Rachel's Council Review

As usual for the review, my comments are red and italicized in the context of the latest Council Preview by Bronwyn Beatty-Hansen.
 

The Ames City Council meets on Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall.  The agenda includes the following. Note that you can generally click on individual agenda items below to get the full staff report or other explanation.

• 30. Pedestrian Crossing Improvements at Bloomington Road & Fletcher Boulevard Intersection.
  Friendship Ark requested the City consider improvements at this intersection due to the location of the bus stop serving one of their homes in this area. Some improvements, such as high-visibility crosswalk markings and signage, have already been installed, and staff are recommending no further improvements be made at this time. The City is undertaking a Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan, and city staff recommend waiting until this plan is complete so improvements can be evaluated system-wide and not on an ad hoc basis.
  
  After a discussion of the area and some public feedback, Gartin moved to direct staff to develop alternative treatments for the crossing, which died due to lack of a second. Then Beatty-Hansen moved that we accept the report and direct staff to program these improvements into the upcoming CIP as they see fit, and investigate the possibility of speed feedback signs in the area, which passed 6-0.
• 33. Ames Urban Fringe Plan Update.
  Since the Ames Plan 2040 replaces our old land-use policy, the Ames Urban Fringe Plan also needs to be updated. Staff have been working with Story County to identify needed updates, and Council is being asked whether or not to proceed with the next step in the process (public outreach meetings for input on proposed changes to the Ames Urban Fringe Plan).
  
  Council moved to direct staff to proceed with completing the draft Fringe Plan Update and proceed with public outreach, 6-0.
• 34. CDBG/HOME Public Forums Follow-Up.
  Every year, city staff submit an Annual Action Plan to HUD to prioritize and justify our CDBG/HOME funding. Nine attendees were present at public input sessions, and their input is summarized here for Council.
  Council moved to approve the proposed draft projects and proposed estimated budget and set August 9, 2022, as the date of public hearing, 6-0. 
• 35. Motion approving revisions to U. S. Highway 30 and Bandshell Light Show Policy.
  In 2020, a policy was enacted regarding programing the Highway 30 lights for local, state, and national observances. Council asked staff to rework this policy to include the newly programmable Bandshell lights, and to include a provision for Council approval related to lighting for other 'events of significance'.
  Council approved the policy with the addition of this statement: “The diversity of our community is a strength. As an affirmation of this strength, the Council will strive to overcome historical biases by carefully considering ideas, cultures and experiences it is affirming, and not affirming, through its decision related to the uses of this policy.” The motion passed 6-0.
• 36. Hearing on Rezoning with Master Plan property located at 802 Delaware Avenue from “RL” (Residential Low-Density) to “RM” (Residential Medium-Density).
  In June of 2020, Council approved a land-use change for this parcel from low to medium density housing. The developer is planning two townhome-style buildings with three units each. 
  
  Council moved to approve the request to rezone the property from Residential Low-Density to Residential Medium-Density with a Master Plan, 6-0.
• 37. Hearing on Ames Downtown Plaza.
  The bids are in for the Downtown Plaza, and as has been the pattern lately, costs have increased. The suggested bid brings the total project estimate to $5,514,600, and the current designated funding for the project is $4,555,121. Council is being asked to decide how to proceed, whether by altering the project parameters or designating more funding.
  Council approved Alternative 1, to accept the report of bids for the project and instruct staff to bring back recommendations to reduce project costs and identify additional funding sources to make up the projected funding shortfall. This motion passed 6-0.

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.
 

• Nuisance Bus .
  This item was referred to staff for a memo, 5-1 (Beatty-Hansen voting nay).
• North Franklin Ave traffic .
  Council did not take action on this item at this time.
• People over cars .
  Council took this item under advisement.
• Request for zoning text amendment.
  Council referred this item to staff for a memo, 6-0.
• Request to join new planning agency .
  Council referred this item to staff for a memo, 6-0.

Thanks for reading,
Rachel Junck
Ames City Council, Ward 4