Bloomington, Minn., Code of Ordinances § 9 § 9.16.03
SITE WIDTH REDUCTION (Bloomington Housing Opportunity and Preservation Ordinance)
Operative Text
(a) To incentivize the creation of opportunity housing units, a residential development that includes at least 9% of its total dwelling or co-living units affordable to households at or below 60% of AMI may reduce the required minimum site width as follows unless the City Council determines that the reduction is likely to create a specific adverse public health, safety, or welfare impact or would otherwise conflict with local, state, or federal regulations, rules, or laws: (1) A development with at least 9% of its units qualifying as extremely low income affordable housing may reduce minimum site width requirements by up to 50%; (2) A development with 9% of its units qualifying as very low income affordable housing may reduce minimum site width requirements by up to 25%; or (3) A development with 9% of its units qualifying as low income affordable housing may reduce minimum site width requirements by up to 10%. (b) The minimum site width reductions provided in this section are not cumulative. Each qualifying development is eligible for only one minimum site width reduction of 10%, 25%, or 50% depending on the level of affordability provided. (Ord. 2021-1 , passed 3-8-2021; Ord. 2025-07 , passed 4-28-2025)
Bloomington, Minn., Code of Ordinances § 9.16.03 establishes a zoning incentive that allows residential developments to build on narrower lots than normally required, provided that at least 9% of the project's dwelling or co-living units are made affordable to households at or below 60% of area median income (AMI). The permitted reduction in minimum site width—10%, 25%, or 50%—scales with the depth of affordability offered, from low income up to extremely low income. These reductions are not stackable; a development qualifies for only one tier of reduction, and the City Council retains authority to deny any reduction that would create specific public health, safety, or welfare harms or conflict with applicable regulations.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Developers and property owners pursuing residential projects in Bloomington can use § 9.16.03 to unlock site width flexibility by committing a minimum of 9% of units to qualifying affordable housing. A compliant operator generally documents the affordability tier of the proposed units—extremely low, very low, or low income—before applying for the corresponding 50%, 25%, or 10% site width reduction, and plans for only one reduction tier per project since the reductions are explicitly non-cumulative. Operators also typically account for the City Council's discretionary review authority, which can deny a reduction if it is found likely to create adverse public health, safety, or welfare impacts or to conflict with other applicable laws.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
For renters and prospective tenants, § 9.16.03 is part of Bloomington's broader effort to expand the supply of affordable housing by giving developers a zoning incentive to include income-restricted units in new residential projects. The provision targets households at or below 60% of AMI, with deeper affordability protections available for extremely low and very low income households. Tenants interested in whether a specific development's affordable units meet the income and affordability standards described in this section may wish to contact the City of Bloomington's planning or housing department, or reach out to a local tenant-rights organization for general guidance.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 15, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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