David's Council Preview

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

• 26. Splash Pad. During last budget season, Council allocated funding for a splash pad in Ames. Compared to the existing wading pool at Brookside park (which we'll retire), splash pads don't have standing water, don't require a staff person to be present, can be open longer hours, have a longer season, and don't require an admission fee. The primary question to Council now is whether to approve the West Ames Daley Park location that was unanimously recommended by the Parks and Recreation Commission after a community engagement process. Factors tilting in favor of Daley Park include the large number of children close to this location and open sight lines, which help to minimize vandalism and contribute to a sense of safety.
• 27. Staff Report regarding the request for an Ames Urban Fringe Plan Map Amendment pertaining to the Verbio property. The City Council previously reached agreement with Nevada to allow them to annex land for use by the Verbio company. However, this 80% voluntary annexation attempt has not succeeded at the state level, and the Nevada Economic Development Council has asked whether Ames would agree to an Ames Urban Fringe Plan amendment that could permit Verbio to proceed with their development as County rather than City land. Meanwhile, they are also attempting another annexation to Nevada, this time with 100% voluntary property owners. City staff is recommending taking no action, since the new annexation is more likely to be approved at the state level and that would appear to solve the problem.
• 29. Staff Report regarding Chapter 23 (Subdivision) and Chapter 29 (Zoning) Text Amendments. In this item, staff proposes a number of changes to subdivision and zoning processes, notice and public hearing requirements, and to the sharing of responsibility for administration between the City's Planning and Inspection divisions. The changes are intended to benefit applicants for development as well as City staff that process the development applications. If Council approves of these ideas, then staff will develop ordinance changes with the Planning and Zoning commission before returning to Council for voting.
• 33. Hearing on sale of City-owned property at 1126 Grand Avenue to Habitat for Humanity of Central Iowa: Resolution approving sale and resolution approving plat of survey. After the building on this property was declared to be dangerous, the City purchased and demolished it. Meanwhile, Habitat of Humanity for Central Iowa has notified the City Council of its interest in purchasing the lot. Habitat stated its goal would be to construct a new home for a qualified lower income household in need of affordable housing and that the new home would blend into the current neighborhood and be complementary to the existing homes. The City has negotiated to sell the property to Habitat for $23,100, which will cover the City's original purchase costs, asbestos mitigation, demolition, and various fees. 
• 34. Hearing on approving Easement Agreement between the City and Iowa State University to allow a pedestrian bridge to be located within and over top of the City’s right-of-way on University Boulevard. Normally, streets that are surrounded by Iowa State property are so-called "institutional roads" and the City has relatively little say in how they are built, maintained, or used. However, University Boulevard near Trice Stadium is an exception to this general rule (due to previous agreements), and the street is City property here. Therefore, ISU must obtain City permission to construct a pedestrian bridge over it. Although the agenda item linked above states "This pedestrian bridge project is the first step in implementing ISU's multiuse entertainment and art district master plan," Council has not reviewed the master plan and so I believe we will be considering the bridge request primarily on its own merits.
  
  

Communications to Council: The following items are requests and communications to Council that aren't published on the agenda, so we won't deliberate them substantially.  This includes staff reports and communications or requests from constituents and developers. Typically, Council will ask city staff for more information, put the item on a future agenda for deliberation and possible action, or just accept the communication, taking no further action. 
 

• Parks and Recreation Programs and Non-City Activities on City Property. This memo from Parks and Recreation indicates that all facilities (including the Furman Aquatic center and the Brookside Wading Pool) are planned to be open this summer and many non-city events are scheduled to take place on city property. The Parks and Recreation Commission has also passed a motion to support Staff in making decisions to open facilities and activities to their greatest potential. Council will decide whether to put this item on a future agenda for full deliberation. If we take no action, then staff will continue on the course stated here.

• Climate Action Plan Status. Staff indicates that Council selection of a Climate Action Plan consultant is planned for our April 27 meeting.

• Campustown Median Beautification (see separate PowerPoint). The Ames Chamber of Commerce and Campustown Action Association propose using private funds to landscape the Lincoln Way median in Campustown.

• Rose Prairie Redux (see separate restoration plan). In November, Council decided not to attempt a City purchase of the Rose Prairie property at present (see the meeting minutes and video). Since then, the Friends of Ada Hayden have contracted a private firm for design of a proposed park plan. They now write asking Council to reconsider our previous decision.

• Grove Avenue Memo on Request to Rezone. Staff responds to a request to rezone these properties along Grove Avenue from Residential High Density (RH) to Residential Medium Density (RM) to prevent commercial development.

• McFarland Clinic Crosswalks (see separate equipment quote). McFarland clinic requests traffic calming measures at 12th and Duff.

• Boone County Subdivision and Ames Urban Fringe Plan Adjustment Request (see separate map). A property owner wishes to subdivide a parcel that lies within the area covered by the Ames Urban Fringe Plan.

• 2105 Dayton Avenue. The requester asks for an Ames Urban Fringe Plan amendment to set this property on the path for industrial development and a TIF district to support it. 

• Westwoods Waiver Request. The applicant requests that Ames waive its subdivision authority over Boone County commercial land.

   

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