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. Bronwyn was not able to call-in for this week's meeting, so all vote totals are out of 5. 

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.

• 22. Discussion regarding FY 2023/24 ASSET priorities.
  Council was presented with several small wording changes to the 2023/24 ASSET priorities that were recommended by the city ASSET volunteers (many of whom have expertise or background knowledge of  human services). The new priorities were approved 5-0.

• 23. Fitch Family Indoor Aquatic Center Property Update (Potential Alternative Sites to IDOT Property).
  Staff presented a lengthy report detailing their process to determine potential alternative sites for the Indoor Aquatic Center Property. Council asked different questions about the potential alternatives and heard a lot of public input about the potential sites. No action was taken at the meeting, as council would like more time to gain input from the community. If you are interested in when this item will be back on the agenda for a final decision, you can sign up for emails from Parks and Recreation here or ask to be reminded about this topic by emailing keith.abraham@cityofames.org.

• 24. Staff Report on Non-Compliant Front-Yard Parking and Driveways.
  After reviewing 5 different types of non-compliant front yard parking and driveways, council moved forward with the following 6 steps (5-0):

  • 1. Adopt a text amendment to codify the permit and inspection process and establish a $100 fee to cover the costs of the process. 

  • 2. Adopt a text amendment that would allow Type 1 non-conforming parking areas to legally exist and allow for paving sited towards the adjacent side lot line. 

  • 3. Adopt a text amendment for Type 2 non-conforming parking areas that would allow all properties with insufficient room for an additional parking area beyond the front of the house to pave additional parking area when sited towards the adjacent side lot line. 

  • 4. For Type 3 situations, allow for all existing properties with front yard parking to be allowed and adopt a text amendment that would allow front yard parking for all properties when added adjacent to an existing driveway and the total width does not exceed 20 feet. 

  • 5. Set a date by which all Type 4 non-conformities in existence may continue and require all new parking installed after that date to comply with the current Code. 

  • 6. Set a date by which all Type 5 non-compliant double or looped driveway parking areas to remain and adopt a text amendment that creates new limitations on multiple driveways by limiting two curb cuts to lots that have at least 150 feet of frontage so long as the curb cuts can also be located at least 75 feet apart. 
    
    Additionally, Council moved to not allow looped driveways in the front yard that do not lead to any parking (5-0) and directed staff to not allow for an exception of a Type 3 non-conformity if there's already compliant parking in the rear yard (5-0).

• 26. Resolution authorizing the immediate towing of vehicles on Saturday, August 20, 2022, from midnight to 11:59 p.m. in the designated area of Beach Avenue west to State Avenue and Lincoln Way south to Mortensen Avenue for certain illegal parking violations.
  This item passed 5-0. There are several different plans for how the community will be notified of this immediate towing, including conversations door-to-door during the Good Neighbor Campaign in early August, emails to property managers, owners, and neighborhood associations,  press releases and social media posts by the University and the City of Ames, and posted signage on the day of. 

• 27. Hearing on Major Site Development Plan for 1699 Apple Place.
  This item passed 5-0.

• 29. Hearing on proposed Zoning Text Amendment to Reduce Medical Parking Rates for buildings less than 50,000 square feet and update Medical Office Definitions. 
  After hearing some feedback from neighbors, council moved  forward with Alternative 1a and 1c, which were to reduce medical parking to 4 spaces per 1,000 square feet for areas outside of the Hospital Medical Area and Downtown Gateway Commercial district and revise the definitions to replace the term “clinic” with “Medical Service Facility.” Alternative 1b was left under consideration and kept out of the first reading of the ordinance. This passed 5-0.

• 31. Hearing on Story County Edge of Field Project. 
  This item passed 5-0.

Thanks for reading,

Rachel Junck
Ames City Council, Ward 4