HomeMy WebLinkAboutA003 - Letter from Quality of Life Network, request for guidelines for commercial development design Quality of Life Network
April9, 1998
To: Ames city Council
From: Quality of Life Network
Re: Design Guidelines for Commercial Development and Sub Area or
"Neighborhood" Planning ) --Z-G/-JjNn Co p 2 CC, rA,,'h,6iVt5-
The Ames community has recently shown considerable support for improving
the quality and design of future commercial development. Many other
communities around the nation have addressed similar concerns by adopting
commercial development design guidelines. These are not requirements but
guidelines city staff can use to provide community input into the early stages of
the design of new commercial developement.
It is time to investigate the feasibility of using this approach to improve the
quality of our commercial development. We request that the city adopt a new
paragraph in its zoning code draft to reflect this need in section 8.1 or other
appropriate section of the new code.
Specifically, we believe City Council should appoint a broad-based citizens
committee to draft such guidelines that can be adopted by council by amending
the code at a later date. However, it seems appropriate to make a commitment
to such guidelines now by providing a place for them in the current code
adoption cycle.
We also request that a similar action be taken in support of sub-area or
"neighborhood" planning. The need to develop sub area planning is clearly
supported in the Implementation chapter of the 1997 adoption of the City of
Ames Land Use Policy Plan. Provisions for such planning could be included.
The continuing conflict between developers and neighbors in established
communities in Ames can only be resolved by the establishment of a respectful
neighborhood process for planning for development that gives neighborhoods
a say in their future. This is essential if neighborhood integrity and quality of life
is to be preserved.
Thank you for your consideration of these matters.
Building Quality of Life and Community in Ames