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Bloomington City Zoning Code

ARTICLE II

Zoning Districts and Map

§ 44-201 [Ch. 44, 2-1] Establishment of districts.

[Amended 10-24-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-99; 1-13-2025 by Ord. No. 2025-002]
A. 
The provisions of this Code are intended to govern the use of land, buildings, and structures; and establish bulk and off-street parking and loading, and landscaping requirements applicable thereto. It is essential that each new use of land, buildings, or structures become an integral part of the overall function and pattern of community development. All development subject to the provisions of this Code, except as provided hereinafter for Planned Unit Developments, as provided in Ordinances authorizing special use permits or pursuant to variations granted by the Zoning Board of Appeals or City Council shall conform to the standards of the district in which it is located.
B. 
In order to carry out the intent, purposes and provisions of this Code, the City of Bloomington, Illinois, is hereby divided into the following districts:
(1) 
Agricultural Districts:
A-Agricultural District
(2) 
Residential Districts:
R-1A Single-Family Residence District
R-1B Single-Family Residence District
R-1C Single-Family Residence District
R-2 Mixed Residence District
R-3A Multiple-Family Residence District
R-3B Multiple-Family Residence District
R-4 Manufactured Home Park District
GAP 1
GAP 2
GAP 3
GAP 4
(3) 
Business Districts:
B-1 General Commercial District
B-2 Local Commercial District
C-1 Office District
D-1 Central Business District
D-2 Downtown Transitional District
D-3 Downtown Warehouse and Arts District
GAP 5
(4) 
Manufacturing Districts:
M-1 Restricted Manufacturing District
M-2 General Manufacturing District
GAP 6
(5) 
Public Interest Districts:
P-1 University District
P-2 Public Lands and Institutions District
P-3 Airport District
(6) 
Zoning Overlay Districts:
S-1 Aircraft Noise Impact District
S-4 Historic Preservation District
Note: GAP District regulations included in Article XVIII of this Code.
C. 
Zoning upon annexation. All land which may be incorporated into the zoning jurisdiction of the City of Bloomington, whether through annexation or otherwise, shall, unless a valid annexation agreement in effect at the time of annexation provides otherwise, be assigned as follows:
(1) 
Automatic classification. Privately held properties shall be classified from the present or most recent classification under the Zoning Ordinance of McLean County, Illinois, to a corresponding classification under the Zoning Code of the City of Bloomington, in accordance with Table 201A.
Table 201A
McLean County Zoning District
City of Bloomington Zoning District
A (Agriculture) District
A (Agricultural) District
R-1 (Single-Family Residential) District
Lowest density R-1 District that does not result in the creation of nonconforming lot sizes upon annexation, or R-1C if nonconforming lots can not be avoided
R-2 (Two-Family Residential) District
R-2 (Mixed Residence) District
C (Commercial) District
B-1 (General Commercial) District
M-1 (Restricted Manufacturing) District
M-1 (Restricted Manufacturing) District
M-2 (General Manufacturing) District
M-2 (General Manufacturing) District
(2) 
Public Interest Districts. Upon annexation, properties owned by the City of Bloomington or other units of local government, excluding the Central Illinois Regional Airport Authority, may be automatically classified in accordance with Table 201A, or to the P-2 (Public Lands and Institutions) District. Properties owned by the Central Illinois Regional Airport Authority may be automatically classified in accordance with Table 201A, or to the P-3 (Airport) District. Automatic classification to either of these districts shall require a deed restriction triggering a Zoning Map amendment out of the Public Interest District classification prior to the sale or long-term lease of the subject property to an entity that is not another unit of local government.
(3) 
Map amendment. Upon application for a Zoning Map amendment as provided in Article XVII of this chapter, the City Council may zone property proposed for annexation to any other zoning classification upon annexation.

§ 44-202 [Ch. 44, 2-2] Official Zoning Map.

[Amended 10-26-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-69; 4-28-2025 by Ord. No. 2025-034]
A. 
The location and boundaries of the districts provided in this Code as of March 11, 2019, the effective date of the Ordinance adopting this Zoning Code (Chapter 44 of the Bloomington City Code), are hereby established as shown on the Official Zoning Map and such map and all notations, references and other information shown thereon shall be as to the boundaries of the districts provided herein. Amendments to such map shall be by ordinance duly adopted by the City Council.
B. 
Annually, not later than the 31st day of March of each year, the City Council shall, by Resolution cause the publication in pamphlet form of a revised Zoning Map indicating to the practicable changes made during the preceding calendar year.
C. 
The original Official Zoning Map shall be the final authority on the zoning status of land, buildings and other structures and land uses within the City as of the effective date of the ordinance adopting this Code. The original Official Zoning Map or after the publication and effective date of an annual Revised Official Zoning Map, the latest Revised Official Zoning Map in effect on a specific date, shall raise a rebuttable presumption as to the zoning status of land, buildings and other structures and land uses within the City as of said date, rebuttable solely and exclusively by the provisions of an Ordinance duly adopted by the City Council after the effective date of this Code (or after the effective date of the Official Zoning Map or after the effective date of any annual revision thereto).
D. 
Two copies of the original Official Zoning Map and thereafter two copies of the current Zoning Map are to be kept available for public inspection; one in the Office of the City Clerk and the other in the office of Development Services Department. Each such map shall be identified by the signature of the Mayor, attested by the City Clerk and bearing the seal of the City under the words: "This is to certify that this Official Zoning Map supersedes and replaces the Official Zoning Map adopted on (date of adoption of the map being replaced) and is part of Chapter 44 of the Bloomington City Code, 2019, as amended."

§ 44-203 [Ch. 44, 2-3] District boundaries.

[Amended 10-26-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-69; 10-24-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-99; 4-28-2025 by Ord. No. 2025-034]
Where uncertainty exists as to the boundaries of districts as shown on the Official Zoning Map, the following rules shall apply:
A. 
Boundaries indicated as approximately following the center lines of streets, highways, or alleys shall be construed to follow such center lines;
B. 
Boundaries indicated as approximately following platted lot lines shall be construed as following such lot lines;
C. 
Boundaries indicated as approximately following City limits shall be construed as following such City limits;
D. 
Boundaries indicated as following railroad lines shall be construed to lie midway between the main tracks of such railroad lines;
E. 
Boundaries indicated as following shore lines shall be construed to follow such shore lines, and in the event of change in the shore line the boundary shall be construed as moving with the actual shore line; boundaries indicated as approximately following the center line of streams, rivers, canals, lakes, or other bodies of water shall be construed to follow such center lines;
F. 
Boundaries indicated as approximately following the center line of streams, canals, creeks, or other bodies of water shall be construed to follow such center lines;
G. 
Boundaries indicated as parallel to an extensions of features indicated in Subsections A through F above shall be so construed. Distances not specifically indicated on the Official Zoning Map shall be determined by the scale of the map;
H. 
Where cultural features existing on the ground are at variance with those shown on the Official Zoning Map, or in other circumstances not covered by subsections A through G above, the Zoning Board of Appeals shall interpret the district boundaries;
I. 
Where a district boundary line divides a lot in single ownership at the time of the passage of this Code, the Zoning Board of Appeals may extend the regulations of either zoning district beyond the district line into the remaining portion of the lot, provided that the extension shall not apply to any area more than 50 feet beyond the boundary line of the district;
J. 
Where, due to the scale, lack of detail, illegibility, or where physical features existing on the ground are at variance with those shown on the Official Zoning Map, and there exists any uncertainty, contradiction or conflict as to the intended location of any boundary as shown thereon, the Director of Development Services shall make an interpretation of said map upon request of any person and within a reasonable period. Any person aggrieved by such interpretation may appeal such interpretation to the Zoning Board of Appeals pursuant to § 44-1712.

§ 44-204 [Ch. 44, 2-4] Forcibly annexed and reverted public lands.

[Amended 1-13-2025 by Ord. No. 2025-002]
The following shall apply to all property which is hereafter annexed by the City or any publicly owned land which is transferred to private ownership:
A. 
All property hereafter forcibly annexed to the City and without further action of the City Council shall be classified in accordance with § 44-201, Establishment of districts, Table 201A, of this Chapter 44 unless otherwise classified by a Zoning Map amendment as provided in Article XVII of this Code.
B. 
Whenever any street, alley or other public way is vacated by the City, the zoning district adjoining each side of such street, alley or other public way shall automatically, and without further action of the City Council, be extended to the center line of such street, alley or other public way existing prior to such vacation.

§ 44-205 [Ch. 44, 2-5] Replacement of Official Zoning Map.

In the event that the Official Zoning Map becomes damaged, destroyed, lost or difficult to interpret because of the nature or number of changes and additions, the City Council may by resolution adopt a new Official Zoning Map which shall supersede the prior map. The new map may correct drafting or other errors or omission in the prior map, but no such correction shall have the effect of amending the original Official Zoning Map or any subsequent amendment thereof.