David's Council Preview

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

• 19. Requests from Iowa State University Department of Landscape Architecture for “Park(ing) Day” parklet project on September 17, 2021. In this item, students in a Landscape Architecture class propose repurposing certain downtown metered parking spots to create public gathering space "parklets" for a one day event. Staff describes similar events in the past as "safe and successful efforts that added to the vibrancy of the community."
  
  
• 21. Resolution approving Memorandum of Understanding with Story County regarding Cost-Sharing (costs, liability, operations) of Temporary Traffic Signal at 190th and Hyde/Grant.  Traffic safety at the intersection of Hyde and 190th Street on the north border of Ames has been an ongoing problem, particularly during the 7am-8am hours on weekdays. Now that the City Council and Story County Supervisors have agreed to install a temporary traffic signal, Council is being asked to approve this cost-sharing agreement. The signal installation should happen pretty quickly, hopefully within a couple of weeks, including one week of public notification prior to activation of the signals.
• 31. Staff Report regarding plans for an Inclusive Crosswalk in Campustown. In 2019, the City added inclusive colors to the Downtown crosswalks at 5th and Douglas. The paint lasted longer than expected and was just refreshed last month. Although a comparable installation in Campustown was also discussed, that idea was postponed due to the planning then underway for the Welch Avenue reconstruction project. But now it's possible to proceed. Given weather requirements and the need for the paint to cure overnight, staff recommends planning this project for May 2022 after the semester ends. The project supplies are expected to cost less than $1,500, and staff will look to community volunteers on painting day.
  
  
   
• 32. Hearing on Proposal to enter into a General Obligation Urban Renewal Loan Agreement (Indoor Aquatic Center). This staff report includes a useful explanation of the anticipated tax impact of the Indoor Aquatic Center that is to replace the municipal/school pool being demolished by the Ames Community School District. We have to finance the construction of the facility up front, so we'll need to borrow money for that—including the $10 million we hope will be repaid to Ames as part of our proposed Reinvestment District. Following this public hearing, I expect Council to vote on a resolution authorizing up to $21.2 million of General Obligation bonds for the Indoor Aquatic Center. A qualifying petition submitted the day before the hearing could require an additional public election on these proposed bonds. 
• 33. Hearing on proposed text amendment to remove all parking requirements for auditoriums, theaters, stadiums, and arenas within the Downtown Service Center and Campustown Service Center Zoning Districts. In August, Council voted to initiate zoning changes to eliminate parking requirements for auditoriums, theaters, stadiums, and arenas both Downtown and in Campustown. There appears to be sufficient available street and other parking to support small auditorium and theater uses (and no one really expects a new stadium or arena to be built in these areas). These changes fit well with Council's interest in promoting fun and vibrant areas that attract and retain people.
• 34. Hearing on Integrated Site Plan Amendment for 1409 and 1419 Buckeye Avenue. See Site Plan and Final Plat. This integrated site plan amendment adjusts some of the previous plans and shows the owner's interest in further commercial development of this currently underutilized site near the old K-Mart. The Planning and Zoning Commission has reviewed the amendments and recommends approval with a couple of new conditions.
  
  
   
• 37. Follow-up from “Policing in Ames” Report.
  a. Motion approving prioritization of action steps. Since Council approved moving forward with the recommendations in the Policing in Ames: A Path Forward report last November, the City staff have completed some of the action items and has learned more about the others. This Council Action Form presents a plan and timeline for addressing the remaining items.
  
  b. First passage of ordinance creating Resident Police Advisory Committee. One of the recommendations in the Policing in Ames: A Path Forward report is to create an Ames Resident Police Advisory Committee (ARPAC). The committee created by this ordinance is to be appointed by the Mayor, confirmed by Council, and designed to be representative of the diversity of Ames. ARPAC members will be individually empowered to receive complaints from community members about police conduct, adding to the mechanisms already available for complaint intake. Importantly, the Chief of Police will convene the ARPAC for review and advice before making a decision about a personnel action related to a police conduct complaint. Evaluation by the ARPAC will provide valuable perspectives representing viewpoints from across the community. In addition, the ARPAC will weigh in on police commendation requests, review police policies, perform community outreach, and present annual reports to Council. Note that this ordinance only creates the structure of the committee. Actual appointments to this committee will come after a public call for applications.
• 38. Downtown Plaza Ice-Skating Ribbon. On the lookout for ways to innovate and save some taxpayer money, staff considered equipping the new Downtown Plaza with synthetic plastic/resin "ice" for winter skating. Happily, after staff and the Parks and Recreation Commission took a close look at the technology, they are recommending that Council pass on that idea and proceed with the usual real, cold, slippery kind of ice.

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. 
 

• Waste Collection Study. A resident asks that the City undertake a study of its waste collection services in the context of Climate Action planning.

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