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Campustown abatement criteria change would encourage more local business

The Ames City Council begins at 6:00 PM Sept 8th. The agenda includes items:

35. Resolution accepting offer by Ames Economic Development Commission to provide $250,000 for construction of new Airport Terminal.
37. Staff report regarding priorities for outside funding request process. This is always challenging and the conversation about what outside goals get funding, should be interesting.
39. Staff report on Campustown Urban Revitalization Criterion regarding non-formula retail.Campustown has had the benefit of increased investment in recent years. Some of this could be due to the Tax Abatement Program there. However, an unintended consequence is the destruction of affordable commercial spaces, which act as incubator spaces for small first time entrepreneurs. This loss of local and unique businesses diminishes the sense of place, and makes Campustown less unique. A proposal to encourage at least 30% of the commercial spaces be rented to smaller concepts is before council tonight. If approved, the balance between national chains and local business in Campustown would be improved.
46. 3505 and 3515 Lincoln Way rezoning and site plan. Mixed-use projects in transit corridors have been increasingly supported in communities all over the country. They provide walkable services to the residents of the projects, and due to the nearness of transit services, they encourage transit use, thereby decreasing man made climate climate change, improving air quality, improving health and creating more connections between community members. This project is a first of its kind in the City of Ames, and I hope we may see more to come. There must, however, be close attention paid to the nearby neighborhoods and the impacts they may experience. The perfect project, will yield all the benefits mentioned, but maintain a liveable, affordable single-family neighborhood adjacent to it. If we can do this, there will be many more opportunities like this one, utilizing smart growth principles yielding a healthier and more sustainable community.