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HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Purchase Agreement with Realty Gift Fund for 133.04 acres of Ag Ground RESOLUTION NO. 24-476 RESOLUTION APPROVING PURCHASE AGREEMENT WITH REALTY GIFT FUND FOR 133.04 +/-ACRES OF AGRICULTURAL GROUND ADJACENT TO THE WATER POLLUTION CONTROL FACILITY FOR THE CITY OF AMES,IOWA WHEREAS, the Water Pollution Control Facility (WPCF) utilizes a two-stage digestion process to break down the solids removed during the wastewater treatment process. The WPCF applies the biosolids to 330 acres of City-owned farm ground adjacent to the WPCF; and, WHEREAS, a project is currently underway at the WPCF to convert the facility to an enhanced nutrient removal process. The additional nutrients that are removed from the liquid stream will end up in the solid stream, generating as much as 20% additional solids each year that will need to be land-applied; and, WHEREAS,the FY 2016/17 Capital Improvements Plan(CIP) included funds to purchase additional ground for biosolids application as a part of the Residuals Handling Improvements project. No suitable ground was available at the time, and for several years the funds were simply carried over from year to year; and, WHEREAS,the owner of property immediately adjacent to the WPCF's existing farm has recently approached the City with a potential sale of approximately 133 gross acres(approximately 119 tillable acres) of farm ground; and, WHEREAS, land application of stabilized biosolids has been approved in Iowa for several decades and is an environmentally sustainable disposal method. No environmental assessment or permitting changes would be required as a result of the purchase, as these fields are already included in the WPCF biosolids management plan that has been previously approved by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Ames, Iowa, that the Purchase Agreement with Realty Gift Fund for 133.04 acres, more or less, of agricultural land adjacent to the Water Pollution Control Facility in the amount of$1,197,000 with funding for the purchase from the available Sewer Fund balance is hereby approved. ADOPTED THIS 27th day of August, 2024. Renee Vall, City Clerk John A. Haila, Mayor Introduced by: Gartin Seconded by: Corrieri Voting aye: Beatty-Hansen, Betcher, Corrieri, Gartin, Junck, Rollins Voting nay: None Absent: None Resolution declared adopted and signed by the Mayor this 27th day of August, 2024.