Rachel's Council Review

As usual for the review, my comments are in 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 (and much more). Note that you can generally click on individual agenda items below to get the full staff report or other explanation.

• 18. Resolution approving Change Order No. 3 for Prairie View Industrial Center Utility Extension Project.
  This change order amounts to just over $337k to jack and bore a sanitary sewer main through a section of land where Nevada's raw water well line runs. (The original design didn't reflect the proper location for Nevada's water line.) 
  This item passed as part of the consent agenda, 6-0.
• 21. Motion approving/denying renewal of Class C Liquor License – 1 Night Stand, 124 Welch Avenue.
  We have seen several liquor license renewals/denials lately. In this one, staff are recommending denying the applicant's request for a 12-month license, but entertain a request for a shorter 8-month license, should the applicant reapply.
  Council moved to deny the application for a 12-month renewal but suggest that the applicant submit an application for an 8-month license, which passed 6-0. Council also asked staff for a memo on the current status of minor on premises municipal infractions, which passed 6-0.
• 22. Motion approving/denying renewal of Class C Liquor License – Mickey’s Irish Pub, 109 Welch Avenue.
  While Mickey's did pass a compliance check last March, police have cited 24 underage individuals for being on premises in the prior 12 months. (A majority of them had used a fake ID to gain entry.) After conversations with the owner regarding better ID checking mechanisms, staff are recommending renewal of their license.
  Council approved the application for a 12-month renewal, 6-0.
• 23. Ames Urban Fringe Plan Update.
  This item is back in front of Council again after another round of talks with Story County and the City of Gilbert. While Gilbert's concern is mostly development on their southern border, Story County is asking for less land to be designated as Urban Reserve, especially to the southwest of Ames. Staff are suggesting some compromises that could be pursued if Council is willing to consider another round of negotiations with Gilbert and the County.
  
  
  There were 3 distinct issues discussed at the meeting: the Southwest area, the 190th street area, and other Urban Reserve overlay changes. Council started by discussing the Southwest area and moved Option 3: which was to maintain the designated growth areas as originally depicted but pursue the counties other requested changes regarding Urban Reserve. The motion passed 4-2 (Gartin and Corrieri voting nay). Then the 190th Street area was discussed, and council moved to pursue Option 3: which was to direct staff to investigate an option to partially map the area north of 190th Street (3/4 of a mile) as Urban Reserve, which passed 4-2 (Gartin and Corrieri voting nay). Finally, council moved to take no action on the county's request to reduce the Urban Reserve Overlay for other unspecified areas and maintain the November proposal, which passed 6-0.
• 25. Hearing on proposed Zoning Text Amendment to amend the Home Occupation regulations (Continued from December 13, 2022).
  This is the City's required response to State changes regarding the regulation of Home Occupations through zoning. 
  Council moved to approve the zoning text amendment on first reading, 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.

Lots of communications this time:

• Lambert Memo to Council regarding Tom Evans Plaza.
  Council moved to place this item on a future agenda, 6-0.
• Fence Regulations.
  Rollins moved to place this item on a future agenda, which died due to lack of a second. Then council moved to place a discussion of the clarification of code section 29.402-2 on a future agenda, which passed 5-1 (Rollins voting nay).
•  Summit Ave.
  This letter had been responded to by a council member, so no additional action was taken. 
• Homeless.
  This letter had been responded to by a council member, so no additional action was taken. 
• Fitch Family Indoor Aquatic Center concerns from a future voter.
  This letter had been responded to by a council member, so no additional action was taken. 
• Ames Recycling.
  This letter had been responded to by a council member, so no additional action was taken. 
• New Recreation Center.
  This letter had been responded to by a council member, so no additional action was taken. 
• Lack of Stop Signs in North Ames Residentials.
  This letter had been responded to by a council member, so no additional action was taken. 
• Animal Shelter.
  This item was referred to staff for a memo, 6-0.
• Downtown Nelson Building.
  Council moved to place this item on a future agenda, which passed 6-0.
• Story County Housing Trust Letter.
  This item was referred to staff for a memo to be discussed at budget time, which passed 5-0-1 (Corrieri abstained).

Thanks for reading,

Rachel Junck

Ames City Council, Ward 4