Bronwyn Beatty-Hansen's Council Preview

There is a special Ames City Council Long Range Goal Setting meeting on Saturday January 14th, 8:30 at the Parks and Recreation Administration Office (1500 Gateway Hills Park Drive, see map).  This is a public meeting. All are welcome to attend.

Current Council goals, to be completed by December of 2017, are as follows:

• Strengthen Downtown and Campustown
  -Explore public/private improvements (e.g., entertainment, parking, housing, amenities) for public/private space in Campustown and Downtown
  *Many examples of this: the Lincoln Way Corridor Study addresses this in the area south of downtown to Lincoln Way, also, there has been a push to explore how to get more housing downtown, rehab 2nd floor loft apartments, etc.
  -Re‐examine the parking regulations and fees in the Campustown business district and surrounding neighborhoods
  -Evaluate safety for pedestrians crossing Lincoln Way between Campustown and the ISU Campus
  *This task is also in progress. The City and ISU recently undertook a safety study of Lincoln Way through the campus area.

• Promote Economic Development
  -Extend water and sewer utility lines along Lincoln Way to 590th Street and annex the approximately 1,400 acres reflected in the Central Iowa Water Association buy‐out agreement in this corridor
  *This task is nearly complete. The land has been annexed and the water/sewer extension is in the CIP.
  -Analyze current planning and building code approval processes to help decision making be more predictable, more strategic and more timely

• Expand Sustainability Efforts
  -Facilitate the creation of a community solar project
  *This is in progress. At the 12/13/16 meeting, Council approved moving forward with a community solar project under a third-party ownership model but including voluntary customer investment. Next steps include site selection and RFP for the potential owner.
  -Define the City’s role (e.g., codes, incentives) in re‐purposing existing buildings

• Address Housing Needs
  -Redevelop the Old Middle School and 6th Street sites for affordable housing
  *Council has discussed this topic several times this year, with the most recent conversation taking place this past Tuesday. Staff will develop a request for proposals from a partnering developer. 60% of the units will be designated for LMI families, home types will be single family attached and single family detached, and Council did not prohibit a rental option. The goal is to have homes in the area by 2018.
  -Review background information regarding affordable housing needs in Ames
• Promote a Sense of One Community
  -Consider the recommendation from Student Government and Campustown Action Association to transition from the Student Affairs Commission to a new Campus and Community Commission
• Strengthen Human Services
  -Develop an outcomes measurement system to assist in determining the City’s funding allocations to human service agencies
  *United Way of Story County has recently adopted the Clear Impact Scorecard. It is the hope of United Way that the Scorecard could be incorporated into the ASSET process. 
• Encourage Healthy Lifestyles
  -Explore partnering with Mary Greeley Medical Center, Iowa State University, Ames Community School District, and Heartland Senior Center to create an intergenerational Healthy Life Center Complex
  *Still in progress. Next steps include finding land and a feasibility study. This past December, Council recently approved $100,000 to be spent on a feasibility study, site pending.
  -Work with the appropriate groups to establish trail connections from the City limits to the Heart of Iowa Trail
  *Council had a workshop with the County in September to discuss our goals for a robust regional trail system. Related to this is the paving of what I call the Vet Med trail, currently running from Grand to Airport Rd. This is an essential link connecting the heart of Ames to the Research Park and beyond. Good news is that the paving of this trail has been added to the 5 year CIP. (Of which you'll hear more about for our upcoming workshop on Tuesday, 1/17.)
  -Create a plan to connect our park trail system that will include target dates, funding, and private/public partnerships
  *At the most recent meeting, we heard a report from staff on this very topic. It can be viewed here.
  -The City Council will participate in activities sponsored by Healthiest Ames. 

On Saturday, Council will decide goals to add and/or subtract from the list. (Again, these goals are to be completed by the end of 2017.)

Thanks for reading,

Bronwyn Beatty-Hansen

City Council At-Large

Others can subscribe at
Follow Council News on
View council on line live at

Any corrections or additions to this email will be posted at the Council Preview Blog.