​	David's Council Preview

The Ames City Council meets on Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. on Zoom. The regular City Council meeting. The agenda includes:

• 13. Resolution approving preliminary plans and specifications for District Geothermal Vertical Closed Loop at Baker Subdivision, setting October 14, 2020, as bid due date and October 27, 2020, as date of public hearing. Acting as the developer of this subdivision, the City is soliciting bids for a geothermal well field and distribution piping. As stated in the description, "With the utility-provided well field and distribution system proposed with this project, homeowners can connect to the system with no greater up-front costs than traditional heating and cooling systems. The operating costs are also similar, at today’s natural gas prices. (The cost comparison would favor geothermal with the projected increase in natural gas prices and changes to regional climate.) Greenhouse gas emissions are expected to be 10-14% lower than traditional HVAC systems and water heaters."
• 19. Presentation of Draft Airport Master Plan. The City is aiming to adopt a new Airport Master Plan on October 27; during the current meeting, the draft plan will be presented for the first time. I'll certainly be relying on the City, the Technical Advisory Team, and the public for substantial guidance on this. So do send comments if you have them. By the way, this item is 397 pages long. Enjoy!
  
  
• 20. Staff Report regarding East University Urban Revitalization Area. Should the City continue to provide tax incentives for Greek system house demolitions and reconstructions, or just for reconstructions that preserve 70% of the building exterior? Or should the City discontinue the incentive program for new applicants altogether? The City has already reached out to the existing houses for input and Council is now being asked to make a decision. Note that the options suggested by staff all ensure that properties that are partway through an incentivized project would be granted a reasonable amount of time to complete their construction plans before the system might change on them. Also, properties that are currently within a multi-year abatement program for completed projects would be able to continue the abatement schedules that were previously approved. 
  
  
   
• 21. Resolution approving Remote Parking Agreement to provide the required six parking stalls at 708 Douglas Avenue for the existing four-unit apartment complex at 700 Douglas Avenue. The property owner of the apartments at 700 Douglas Ave. has no on-site parking, and that makes it nonconforming under the zoning code. But the owner also owns a building and parking next door at 708 Douglas Ave., and is asking the City to approve a remote parking agreement that would allow the single parking lot to fulfill parking requirements for both properties. Generally, should Council approve property owner requests to put parking lots on nearby properties in this neighborhood? (As far as I currently understand it, the nonconforming property at 700 Douglas Ave. could continue functioning as it currently does without a remote parking agreement; it would just continue to be nonconforming in that way.)
• 24. Hearing on vacation of all easements over Outlot P, Sunset Ridge Subdivision, 5th Addition (5521 Allerton Drive) and approving Final Plat for Sunset Ridge Subdivision, 10th addition. With approval of this plat, the Sunset Ridge neighborhood will continue to grow to the northwest.
• 25. Hearing on 2018/19 Shared Use Path System Expansion (Trail Connection south of Lincoln Way). This phase of the project will construct a portion of a new shared-use path from Beedle Dr. to Franklin Park. Although bids came in somewhat over estimate, staff recommends approving the $264,834.60 expense.
  
  

Non-Agenda Packet: The following items are requests and communications to the council that are not on the agenda for full discussion.  This includes staff reports and communications or requests from constituents and developers. Typically the council will ask city staff for more information (a memo), put the item on a future agenda for deliberation and possible action, or just accept the communication, taking no further action. Council generally processes these requests and communications during the agenda portion called "Disposition of Communications to Council."
 

• Possible Neighborhood Park. At Council's request, staff evaluated the property at 400 S. 4th St. as a possible neighborhood park, but does not recommend pursuing it.
• Story County AUFP Amendment. The Ames Urban Fringe Plan is a land use and growth management plan for the two-mile band outside the Ames city limits. This letter from the Story County Board of Supervisors expresses interest in amendments to the successor to the AUFP agreement that is set to expire in July 2022. 

Save the date: the City Council will hold a special meeting to discuss law enforcement policies on Tuesday, September 29, at 6pm. Focus areas or themes identified in the report to be released on September 25 include organizational culture, police officer recruitment and selection, police officer training, department policies, City ordinances and State law, transparency of records, accountability in complaint handling and discipline, communication, and funding. I will include a link to the report and more information in my next preview newsletter. Until then, see this link for more information.

Thanks for reading,
David Martin
Ames City Council, Ward 3

P.S. The continued uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic makes mail-in voting in the November general election a compelling option. If you live in Story County and would like to vote by mail, you can fill out and mail in a postage paid mail in ballot request form.  If you live outside of Story County, look for the correct information via the Iowa Secretary of State's absentee ballot site.
 

And if you're not registered to vote -- the November election will be here before you know it! You can register to vote or update your voter registration online using your Iowa a driver’s license or ID number at Iowa Secretary of State website.  Those without a drivers's license or ID number can get forms and information here https://www.storycountyiowa.gov/638/Voter-Information-Forms.