HomeMy WebLinkAboutA003 - Letters from residents support rezoning R-2 R-2 R-2 R-2
May 13, 1996
City Council
515 Clark Street
Ames, Iowa 50010
AN OPEN LETTER TO MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF AMES:
I hope that you will support the Central Ames Neighborhood in either rezoning or halting all
demolition in the area. A change in rezoning or the initiation of a special zoning district is
necessary to preserve, maintain and strength the efforts of homeowners in this neighborhood.
As you are aware the failure to support the R-2 drive in December 1994 has resulted in the loss
of several houses and the loss of another house is imminent. Because no action was taken in
December 1994, the destruction of our neighborhood's fabric, its historical integrity, and the
stock of affordable homeownership opportunities continues to be undermined.
There are several points concerning this issue that need reiteration at this time:
(1) Some members of the city council believe that multifamily "plexes" [6 to 12-plexes]
increase the amount of affordable housing in the Central Ames Neighborhood. This is
simply not true! The rents of newly constructed multifamily housing in the neighborhood
are upwards of $600 to $800 per month for one and two bedroom apartments. These
apartments are neither the size, configuration, or cost that families that rent can afford.
The houses demolished, however, whether offered for rent or for sale, are affordable to
families who earn median income or below, $40,000 or less. Keep in mind that two
people earning just over minimum wage, $6.00 to $10.00 per hour, have a gross income
of only $28,000 to $40,000 per year. New construction cannot easily serve these
families. The Central Ames Neighborhood has a wide variety and mix of housing that
serves a wide continuum of individuals, households, and families. Your efforts to protect
this mix of housing types is essential.
(2) Some members of the city council support the village concept, but fail to see its
applicability to the Central Ames Neighborhood. The Central Ames Neighborhood is a
village. More than a year ago, as part of the Old Town Association, I presented slides
that examined the "neotraditional village" that is currently embraced by the National
Association of Home Builders. This concept draws on the form and structure of
neighborhoods that developed in the early 20th century. The elements of the village are
its pedestrian focus, the use of alleys to minimize the impact of the automobile, and the
proximity -- measured in walking distances -- of services and stores, such as a grocery,
clothing and hardware stores, pharmacy and medical services. It should be obvious to
observers that the Central Ames Neighborhood is the model for the neotraditional village.
(3) Some members of the city council fail to see that existing "plexes" are incongruent
in the neighborhood and to take seriously how design-- form and structure type -- affects
a neighborhood. They seem to think that this "design, history, and visual stuff" is an
esoteric argument. Let me assure you that it is not. I believe you know that all people
judge a neighborhood by its visual cues. Consider, for example, a ride through
Northridge, "the presidents' streets," Old Town, campustown, or the new construction
on Dakota. Each of these areas of Ames offers to newcomers and long-time residents
a v_yr different visual image and conjures up a yM different sentiment and reaction.
Newcomers' responses to neighborhoods are almost solely based on "first impressions"
that are derived from what they see. Do you really want to lose what the Central Ames
Neighborhood "says" to visitors and residents?
I am deeply disturbed by the City Council's inattentiveness to rezoning the Central Ames
Neighborhood to R-2. The Council's avoidance of action can only be construed as lack of
support. Suggesting that the Central Ames Neighborhood wait until the new land use is adopted
can only be interpreted as support for developers with landholdings in the neighborhood rather
than residents of the Central Ames Neighborhood. Recall that a majority of homeowners in the
area support rezoning. Recall the imbalance of testimony at Council meetings ... residents were
out in force supporting R-2; few opponents appeared yet their "cause" was championed. Recall
too that Ames planning staff supports protection of the neighborhood.
The city of Ames is now the recipient of an expensive, consultant-generated report and
recommendations on land. These recommendations include support of the protection of the
Central Ames Neighborhood. The consultants appeared to recognize the importance of
maintaining the character of this neighborhood for future residents to enjoy. The consultants
appeared to understand that Central Ames Neighborhood is a "village of Ames," worthy of
protection. I hope for your support, without further delay, in the rezoning of the Central Ames
Neighborhood to R-2.
Sincerely, p
Christine C. Cook
509 9th Street
907 Clark Avenue
Ames, IA 50010
May 13, 1996
Ames City Council
City Hall
515 Clark Avenue
Ames, IA 50010
Dear Mayor Curtis and City Council members:
I am writing this letter to voice my STRONG support for the proposed change
from R-3 and R-4 zoning to R-2 (or a demolition moratorium) in the Central
Ames Neighborhood. My family has lived here for over a decade; my daughter
was born and goes to school here; we have a strong interest in how our
neighborhood is allowed to develop. Many of us take pride in keeping our
homes' appearance consistent with the late 19th and early 20th century era in
which they were built. Others of us have found affordable housing in the
area, and invested considerable time and money in fixing up our property and
in-so-doing in making our neighborhood a more attractive place to live.
The multiplex buildings in the proposed rezoning area detract considerably
from its beauty. In their research for the Planning and Zoning Commission,
the city's staff found that whereas 78% of the owner-occupied buildings in the
proposed rezoning site had scores of 5 or above on the city assessor's 9-point
building-maintenance scale, this percent drops by almost 30% for the rental
properties there. Just north of my home are two four-plex homes that an
absentee landlord has not been maintaining. If either the zoning change or
the demolition moratorium were instituted, it would no longer be in the
landlord's interest to allow the homes' disintegration to continue, because it
would make it no longer viable for him (like other landlords who do not live
here, and who take no pride in the appearance of their properties in our back
yards) to expect that the old houses might someday be bulldozed and replaced
by a multiplex building. Instead, if they were to be resold, it would most
likely be as affordable "fixer-uppers"—an option that could improve and add
to the historical character of the neighborhood.
Opponents of the proposal argue that it is unfair to a few nonresident
individuals who plan to convert houses in the area to multiplex buildings.
Yet there are few (if any) decisions made in a democracy that benefit all its
members. The question is not if a few will be disadvantaged, but if there is
sufficient advantage for the whole. But of course, "the whole" extends beyond
the central Ames neighborhood under consideration. Thus, at issue is whether
Ames City Council
May 13, 1996
Page 2
maintaining the current mix of land usage in the neighborhood—a policy that
the petition shows to be strongly supported by its residents—should take
precedence to a need in Ames for more rental properties and commercial
development. Since in their research for the Planning and Zoning Commission
the Ames City staff found no such need by "the whole" of Ames for such use to
be made of this neighborhood, it appears that the only segment of Ames that
will benefit from the status quo consists of those relatively few nonresident
would-be landlords, who (if current tendencies persist) are likely to further
detract from the quality of our neighborhood.
One of the City Council 's recently specified long-term objectives is to
"create a greater sense of place. " Certainly the proposed zoning change is
consistent with this objective. Indeed, what greater evidence of a
neighborhood's sense of place than that despite the potential financial
benefits that further development might bring, 82% of its home-owners shared
sufficient vision of their common future to sign the petition that you are
currently reconsidering? Clearly, the zoning change would help preserve as
well as nurture this emerging sense of place that we, the residents of this
central Ames neighborhood, have been building over the past few decades.
Most sincerely yours,
Carl W. Roberts
Submitted by Kay Wall, 1004 Kellogg, Ames, IA 50010. (515) 232-8569
On Tuesday, May 14, the Ames City Council will have the opportunity to
preserve an existing "Village"--a concept recommended by every
consultant that has been hired to address city planning issues. The
village concept--a neighborhood with intimate "Main Street" shopping
and recreational public spaces within walking distance--is, in fact, a
concept that many cities are striving to implement in order to revive
central neighborhoods that they had short sightedly failed to
maintain.
Ames currently has such a central area adjacent to downtown: lovely
residences with walking encouraged by trees, sidewalks, slow traffic,
and proximity to stores and parks. Maintaining the ambiance of this
central Ames area is vital to maintaining central Ames and will
thereby avoid an unecessary future struggle for urban renewal simply
to regain what we now have. Stable family neighborhoods, with their
mix of housing prices and sizes, are the basis for fine schools and
safe streets--aspects which make a community desirable. The whittling
away of these neighborhoods, through intent or neglect, causes people
to look elsewhere for permanent residences.
R2 designation of the residential area in question will not only
preserve its neighborhood desirability, but will also increase
property values. The expenditures improving older homes in recent
years have not only contributed sales to local businesses and used
local labor, but have also resulted in considerable rise in the tax
base. In fact taxes paid for restored homes have far out distanced
those paid when the houses were divided into appartments.
Residents throughout Ames who favor the proposed R2 designation are
not opposed to apartments, but feel that buildings within an area
should be pleasingly compatable in appearance. Such ensurance of
stability of the appearance of a neighborhood assures prospective home
owners that the setting that attracted them will remain. All present
multiple dwellings would be allowed to remain unchanged, so no
hardship would occur to any owner or renter.
Deteriation by default has been a decision that the city council has
an opportrunity to rectify May 14 by being responsive to their
constituents' request to designate the area from roughly 7th Street to
llth Street between Duff and Grand Avenues an R2 Zone. Voting on May
14 to rezone the area or to put a moratorium, effective immediately,
on demolition of any structures and cutting down of any trees, would
stabalize this neighborhood which is so vital to the continued success
of Ames as a place were people want to live.
Kay WAll
: .&N- ei hborhoods
9
After a half-century hiatus, environmental rebom
and traffic concerns are bringing back
old-style neighborhoods.
The millions of Americans who small closets and baths."Ask yourself retail chains,and the financial struc-
buy homes each year base their what neighborhood in your home- ture of the real-estate development
decision on a familiar list of town people are willing to pay a pre- industry.Change,if it does come,will
choices—the commute to work, the mium to live in,"says D.R. Bryan, a depend largely on decisions that need
number of bedrooms and baths, North Carolina builder. "It's proba- to be made locally.
the quality of the schools. But they bly a neighborhood built between "We've been building great houses
have surprisingly little 1890 and 1920." but lousy communities," says Peter
IN SHORT■� choice in one impor- Over the past decade,the persistent Katz,director of the Congress for the
tant factor: the phy- appeal of old neighborhoods has per- New Urbanism,a national organiza-
Neighborhoods with an sical layout of the suaded a small but influential group of tion of neotraditional designers and
old-style look and layout neighborhood. designers and developers to advocate developers. "I've never met anyone
are being built once more. Many people dream building old-style communities for a who has hated the idea"of neotradi-
of buying a home on new era.These"neotraditional"places tionalism. "The only questions have
Street grids,sidewalks,and an old-fashioned tree- would look and work like the back had to do with implementing it."
hidden parking lots downplay lined street with a few streets of a comfortable pre-World
cars and encourage walking. shops on the corner— War H city,with a rich mix of hous- To build better towns
Still unclear:Will new
a place where buying ing types,cultural centers,and shop- The critics of suburban sprawl decry
neighborhoods be a quart of milk, pick- ping districts within walking distance, land-use designs that tear communi-
ing up the kids,or eat- and a vibrant public personality..Such ties into far-flung fragments and make
affordable for all or a ing out doesn't re- neighborhoods are being built in residents use a car to get anywhere.
pricey"niche"option? quire a stressful drive places as different in scale and loca- Instead, they offer this alternative
down the local six- lion as downtown San Diego and vision:
lane arterial.But it's hard to find places rural North Carolina. • Houses occupy small lots clus-
like that these days. For a half-cen- We visited several of these neo- tered around pretty public spaces,
tury,developers have maintained that traditional developments and talked such as parks or playgrounds.
tract houses with big front lawns in with leading proponents of the ap- •Garages retreat to the rear of the
auto-oriented subdivisions are what proach, as well as with developers, lot or an alley.
RY RD, Americans want.Moreover,local of- town planners,and residents.We also • Street grids replace isolated cul-
ficials have often made it illegal to looked at the traditional neighbor- de-sacs and the broader roads that
build new neighborhoods in the old hoods that serve as the models.There connect them.
style—even"tree-lined"may violate aren't enough completed examples to •Shopping takes place on intimate
the code. tell whether these will be honest Main Streets, with stores lined up
As a result, in many cities 1920s- copies of old-style, mixed-income along the sidewalk and parking to
style homes—in tradi- communities or just pricey boutique the rear.
tional neighborhoods villages for the well-to-do. But we • Walking is encouraged by side-
-have become highly think this style of neighborhood is a walks,street trees,front porches,narrow
desirable,despite their choice that buyers ought to have. roads that slow down cars,and—most
We also learned that the important—commercial and recrea-
forces discouraging such inno- tional areas located a short walk from
vation remain embedded in most houses.
the legal and financial appa- • Public transportation is made I
j I rates that controls land de- possible by clustering neighborhoods
1 velopment:thousands of and offices along lines that can readily
local zoning codes,road be served by buses,trolleys,or light-
standards,the require- rail lines.
ments of national •Housing types are varied in size
and price,to facilitate the kind of mix
of people found in a city.The mix also
means that grown children won't have
to move so far away to start a home,
I