HomeMy WebLinkAboutA001 - Letter to Al Warren dated May 17, 2018 (2334 Storm Street) Al Warren
3121 Maplewood Road
Ames IA 50014
May 17, 2018
Dear Mayor and Council,
I would like a hardship appeal to finish two bedroom and have them counted for
occupancy at the house I own at 2334 Storm St. This house was built in 2016. 1 tore down an old
falling apart, abandoned house and built a 4,200 square foot house in its place. The basement
area is 2,130 square foot and has 9-foot ceilings. This house was designed to have two
bedrooms in the basement with large egress windows in place. A large finished bathroom is
already in use. To complete these bedrooms, we just need to add one wall to each and frame in
a closet, (not required by Ames City Code).
However, we didn't finish these two bedrooms in 2016 because the City Code did not
allow 5 unrelated people to occupy a house. I knew if these bedrooms were finished they
would be occupied. I gave Council Member Gloria Betcher a tour of the house and told her that
if the law changed we would finish these two bedrooms. Council Member Betcher commented
it was a very nice house and fit in the neighborhood well.
Then in 2017,the Iowa Legislature changed the rules on how the code could be applied
to occupancy. There were various meetings dealing with the number of people in a house. It
ranged from the current number of 3 with different restrictions to no firm top number of
people.
Last Fall when the City Council took up the issue, I was looking for direction on how
many people could occupy a house. Instead, with each meeting it got more confusing. Many
different proposals were presented; one per bedroom plus one roomer, one per bedroom up to
four plus one roomer, SCAN proposed only 3 unrelated people plus parking. Then it was five
unrelated people plus parking. I was wanting and needing direction from the City; do I add one
bedroom or two because I have off street parking for 5 cars? During this time a moratorium was
put in place not allowing any additional bedrooms. So, I am caught in the middle wanting to go
by City Code, (which still isn't final) and being able to add and count my bedrooms.The City
Council needed to give direction before freezing everything. I was trying to follow code and be
respectful of the neighborhood which I have owned property in for 40 years.
A house two doors East of mine was built at the same time with 6 bedrooms and rented
as such. They had the extra and filled them against code. They are currently legal for 5 and 2334
Storm is legal for 3.
1 am requesting that I be allowed to add the two bedrooms and have them be counted
given that the City gave no clear direction on the code and how it would be applied.
Respectfully,
Al Warren
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