesale.
• •Staff wrote that parking demand "has gone down across use types" and that old rules planned for "Black Friday" peaks.

It would cut minimum parking requirements across most land uses and raise the limit on vehicles outside a garage at a house from four to six.

• •Case PL2026-152's cuts are often 10% to 30%, and 50% for manufacturing and warehousing.
• •It would give a 10% by-right cut in the Normandale Lake, South Loop and Penn-American district plan areas and the 86th Street and 98th Street nodes on Lyndale.
• •It would also cap the parking flexibility measures one site can use.

No.

• •The staff report says the changes "establish new parking requirements for future development applications" and are "not intended to retroactively modify previously approved parking reductions or deviations."
• •Reductions granted through a development plan, variance, proof of parking agreement or other approval stay subject to that approval.
• •It does not spell out how a partial redevelopment of an existing site is counted.

Four.

• •The city code says no more than four motor vehicles per unit may be parked or stored at single-family and two-family homes "outside a garage or on a street."
• •Cars inside a garage and cars there briefly for a visit or a service call don't count; junk and inoperable vehicles do.

Raise it to six motor vehicles per unit "outside a garage or on a street," and extend it to detached townhomes and cottage courts.

• •Staff said the city's 2025 family definition allows six unrelated adults, and that over the last five years an average of 128 properties a year got enforcement orders for too many vehicles, many involving five or six.

Two.

• •The ordinance text says "A development or site may select a maximum of two parking flexibility measures."
• •A nonresidential use with a required Tier I transportation demand management plan gets that 10% reduction plus one other measure.
• •The affordable-housing parking incentives in the Opportunity Housing Ordinance don't count toward the cap.

They include proof of parking (land set aside to build spaces later), shared parking within 500 feet between uses with different peak hours, a reduction near transit with seven-day service within a half-mile walk, reductions through a planned development approved by the City Council, and credit for nearby on-street parking.

• •The city may require a parking study paid for by the applicant.

Up to 20% of required spaces may be compact, at least 8 by 16 feet for 90-degree parking (standard stalls are 9 by 18).

• •They count toward required parking only if the lot has at least 50 stalls, the compact spaces are spread through the lot and aimed at employee areas, and they are signed and marked on the pavement.

In the parking table for multiple-family dwellings, "1 space per 50 units must be equipped with a Charging Level 2 electric vehicle charger or higher."

• •Those spaces count as regular required parking, not as a flexibility measure.

The ordinance renames "senior citizen housing" to "independent 55+ or older adult housing," defined as multiple-family housing "designed and intended to be occupied principally by persons 55 years of age or older."

• •Its parking minimum would drop from 1.5 to 1.3 spaces per unit.
• •The definition doesn't mention a recorded age restriction.

Under the federal Fair Housing Act, 55+ housing must be "intended and operated for occupancy by persons 55 years of age or older," with at least 80% of occupied units holding at least one person 55 or older, and it must publish and follow policies showing that intent.

It failed: Commissioner Coleman's motion at the Sept. 17 Planning Commission meeting to exempt the development districts from minimum parking entirely lost 2-3, with White, Linnee and Munster opposed.

• •The commission then recommended the staff ordinance 4-1, Coleman voting no, and suggested studying parking in the districts through a future work plan project.

Yes.

• •The adopted 2026 work plan lists "Evaluation of South Loop Zoning Districts & Design Standards" as a new project, led by the Planning Division with Engineering support.
• •The same plan lists "Review of Parking Supply Requirements" as a carry-over project.

The City Council scheduled a public hearing Oct. 12, 2026 (agenda item 4.3).

• •The packet includes a draft summary-publication resolution; the ordinance takes effect after passage and publication.

The staff report says changes to the OHO's zoning incentives are "anticipated to be presented to the Planning Commission in October and City Council in November of 2026."

• •The OHO lets developments of 20 or more units with affordable units reduce parking.

No more than 24 consecutive hours.

• •The city's parking rules also bar parking within five feet of a driveway or mailbox, within 10 feet of a fire hydrant, within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection, and on a public right-of-way within 48 hours after a snow emergency is declared.
• •Enforcement requests go to the police non-emergency line, 952-563-4900; questions about parking ordinances go to Engineering, 952-563-4870.

Under the council's on-street parking policy, a resident petition signed by 50% of parcels in the affected area starts a study; the city can also start one itself.

• •Staff recommend "the least restrictive" change and mail ballots to the area, and if more than 50% of returned ballots agree, signs go up.
• •Residents get 15 days to appeal to the City Council.
• •The official parking map is adopted by the council "at a public hearing as needed," but posted signs are enforceable whether or not the map has been updated (City Code Sec. 8.41).

It's being studied.

• •The city clerk's 2027 budget presentation lists "Evaluate opportunities to consolidate election precincts (reduce from 30 to 20)," adjusting "absentee voting periods where permitted by law" and a flat-rate cemetery price.
• •The clerk's office cites "increased early and absentee voting" and evolving voter preferences.

Under Minn. Stat. 204B.14, a change must be adopted at least 10 weeks before the next election and, for the state primary and general election or presidential nomination primary, "no later than December 1 in the year prior to the year of the state general election."

• •It can't take effect until notice has been posted in the clerk's office for at least 56 days.
• •For 2028, that means by Dec. 1, 2027.

In-person absentee voting runs 46 days before an election, and early voting runs 18 days before a federal, state or county election.

• •Minn. Stat. 203B.081 lets voters cast an absentee ballot in person "during the 46 days before the election."
• •Early voting runs "during the 18 days before a federal, state, or county election," and before a municipal election if authorized.
• •Early voting was added by a 2023 law.

As amended in March 2026, it would prohibit pet shops from selling cats and dogs, while letting them give free space to nonprofit adoption groups.

• •Shops that had sold animals for at least a year before Aug. 1, 2026, under the same ownership could keep selling if they meet certain requirements.
• •It would let local governments "adopt stricter ordinances."
• •We couldn't confirm it became law.

It came with summer 2026 chip-seal pavement maintenance and adds dedicated left-turn lanes at 102nd Street, a shorter school crossing at Heritage Hills/Canterbury and flashing-yellow signals.

• •Hennepin County, working with Bloomington's traffic engineers, restriped France Avenue from four lanes to three (one each way plus a center turn lane) between W.
• •98th Street/Pebblebrook Drive and Old Shakopee Road.
• •The page doesn't mention bike lanes.

Possibly.

• •The project page lists "2026–2027: Potential school zone speed limit installation."

Mall of America tenants lead with 11,000 workers, followed by HealthPartners and Bloomington School District 271, and the top 10's share of city jobs fell from 28% in 2016 to 26%.

• •The city's 2025 financial report lists Mall of America tenants (11,000 workers, down from 13,000 in 2016), HealthPartners (3,282), Bloomington School District 271 (1,880), Evernorth (1,309, up from 638), Seagate (1,304, down from 1,580), Toro (1,110), Donaldson (1,095), Normandale Community College (787), General Dynamics (728) and Jostens (694).
• •The top 10 employ 23,189 people, 26% of the city's 89,144 jobs, compared with 24,748 and 28% in 2016.
• •The report doesn't say why counts changed.

No: the ordinance before the council Sept. 28 says a residential care facility "may not be located in a two-family, three-family, fourplex, multiplex, or multiple-family dwelling unless it occupies the entire structure."

• •The staff report says that was already "the same standard that is currently required for two-family dwellings and multiple-family dwellings"; the change extends it to three-family, fourplex and multiplex homes.

Not by name.

• •The ordinance text lists two-family, three-family, fourplex, multiplex and multiple-family dwellings.
• •Townhouses and detached townhouses aren't on the list.

A state-licensed residential facility, including assisted living, "serving six or fewer persons" is "a permitted single family residential use of property for the purposes of zoning."

• •One serving 7 through 16 people is "a permitted multifamily residential use," though a city may require a conditional use permit to assure proper maintenance and operation.