Downtown Master Plan City Council Input

Bronwyn's Council Preview

 

YOU MAY VIEW THE MEETING ONLINE AT THE FOLLOWING SITES:
https://www.youtube.com/ameschannel12
https://www.cityofames.org/channel12
or watch the meeting live on Mediacom Channel 12

 

Usually some of the agenda items will have a period where members of the public may briefly speak to Council.
TO REACH THE MAYOR AND ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL:
Send email to MayorCouncil@AmesCityCouncil.org
(Note that emails to elected officials are generally subject to Iowa Open Records requests)
 

MEETING OF THE AMES CITY COUNCIL

The Ames City Council meeting is at 6 p.m. at City Hall.   The regular council meeting 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. Resolution approving roadway easement with Iowa State University for South 16th Street reconstruction and widening project subject to Board of Regents approval.
  South 16th St. is an "institutional road" in Ames, meaning it is under the jurisdiction of ISU rather than the City. The City and ISU are working together to coordinate the reconstruction and widening of South 16th at University Boulevard, adding curb and gutter and better bike/pedestrian infrastructure.
  
  

• 2.

  Downtown Master Plan City Council Input 
  

  
  The following are the vision and focus areas for a Downtown Master Plan that Council asked for a consultant to help with:
  
  Vision of Ames Downtown and Master Plan:
  
  
• Downtown Ames aspires to be a unique and vibrant destination to live, work, and play. As the historic focal point, Downtown Ames will serve as a hub of art, culture, retail, and entertainment for the entire Ames community.
  
  Focus areas of the Master Plan:
  
  
•  Enhance the gathering spaces in the Downtown District
•  Create a stronger sense of Downtown ambiance
• Encourage Downtown Residential and Commercial development opportunities
  
  Now Council is being asked for input on the following questions:
  
  
• How would you like to describe Downtown Ames 10 years from now?
• What would you, and believe the community, would like to experience?
• What do you see as its future?
• Do you have any concerns as we embark on this planning process, future plan implementation, and how can we collaborate to overcome them together? 

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.

Thanks for reading,
Bronwyn Beatty-Hansen
Ames City Council, Ward 1

Fitch Family Indoor Aquatic Center Project Update

Bronwyn's Council Preview

 

YOU MAY VIEW THE MEETING ONLINE AT THE FOLLOWING SITES:
https://www.youtube.com/ameschannel12
https://www.cityofames.org/channel12
or watch the meeting live on Mediacom Channel 12

 

Usually some of the agenda items will have a period where members of the public may briefly speak to Council.
TO REACH THE MAYOR AND ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL:
Send email to MayorCouncil@AmesCityCouncil.org
(Note that emails to elected officials are generally subject to Iowa Open Records requests)
 

MEETING OF THE AMES CITY COUNCIL

The Ames City Council meeting is at 6 p.m. at City Hall.   The regular council meeting agenda  includes the following. Note that you can generally click on individual agenda items below to get the full staff report or other explanation.

• 12. Motion accepting the Bike and Pedestrian Master Plan and Wayfinding Guide.
  This is the final draft of the Bike/Ped Master Plan. Council had a workshop about it on April 16th of this year, and had only minor changes at that time. 
  
  
• 26. Fitch Family Indoor Aquatic Center Project Update and Construction Errors.
  Last week, staff were alerted by the Construction Manager (Story Construction) to some construction errors that occurred at the new indoor aquatic center. First, the slab that was installed for the surge tanks was installed without rigid insulation that it was supposed to have. Second, the slab for the backwash basin and pump pit was installed without a vapor barrier or insulation. Upon further inquiry, the project's aquatic designer (Water's Edge Aquatic Design) says the insulation below the slabs was an error in their original documents. The second issue, that of the vapor barrier, is more essential, due to the contamination in the northeast corner of the site. Because of that, the pump pit and backwash basin slab will be removed and reinstalled with the required vapor barrier. This work will occur at no cost to the City. No action is being asked of the City Council, this staff report is to keep us appraised of progress on the Fitch Family Indoor Aquatic Center.
  
  
• 27. Resolution approving revisions and reallocation of funds to the Carr Park Agility Course Project.
  Due to increased costs, staff are recommending delaying construction of a restroom facility in order to construct a shelter and agility course. (The restroom would still be built, but at a later date.)

• 30. Downtown Facade Grant Changes for Rear Facades and Maintenance.
  This was on the Council agenda on August 13th, and is back following some Council and some Staff input. The updates would allow Downtown facade grants for rear facades in some cases and would also cover some maintenance costs, both of which weren't supported by the grant program in the past.
  
  
• 31. Request for Partial Waiver of Paving for 700 feet of Cedar Lane Related to the Ansley Development.
  Council is being asked to waive the requirement or cost-share in the paving of 700 ft of Cedar Lane in south Ames. 
  
  

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.

• Teller Ave intersection.
• Waste management issues.
• Liquor license memo.
• Summary 2024.
• Dayton Ridge final plat request.
  

Thanks for reading,
Bronwyn Beatty-Hansen
Ames City Council, Ward 1

Water Pollution Control Facility land puchuse

Bronwyn's Council Preview

 

YOU MAY VIEW THE MEETING ONLINE AT THE FOLLOWING SITES:
https://www.youtube.com/ameschannel12
https://www.cityofames.org/channel12
or watch the meeting live on Mediacom Channel 12

 

Usually some of the agenda items will have a period where members of the public may briefly speak to Council.
TO REACH THE MAYOR AND ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL:
Send email to MayorCouncil@AmesCityCouncil.org
(Note that emails to elected officials are generally subject to Iowa Open Records requests)
 

MEETING OF THE AMES CITY COUNCIL

The Ames City Council meeting is at 6 p.m. at City Hall.   The regular council meeting agenda  includes the following. Note that you can generally click on individual agenda items below to get the full staff report or other explanation.

• 21. Zoning Text Amendment to amend the Exception Standards for the Downtown Service Center "DSC" Zoning District.
  This item is a zoning text amendment that was drafted in response to a request from Ames Silversmithing to demolish their building at 218 Main St. (purple awning pictured below) and expand the existing building at 220 Main St. (their current storefront). The change would allow the property owners to expand their existing building without having to construct a 2-story building, since 218 Main St. exists as a 1-story building already.
   
  (©2024 Google's Street View)
  
   
• 23. Resolution Approving $79,456.96 from the Park Development Fund to the Ames Community School District (ACSD) for the Sharing of the Cost to Demolish the Municipal Pool.
  The cost to demolish the old municipal/high school pool (including monitoring and abatement) was $158,913.93, so the City is being asked to pay half of that. While the City isn't legally obligated, staff are supportive of paying the $79+k, and affirm that paying half would be in keeping with the spirit of cost-sharing between the City and School as was done with the pool. (There are many other examples of partnership between City and the School District, such as the City's use of some ACSD gym facilities for a nominal fee.)
  
  
• 24. Resolution approving purchase agreement with Realty Gift Fund for 133.04 +/- acres of agricultural ground adjacent to the Water Pollution Control Facility in the amount of $1,197,000.
  This purchase of approximately 133 acres of farm ground would allow the City more land upon which to apply the biosolids produced by the Water Pollution Control (WPC) Facility. Because of the (very expensive) nutrient reduction modifications (required by the EPA to combat farm runoff to the Gulf of Mexico), the WPC will be expanding soon and will need more land to spread recovered biosolids on. 

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.

• Sidewalk ORD.
• Dayton Ridge waiver request.
• Free piano.
• RV dump station.
  

Thanks for reading,
Bronwyn Beatty-Hansen
Ames City Council, Ward 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Community Conversations on Homelessness.

Bronwyn's Council Preview

 

YOU MAY VIEW THE MEETING ONLINE AT THE FOLLOWING SITES:
https://www.youtube.com/ameschannel12
https://www.cityofames.org/channel12
or watch the meeting live on Mediacom Channel 12

 

Usually some of the agenda items will have a period where members of the public may briefly speak to Council.
TO REACH THE MAYOR AND ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL:
Send email to MayorCouncil@AmesCityCouncil.org
(Note that emails to elected officials are generally subject to Iowa Open Records requests)
 

MEETING OF THE AMES CITY COUNCIL

The Ames City Council meeting is at 6 p.m. at City Hall.   The regular council meeting agenda  includes the following. Note that you can generally click on individual agenda items below to get the full staff report or other explanation.

• 21. Resolution approving Professional Services Agreement with WHKS & Co. of Ames, Iowa for the 2024/25 Traffic System Capacity Improvements (13th & Grand) in an amount not to exceed $326,750.
  This is the highly anticipated first step in updating the intersection at 13th and Grand Ave., and Council is being asked to approve a contract with a consultant to assist with engineering and public input meetings for this project. The preliminary design includes widening each approach to the intersection to 5 lanes instead of the 4 lanes that currently exist along 13th and Grand, so some land acquisitions may be required.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• 34. Request to Modify Downtown Facade Grant Funding Eligibility for Maintenance Activities and Rear Facades.
  Council has a Facade Grant program in Downtown to assist property owners in replacing non-historic elements of their front facades. Council is being asked to expand this program to include regular maintenance of buildings (without historical improvements) and to allow the backside of buildings to be eligible for this funding. If Council is to consider these changes, staff recommend seeking public and stakeholder input before proceeding.
  
  
• 35. Initiation of Voluntary Annexation in West Ames along Ontario Street and Lincoln Way.
  This request is for a 100% voluntary annexation of several properties in west Ames. Since there are no non-consenting property owners, this annexation will be simpler than some that require review by the State's City Development Board.
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  
  
  
• 36. Motion approving/denying a Class C Retail License - Celaya, 217 South Duff.
  This request is a follow-up to a June 11th meeting, where Council recommended that the State Alcoholic Beverages Division revoke Celaya's license due to 4 failed compliance checks that occurred in the fall of 2023 through late winter of 2024. 
  
  
• 37. Water Pollution Control Facility Nutrient Reduction Modifications Phase 1.
  This topic was tabled from Council's July 9th meeting, at which time I wrote:
  This is a huge $ item for the City, and this staff report indicates it is about to get even more expensive. When bids were put out for this project, our engineer's estimate was just under $45 million. The most favorable bid came back around $10 million higher than that. As a reminder, this is because of Gulf-hypoxia, caused by massive amounts of nutrients (nitrates and phosphorus) that flow from farm fields to rivers to the Gulf of Mexico, killing massive amounts of marine life as bacteria feed on the nutrients, consume all the oxygen, and suffocate everything else. Cities, as point sources for testing and regulation, are bearing the financial burden of this upstream pollution. 
  Staff recommend awarding the bid, but working to reduce costs via change-orders, reducing costs on other WPC department projects, and considering annual rate increases to the sewer and water rates.
  
  
• 38. Motion to reject the bid for the FY 2022/23 Story County Edge of Field Project.
  In a way, this is related to the previous item. This watershed based nutrient reduction program is funded at a level of $200K annually, which would be halved in order to pay for nutrient reduction modifications at the treatment plant. This new annual allocation of $100K would still cover the City's portion of this particular project, but the bids received on this project were significantly over the engineers estimate due to the desired construction timeline. City staff recommend rejecting bids and then rebidding the project with different construction timeline parameters.
  
  
• 40. Resolution authorizing staff to enter into an agreement with a consultant for up to $12,000 to assist with hosting community conversations around homelessness.
  Council is being asked to consider funding for a consultant that would assist the City in hosting community discussions about the topic of homelessness and housing insecurity, with a goal of coming up with a comprehensive community strategy to help. 
  
  

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.

• Electric rate changes.
• Pool racility fall-winter.
• Whole Food store.
• Annexation 2126 State Ave.
• Tailgate parking Stuart Smith Park.
• Energy efficiency.
• Campustown pillar art project.
• Homeless camp.
• Vacant lot and bus.

Thanks for reading,
Bronwyn Beatty-Hansen
Ames City Council, Ward 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Airport Improvements Program (Wildlife Fence Project)

Bronwyn's Council Preview

 

YOU MAY VIEW THE MEETING ONLINE AT THE FOLLOWING SITES:
https://www.youtube.com/ameschannel12
https://www.cityofames.org/channel12
or watch the meeting live on Mediacom Channel 12

 

Usually some of the agenda items will have a period where members of the public may briefly speak to Council.
TO REACH THE MAYOR AND ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL:
Send email to MayorCouncil@AmesCityCouncil.org
(Note that emails to elected officials are generally subject to Iowa Open Records requests)
 

MEETING OF THE AMES CITY COUNCIL

The Ames City Council meeting is at 10 a.m. telephonically. The regular council meeting 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. Resolution approving preliminary plans and specifications for the 2024/25 Shared Use Path Maintenance Contract 2 (Stuart Smith Park and State Avenue), setting September 4, 2024 as the bid due date and September 10, 2024 as the date of Public Hearing.
  
  
• 2 . Hearing on 2023/24 Airport Improvements Program (Wildlife Fence Project).
  
  
• 3. Resolution awarding a contract to Sulzer Turbo Services, of La Porte, TX, for inspection of CT1 Combustion Turbine to determine options and costs to return the unit to service.
   
  
  

Thanks for reading,
Bronwyn Beatty-Hansen
Ames City Council, Ward 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nuisance Party Volations

Bronwyn's Council Preview

 

YOU MAY VIEW THE MEETING ONLINE AT THE FOLLOWING SITES:
https://www.youtube.com/ameschannel12
https://www.cityofames.org/channel12
or watch the meeting live on Mediacom Channel 12

 

Usually some of the agenda items will have a period where members of the public may briefly speak to Council.
TO REACH THE MAYOR AND ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL:
Send email to MayorCouncil@AmesCityCouncil.org
(Note that emails to elected officials are generally subject to Iowa Open Records requests)
 

MEETING OF THE AMES CITY COUNCIL

The Ames City Council meeting is at 6 p.m. at City Hall.   The regular council meeting agenda  includes the following. Note that you can generally click on individual agenda items below to get the full staff report or other explanation.

• 13. Resolution approving the report of the rapid needs purchase for repairs to the 161 KV electric transmission line in the amount of $625,504.86.
  Due to a wind event earlier this year, a rapid needs purchase was initiated to replace some poles carrying our 161 KV transmission line. (This line runs south along I35.) These repairs totaled over half a million dollars. 
  
  
• 15. Resolution authorizing immediate towing of illegally parked vehicles on Saturday, August 24, 2024.
  As for prior years, Council is being asked to approve immediate towing for Cyclone Welcome Weekend (unofficially known as "8:01 Day"). 
  
  
• 16. Resolution authorizing enhanced penalties for nuisance party violations beginning at 5:00 p.m., Friday, August 23 and ending at 4:00 a.m. on Sunday, August 25, 2024.
  Like the previous agenda item, Council is being asked to approve increased fines for nuisance parties for the duration of Cyclone Welcome Weekend.
  
  
• 17. Hearing on FY 2022/23 Story County Edge of Field Project.
  This agenda item relates to our efforts to install saturated buffers and bioreactors at strategic points in our watersheds, in an effort to slow down and filter out nutrients. The one bid received for this work came back substantially higher than the engineer's estimate, so staff are recommending delaying an award of bid until more information about the cost estimate can be evaluated.
  
  
• 18. Hearing on 2024/25 Shared Use Path Maintenance program.
  Most of this year's shared-use path maintenance will occur along the North and South River Valley Parks, and along George Washington Carver. (This agenda item covers shared-use path maintenance only...new shared-use path construction is a separate funding category.)
  
  

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.

• COTA grant extension.
• Garbage update.
  
• Fireworks.
• Feed mill noise output.
• Bad sidewalks.
• Geothermal cost analysis.
• PetrolStationCarWash.
  

Thanks for reading,
Bronwyn Beatty-Hansen
Ames City Council, Ward 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Changes to electric rates

Bronwyn's Council Preview

 

YOU MAY VIEW THE MEETING ONLINE AT THE FOLLOWING SITES:
https://www.youtube.com/ameschannel12
https://www.cityofames.org/channel12
or watch the meeting live on Mediacom Channel 12

 

Usually some of the agenda items will have a period where members of the public may briefly speak to Council.
TO REACH THE MAYOR AND ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL:
Send email to MayorCouncil@AmesCityCouncil.org
(Note that emails to elected officials are generally subject to Iowa Open Records requests)
 

MEETING OF THE AMES CITY COUNCIL

The Ames City Council meeting is at 6 p.m. at City Hall.   The regular council meeting agenda  includes the following. Note that you can generally click on individual agenda items below to get the full staff report or other explanation.

• 29. Presentation on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) annual update.
  This annual update gives a rundown of what the City's DEI Coordinator (Casandra Eames) has accomplished in the past year (hint, it was a LOT), and additional goals and tasks for the next year. Some highlights from the past year include networking with other Iowa and regional DEI Coordinators, assisting with planning for the annual "Building Inclusive Organizations" Symposium, forming an ADA Committee for the City and beginning an ADA audit of City buildings (and getting up to speed on the recent Parks & Rec Department department-level ADA audit), working with the HR Department to understand the City's current recruitment techniques, assisting the Ames Human Relations Commission with their substantial tasks and goals, and working with ISU to improve student access and belonging in Ames, just to name a few. In the coming year, Eames also aims to propose a plan for community-wide inclusion efforts.
  
  
• 30. Changes to electric rates to adopt revenue-neutral rate adjustments to better align with cost-of-service study recommendations, to add optional Time-of-Use rates, and to adjust the Large Customer Interruptible Option bill credits.
  These items were introduced and discussed at our June 18th workshop, and now they are back on the agenda for implementation. The Electric Department is proposing a rate adjustment that wouldn't increase overall revenue, but rather would shift the amount paid by each class of user (residential, industrial, commercial). The residential rate adjustment proposal is -1% in the first year, while commerical and industrial would increase slightly. Also, the City hopes to introduce an optional Time-of-Use rate system, where customers who sign up may be offered better rates in the late evenings and early mornings, as it is cheaper to procure energy at non-peak times.
  
  
• 31. Request to Initiate Zoning Text Amendment to allow Social Service Uses within the O-SFC (Single Family Conservation Overlay) Zoning District .
  This request came to Council from the Romero House, a non-profit organization that purchased the property at 709 Clark Ave. in 2020, and uses it for free meals and services such as laundry, showers, and providing food and winter clothing to those in need. They have also purchased the property at 702 Clark, and are proposing that staff reside at 702 while services are provided at 709. This does not fit the standard household living use zoning of the area, so staff have proposed a special-use permit process for requests of this type in these zoning districts.
  
  
• 32. Steven L. Schainker Plaza Ice Skating Ribbon Status Report.
  As many people have observed and noted, progress has stalled on the Steven L. Schainker Plaza. This staff report explains that the concrete for the ice ribbon was poured in a way that all parties agree is unacceptable. Due to all the infrastructure under the concrete, tearing it out and re-pouring is a complicated, costly, and time-consuming proposal. The Contractor, Henkel Construction out of Mason City, IA, is instead suggesting a series of coatings of products from Euclid Chemical that would even out rough surfaces, gaps, and pitting, and have a cement-like finish and look. When a test patch was attempted, though, the applicators had difficulty, and were not able to produce an acceptable finish. Euclid won't guarantee their product given our unique (ice rink) conditions, but Henkel is still promoting it as a solution to the unacceptable concrete work. Council is being asked to hire a third-party concrete expert who could advise on the feasibility of a coating vs. re-pouring the concrete. 
  
  
• 33. Hearing on Major Site Development Plan For Dunkin' Donuts at 209 Lincoln Way.
  The old Burger King building (vacant) on Lincoln Way is proposed to be redeveloped as a Dunkin' Donuts, and this Major Site Plan has a few items requiring Council approval, such as the drive-through setback, a sidewalk waiver, and a reduction in parking spots required.
  
  
• 34. Hearing on Water Pollution Control Facility Nutrient Reduction Modifications Phase 1.
  This is a huge $ item for the City, and this staff report indicates it is about to get even more expensive. When bids were put out for this project, our engineer's estimate was just under $45 million. The most favorable bid came back around $10 million higher than that. As a reminder, this is because of Gulf-hypoxia, caused by massive amounts of nutrients (nitrates and phosphorus) that flow from farm fields to rivers to the Gulf of Mexico, killing massive amounts of marine life as bacteria feed on the nutrients, consume all the oxygen, and suffocate everything else. Cities, as point sources for testing and regulation, are bearing the financial burden of this upstream pollution. 

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.

• Geothermal cost analysis.
• Martin Historical Pier.
• COA Programs.
• Rental practice by Property MgmtCo.
• Request for text amendment to Municipal Code Chapter29.
• Bicycle safety.
• Housing on WelbeckDrive.
  

Thanks for reading,
Bronwyn Beatty-Hansen
Ames City Council, Ward 1