Bloomington Mayor Kerry Thomson vetoed a proposal that would require seasonal street closures on Kirkwood Avenue announced in a news release Monday.
Bloomington began closing the street in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and has continued to do so under the Expanded Outdoor Seating plan. This plan allows restaurants along Kirkwood Avenue to expand outdoor seating into the street.
Typically, these closures last annually from March to November, including last year. Businesses had to apply to participate in the plan, either choosing to utilize the full street or “parklets,” which convert parking spaces into outdoor areas.
Ordinance 2026-12 was first approved by Bloomington Common Council by a 5-4 vote on June 10. Six days later, Thomson hosted a conversation with community members at Council Chambers in City Hall to discuss the ordinance, with mixed reactions.
Some residents argued a car-free Kirkwood Avenue would improve pedestrian and cyclist safety and strengthen downtown’s appeal. Others raised concerns about accessibility for seniors and people with disabilities, lost parking and effects on businesses.
In the release, Thomson shared a letter with the community explaining her decision to veto the ordinance was based on lack of funding and planning, among other reasons.
“I am vetoing Council’s Ordinance 2026-12 to close Kirkwood, which arrived absent of a plan to ensure its success or an analysis of fiscal impact, much less identification of the funding to do so,” Thomson wrote.
In the letter, she pointed to Senate Enrolled Act 1 as a reason for caution on new spending, which “creates substantial uncertainty for municipal revenue and long-term financial planning.”
She also said the community input gathered so far doesn’t reflect the level of support needed for a change this size and pointed to a new plan from Council members Courtney Daily and Kate Rosenbarger to gather more resident feedback.
“This veto is not a rejection of a council vote, but instead an invitation to further engagement,” Thomson wrote.
The Common Council can still override Thomson’s veto with a six-vote majority at its next meeting July 22, though it has not indicated whether it intends to do so.
