In a press conference Monday, Bloomington Democratic mayoral candidate Darryl Neher said the city's character is integral to its identity and atmosphere.
"That's the importance and vibrancy of who we are, and if we lose that then we become 'Any City, U.S.A.'," he said. "And that's something that no one wants to risk becoming."
Neher said focusing on the west and east sides of town along with the North and South Walnut Street corridors is a priority.
During the conference, Neher discussed his desire for citizen involvement in future planning processes. He said policies that engage the community early in planning processes are needed.
"Our default position should always be to protect the natural environment and our community character," Neher said.
Neher said he began this process by initiating legislation to address height waivers on the Kirkwood corridor and the downtown square.
Here's Neher's road map to protecting what he calls the community character of Bloomington:
Neher says he'll provide more details on his campaign platform in the coming months.