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. at City Hall.  The agenda includes:

• 10. Resolution approving 2021 Urban Renewal Report (TIF). In TIF (tax increment financing) districts, the property tax received above a predetermined threshold—the "tax increment"—is diverted to a fund to be used for agreed-upon purposes like infrastructure or construction expenses rather than simply going into the City's general fund. The annual report to be approved includes current financial information for the City's TIF districts. In addition, the Kingland and Barilla TIF districts require annual approval to appropriate the funding that the City previously committed to.
  
  This item was part of the Consent Agenda (items 1-24 of this agenda) and passed 6-0.

• 25. Presentation by Ames Main Street regarding its vision for the future. At our last meeting, Council approved a request from the Ames Main Street organization for agenda time so they could identify some streetscape elements that need attention and to present their plan for developing a longer-term vision for Main Street.
  
  Ames Main Street presented, giving an overview of their plans and future opportunities, and reviewing the need for some improvements for things like planter boxes, light poles, bike racks, benches, etc. We have also gotten citizen requests for more public seating with tables downtown, which was conveyed to Ames Main Street at the meeting.

• 26. Presentation of update regarding Lincoln Way Mixed-Use Project for the Downtown Reinvestment District. The owners of the mostly-vacant downtown Lincoln Way blocks between Clark and Kellogg have been planning a substantial new development for some time. Their plans take advantage of the new Downtown Gateway Commercial zone, which was enacted in 2018 as the first development priority in implementing the Lincoln Way Corridor plan. This project would create about 180 apartments and 130 hotel rooms, a hotel conference center, restaurant/bar space, retail space, office space, and parking, with a pedestrian bridge crossing the railroad tracks to access Main Street amenities.
  
  This project depends on City cooperation and investment for the new parking structure north of the tracks, relocation of a City water well, the pedestrian bridge, and probably other things I've overlooked. Ultimately, the developer will also ask for financial incentives (such as TIF, see item #10 above). So, the developer is bringing the project concept to Council now to test the waters and ensure that Council supports the design in principle before diving in and negotiating a development agreement for us to vote on. There's also the hoped-for Reinvestment District designation—which could deliver up to $10 million towards our planned Indoor Aquatic Center, if our application is approved and private development like this is up and running soon enough. But since Council has already voted to authorize the bulk of the required funding for the Indoor Aquatic Center even if that $10 million never appears, approving a development agreement for the Lincoln Way site isn't an absolute prerequisite to proceeding with the Indoor Aquatic Center.
  
  The proposed project, nicknamed "the Link", was presented to Council by the development team as a preview of what we can expect to see in an upcoming Major Site Plan and Development Agreement. Council will see and vote on those at a future meeting, but the development team wanted to get a sense of Council's support or any major desired changes before reaching that final approval stage. This project includes 5-story residential buildings with street level retail on the east, west, and north edges of the site. In the center of the site, they propose a 10-story hotel and an 8-story office/condo/retail-on-the-ground-floor building. Two parking ramps would be constructed, one on the northeast corner of the site, and one across the railroad tracks to the north. The ramps would be connected by an elevated walkway over the tracks. After the presentation, Council voted 6-0 to recommend they proceed with this concept to the next stage, submitting a site plan and development agreement.
  
  

• 27. Hearing on rezoning of 3709, 3803, 3807, 3811, 3815, 3819, 3905, 3911, and 3917 Tripp Street from Suburban Residential Medium-Density (FS-RM) to Suburban Residential Medium-Density Planned Unit Development (FS-RM PUD). The owner of the Windsor Pointe / Brighton Park complex on Tripp St. has asked to add a PUD (planned unit development) zoning overlay, which will facilitate their request for state funding towards affordable housing on the site. Although 3709 Tripp Street was previously designated as an independent senior living facility, the owner reports that it has been operating as a general population facility for some time now. Council approval of the request would require the owners to maintain the site as affordable housing for 30 years for households with incomes at or below 60% of area median income. The Planning and Zoning Commission recommends approval of the request.
  
  Due to an upcoming deadline, the owner is requesting that Council suspend its rules requiring three readings of the zoning change and complete the approval process during this single meeting.
  
  This hearing was opened and left open until December 2nd at the applicant's request, at which time Council will meet to vote on this rezoning.
  
  

• 29. Staff Report regarding Indoor Aquatic Center Updates. In this item, the City seeks Council direction on managing the design and construction of the Indoor Aquatic Center and asks whether to stick with our previous two-story preference or pivot to building a single-story building over a larger footprint to make room for the walking track. The single-story option would save almost $800,000, but would eliminate the possibility of future expansion on site. Meanwhile, the Iowa Department of Transportation has completed an appraisal of the land we plan to purchase, and it came in at... $900,000 over earlier estimates. 
  
  Staff reviewed three items needing Council direction; whether or not to 1.) use a construction manager, 2.) hire RDG as the design consultant, and 3.)  proceed with a one story building rather than 2-story. (Even the one-story building would have a walking track, it would just limit future expansion opportunities.) Council voted 6-0 on each item to follow staff's recommendation, to use a construction manager, to hire RDG, and to plan for a one-story building. 
  Staff also reviewed several items which were informational and did not require Council approval. These included an updated estimate for land acquisition (now $2.9 mil), a fundraising update ($8.2 mil pledged + $2 mil from the Winakor fund), and a project cost update (with a current estimate of $31.2 mil).

P.S. Congratulations to Anita Rollins, the newly-elected representative for Ward 3! I understand that Anita will be sworn in on January 3. I believe that Anita will be a great asset to the Ward, the Council, and the city at large. My own Council term ends on January 1, and I plan to move to North Dakota later that month. 

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