NORMAL - Business and property owners along the Main Street corridor called Tuesday for the proposed form-based zoning codes to be scrapped.

About 75 people attended the McLean County Chamber of Commerce's meeting at Illinois State University's Alumni Center to voice their concerns about the proposed zoning changes.

The most common comment called for the Bloomington and Normal city councils to reject the zoning codes. Unlike standard zoning codes, form-based codes regulate how a building looks in addition to how it is used.

The proposed codes are the result of a study to improve the corridor from Raab Road in Normal to Veterans Parkway in Bloomington. The study was commissioned by Bloomington, Normal, ISU, Illinois Wesleyan University and BroMenn Regional Medical Center.

"The plan is called 'a call for investment' and indeed it would be a call for investment," said Toni Petersen from Weaver's Rent-All. "This would put a huge economic burden on property owners."

Under the proposed code, a building would have to meet the new standards if it is significantly damaged or otherwise changed. Several business owners said they were concerned insurance would not be enough to rebuild in the Main Street corridor if their buildings were hit by a fire or tornado.

Bloomington Planning and Code Enforcement Director Mark Huber and Normal City Planner Mercy Davison said they would take the comments received at Tuesday's meeting and update the proposed codes. The planning commissions in Normal and Bloomington will continue its review of the codes next month.

Chamber Director Charlie Moore said the chamber would prepare a report based on Tuesday's comments that it will submit to the planning commissions.

Huber said it could be 90 to 120 days before the proposed codes would go before either city council.