HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Adopting the Ames Plan 2040 and Recognizing that the Ames Urban Fringe Plan with the Associated 28E Agreement Shall remain in Effect for Administration of two-mile Fringe until August 1, 2022 RESOLUTION NO. 21-624
RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE AMES PLAN 2040 AND RECOGNIZING THAT THE
AMES URBAN FRINGE PLAN WITH THE ASSOCIATED 28E AGREEMENT
SHALL REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR ADMINISTRATION
OF TWO-MILE FRINGE UNTIL AUGUST 1, 2022
FOR THE CITY OF AMES,IOWA
WHEREAS, the City council held an initial workshop on December 18, 2018, to initiate
preparation of a new comprehensive plan to replace the City's Land use Policy Plan adopted in 1997
with a new plan that would focus on topics of: 1)Expansion of the City; 2)Opportunities for infill
development; 3)Future demand for housing and commercial use; 4) Sustaining neighborhoods; 5)
Support of social and cultural connections; 6) Transportation choices; 7) Sustainability; 8) Well-
being and healthy living;9)Subarea planning;and, 10)Urban fringe management as the City evolves
through the year 2040; and,
WHEREAS, the City engaged in public outreach events, focus groups, and online surveys
during the Spring of 2019 to identify community interests and issues relevant to Ames Plan 2040,
and continued public engagement and opportunities for public comment throughout the preparation
of the Plan along with City Council Workshops to discuss the vision and goals of the Plan and
Elements of the Plan; and,
WHEREAS, Ames Plan 2040 is designed around the City Council's evaluation of four
directional growth scenarios that addressed housing, commercial, and employment growth related
to a population increase of 15,000 people over the next 20 years with an assessment of infrastructure
service needs described as Tiers 1, 2, 3, and 4 to serve full development of each Scenario;the Tiers
initially helped define potential phasing of infrastructure needs,but are not a timing mechanism for
growth of the City; and,
WHEREAS, the City Council selected growth area priorities on February 11, 2020,related
to the directional growth as subsets of north, south, east,and west growth scenarios with a focus on
Tier 1 growth in all directions and Tier 2 growth to the west and south that form the basis of land
use planning needed to meet the 15,000 person growth projection;the remaining growth area Tiers
identify additional options for future growth of the community; and,
WHEREAS, the Plan includes Vision Statements concerning Growth, Land Use,
Environment, Open Space, Transportation, Neighborhoods, Housing, Sub Areas, and Community
Character to address not only the planned growth, but also continued investment for the existing
areas of the City; and,
WHEREAS, the Plan intentionally includes policies that tie land use, transportation, and
environmental issues together to address common interests related to the design of the community
and appropriate uses throughout the community; and,
WHEREAS,the Plan also includes a policy framework for infill options an redevelopments
areas, and while not all of the growth will occur at the periphery of the City; targeted areas will be
intensified to provide for additional housing and economic development options over the life of the
Plan; and,
WHEREAS,the Plan has a basic policy for management of the two-mile Urban Fringe Area
of the City,including areas designated as Urban Reserve in order to preserve opportunities for future
growth of the City; and,
WHEREAS, overall, the Plan is structured as a values-based plan with policies and
objectives that provide for a great amount of latitude in its implementation,both through updates to
City development standards as well as future land use and zoning changes; and,
WHEREAS, the specific Principles and Supporting Policies within each Element are
designed to guide future policy decisions for the City, related to planning and zoning issues of the
City's growth and reinvestment within the existing areas of the City; and,
WHEREAS, Ames Plan 2040 is directly connected to the City's Complete Streets Policy,
Forward 45 Transportation Plan, Parks Master Plan, and other infrastructure plans; and,
WHEREAS,the Plan includes a placeholder to address climate change issues in more detail
as the City's community-wide Climate Action Plan is developed over the next 18 months; and,
WHEREAS, the Plan contemplates the addition of 15,000 people to the community in a
pattern of expansion and targeted infill opportunities, while the Land Use Map embodies land use
designations that are designated to capture the character of area as well as development and land use
requirements that are traditionally described for a City; and,
WHEREAS, development and other activities in the City are required to conform the Land
Use Map designations, and at this time, the Plan includes cross-references to existing Zoning
Districts as they relate to the land use designations; however, in many cases the current Zoning
Districts do not reach the vision of the Plan and will be modified as part of the implementation of
the Plan to more fully realize the vision of the Plan; and,
WHEREAS, on August 24, 2021, City Council directed staff to finalize the public draft of
the Plan and seek public feedback during the month of September,and approximately 30 individual
correspondences were received during the initial comment period and presented to the City Council
at its October 12, 2021, meeting; and,
WHEREAS, on October 26, 2021, City Council reviewed the feedback and suggested
changes and decided to move forward with only minor adjustments; and,
WHEREAS,the Implementation Chapter addresses three main points of focus and those are:
1)Infrastructure Planning as part of the City's Capital Improvement Plan(CIP);2)additional Plans
and Sub-area Planning;and,3)Updates to the Zoning and Subdivision Development standards;and,
WHEREAS,the City will use its current five-year CIP process and incorporate planning for
desired or needed infrastructure,and this process will start with the FY 22-23 budget process; and,
WHEREAS, with adoption of the Ames Plan 2040, the current Land Use Policy Plan will
no longer be in effect or have any bearing on the Land Use Policy decisions of the City; however,
the current Land Use Policy Plan(LUPP)also includes the Ames Urban Fringe that addresses Land
Use policies and process related to Subdivisions within the two-mile Fringe of the City; and,
WHEREAS, the City currently has a 28E Agreement with Story County and Gilbert
regarding administration of annexations and subdivisions in the area,and Story County had notified
the City Council approximately a year ago of their desire to update the planning for the Fringe and
City Council approved an extension of the Agreement to July 2022; and,
WHEREAS,Plan 2040 identifies new opportunities for annexation and urbanization that are
not currently included within the Fringe Plan and that the planning and annexation of these areas can
be initiated by the City Council,if the Council desires,while working to update the Fringe Plan,but
it agrees that per the terms of the current 28E Agreement that no annexation will be approved that
does not comply with the Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Ames, Iowa,
that the Ames Plan 2040 is the Comprehensive Plan for the City of Ames and recognizing that the
Ames Urban Fringe Plan with the associated 28E Agreement shall remain in effect for administration
of the two-mile Fringe until August 1, 2022, except for the City will initiate, but not approve any
annexation requests consistent with the Future Land Use Map of Ames Plan 2040 for the south and
west expansion of the City without requiring amendments to the Fringe Plan is hereby approved.
ADOPTED THIS 14t' day of December, 2021.
Diane R. Voss, City Clerk John A. Haila, Mayor
Introduced by: Gartin
Seconded by: Betcher
Voting aye: Beatty-Hansen, Betcher, Corrieri, Gartin, Junck, Martin
Voting nay: None Absent: None
Resolution declared adopted and signed by the Mayor this 14t' day of December, 2021.