HomeMy WebLinkAboutA001 - Council Action form dated March 2, 2004 OLD
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Item # a/fV' 0�
Date: March 2, 2004 4
COUNCIL ACTION FORM
SUBJECT: ESTABLISH DATE OF PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE VACATION AND
TRANSFER OF AMES HIGH DRIVE AND CYRIDE BUS TURNAROUND
BACKGROUND:
The original construction of the "new" Ames High School in the mid-sixties provided for
a looped drive from Ridgewood Avenue to 20th Street. Early in 1973, the City accepted
the dedication of the drive serving the Ames High School. The information presented at
that time called for the dedication of the land for a public street because of the
increasing use of the drive by the public involved with the swimming pool, the gym, and
the auditorium. Thus, Ames High Drive became a City Street. The area is shown on
the attached map.
Over the years, the City has provided fully for the maintenance and rehabilitation of the
street. As the School District looks to expand their facilities at the High School, the
plans extend out over the area now included in Ames High Drive. Thus they have
requested that the street be vacated. Since the high school and associated facilities are
the only users, no other properties are impacted. The land involved totals 2.10 acres.
Existing City policy indicates that when streets are vacated and transferred to the
abutting owners, the City is compensated for the land at a rate comparable to the
assessed value of the adjacent land. Since the Assessor does not value the school's
property, the value based on the land surrounding the school could be used. According
to the policy, the value is reduced because the transfer is made through quit claim deed.
Based on the established policy and the value of the surrounding land, the value of
Ames High Drive would be $147,150.
Since the dedication of the street came from the School District at no cost originally, the
City may want to just release it to the School District without compensation. Historically
each body has charged the other for fair market value for property transfer. One
example was the sale of the land and old Central Junior High that is now the City Hall.
As the new Middle School was being developed and the concept of sharing facilities
was being explored with the potential Recreation Complex, it was felt that the land at
the High School would be traded for an equal amount of land at the Middle School site.
Since the Recreation Complex is not moving forward at this time, one possible
alternative is for an agreement to be reached where" the value of the land at each
location be established at $25,000 per acre, which represents the purchase price of the
Middle School land. The City would transfer the Ames High Drive property to the
School System under an agreement whereby the purchase of any future land at the
Middle School site would credit the City for the 2 acres at $25,000 per acre and the
purchase price of the remaining property needed for a recreational facility would be
$25,000 per acre.
In addition, the Middle School reconstruction project calls for aligning the extension of
Dotson Drive through the area owned by the City and now used for a CyRide bus
turnaround. The plan calls for an equal amount of land to be transferred to the City for a
new turnaround that is more centrally located on the Middle School site. The Middle
School project will include the cost of the bus turnaround construction, as well as routine
mowing and snow plowing. The new bus turnaround is shown as Lot 2 on the attached
Middle School Preliminary Plat.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. Establish March 23, 2004 as the date of public hearing on the vacation and
transfer of Ames High Drive and the CyRide bus turnaround at a rate calculated by the
established policy ($147,500).
2. Waive the established policy and set March 23, 2004 as the date of public
hearing on the vacation and transfer of Ames High Drive and the CyRide bus
turnaround at no cost.
T-earing
Waive the established policy and set March 23, 2004 as the date of public
on the vacation and transfer of Ames High Drive and the CyRide bus
turnaround. The City would transfer the Ames High Drive property to the School
System under an agreement whereby the purchase of any future land at the Middle
School site would credit the City for the 2 acres at $25,000 per acre and the purchase
price of the remaining property needed for a recreational facility would be $25,000 per
acre.
MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION:
It is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council accept alternative
number 3 above and waive the established policy and set March 23, 2004 as the date of
public hearing on the vacation and transfer of Ames High Drive and the CyRide bus
turnaround. The City would transfer the Ames High Drive property to the School
System under an agreement whereby the purchase of any future land at the Middle
School site would credit the City for the 2 acres at $25,000 per acre and the purchase
price of the remaining property needed for a recreational facility would be $25,000 per
acre.
COUNCIL ACTION: