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HomeMy WebLinkAboutA002 - department supplemental report -Jr. CITY OF AMES DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT REPORT TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING CdMMISSION SUPPLEMENTAL REPORT VOLUNTARY ANNEXATION 4/27/78 The purpose of this report is to discuss voluntary annexation petitions within the context of planning/development and the City of Ames Land Use Policy Plan. More specifically, this report will address the attached communication from the Story County Planning & Zoning Commission, dated April 24, 1978, as concerns their recommendations on voluntarily annexing the 175 acres in the northern part of Ames and the 24 acres on E. Lincoln Way. The County's recommendations are based on their adopted policies concerning preservation of prime agricultural lands. These policies are stated in their attached report. The concept of preserving farm land is one which is very valid and rational particularly when related to the expected need for agricultural production in the future. But, just as valid and rational is the need to provide for housing and places to work for those individuals who make the determination that Ames is where they desire to live and raise their families. These people find a pleasing and satisfying environment exists in Ames and because of this they want to make Ames their home. Ames is growing and will continue to grow. With growth will come the inevitable conversion of agricultural land to residential , commercial and industrial uses. Because of the lack of available open land within the existing urbanized area, new development must take place in agricultural areas adjacent to the urbanized area. To preserve agricultural areas within the urbanized area would result in the sprawling of development and result in an undesirable development pattern. Proper urban growth results in a community which is compact so that service costs can be kept to a minimum. As a community grows, additional services have to be provided for the new areas of development. Extension of utilities and streets, provisions for additional fire and police protection, and the building of new schools becomes a burden which the entire community must accept. To keep this burden to a minimum, new development must be concentrated in close proximity to existing development. As a community grows outward in a planned and orderly manner, a logical and rational growth pattern can be maintained. The additional costs of running utilities through or around agricultural preserva- tion areas is probably the number one reason for not preserving these areas. With the increasing costs of construction and maintenance of public utilities, the tax- payer would not be willing to pay for extension of services to those areas not adjacent to the existing urbanized area. It would be difficult to rationalize such a situation to the taxpayers since the preservation of farmland within the urbanized area would result in the development of less desirable farmland outside the urbanized area. Every acre preserved is thus traded off for an acre which is developed in a more outlying area. In a sense, no agricultural areas are actually being preserved since when one area is preserved, development will be forced to go to another agricultural area. The only way prime agricultural areas can be preserved will be for a no-growth policy to be implemented by the City and it is questionable as to whether such a course of action will benefit the entire community. No-growth policies in other communities have been less than successful.,and would certainly be a questionable course of action for the City of Ames. A more satisfactory solution may be controlled growth with potential development taking place in those areas most suited to urbanization. Such growth would be highly regulated and restricted and its environmental impact on the surrounding area would be carefully considered. A resource analysis of the area would be made prior to any type of development and essential ecological areas could be preserved. This type of controlled growth would be indicative of a mature and realistic community which views growth not as a plague to be stamped out but rather as an opportunity to work with the natural environment to achieve a satisfactory relationship between man and nature. This premise is addressed and is the basis for the adopted Land Use Policy Plan, The Plan recognizes a future urban pattern, describes the pattern in written goals and policies and delineates the written text visually on the Land Use Policy Map. The Plan, consequently, anticipates the conversion of land to developmental land use categories by creating the Urban Service and Urban Service Expansion Areas. The Plan further anticipates annexations since the major portion of future developable land is presently outside the corporate limits. This report shall next address the General Recommendations as contained in the County's report. "In regards to annexation of unincorporated land of prime agricultural suitability for urban use the Story County Planning and Zoning Commis- sion has adopted the following general recommendations: "Recommendation 1: The City of Ames should adopt land use policies regarding the conversion of prime agricultural lands for urban use." COMMENT: As stated previously, the City does have such a policy and it is the Land Use Policy Plan. The Land Use Policy Plan represents the extent of urban development to the year 1995. In so doing, it delineates geographical location of types of future uses of land. The Policy Plan does not anticipate preserva- tion of prime agricultural lands (save for perhaps flood plain areas) since by their preservation, a compact and efficient urban form would not be possible. The Policy emphasizes the importance of such a form. "It is further recommended that: (A) Prime agricultural land be defined using either the Soils Capabilities System or the Corn Suitabilities System prepared by the Soils Conservation Service; (B) Prime agricultural lands be converted to urban uses only when necessary to maintain a compact and efficient growth pattern. . ." COMMENT: (A) Within the future urban pattern as depicted by the LUPP identification of corn suitabilities really wouldn't accomplish much. Soils information will soon be available for planning purposes. Such information will be geared towards the capabilities of the various soil types to be utilized by different urban land uses. (B) Since the community is virtually surrounded by prime agricultural lands (save for stream valley slope areas), it is essential that prime lands be utilized for urban purposes to achieve a "compact and efficient growth pattern. . ." ". . .and (C) Prime agricultural lands should be converted to urban uses only when the conversion results in a highly intensive use which justifies the long-term economic impact of irreversibly removing prime agricultural land from pro- duction." COMMENT: Any urban land use is intensive which is a relative term. Park and/or open space areas are used as intensively as are residential , commercial and indus- trial uses. All forms of urban land use are interrelated and serve the wishes and needs of the urban populace. While it is true that certain uses are (or could be) more intense than others, it is not practical to consider that a single- family house or an apartment or a park are, say, less important to the needs of people when compared to a large manufacturing enterprise which is perhaps the most intense user of land. "Recommendation 2: The City of Ames should identify areas best suited for urban expansion consistent with city and county land use policies and should initiate an involuntary annexation pro- gram to bring such areas into the city thereby providing direction for future urban growth. An active annexation program would eliminate, in part, voluntary annexations which tend to produce haphazard corporate boundaries." COMMENT: Again, the LUPP does identify areas suited for urban expansion and is City land use policy. Obviously, there are instances where City and County policies come in conflict which is the reason for the elaboration of this report. Concerning an involuntary annexation program, it is felt this is a viable means of implementing the LUPP. Such a program has to be coordinated with the State of Iowa City Development Board. A logical 5-7 year phased program is one which would possibly gain voter approval . However, it would not assure elimination of ". . .haphazard corporate boundaries.", if the County takes the position of not recommending annexation of prime agricultural lands to the City. f A Kenneth %V. Smith Administrator Story County Courthouse 900 Sixth Street Nevada, Iowa 50201 STORY COUNTY PLANNING AND ZONING 515-382-6581 Ext. 256 April 24, 1978 Ames Department of Community Development Ames Planning & Zoning Commission Ames Mayor & City Council City of Ames Ames , Iowa 50010 ATTENTION : Ron Wooldridge, City Planner The Story County Planning and Zoning Commission recently reviewed two voluntary annexation proposals referred to the commission by the Ames Department of Community Development in compliance with City Council Resolution #78-110. At the regular Planning and Zoning Commission meeting held April 19, 1978 , the commission voted : (see attached minutes) . 1) To recommend approval of the 175 acre voluntary annexation proposal located in section 28 & 38 , T-84-N , R-24-W, Story County, Iowa . The recom- mendation is based on the following county land- use policies : A) To encourage urban growth to occur adjacent or within incorporated areas . B) To allow urban growth to occur on marginal (non-prime) agricultural lands . 2) To not recommend approval of the 15 acre voluntary annexation proposal located in Section 7 , T-83-N , R-23-W, Story County, Iowa . The recommendation is based on the following county land-use policy. A) To preserve prime agricultural land for agricul - tural uses . 3) To adopt a general policy statement regarding voluntary annexations of prime agricultural lands . A copy of the statement is attached . • y -2- The County Planning and Zoning Department appreciates the privilege of reviewing voluntary annexation proposals and hopes to continue working in a joint manner on future planning p posaIs.. Si rely Kenne h W. Smith Administrator KWS :vz Encl . cc : Story County Board of Supervisors i 1 'r f EXCERPTS OF APRIL 19, 1978 STORY COUNTY PLANNING AND ZONING FETING Next item of business was recommendations to the city of Ames concerning proposed voluntary annexations . The review was in compliance with City Council of Ames Resolution No . 78 - 110 which states in part : "The City Planning and Zoning Commission shall obtain a written report from the County Planning and Zoning Commission for land-use policies and shall consider the County ' s report and recommendation. " The first voluntary annexation proposal was for a tract of land described as : Tract A. The SWa of Section 28 , Township 84 North, Range 24 West of the 5th P . M. , Story County , Iowa ; and Tract B . The W-1-2-NW4-SW4-NW4 and the W4-NWa-NWa of Section 33 , Township 84 North , Range 24 West of the 5th P.M. , Story County, Iowa . Containing a total of 175 acres ( see attached map, appendix A) . Ken Smith reported that according to county land-use policies and zoning ordinance the parcel was classified 55% prime agricul - ture and that the remaining area classified non-prime agricult-ure and/or flood plain. Developer Bob Buck representing the property owners , Buck, Freidrich and Hunziker explained that the property had been purchased because of its marginal agricultural suitability 1t �J and location within the Ames Urban Service Expansion Area . Sharolyn Bohning commented that this was the type of area the county policies encouraged growth to occur ( low agriculture suitability and adjacent or within urban incorporated areas . ) MOTION made by Whitman to recommend approval to city of Ames Planning and Zoning Commission regarding the proposed annexation of the property in question , located in SW;, Sec. 28, Franklin Township. SECONDED by Koerber. All members present voted Aye. MOTION CARRIED. The second voluntary annexation proposal was for a tract of land described as : Approx. 24 acres in the NEa of Sec . 7 , Twp. 83 N , R 23 W of the 5th P .M. , except the right-of-way of old U. S. Highway #30 on the north and except the right-of-way of I-35 on the east. (See attached map - appendix B) . Ken Smith reported that the property contained soil types with corn suitability ratings of 80-90 and according to county land- use policies and zoning ordinance was classified as 100% prime agriculture land. Erb Hunziker, property owner, explained that the property had been identified by the city of Ames as an industrial expansion area and was within the urban service area . MOTION by Struthers that the Story County Planning and Zoning Commission recommend that the property in question not be annexed at this time, because the probable use of this land is inconsistent with the existing county land-use policies of protecting prime agricultural land. SECONDED by Koerber. Upon roll call , Voting Aye , Hoffman , Sandquist , Koerber, Struthers . Voting Nay, Whitman and Bohning . Absent Jones . MOTION CARRIED. The commission then discussed a general policy statement prepared by Ken Smith (attached , Appendix C) . MOTION by Whitman to adopt the policy statement and to forward it to City of Ames , SECONDED by Koerber. All members present voting Aye. MOTION CARRIED. .ti Wiwi ON VOLVARY MOATION OF UNINCORPORATED LAND INTO THE CITY OF AMES SL13MITTED TO: THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND AMES PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION SUBMITTED BY: THE STQRRXX COUNTY PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION, APRIL ly/H } Preface: This report follows referral by the Ames Department of Community Develop- ment of two voluntary annexation proposals currently under consideration. The referral is in compliance with City Council of Ames Resolution No.78- 110 which states in part: "The City Planning and Zoning Commission shall obtain a written report from the County Planning and Zoning Commission for land- use policies and shall consider the County's report and recommen- dation." This report in principal focuses on the annexation and conversion of prime agricultural lands to urban uses. While it is recognized that land-use decisions are based on a myriad of symbiotic socio-economic and natural resource factors, it must also be recognized that prime agricultural lands, as a single factor, represent the principal natural resource of abundance and quality in Story County and therefore merit preservation for use in producing in food and fiber. Central to the discussion of annexing unincorporated land for urban develop- ment are three principal land-use policies adopted by the Story County Board of Supervisors on June 30, 1977. They are as follows: 1) The land-use policies of Story County encourage urban-type _growth to occur within incorporated areas. 2) The land-use policies of Story County prohibit non-agricultural uses on high quality (prime) agricultural lands. 3) The land-use policies of Story County allow urban-type develop- ment on "poorer" (non-prime) agricultural lands. Current and Future Land-Use Patterns: The Story County Soil Conservation Service (SCS) has recently compiled in- formation which reveals that during the last 12 years 88% of the urban de- velopment in the city of Ames has occurred on prime agricultural lands.' While it must be realized that a growing community such as Ames is going to consume certain prime agricultural lands, land-use policies should direct growth to areas of lesser agricultural suitability whenever possible. Re- garding high quality agricultural lands the Ames Land-Use Plan, 1977 states: "Closely related to the guidance of physical growth is the preservation of prime agricultural land. The term 1tprime" is, at best, difficult to define, and the definition is re- lative and most certainly varies from one region to another. Few would dispute, however, that Central Iowa is blessed with some of the best farmland in the world. As a general principle, urban development should not be permitted to haphazardly spread into agricultural areas." y The basis for this analysis was a comparison of aerial photographs for the Ames urban area, illustrating urban expansion over time. The photographs used in this study were taken during the years 1965 and 1977. The expansion area derived from the photographs was correlated with soil types and agricultural suitabilities. For the purpose of this comparative analysis, soil types with The Ames Land-Use Policy statement continues: "A specific growth and land-use policy concerning agricul- tural land has not been developed in Ames." The Ames Land-Use Plan also states, in part: Policy Statement G2-2: "The future use of land outside the present corporate limits of the city of Ames must be considered. A co- operative effort must be undertaken by the city and Story County. . .to regulate and control development in adjacent unincorporated areas, and to encourage annexation of lands which are .expected to be converted to urban use prior to such development taking place." General Recommendations: In regards to annexation of unincorporated land of prime agricultural suitability for urban use the Story County Planning and Zoning Commis- sion has adopted the following general recommendations: Recommendation 1: The city of Ames should adopt land-use policies regarding the conversion of prime agricultural lands for urban uses. It is further recommended that: A) Prime agricultural land be defined using either the Soils Capabil- ities System or the Corn Suitabilities System prepared by the Soils Conservation Service; B) Prime agricultural lands be converted to urban uses only when necessary to maintain a compact and efficient growth pattern; and C) Prime agricultural lands should be converted to urban uses only when the conversion results in a highly intensive use which justifies the long-term economic impact of irreversibly removing prime agricultural land from production. Recommendation 2: The city of Ames should identify areas best suited for urban expansion consistent with city and county land- use policies and should initiate an involuntary annexation pro- gram to bring such areas into the city thereby providing direction for future urban growth. An active annexation program would elimi- nate, in part, voluntary annexations which tend to produce haphazard corporate boundaries. 5% slope or less where considered "prime" for the production of food and fiber. The 5% or less indicator translates roughly as an equivalent to the Corn Suitability Rating (CSR) 62 and above used in the Story County Zoning Ordinance for classifying prime agricultural lands. CITY OF AMES DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT REPORT TO THE PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION VOLUNTARY ANNEXATION REPORTS DATE PREPARED: April 28, 1978 MEETING DATE: May 3, 1978 TRACT A: The SW 1/4 of Section 28, Township 84 North, Range 24 West of the 5th P.M. , Story County, Iowa. TRACT B: The W 1/2- NW 1/4 - SW 1/4 - NW 1/4 and the W 1/4 - NW 1/4 - NW 1/4 of Section 33, Township 84 North, Range 24 West of the 5th P.M. , Story County, Iowa. TRACT C: Approximately 24 acres in the NE 1/4 of the NW 1/4 of Section 7, Township 83 N, Range 23 West of• the .5th__P.M.,_ except _the_ right-of- way of old U. S. Highway #30 on the north and except the right-of- way of I-35 on the east. This report is in conformance with City Council Resolution No. 78-110, dated March 28, 1978, requiring various reports concerning the appropriateness of petitioned tracts of land for voluntary annexation to the City of Ames . The three above described tracts are illustrated elsewhere with the individual reports on zoning. Much of the annexation report materials are contained in the zoning reports and are not repeated here. Reference is to be made to the attached reports from Community Development, Public Works and Story County Planning & Zoning. All three petitioned tracts are in conformance to the City's Land Use Policy Plan. Tract A is delineated as a portion of the Squaw Creek Greenbelt. Tract B is contained within the Plan's Urban Service Expansion Area and is designated as future residential . Tract C is within the Urban Service Area and is proposed for industrial usage. It is the recommendation of the Department of Community Development that the three tracts be accepted for voluntary annexation. C= or AYES OFFICE MEMORANDUM . TO Community Deyelnnment DATE 4,128,178 FROM Arnold Chantland, Dirartnr Piihlic IJpr S Zn� SUBJECT Annexation of Snllthwact Qij;4rtpr, Section 22-84-24 I reviewed the proposed annexation of the Southwest Quarter of Section 28, Township 84 North, Range 24 West and find this description to be appro- priate for the land proposed inclusive of easement lands for road purposes. The capital improvements program provides for future extension of water and sewer lines to the general facility as follows: Water main along the county road in the 1979-1980 fiscal year. Sanitary sewer extension in the 1979-1980 fiscal year. Also the extension of Squaw Creek trunk line in the 1979-1980 year. The Squaw Creek extension is not anticipated to involve any of this tract but is intended to serve the area to the west of this tract. For this proposed tract, the developers will be required to extend the sanitary sewer from the general area of "The Green". They will also be required to extend the water mains from the same area. The city would anticipate paying any over-size of the water main that may be required under the city's general development plan. OFFICE MEMORANDUM TO Community Development DATE 1122,172 FROM Arnold Chantland Director Public Works SUBJECT Annexation of the Northwest Quarter of the Northwest Quarter, Section-T 3--23 The proposed tract for annexation is the Northwest Quarter of the Northwest Quarter of Section 7, Township 83 N, Range 23 W, of the 5th p.m. except the right-away of old U.S. Highway 30 on the North and except the right-away of I-35 on the east. This description coincides with -" the tract owned by Mr. Hunzinger and proposed for annexation. i On the matter of utilities, public utilities exist on the north side of old Highway 30 (Lincoln Way) and would be available for immediate connection by the developer. The extension of these lines would be at the developer's expense with the city paying the cost of--- __ any over-size for water mains as required by the city's development plan. i i 1