City of Bloomington Annexation
What is Annexation?
Annexation is the process used by cities and towns to increase their jurisdictional authority and claim control over territory of adjacent land. In short, annexed properties become “in the city.” The process is outlined in Indiana Code 36-4-3 and allows a municipality to expand its boundaries to include existing developed or urban areas and to accommodate future growth opportunities and planning. Originally made in 2017 and recently revived by the Bloomington City Administration, the City of Bloomington has announced that it intends to continue the process to annex land that is currently under the jurisdiction of the Monroe County Government.
Will the Annexation Affect your Township?
There are portions of various Townships proposed for annexation by the City of Bloomington. To find out if you are in such an area, and for further information on the proposed annexation by the City of Bloomington, visit the City of Bloomington’s Annexation Information webpage found on the City of Bloomington website. If you would like to view an interactive map showing the areas intended for annexation, feel free to visit the Proposed Annexation Area Map
Will this Impact the Townships?
The only Township service that would be affected by annexation would be the enforcement actions against overgrown lots. The City maintains an Enforcement Office that is fully funded and staffed, which would assume that duty. All other services should remain unaffected.
As for aspects other than services offered by the township, the only area of potential impact is a yet unknown adjustment of tax revenues dedicated to the Townships due to local tax distribution formulas. While the City of Bloomington has made a minimal estimate of impact, the Monroe County Government has employed a financial consultant to check the accuracy of the projected numbers provided by the City. When the County’s study has been completed, the various Township Boards will be informed of both projections and will discuss what the numbers mean to their budgeting processes.
What is the Timeline for Annexation?
The currently anticipated timeline, as of June 21st, 2021, is a follows:
- May 12: City Council considers adoption of amended fiscal plans and a request for technical updates to the 2017 ordinances for the proposed annexation areas
- Publish and provide notice to property owners of upcoming public hearings to review and evaluate boundaries proposed by the ordinances
- July 21: Hold the public hearings
- September: Hold City Council meeting to consider adoption of the ordinances
- Within 30 days of adoption: Publish the adoption of the ordinances and mail information to property owners about the remonstrance process
For more information and the most up-to-date information, visit the Frequently Asked Questions Page on the City of Bloomington Website.
Township Statements and/or Information on Annexation
Notice
Below you will find the Townships affected by the annexation, along with their own information, statement, and/or viewpoint if it has been provided by that Township's Trustee. These statements should not be confused for those provided by any other Township. The viewpoint of one Township does not necessarily reflect the stances of any other Township unless otherwise stated.
Benton Township
At this time, Benton Township has not yet provided a statement or detailed resources on annexation. If a statement or resources are later provided by the Township, they will be listed here. For the most up-to-date information from Benton Township, to learn more about the Township, and to find out if you are a resident, visit their website by clicking the link below.
Bloomington Township
At this time, Bloomington Township has not yet provided a statement or detailed resources on annexation. If a statement or resources are later provided by the Township, they will be listed here. For the most up-to-date information from Bloomington Township, to learn more about the Township, and to find out if you are a resident, visit their website by clicking the link below.
Perry Township
Neither the Perry Township Board, nor the Perry Township trustee, have taken an official position on the annexation proposal. While members of the board and the township trustee may have their own private feelings, they are not representative of the members’ roles as part of any official proceedings. There are no legal, official, or jurisdictional conflicts between Perry Township and the City of Bloomington as governmental units.
While there may be many legal questions, yes, for affected property owners, those are beyond the Township's authority to intervene with. These including notices to landowners, the legality of remonstrance waivers obtained in exchange for sewer services, and how firefighting and First Responder Emergency Services in boundary areas will take place. For further legal questions you may have pertaining to the annexation, it is recommended you speak to your attorney. Neither the Township Trustee nor the Board Members can offer legal services, nor is there any authority the township might have for providing legal advice to residents of the Township.
For more information on Perry Township and to find out if you are a resident, visit their website at the link below.
Van Buren & Richland Township
The following is a web-optimized version of the information provided by Van Buren & Richland Townships, initially presented in a letter distributed to those Townships' residents. If you wish to view, download or print the original letter in its entirety, you may do so by clicking here.
Property Owners of Van Buren and Richland Townships
In response to multiple emails and telephone calls we have compiled some general advice that is not to be construed as legal advice. As always, any legal inquiries should be directed to your attorney.
Annexation is the process used by cities and towns to increase their size by absorbing adjacent land. The City of Bloomington has announced an aggressive annexation plan that will affect you, your tax rate, our police protection, our fire department response times (for those not in the Monroe Fire Protection District), homeowner’s insurance rates, our sewers, our community, and your property.
If you own property in Monroe County and are interested in finding out if the City of Bloomington is intending to annex your property you may visit this website and enter your address: bloomington.in.gov/city/annexation
Furthermore, the City of Bloomington is scheduled to hold a public hearing regarding annexation on Wednesday, August 4th at 3:00 PM at the Bloomington City Hall, Council Chambers, 401 N. Morton St, Bloomington, IN 47404. As a property owner, it is your right to attend this meeting and speak your mind regarding the City’s annexation proposal. You may attend the meeting in person or via this zoom link: bloomington.zoom.us/j/94918610625?pwd=UkptSG1zOCt5aE50U0Q5VWNLYnhrQT09
Also, please be on the lookout for more informational public meetings hosted by the County that will review the fiscal impact of annexation and the effects on individual tax bills. These meeting dates and locations will be made public soon.
We, as Township Trustees, do not intend to tell you how to feel about annexation; instead, we aim to provide you with the most up-to-date information and allow you to make up your mind about the City’s proposed annexation plan. In this spirit, we would like to inform you of the processes to object to annexation, if you would like an avenue for recourse. If you are in favor of annexation, no further action is necessary on your part.
Here are some suggestions for individuals who would like to object to annexation:
- Attend the public meetings hosted by the County and the City as these meetings will help you better understand the ramifications of annexation for you, personally, and the community at large.
- In September or October, the city is expected to adopt the annexation ordinances. At that time, you may begin the official process of remonstration. To remonstrate you will have to go to a public building within the city and complete some paperwork. As soon as the city makes the location and the hours of operation publicly available, we will be sure to let you know.
- For annexation to be halted, 65% of the owners of land within an annexation area need to remonstrate. If you do not wish to be a part of the city, be sure to remonstrate.
As more information becomes available regarding the annexation process, we will be sure to keep you informed. Stay tuned to the City’s Annexation Website, the County's Annexation Website, the Van Buren Township and Richland Township websites, and any letters sent to your property.
Again, we are sending this letter with the intention of informing you of what is going on in our community, and not to convince you to be for or against annexation. The Van Buren and Richland Township Offices want to provide you with information and allow you to make up your own mind regarding annexation and the effects it will have on you, your tax rate, your property, and many other facets of our community.
Please know that the Van Buren and Richland Township Trustee’s Offices cannot offer legal advice, and the above information should not be construed as such. If you have further legal questions, we encourage you to contact your attorney.
As always, we are eager to serve you, and if we can be of any help to you, please do not hesitate to reach out to your Trustee.
Respectfully yours,
| Rita Barrow | Marty Stephens |
|---|---|
| Van Buren Township Trustee | Richland Township Trustee |
| (812) 825-4490 | (812) 876-2509 |
For more information on Richland & Van Buren Townships and to find out if you are a resident of one of these townships, visit their websites at the link below.
Additional Links and Resources
General Information
For further information and developments of the annexation, visit the City of Bloomington's annexation page by clicking the link below.
bloomington.in.gov/city/annexation
Frequently Asked Questions
For a list of frequently asked questions and answers provided by the City of Bloomington, follow the link below. The list can be previewed, download, or printed.
Annexation Continuation Announcement
To view the announcement from the City of Bloomington about the Annexations continuation on April 28, 2021. The article also includes a video announcement at the end of the article from Mayor Hamilton.
bloomington.in.gov/news/2021/04/28/4833
WTIU News Report on Annexation
To view the news report done by Indiana's WTIU on the City of Bloomington Annexation, which interviews both members of the City of Bloomington and Monroe County Government, click the News Report link below. Also available is a link to the full story news article published by WTIU.
Monroe County Government's Response to Annexation
To view Monroe County Government's response to the annexation, as well as find further information on the Monroe County Commissioners and Monroe County Council intent to hire an expert to analyze and explain the fiscal impact to Monroe County Government, follow the link below.
co.monroe.in.us/egov/apps/document/center.egov
City Council Contact Information
For an up-to-date list of the City Council's current members, as well as their various forms of contact information, visit the City of Bloomington's City Council page by clicking the link below. To view the contact information for City Council members, select their names on the City Council page.
Monroe County Council Contact Information
For an up-to-date list of the Monroe County Council's current members, as well as their various forms of contact information, visit Monroe County Government's County Council Directory page by clicking the link below. Both phone numbers and emails are provided.
co.monroe.in.us/egov/apps/staff/directory.egov?structureid=64
Monroe County Commissioners Contact Information
For an up-to-date list of the Monroe County Commissioners currently serving Monroe County Government, as well as their contact information, visit Monroe County Government's County Commissioners Directory page by clicking the link below.
Annexation Maps
Below are various maps illustrating and identifying the portions of Monroe County the City of Bloomington intends to annex. Included are an interactive map provided by the City of Bloomington, a static map provided by Indiana Public Media, and a Map featuring the History of previous annexations by the City of Bloomington.
Also included is a link to Monroe County GIS, a computer-based mapping application for Monroe County. Known as a Geographic Information System (GIS), the application presents information on a variety of themes such as parcel boundaries, road infrastructure, emergency management, etc. While this mapping application does not directly provide information on annexation, some may find the additional information and granular control it provided by this free resource useful.