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.

• 36. FY 2022-23 Contracts with Human Services agencies (ASSET).
  This staff report details the City's funding of $1,573,508 for 24 different human service agencies for the 22/23 fiscal year. Funding is up $107,228 over last year for these agencies, most of whom have received funding in the past. Funding for one remaining agency, The Bridge Home, will be put on an upcoming Council agenda, after more clarification and a discussion of how they define and deliver their services. 
  Council approved the ASSET FY22-23 contracts and reserve funds, 5-0.
• 37. Ames Economic Development Commission. Presentation of Annual Report.
  The city and the AEDC have an agreement wherein the City funds $150,000 for business recruitment/marketing ($90k) and to fund the City Business Development Coordinator ($60k). As part of that funding agreement, an annual report is presented to Council.
  After hearing the highlights of the annual AEDC report, council approved the yearly contract, 5-0.
• 38. Ames Downtown Plaza. Resolution approving contract and bond for Ames Downtown Plaza.
  At a recent Council meeting we accepted the report of bids for this project, and now staff are recommending we proceed by approving the final plans and specs and awarding the contract to Henkel Construction for a total of $4,633,000 for the Downtown Plaza.
  Council approved all four agenda items for this project, including approving final plans and specifications and awarding the contract, approving the contract and bond, approving Change Order Number 1, and approving the use of funds from the Council Priorities Fund to cover the project shortfall. All of these items passed 5-0.
• 40. Resolution approving Preliminary Plat for 5571 Hyde Avenue (Hayden’s Preserve), subject to conditions.
  This preliminary plat is for approximately 56 acres on the southwest corner of 190th and Hyde. The land is in the Ada Hayden conservation overlay, and in this case the developer met with the Friends of Ada Hayden group to ensure the stormwater management system the developer is planning has the approval of the Friends group. The first phase of this area will include 26 single-family detached and 30 single-family attached lots along Hyde Ave., and a second phase along 190th will include two commercial (Convenience General Service) lots and two medium density residential lots not to exceed 192 units. 
  Council approved the preliminary plat for Hayden's Preserve, 5-0.
• 42. Amendment to the Downtown Facade Grant Program regarding eligibility for rehabilitation of historically significant character-defining features.
  Ames Downtown was recently added to the National Register of Historic Places, so slight modifications to the Downtown Facade Grant Program are being suggested by staff to help support the rehab of historically significant features downtown. 
  After a short discussion, council moved to pursue option 2, which would create a new category of eligible façade work for historic rehabilitation. This way, an application could either be submitted for just a facade, just historic rehabilitation, or a combination of the two. Each individual grant would be eligible for up to $15,000, while a project that combines both aspects would be eligible for up to $30,000. This option passed 4-0. In discussing the specifics of the program, a motion passed that would make facade work or a combination of historic rehabilitation and facade work eligible in the 1st application cycle, while historic rehabilitation on its own would be only eligible in the 2nd application cycle per year. This motion passed 3-1 (Betcher voting nay). A follow-up motion was made to re-visit the issue of funding for the Downtown Facade Grant program at budget time, 4-0. 
• 43. Resolution approving the initial Building and Site Improvement Plans for Heartland Senior Services at 205 S. Walnut Avenue.
  Plans for a new Heartland Senior Services facility are underway, and Council is being asked to approve the building and site improvement plan. In approving this site improvement plan, Heartland is asking for a reduction in the parking requirement, as they report many of those using their adult day care services don't drive.
  Council moved to approve the initial Building and Site Improvement Plans, 4-0.
  
  
• 45. Resolution approving Professional Services Agreement to Toole Design Group of Madison, Wisconsin, for Bike & Pedestrian Master Plan and Wayfinding Standards in an amount not to exceed $225,000.
  This is an exciting undertaking that you may have heard Council reference lately. We are beginning the process of developing a Bike/Ped Master Plan, which would help streamline and prioritize our decisions vis-a-vis bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure choices. In addition, this proposal includes funding for way-finding signage, which has been something we have had many requests to improve.
  After a short presentation from staff detailing the community engagement aspects of the contract, council approved the Bike and Pedestrian Master Plan contract 4-0.
• 47. Hearing on Voluntary Annexation of property located at 2219 and 2121 State Avenue.
  This is the next step in the voluntary annexation of two Iowa State University properties along State Ave.
  Council approved the voluntary annexation of these two properties, 4-0.
   
• 

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.
 

• Cyclone Welcome Weekend.
  Council moved to ask staff to place this item on a future council agenda no later than June 28th, 4-0.
• Medical Parking Rate Text Amendment Request.
  Council moved to ask staff to place this item on a future council agenda, 4-0.
• Request to Change Transit Agency Ordinance Language.
  Council moved to ask staff for a memo, 4-0.

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