Dan DeGeest's Council Review

Hello Friends,

This past week, starting Thursday and finishing Sunday night, was the Maximum Ames Music Festival.  Every year for the last six, a small group of dedicated, pro-Ames folks have worked incredibly hard to build a festival that showcases both local and national talent.  It's not a new concept, many cities do something like it, but it's the only one in Ames and something this group has taken on with no guarantees of success, working from the ground up with small budgets,  using a lot of hustle and a lot of determination.  It hasn't been easy, it takes to to build a brand and a reputation, but they have stuck with it and this year's festival was the best one yet with great support for Main Street businesses, a special festival only beer from Alluvial Brewing, and acts coming from as far as Holland to perform.
It was such a great mix of people - young, old, middle aged like me, didn't really seem to matter and the sense of community was incredible.  I talked to a number of the visiting artists and they were all surprised at the vibrancy of our local music scene and the welcoming environment.  The music was superb and the vibe on Main Street was palpable.

The point? As I have said many times, this is our city and it's up to each of us to make it great - this was a shining example of that in practice - a small group taking their collective talents and passion and making something we can all enjoy.  I have never been more excited and content to live here and hope to see more and more examples of this model at work across all sorts of ideas and challenges.

Reminder, this Tuesday will be a Council workshop that will discuss county wide bike trail connections (something I'm passionate about) and changes to our outdoor dining and food truck policies. All things that can help further enhance Ames and if they are something you believe in, please attend!

Thanks for reading,

Dan DeGeest>>

The Ames City Council review for September 13, 2106.  The agenda included:
 

• 38. Follow-Up Report on complaint about property located at 4004 Phoenix Street.
  At a recent meeting, council decided to wait to act on this dilapidated property to allow time for the short sale to conclude. The closing date still hadn’t been set as of Sept 1st. The buyer has indicated their intent to demolish the house and rebuild on the property ASAP. Council has several options on the table, including waiting a period of time for the sale (45 days suggested) before pursuing the dangerous building designation or pursuing that designation now (without waiting) or after the sale. Since the buyer has indicated willingness to demolish and rebuild, staff recommend waiting 45 days, and if the sale still has not gone through, pursuing the dangerous building designation with the current owner.
  A buyer is in place and ready to raze the current structure and redevelop the property.  Based on the Avec Design + Build office renovations on 5th Street, I would predict a total transformation of this property from blight to showcase.  The City will continue to monitor to ensure this sale goes through and hopefully no further action will be required.
• 39. Resolution approving applications for CDBG Public Facilities Improvements Program for Non-Profit Organizations.
  Part of the most recent CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) annual plan included setting aside $100K for a ‘public facilities improvements program’. Staff received two applications, together totaling $133,997, one from YSS (Youth and Shelter Services) for ADA improvements to their parking lot and one from ERP (Emergency Residence Project) to rehab their 804 Kellogg facility. Staff believes both proposed projects have merit, and so staff recommend transferring $34K from a different CDBG action plan project.  (The old middle school property, which likely won’t see action this fiscal year.)
  Discussion was brief on this item and both applications should be able to move forward and the $34K diverted will be paid back before it will be needed for the 321 State Street project.  It should also be noted the second applicant was Mainstream Living and not the Emergency Residence Project (ERP) as noted in the Council Preview.
• 40. Resolution approving revision to Preliminary Plat for The Irons Subdivision (Southeast corner of George Washington Carver and 190th Street).
  In June of 2016, Council approved the Preliminary Plat for “The Irons”, a development at the Ames Golf and Country Club, with several conditions. After consulting with the County, it appears the condition that the developer installs a shared use path along 190th isn’t feasible. Council is presented with four options from staff. First, if Council chooses to waive the shared use path condition, it may be possible to collect some financial commitment (around $140K) from the developer for future installation of one-way bike lanes on what is now the gravel shoulder of 190th. Second, Council can remove the shared use path requirement but still require a 5’ sidewalk. Third, we can waive the shared-use path and sidewalk requirement. Finally, Council could choose to not allow the three lots on 190th to be developed at this time.

  One of my biggest gripes about our current City planning is my view that projects seem to live in a bubble, blissfully unaware of other current and future projects that may benefit or be adversely affected by design and planning choices made in that bubble.  A frequent result of this mode of operation can be seen in Ames' somewhat haphazard and disconnected network of shared use paths. When a developer seeks a plat for their project they are subject to various expectations, which often includes public improvements like streets and shared use paths. However, unlike our street system, shared paths are not planned out on a larger scale, which usually results in developers building them where they are convenient for their project, not where they necessarily make the most sense or would provide a gap closure or a spur for a future link.  To be fair, it is not necessarily the developers fault given a comprehensive multi-modal plan does not exist for the City of Ames.
  Only one Council Member, Councilwoman Betcher, seemed to question this and be thinking in a similar manner on this item making a strong case to not allow the three lots to be developed thus causing “curb cuts” that will have to be worked around in the future rather than waiving the sidewalk requirements in lieu of a cash buyout.
  
  She seemed to grasp the likelihood that 190th will become a major East/West route in the near future as the land around it continues to get developed.  It connects with the recently completed Hyde (Grant) Avenue that is quickly becoming a preferred route for both cars and bicycles in particular.  It also connects to George Washington Carver, which currently has a shared use path that abruptly dead ends when it hits undeveloped farmland and forces cyclists out into high-speed traffic on a county road with narrow, unpaved shoulders.  It should be noted that the Irons will be building a shared use path along GWC and I hope City Planners look at the entire corridor before approving the plat to ensure the gap can be closed when the land south of it gets developed and/or Stange Rd is extended.

  Motion granting the sidewalk deferral, and require cash-in-escrow from the developer (estimate of $130,000 to $150,000) passes 4-2 (Betcher and Beatty-Hansen NO).

• 41. Resolution approving Downtown Facade Grants.
  The City received two bids for this Fall’s Downtown Façade Grant Program, one for 300 Main St. (Building w/ Ali Cakes), and the other for 238-240 Main St. (Quilting Connection). The application for 300 Main St. includes removing some of the modern additions to bring the building back to a more historic look, and staff recommend approval of this request. Staff does not feel that this application for 238-240 Main St. has yet met the criteria, but seem confident that they can assist the property owner in time for the next round of grant applications.
  There was some surprising conversation on this item.   One member was questioning if replacing rotted, leaky, single pane second-story windows with energy efficient yet historically and visually sensitive ones was a community betterment improvement worthy of facade grant money.  A quick Google of the word facade gives the following definition - "the face of a building, especially the principal front that looks onto a street or open space", which defines this corner lot building in question perfectly. It seems silly to me to approve replacement of the first floor windows but not the second story, which is easily fully viewed from many vantage points on Main St. or if you simply take a moment to look up.
  Ultimately a resolution to approve the 300 Main St grant passed and City Staff will work with the other applicant to refine their application and will bring it back to Council at a later date.
• 42. Staff Report on Trinitas Request to Initiate an Urban Fringe Land Use Framework Map Amendment (Click here for more information).
  Council recently heard a request from a developer who is interested in building ‘cottage’ style rental units south of Lincoln Way just outside the western border of Ames. To do so would require a number of involved steps, both from Ames and other parties (Story Co and Gilbert). Steps required to undertake this project include amending the urban fringe land use map, initiating annexation, undertaking traffic and sewer studies, and beginning the process of a zoning text amendment to include a new type of housing (a “dwelling house”) in PRD zones. Before proceeding, Council should weigh the current burden on Planning staff, transportation and sewer needs to the west, and the effect of a new allowed use within PRD zoning.
  Hey, how about some more student housing developments next to established low density single family neighborhoods? OK, sounds good.  Does CyRide go out there? No.  Remember when we said the Planning department was really busy? No.  Ames School District?  Check. Should we move forward? Yes.
  Anyone else see a pattern emerging here?
  Motion to move the process forward passed 5-1 (Beatty-Hansen NO).
• 
• 44. Staff Report on request for underground geothermal wells within conservation easement in Quarry Estates, 1st Addition.
  Council recently received a letter requesting permission to install geothermal wells under a conservation easement in the Quarry Estates subdivision.  The conservation easement forbids construction of any structures. Staff originally denied the request, now Council has the option to uphold staff’s interpretation of Municipal Code, Chapter 23, regarding the definition of a structure (or not).
  I'm sorry but anything built above or below ground is a structure and invasive.  There is no way to do either without disturbing the soil, compacting the earth with heavy machinery, and changing the retention capacity, or drainage flow.  Nobody seemed to be thinking this way though.  Out of sight out of mind.  The primary concern was around what happens if one of the wells leaks or otherwise needs maintenance, something the builder assured would not happen.  I believe that Council should have taken a hard stance on this not a "well these don't seem too bad we can make an exception" view especially when at other times they have been so adamant about protecting Ada Hayden.
  Motion to allow wells to be drilled in the conservation easement passed 4-2 (Betcher and Beatty-Hansen No).
• 45. Resolution approving Agreement with ZLR Ignition regarding Millennium Marketing Campaign.
  This year, $145K is earmarked for a marketing campaign to attract young adults transitioning to families to settle in Ames. (Council had initially sought to develop a Brand Communication Plan, and had budgeted $200K toward that end.) The marketing campaign currently being proposed targets young adults who currently live along the Interstate 35 corridor between Ames and Des Moines.
  $145K seems like a lot of money to figure out that millennials like things like craft breweries, restaurants, outdoor amenities, Farmer's Markets, and so on - things I feel we already know and things we already have here in Ames (see Maximum Ames Music Festival above).  Hopefully a targeted marketing campaign will help us recruit and worth $150K of the same pool of money that was questioned for doing a $15K facade improvement on Main Street.  No matter what, we can't expect it to work unless we keep working on jobs and affordable housing and I hope we put some money toward those efforts.  And, here is an idea, let's get some millenials on our boards and commissions and get their help in making Ames attractive to millenials.
  Motion approving agreement passed: 6-0
• 46. Hearing on 2015/16 Airport Improvements Program (Airport Terminal Building).
  Bids are in for the construction of the airport terminal, and the low bid is $117, 580 over the estimate/budget. On a related note, at the last meeting, Council selected our top choice of Fixed Base Operator (FBO) to run the airport, but with the withdrawal of the top choice, staff are now negotiating an agreement with the second choice, North Iowa Air Service. Three potential Council actions are detailed in the staff report. (All three options include accepting the report of bids and approving the plans and specs.) First, Council can delay awarding a contract until the FBO contract is in place. Second, Council can award the contract to the low bidder (Jensen Builders, LTD). Finally, Council can delay awarding a bid to allow staff and engineers time to evaluate lowering project costs.
  Over budget - why am I not surprised?.  I think it's only the third time that has happened on this project.  I wonder who will step up this time to cover the budget shortfall because I doubt they will redesign the terminal to shave off the nearly $120K overage.  The top choice for FBO backed out - why?  This project continues to be controversial and quite a boondoggle but I suspect it will eventually be nice for the small number of Ames residents that will ever happen to see or use it.
  Motion accepting bids but delaying the award of contract passed 6-0.