Bronwyn's Council Review

As usual for the review, my comments are red and italicized in the context of the latest Council Preview by David Martin.

 

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

• 31. Update on Indoor Aquatic Center. Moving quickly, our design consultants have proposed a concept for an indoor aquatic center on Lincoln Way between Oak Ave and Elm Ave, to replace our municipal pool that is scheduled to be demolished in 2022. While total estimated construction costs are upwards of $20 million, the City is hoping that the majority of these costs will be covered by a grant from the Iowa Redevelopment District Program combined with private donations. The current question for Council is whether to proceed with a one-story design or a more expensive two-story design that would include a walking track and extra multipurpose rooms. Based on that decision, staff will come back to Council with further financial estimates on February 9. 
  
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  Council was presented with the two options, a one-story pool-only facility for $22 million, or a two-story facility with a pool on the first floor and a walking track on the second floor for approximately $27 million. A motion to support the two-story option passed 4-2. The two Nay votes (Betcher and Martin) expressed the desire to see revenue information presented on 2/9 before deciding which plan to support. One attendee spoke in favor of the pool, and liked the walking track idea, but wanted to see a viable project above all else. Council is cognizant of this concern as well, after our failed bond vote for the Healthy Life Center. This project has notable differences, including location and scope of services, and as David mentioned above, our hope is that a State grant program to recapture nearby sales tax could help fund the construction of this project. 
  
  
   
• 32. Update on Downtown Plaza. The City held a public forum last week gathering responses to the proposed Downtown Plaza concept. During this agenda item, Council will have an opportunity to alter aspects of the design before the city gathers final cost estimates. Not only is this an amenity that has been discussed for some 15 years now, but it would also serve as the local match in the City's reinvestment district application for aquatic center funding.
  
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  Council voted 6-0 to proceed with the presented plaza plan, which includes the addition of angled parking on the west side of Clark, as well as the construction of a parking lot across 6th St. north of City Hall. 
  
  
   
• 33. Discussion of Prairie Fire Developers Concept Plan for 321 State Avenue. The developer team for our affordable multi-family housing project listened to Council's reactions from October and now presents an updated concept plan with 37 units total.  This is Council's opportunity to offer further design direction before meeting again to approve the final Low Income Housing Tax Credit application to the Iowa Finance Authority. If the tax credits are approved, then a more detailed plan will be developed in accordance with this concept plan.
  
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  After a presentation of this modified concept plan (which includes one more apartment unit than before), Council voted 5-1 (Gartin voting Nay) to proceed with the application for Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LITHC, pronounced "lie-tech") for this project.
  
  
• 34. Motion initiating voluntary annexation for 23959-580th and adjacent parcels, subject to receipt of a waiver to withdraw from annexation for all properties. While Council has already agreed to allow one of the annexation applications to proceed (at the former Caremoli property), two nearby properties are now also requesting voluntary annexation. An ever-present question in annexations is whether to expand the them by including some non-voluntary neighboring properties under the 80%/20% rule. Staff is not recommending that in this case.
  
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  Council voted 6-0 to initiate the voluntary annexation process for the properties seeking it. Following staff's recommendation, we will not pursue any non-voluntary annexations as a part of this.
  
  
   
• 35. 2021-2026 Capital Improvements Plan Public Input. During our last Council meeting, we heard staff's presentations regarding the $233 million planned capital expenditures over the next five years. This agenda item is an opportunity for members of the public to make on-the-record statements to Council regarding this plan. (Of course, members may always send comments via email to Council using the address in the header above. Council will vote on approving the plan on February 9.)
  
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  No public input was given on the 21-26 CIP.
• 37. Hearing on 3rd Substantial Amendment to the 2019-20 Annual Action Plan and Citizen Participation Plan. The City of Ames has been allocated an additional $354,515 in federal funds to be used to prevent, prepare for, and respond to COVID-19. In this item, Council is being asked to approve an amendment to our annual CDBG action plan allowing us to dedicate these funds towards rent, mortgage, and utilities relief assistance for those experiencing loss of income due to COVID-19. As before, this new funding may not be used to duplicate benefits to grantees. Previous funds in this program have already assisted approximately 104 households in Ames. 
  
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  This item passed 6-0.
• 39. Hearing to authorize the potential use of eminent domain authority, if necessary, to obtain easements and acquire land for Flood Mitigation - River Flooding Project. To move forward with this FEMA-funded flood mitigation project, the City needs to make stream bank improvements impacting private property bordering the creek near where it crosses South Duff. The project schedule is tight: it must be completed by June 2022. This agenda item is the public hearing followed by a Council vote authorizing the use of eminent domain to gain access to this property - if the use of eminent domain turns out to be necessary. Meetings with landowners and other property acquisition activities have already begun. I know the City would rather complete voluntary access agreements than rely on eminent domain authority. But it's important to keep the project on schedule one way or another.
  
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  Three members of the public spoke during this item, including the property/business owners for Red Lobster and Howe's Welding. All were concerned about the potential impact of land acquisitions on their businesses. Negotiations to reach voluntary settlements are still ongoing. After this input, Council voted 5-1 to proceed with authorizing potential use of eminent domain if voluntary settlements can't be reached.

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."

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No action was taken on the non-agenda packet items at this meeting. Some of them, such as the auditorium marquee, may yet be addressed during budget recommendations.
 

• Auditorium Marquee or Signage. During the 2019 Town Budget Meeting, a resident suggested that the City consider adding a marquee to the City Auditorium in order to increase awareness of the facility, particularly for arts events. This memo reports on the investigation so far, including the recommendation from the Historic Preservation Commission that a free-standing sign would be more appropriate.
• Campustown Plaza. This letter hints at possibilities for public spaces on Welch Ave., asking Council to remember the importance of Campustown as we allocate public resources towards a Downtown Plaza.
• 6th Street Property Proposal. This letter asks Council to consider allowing the City-owned empty lots on 6th Street to be developed as infill housing. 
  
  The 6th St. property mentioned in this letter would be the location for the replacement parking displaced by the Downtown Plaza.
• Deserted Areas. This letter asks the City to do something about vacant commercial lots on Lincoln Way in Campustown and Downtown. It's worth noting that these lots are privately owned, not City property. There's a redevelopment plan in motion for the Downtown lots. I'm not sure what the current plan is in Campustown though.
  
   

COUNCIL COMMENTS: (video)

Thanks for reading,
Bronwyn Beatty-Hansen
Ames City Council, At Large
 

P.S. How about volunteering to serve on a board or commission for the city? This is a great way for residents to help shape the services and policies that we all depend on. Openings are available to people of all backgrounds, including ISU students and non-U.S. citizens. See current vacancies for next year here, the descriptions of each board/commission here, and the online application form here. Please apply by Friday, February 5.