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.

• 1. Presentation by Water & Pollution Control Director on Ames Water and New Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Standards.
  As you may have heard, the EPA recently lowered their standard for acceptable levels of PFAS a LOT (from 70 ppt to .004 for PFOA and .02 for PFOS). Ames currently stands at 2.2 ppt for PFOA and 4.6 ppt for PFOS, above the new standard. In the above staff report, there is a link to the City webpage dedicated to PFAS, with some very helpful information for those who want to know more. In the meantime, staff will continue to monitor PFAS levels and will begin investigating water treatment options.
  This presentation was for council and the public's information, so no action was taken at this time.
• 28. Resolution confirming appointment of members to the Ames Resident Police Advisory Committee (ARPAC).
  One of the results of the Ames Policing report was the creation of a resident advisory committee. Members of this committee, like others in the City, are selected by the Mayor. 63 applications were received, and ultimately 7 individuals were chosen to serve on this inaugural ARPAC. 
  Council moved to approve the 7 members of the ARPAC and their term lengths, 6-0.
• 29. Discussion on “Cyclone Welcome Weekend” 
  As residents of near-campus neighborhoods know, the Saturday before the start of Fall semester has become known as 8:01 Day, and is becoming problematic. Staff and ISU Administration have been in discussions, and are proposing "Cyclone Welcome Weekend". While this would be mostly a University effort, Council is being asked to contribute $5,000, as well as increased fines for nuisance parties and much stricter towing policies on streets in near-campus neighborhoods on that weekend.
  Council discussed each of the requests at length, and voted on each request from Iowa State separately. The motion to contribute $5,000 from council contingency passed 6-0. The proposal to increase fines for nuisance parties on designated dates passed 4-2 (Gartin and Junck voting nay), and the proposal to immediately tow illegally parked cars in specified areas on designated dates passed 5-1 (Junck voting nay). These last 2 requests that require ordinances to be changed will be brought back for approval at the next council meeting.
• 30. Request regarding Ames Plan 2040 Amendment within the Fringe Area for the Brock Property located at 2359-210th Street in Boone County.
  This request came from the property owners at 2359 210th St., to subdivide their property for the purpose of adding a residence. The land is currently designated as "Natural Area", which does not typically allow for additional development.
  Council moved Alternative 1, which was to decline the request and retain the existing Land Use Designations on this property, 5-0-1 (Gartin abstaining due to conflict of interest).
• 31. Ames Urban Fringe Plan 28E Agreement.
  Our current 28E is set to expire, so we are in the process of renewing that agreement with the other entities involved (Story County and the City of Gilbert). This item is asking Council to extend the expiration date of the current 28E to allow time to finish negotiating the renewal, including allowing for public comment.
  Council moved to extend the agreement's expiration date to November 7, 2022, 6-0.
• 32. Resolution amending Downtown Facade Grant Program.
  This amendment will allow for some grants to be awarded for rehabilitation of historically significant features on buildings downtown. (Currently, grants are not awarded for rehabilitation work.)
  Council discussed some slight changes in messaging for the grant review that is shown in Attachment 2, and moved to amend the Downtown Facade Grant Program with the discussed amendments, 6-0.
• 36. Hearing on Rezoning, with Master Plan, 798-500th Street from “A” (Agricultural) to “FS-RL” (Floating Suburban Residential Low Density).
  This proposed 28 acre development will contain 55-65 single-family homes. It is directly north of the existing Sunset Ridge subdivision. A sanitary sewer trunk line will need to be extended for this development, and the developer will be partly responsible for that cost.
  
  
  Council moved to continue the hearing on the rezoning with Master Plan to the July 12th council meeting, 6-0.
• 40. 2020/21 Shared Use Path System Expansion - Vet Med Trail (S. 16th Street to S. Grand Avenue).
  This year, work will begin on the paving of the shared use path from S 16th to the S Grand extension. The southern end of the trail (from Airport Rd. to S 16th) has already been paved, so this will complete a paved north-south route from Airport Rd to Lincoln Way.
  Council voted to approve the contract for the shared use system expansion, 6-0. 
• 42. Old Water Treatment Plant Demolition.
  This demolition has been expected, and will cost approximately $2.4 million. While most of the buildings will be demolished, the Technical Services Complex and storage reservoirs will remain.
  Council approved the demolition contract, 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.
 

• Solar Power .
  This letter is asking the City to consider greater incentives for private solar installations.
  Council decided not to take action on this item at this time.

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