HomeMy WebLinkAboutA013 - Council Action Form dated May 22, 2007 - Item 16a-c R
ITEM #
DATE May 22 2007
COUNCIL ACTION FORM
SUBJECT: OUTDOOR AQUATIC FACILITY
BACKGROUND:
Based upon an extensive community outreach effort, on May 8, 2007 the Parks and
Recreation Commission presented the City Council with the following recommendations
related to the development of an outdoor aquatic center:
1. Establish Tuesday, July 24 for a special bond referendum election to determine
the public's support for approving the sale of $8,488,000 of General Obligation
bonds to pay for the design, construction, and equipping of an outdoor aquatic
center along with the overall site improvements including environmental
sustainability practices.
2. Approve the site for the facility along 13th Street, east of Squaw Creek.
3. Incorporate the elements of Option A (20,000 square feet facility) into the project
which includes a lazy river, zero-depth recreational area, and an eight lane, 25
yard lap pool area. A bid alternate should be included to determine the cost of
expanding the eight lane lap pool area to 25 meters.
4. Assure that the overall site will be graded to allow the lap pool to be expanded to
50 meters in the future.
5. Include in the base bid the wetlands, riparian zone, and grasses to insure that the
entire site utilizes sustainable environmental practices. Additionally, as deemed
appropriate, bid alternatives should be incorporated into the bid document to
address other identified environmentally sound practices (grass block parking lot,
bio-swales, rain gardens, etc.).
6. Negotiate a long-term lease agreement with Iowa State University for property
located on 13th Street for this development. The School District's sport fields
should be incorporated into the Site Master Plan.
7. Demolish Carr Pool and transition the site into open green space upon opening
of the new facility.
In order to proceed with this project, the City Council also must approve the referendum
language. Working with our Bond Attorney, the following language is being
recommended.
"Shall the City of Ames, in Story County, Iowa, issue its bonds in an amount not
exceeding the amount of $8,488,000 for the purpose of paying the cost, to that
extent, of the acquisition, designing, constructing, and equipping an outdoor
aquatic center and of developing a wetland protection and riparian buffer area,
necessary and useful for the health and welfare of its citizens, on and adjacent to
the area known as the 13th Street Site east of Squaw Creek?"
ALTERNATIVES:
1. Approve the Parks and Recreation Commission recommendations listed above
as well as the proposed referendum language. In addition, approve $22,000 for
the cost of conducting a special election for the Outdoor Aquatics Center issue
from the General Fund available balance.
2. Modify the Parks and Recreation Commission recommendations listed above. In
addition, approve $22,000 for the cost of conducting a special election for the
Outdoor Aquatics Center issue from the General Fund available balance.
3. Delay any further action on this issue by referring the project back to the Parks
and Recreation Commission and staff for further review.
MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Ames' need for an outdoor community aquatics center has been well documented.
Following voters' rejection of the Rec-Plex bond issue, the Parks and Recreation
Commission initiated a lengthy public involvement process to identify the components
and location that would best serve the community. Over the last several months the
Commission expended significant time and energy in educating and gaining the public's
reaction to the development of an outdoor aquatic center. The four meetings they
hosted in April were the foundation for the recommendations included above. While
unanimous support for any issue can not be expected, the Commission's extensive
citizen input process did yield support for the seven recommendations from the majority
who attended the sessions.
Given the importance of this amenity to the community, the central location, the
City - School District - University cooperation on the 13th Street site, and the
preference for voting on July 24 in order to save money and have the facility open
in 2009, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council adopt
Alternative No. 1, approving the seven recommendations of the Parks and
Recreation Commission.
This recommended alternative should also include the approval of a special bond
election for July 24, 2007 with the following ballot language,
"Shall the City of Ames, in Story County, Iowa, issue its bonds in an amount not
exceeding the amount of$8,488,000 for the purpose of paying the cost, to that
extent, of the acquisition, designing, constructing, and equipping an outdoor
aquatic center and of developing a wetland protection and riparian buffer area,
necessary and useful for the health and welfare of its citizens, on and adjacent to
the area known as the 13th Street Site east of Squaw Creek?"