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~Master - October 12, 2021, Regular Meeting of the Ames City Council
AGENDA REGULAR MEETING OF THE AMES CITY COUNCIL COUNCIL CHAMBERS - CITY HALL OCTOBER 12, 2021 NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC: The Mayor and City Council welcome comments from the public during discussion. If you wish to speak, please see the instructions listed above. The normal process on any particular agenda item is that the motion is placed on the floor, input is received from the audience, the Council is given an opportunity to comment on the issue or respond to the audience concerns, and the vote is taken. On ordinances, there is time provided for public input at the time of the first reading. CALL TO ORDER: 6:00 p.m. CONSENT AGENDA: All items listed under the Consent Agenda will be enacted by one motion. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a request is made prior to the time the Council members vote on the motion. 1. Motion approving payment of claims 2. Motion approving Minutes of Regular City Council Meeting of September 28, 2021 3. Motion approving Report of Change Orders for period September 16 - 30, 2021 4. Motion approving ownership change for Class A Liquor License, Outdoor Service and Sunday Sales - Green Hills Residents’ Association, 2200 Hamilton Drive, Suite 100 5. Motion approving renewal of the following Beer Permits, Wine Permits and Liquor Licenses: a. Class E Liquor License with Class B Wine Permit, Class C Beer Permit (Carryout Beer), and Sunday Sales - Target Store T-1170, 320 S Duff Avenue 6. Resolution authorizing the Mayor to sign Certificate of Consistency with City’s 2019-2023 CDBG Consolidated Plan on behalf of Youth & Shelter Services and The Bridge Home for funding from Iowa Finance Authority 7. Resolution waiving Purchasing Policies’ formal bidding requirements and extending an engagement with Ahlers and Cooney, P.C., of Des Moines, Iowa, in an amount not to exceed $20,000 for legal services related to application of Iowa Code Chapter 20 8. Resolution setting date of hearing for October 26, 2021, for vacating Utility Easement on Lot 5 in Block 2 of the Southwood Subdivision, First Addition (1100 Buckeye Avenue) 9. Resolution approving Professional Services Agreement for the 2021/22 Traffic System Capacity Improvements - Grand Avenue Corridor Study (9th Street to 24th Street) with HDR, Inc., of Omaha, Nebraska, in an amount not to exceed $84,853 10. Resolution approving renewed 28E Agreement for Tobacco, Alternative Nicotine, and Vapor Product Enforcement between the Police Department and the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division 11. Resolution approving Amendment to Agreement between the City and Habitat for Humanity of Central Iowa to extend the date of completion for the construction of a home at 1126 Grand Avenue 12. Resolution awarding contract to Fischer Brothers, LLC, of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, for the Furman Aquatic Center Play Structure Refurbishment Project in the amount of $59,300 13. Resolution approving Change Order No. 8 with SCS Engineers, of Clive, Iowa, regarding engineering services for compliance with U. S. EPA’s Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR) Standard in an estimated amount of $53,585 14. Resolution approving contract and bond for CyRide 2022 HVAC Improvements Project 15. Resolution approving contract and bond for SE 16th Street and South Duff Avenue Transmission Modifications 16. Resolution approving Final Plat for Sunset Ridge Subdivision, Eleventh Addition 17. Resolution approving Final Plat for Quarry Estates Subdivision, Fifth Addition 18. Resolution accepting completion of 2019/20 Collector Street Pavement Improvements (Bloomington Road - Grand Avenue to Hoover Avenue) 19. Resolution accepting completion of the Water Treatment Plant Lime Pond Underdrain Improvements project PUBLIC FORUM: This is a time set aside for comments from the public on topics of City business other than those listed on this agenda. Please understand that the Council will not take any action on your comments at this meeting due to requirements of the Open Meetings Law, but may do so at a future meeting. The Mayor and City Council welcome comments from the public; however, at no time is it appropriate to use profane, obscene, or slanderous language. The Mayor may limit each speaker to three minutes. ADMINISTRATION: 20. Presentation of 2021 Resident Satisfaction Survey Results 21. Motion directing staff to negotiate a long-term land lease with Heartland Senior Services as requested for the consolidation of two lots at 205 S. Walnut 22. Staff Report on artistically-painted fire hydrants 23. Discussion regarding adoption of new wards and precincts following state redistricting PLANNING & HOUSING: 24. Staff Report on Ames 2040 Plan comments 25. Staff Report on Setbacks for Accessory Structures and Detached Garages on Single- and Two- Family Lots 26. Discussion of HOME - American Rescue Plan Grant Agreement with the Department of Housing and Urban Development: a. Resolution authorizing the Mayor to sign the 2021 HOME Investment Partnerships- American Rescue Plan (HOME-ARP) Grant Agreement in the amount of $1,269,248 b. Motion directing staff to proceed with next steps PUBLIC WORKS: 27. Resolution awarding contract to A & B Construction LTD of Harper, Iowa, to move existing hoop framing from 700 E. 5th Street to 309 Carnegie Avenue and erect a 50' x 200' hoop building for cold material storage in the amount of $63,662 HEARINGS: 28. Hearing on Voluntary Annexation with non-consenting property owners located north of Lincoln Highway and west of Ames corporate limits to Boone County along N. 500th: a. Resolution approving Annexation of property 2 ORDINANCES: 29. Third passage and adoption of ORDINANCE NO. 4449 removing all parking requirements for auditoriums, theaters, stadiums, and arenas within the Downtown Service Center and Campustown Service Center Zoning Districts 30. Third passage and adoption of ORDINANCE NO. 4450, as previously amended, creating the Resident Police Advisory Committee DISPOSITION OF COMMUNICATIONS TO COUNCIL: COUNCIL COMMENTS: ADJOURNMENT: 3 MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE AMES CITY COUNCIL AMES, IOWA SEPTEMBER 28, 2021 The Regular Meeting of the Ames City Council was called to order by Mayor John Haila at 6:00 p.m. on September 28, 2021, in the City Council Chambers in City Hall, 515 Clark Avenue, pursuant to law. Present were Council Members Gloria Betcher, Bronwyn Beatty-Hansen, Amber Corrieri, Tim Gartin, Rachel Junck, and David Martin. Ex officio Member Trevor Poundstone was also present. PROCLAMATION FOR “WATERSHED AWARENESS MONTH,” OCTOBER 2021: Mayor Haila proclaimed October 2021 as “Watershed Awareness Month.” He urged every Story County citizens to recognize the importance of the watershed in which they live and to commit to keep learning and identifying how to make a difference, even in their own backyard. Accepting the Proclamation was City of Ames Municipal Engineer Tracy Peterson, City of Ames Stormwater Resource Analyst Liz Calhoun, Prairie Rivers of Iowa Executive Director Penny Brown Huber, Prairie Rivers of Iowa Watershed Educator Dan Haug, and City of Ames Environmental Specialist Dustin Albrecht. Ms. Peterson explained that everyone lives in a watershed as every drop of water leads to a body of water. Unfortunately, with droughts, those loads are continuing to build-up, and when the City gets a heavier rain of an inch or more, it will all go down the storm sewer and into the streams. A series of special events highlighting water quality and natural resources will be available. On September 30, 2021, Chad Pregracke, author of “From the Bottom Up: One Man’s Crusade to Clean America’s Rivers” will be giving a presentation in the Ames City Auditorium at 7:00 p.m.; Wild and Scenic Film Festival will be held on October 1, 2021, in the City of Ames Auditorium; and on October 2, 2021, is the river and stream cleanup. PROCLAMATION FOR “FIRE PREVENTION WEEK,” OCTOBER 3 - 9, 2021: The week of October 3 - 9, 2021, was proclaimed by the Mayor as “Fire Prevention Week.” He encouraged all citizens of Ames to “Learn the Sounds of Fire Safety” for Fire Prevention Week 2021 and to support the many public safety activities and efforts of the Ames Fire Department. The Proclamation was accepted by Deputy Fire Chiefs Doug Allen and Thomas Hackett along with several members of the Fire Department. Deputy Fire Chief Allen stated the Fire Department has a robust smoke detector program where if a citizen calls for help a crew will go to the citizen’s house and help install and hardwire the system. Mr. Allen noted that during his career “fire prevention” has always been a big topic and the number of fires has gone down; he believed this is due to fire education. Mr. Allen mentioned that the Fire Department responds to fires, but also vehicle extrications, ice rescue, water rescue, hazardous material response, and EMS response. CONSENT AGENDA: Mayor Haila announced that the amount for Item No. 23: Change Order No. 1 to Blade Runner Turbomachinery Services, LLC, for Unit 8 Turbine Generator Overhaul project should be $607,678.37 (not $564,300). Moved by Corrieri, seconded by Gartin, to approve the following items on the Consent Agenda. 1.Motion approving payment of claims 2.Motion approving Minutes of Special City Council Meeting held August 31, 2021 and Regular City Council Meeting held September 14, 2021 3.Motion approving Report of Change Orders for period September 1 - 15, 2021 4.Motion certifying Civil Service candidates 5.Motion approving new 12-Month Class C Liquor License with Outdoor Service and Sunday Sales - Sips and Paddy’s Irish Pub, 126 Welch Avenue 6.Motion approving ownership update for Class C Beer Permit with Class B Wine Permit and Sunday Sales - Aldi, Inc. #48, 108 South 5th Street 7.Motion approving renewal of the following Beer Permits, Wine Permits and Liquor Licenses: a.Class E Liquor License with Class B Wine Permit, Class C Beer Permit (Carry-Out Beer) and Sunday Sales - Hy-Vee Food & Drugstore #2, 640 Lincoln Way b.Class E Liquor License with Class B Wine Permit, Class C Beer Permit (Carry-Out Beer) and Sunday Sales - Hy-Vee Food Store #1, 3800 W Lincoln Way c.Class C Liquor License with Sunday Sales - Bullseye Restaurant Group LLC, (Boulder Tap House), 114 South Duff Avenue d.Class E Liquor License with Class B Wine Permit, Class C Beer Permit (Carry-Out Beer) and Sunday Sales - CVS/Pharmacy #10452, 2420 Lincoln Way #104 e.Class C Beer Permit with Class B Wine Permit and Sunday Sales - Aldi, Inc. #48, 108 South 5th Street f.Class B Beer with Sunday Sales - Macubana, 116 Welch Avenue Pending Dram Shop Insurance g.Class B Beer with Sunday Sales - Chica Shack Ames, 131 Welch Avenue Pending Dram Shop Insurance h.Class C Beer Permit with Sunday Sales - Docs Stop 5, 2720 E 13th Street i.Class C Liquor License with Class B Native Wine Permit, Outdoor Service, and Sunday Sales - AJ’s Ultra Lounge, 2401 Chamberlain Street Pending Dram Shop Insurance 8.RESOLUTION NO. 21-527 authorizing the Mayor to sign Certificate of Consistency with City’s 2019-2023 CDBG Consolidated Plan on behalf of ACCESS for funding from Iowa Finance Authority 9.Motion approving request from ISU Homecoming Central Committee for Fireworks Permit for display from ISU Central Campus at midnight on Friday October 22, for Mass Campaniling. 10.RESOLUTION NO. 21-506 approving Encroachment Permit Agreement for Sign at 316 Main Street 11.RESOLUTION NO. 21-507 approving and adopting Supplement No. 2021-4 to Municipal Code 12.RESOLUTION NO. 21-508 approving update to City Sick Leave Policy 13.2021 Symposium on Building Inclusive Organizations event in partnership with the Ames Chamber of Commerce and Iowa State University Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: a.RESOLUTION NO. 21-509 authorizing the expenditure of $5,000 ($2,500 Council budget, $1,500 Council Contingency, and $1,000 Ames Human Relations Commission) 14.RESOLUTION NO. 21-510 approving Police Department’s participation in the Governor’s 2 Traffic Safety Bureau Nighttime Seat Belt Enforcement Grant Program 15.RESOLUTION NO. 21-511 approving Service Agreement between City of Ames and Cornerstone Government Affairs, Inc. 16.Flood Mitigation - River Flooding: a.R RESOLUTION NO. 21-512 approving Purchase Agreements for land acquisitions: i.Parcel 3: Kenneth and Marjory Howe Trust - $85,050.92 (partial acquisition) ii.Parcel 3: Jim Howe - $9,400 (tenant compensation) iii.Parcel 5: RL Enterprises LLC - $196,134.48 (partial acquisition) iv.Parcel 5: Red Lobster - $84,944 (tenant compensation) b.RESOLUTION NO. 21-513 approving preliminary plans and specifications for Ioway Creek Restoration and Flood Mitigation Project; setting November 3, 2021, as bid due date and November 9, 2021, as date of public hearing 17.RESOLUTION NO. 21-514 approving Amendment to Financial Assistance Award through Economic Development Administration for Prairie View Industrial Utility Extension 18.RESOLUTION NO. 21-515 awarding upfitting of two Public Works/Traffic trucks to Truck Equipment of Des Moines, Iowa, in the amount of $67,622 19.RESOLUTION NO. 21-516 awarding Contract for CyRide 2022 HVAC Improvement Project to Stein Heating and Cooling Inc., of Webster City, Iowa, in the amount of $499,600 (base bid and bid Alt. 2) 20.RESOLUTION NO. 21-517 approving contract and bond for Tahira and Labh Hira Park Concrete Work 21.RESOLUTION NO. 21-518 approving Change Order No. 1 to Blade Runner Turbomachinery Services, LLC, of Navasota, Texas, for Unit 8 Turbine Generator Overhaul project in the amount of $607,678.37 22.Homewood Golf Course Clubhouse Project: a.RESOLUTION NO. 21-519 approving Change Order No. 1 to R. H. Grabau Construction, Inc., of Boone, Iowa, in the amount of $14,309.01 b.RESOLUTION NO. 21-520 accepting completion of Contract Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Motions/Resolutions declared carried/adopted unanimously, signed by the Mayor, and hereby made a portion of these Minutes. PUBLIC FORUM: Mayor Haila opened Public Forum. Richard Deyoe, 505-8th Street, #2, Ames, Iowa, stated THAT about a month ago he had spoken with the Mayor outside of City Hall regarding the motto for Ames. Mr. Deyoe had recommended having the motto be “Name Ames Home,” but it was named “Smart Choice.” He commented that he was very hurt by the process of choosing a new motto. Mr. Deyoe mentioned that he was previously outside City Hall opening the door for employees and was offering to take people out for lunch and someone called the police. He said he was told by the Police Department that if he took someone out to lunch, they were going to take him to prison. Mr. Deyoe commented that he was not sure why the cops were called on him. He explained that he was upset about the letter he received that barred him from being at City Hall as he considered opening the door as his job. 3 The Mayor closed Public Forum when no one further came forward to speak. STAFF REPORT ON SIDEWALK INFILL/COMPLETE STREETS FOR UPCOMING STREET IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS (TOP-O-HOLLOW0 AND OPAL DRIVE): Municipal Engineer Tracy Peterson advised that the City is working on the design for next year’s construction projects. She stated that the Asphalt Street Pavement Improvement Program (Multiple Locations) needed Council direction regarding sidewalk infill. Public Works Engineer Hafiz Ibrahim mentioned that most of the streets in this Program have sidewalks on both sides of the street except for Top-O-Hollow Road and Opal Drive. These two streets have a sidewalk on only one side of the road. A map showed that there is an existing sidewalk on the south side of Top-O-Hollow. Per the Complete Streets Plan, it is recommended sidewalks be installed on both sides of the streets. Mr. Ibrahim noted that there were a few issues with putting the sidewalk on the north side of Top-O-Hollow. The infill of sidewalk on the north side of Top-O- Hollow Road will increase the cost of the Top-O-Hollow Road project by 24% or an additional $307,000, and this exceeds the 22% cost increase threshold indicated in the Complete Streets Plan. There are also several issues with the design that interfere with implementation of the infill of the sidewalk. These included removing mature trees, relocation of existing electric overhead poles/lines, and replacing all existing driveways to meet ADA requirements. Ms. Peterson noted that the $307,000 does not include the cost to relocate the five electric poles. On Opal Drive, there is existing sidewalk connectivity on the entire east side of the street. To include infill of sidewalk on the west side of Opal Drive will increase the cost of the Opal Drive project by 32% or an additional $67,200. There are also several issues with the design that would interfere with the implementation of the infill of sidewalk. This would include replacing all existing driveways to meet ADA requirements and changing the existing driveway slope at 220 Crystal Street from 8.6% to an unacceptable 21%. Council Member Gartin explained that some Residential streets don’t have any sidewalks (i.e., Ross Road) and wanted to know about the prioritization of infill. Municipal Engineer Peterson explained that in previous years, staff had come before the Council for areas that were not fully connected on one side of the street, and connectivity was done. On this project, there is connectivity on both Top- O-Hollow Road and Opal Drive, and this would be adding infill if the Council wanted it. Other locations, such as Ross Road, would come forward in the Capital Improvements Plan to do road improvements. Mr. Gartin clarified that what is driving certain areas is because the street in this area is being redone. It was confirmed that was correct. Ms. Peterson explained that staff will hold public information meetings for these projects with all the residents/businesses to discuss the scope of the project. Council Member Betcher inquired what the condition of the sidewalk was on the other side of the street where there is connectivity. Ms. Peterson noted that they had driven through the area earlier and did not see any areas that were clearly vaulted, missing panels, or causing an obstruction. She explained that if there are one or two faults while working on the project the City can fix those or identify the area and notify the property owners. 4 Council Member Martin mentioned that it sounded like it was currently not part of the process to look at the condition of the existing sidewalks. Ms. Peterson explained that the existing sidewalks are the responsibility of the adjacent property owners, and the City is looking at accessibility. Mr. Martin wondered if the Council would want to make it a priority to check the condition of existing sidewalks when there is a major road reconstruction project. The Council could formally say “let’s make sure all the sidewalks are in good condition, even the ones that are not formally part of the project.” He commented that it may just be having a staff member walk through the area and make notes and have a letter sent to the property owner. Ms. Peterson noted that with that suggestion, staff would need some direction to start incorporating that into the Capital Improvements Plan or start including the appropriate staff to do a walk-through of the area and to notify property owners. Council Member Betcher questioned who sends out the letters to notify homeowners. Ms. Peterson stated it would be done between the Public Works Operations Department and Inspections Division. Council Member Beatty-Hansen noted that currently it is a complaint-based system only. Mayor Haila opened the public hearing. It was closed when no one came forward to speak on the item. Moved by Gartin, seconded by Corrieri, to approve Alternative 1, which was to direct staff to design both projects with no new sidewalk infill. Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously. Moved by Martin, seconded by Corrieri, to ask staff in future planning stages, to review the existing sidewalk quality in addition to the ADA compliance, and report it as part of the investigation of the project in the Staff Report. Council Member Gartin asked if that should be part of the Complete Streets Program. Mr. Martin stated he was not asking to make a change to the Complete Streets Program. Ms. Peterson mentioned that collecting data for a while is always helpful before changing any policies. She felt that staff could incorporate Mr. Martin’s motion more informally, and if it started to impact project costs, they might need to look at doing something different. She noted that staff is already doing walk-throughs of the area and could incorporate walking the sidewalks as well. Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously. APPLICATION AND CRITERIA FOR ARTS CAPITAL GRANT PROGRAM: Assistant City Manager Brian Phillips stated that the Council allocated $200,000 for a one-time Arts Capital Grant Program. Feedback was received from the Public Art Commission (PAC) and the Commission on The Arts (COTA) as to what the program would look like. He mentioned that it was important to note that the concept for this Program does not necessarily mean someone would have to be an “art organization” to take advantage of it. The criteria have been written broadly so any organization that might have arts, performance, or an entertaining function could submit an application for possible funding. Staff had provided a series of questions for the applicants to help determine what the project 5 would create/do that would offer something different for the community. Mr. Phillips stated that it is important to provide ample time for the individuals/organizations that are intending to apply to: 1) develop a well-thought-out proposal, and 2) implement a “fully cooked” project. In order to achieve those two items, staff proposed to have the application period be approximately two months to provide applicants time to prepare their proposals. He noted that the period of time that the organization, individual, or entity would have to complete the improvements would roughly be a year and a-half. Council Member Corrieri commented that she thought she had read somewhere about the spend- down requirement, and asked what the time requirement was for the funds to be spent. Mr. Phillips stated that the project would need to be completed by June 30, 2023, however, he didn’t think that date was on the criteria form. He explained that the next step would be to develop a contract and that information would be included along with any other terms needed to be compliant with accounting standards. Council Member Betcher asked if the spaces had to be permanent (fixed) spaces or could the spaces be mobile. She said she was asking because of the new “Music on the Move.” Mr. Phillips stated that when thinking of capital, you think about something that is lasting, and not necessarily a brick-and- mortar structure. The criteria that were created stated to “create, renovate, or improve a space for arts or artists.” He mentioned that a stage that could be parked in a garage and taken out regularly over a period of five years could be interpreted to count, but it would be up to the evaluation committee to make that determination. Mr. Phillips cautioned that there are a lot of Capital Grant Programs that exclude vehicles because those can cause additional issues. He encouraged the Council to avoid vehicles for an agency or an organization. Council Member Corrieri pointed out that the Council had excluded vehicles in the Human Services Capital Program. Ms. Betcher explained that she was trying to think of things that people might propose that the Council may not necessarily want to fund. Council Member Beatty-Hansen stated she would encourage everyone to apply. Ms. Corrieri noted there could be potential challenges; anytime anyone is applying for a Capital Grant, vehicles are often excluded from any type of funding because it could cause a lot of challenges. Mr. Phillips explained there are multiple issues with vehicles, but a mobile music stage is a unique idea. He felt it was important to note that nothing is going to be awarded without approval by the City Council first. The Council will see the recommendations, and it will be up to the Council to determine if the project meets their interests. Mayor Haila mentioned that under the Arts Capital Grant Program, under “Eligible Projects, Item No. 7 states “include matching funds of at least 25% from the recipient. Matching funds must be in the form of cash. In-kind contributions are not eligible for use as matching funds.” He wanted to clarify that “cash” was something that could be borrowed and thought it would be beneficial to include a definition. Mr. Phillips explained that they will ask for a budget submittal that will differentiate between in-kind contributions and various cash loans. If there were any questions from the applicants, the committee would be happy to answer them. The Mayor noted that sometimes there are pre-conference meetings where someone can ask 6 questions, and he wanted to know if this could be done. Mr. Phillips stated he didn’t believe the feedback from PAC and COTA made that kind of recommendation, but it was something that could be done. It was noted that typically there are not many questions upfront. Mayor Haila opened public comment. It was closed when no one came forward to speak. Moved by Junck, seconded by Corrieri, to approve the Arts Capital Grant Program outline and application. Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously. MINOR AMENDMENT TO THE AMES URBAN FRINGE PLAN FRAMEWORK AND LAND USE CLASS MAP TO CHANGE THE LAND LOCATED AT 2105 AND 2421 DAYTON AVENUE FROM AGRICULTURAL & FARM SERVICE TO PLANNED INDUSTRIAL: City Planner Justin Moore explained that this was a request for a Minor Amendment to the Ames Urban Fringe Plan Framework and Land Use Class Map. He noted that the property is located on the west side of Dayton Avenue between BASF and the Eagles Loft Daycare directly across from the USDA labs. The property owner plans to eventually annex the property to the City for a smaller scale industrial development. In order to begin the process, the Land Use Designation outside of the City limits, in Story County, has to fit an Urban Service category. Planned Industrial in the Urban Services category is what the current Land Use Plan requires for an Annexation to be considered. Mr. Moore noted that there is a small portion of Natural Area on the northwest corner of the property that will remain as a Natural Area designation, but both properties will fall under the Urban Services category. The change from the Rural Service and Agricultural Conservation Area to the Urban Services category follows the intent of the Draft Ames 2040 Future Land Use Plan, which designates the area for future development categorized as Employment. While the Ames 2040 is not yet officially adopted, the initial findings for including it in the draft Plan apply to this ad hoc consideration of a Fringe Plan Amendment at this time as it was not predicated on any other specific improvement or land use change in the area. It is anticipated the Plan would be adopted later this winter, shortly after annexation. Approval of the Amendment is required by both the City Council and the Board of Supervisors per the cooperative 28E Agreement. This will be brought to the Board of Supervisors in October 2021. Council Member Beatty-Hansen asked how this request was different from the small area along South Bell that is currently under a Tax Increment Financing (TIF). City Manager Steve Schainker commented that the location on South Bell is at capacity and more areas are needed. He explained this project may request to become a TIF project sometime in the future, and the City would recommend it to be a competitive type approach. The property owner needs the Land Use change in order to develop the property regardless of TIF. Council Member Betcher wanted to know if the Natural Area would always be an Overlay Designation. Mr. Moore stated that in this case the Natural Area is a Land Use Class Designation 7 or Framework Designation. The City does have an environmentally sensitive overlay and that applies to the Cities Floodplains and Floodways. Once annexation and rezoning occur, the entire property will be rezoned, but will still have the Framework of the Natural Area. Ms. Betcher asked if the rest of the area had an underlying Natural Designation. Mr. Moore answered that there may be something within the County, but the City does not have anything that applies to this area. Mayor Haila opened the public hearing. The Mayor closed the hearing after no one requested to speak. Moved by Betcher, seconded by Gartin, to adopt RESOLUTION NO. 21-521 approving a Minor Amendment to the Ames Urban Fringe Plan Framework and Land Use Class Map to change the land located at 2105 and 2421 Dayton Avenue from Agricultural & Farm Service to Planned Industrial. Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Resolution declared adopted unanimously, signed by the Mayor, and hereby made a portion of these Minutes. HEARING ON LEASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF AMES AND YOUTH AND SHELTER SERVICES FOR PARKING LOT P: The public hearing was opened by Mayor Haila. No one came forward to speak on this topic, and the hearing was closed. Moved by Betcher, seconded by Junck, to adopt RESOLUTION NO. 21-522 approving the Lease Agreement between the City of Ames and Youth and Shelter Services for Parking Lot P in a term of ten-years. Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Resolution declared adopted unanimously, signed by the Mayor, and hereby made a portion of these Minutes. HEARING ON REQUEST TO VACATE EXISTING PEDESTRIAN EASEMENT LOCATED ALONG THE EASTERN TEN FEET OF 4901 WALLER STREET: Municipal Engineer Tracy Peterson noted that the property owner had contacted the Planning & Housing Department and requested a Pedestrian Easement be vacated in order to expand his driveway. The purpose of the easement was to provide access from the properties along Waller Street to the future Edwards Elementary School. The pedestrian easement has not been paved or used as an access to Edwards Elementary School since it was first established by the Final Plat. The Site Plan for the school was approved in 2013 and included a stormwater detention basin near the rear of the property. The basin obstructs any future pedestrian path from Waller Street to the school building. Mayor Haila opened the public hearing. There was no one wishing to speak, and the Mayor closed the hearing. Moved by Gartin, seconded by Junck, to adopt RESOLUTION NO. 21-523 vacating the existing Pedestrian Easement located along the eastern ten feet of 4901 Waller Street. Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Resolution declared adopted unanimously, signed by the Mayor, and hereby made a portion of these Minutes. 8 HEARING ON SE 16TH STREET AND SOUTH DUFF AVENUE TRANSMISSION MODIFICATIONS: Mayor Haila declared the public hearing open. He closed the hearing after no one came forward to speak on this issue. Moved by Betcher, seconded by Junck, to adopt RESOLUTION NO. 21-524 approving final plans and specifications and awarding a contract to IES Commercial of Holdrege, Nebraska, in the amount of $529,140.38 (inclusive of sales tax). Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Resolution declared adopted unanimously, signed by the Mayor, and hereby made a portion of these Minutes. DISPOSITION OF COMMUNICATION TO COUNCIL: Mayor Haila asked the Council to take a moment to deviate from the Agenda to address one of the items under Dispositions. The Mayor explained there was a memo from Electric Services Director Donald Kom regarding Retail Solar Net Metering Revenue. Council Member Martin noted he liked the proposal in the Memo, and was grateful that staff will be doing further investigating in the Fall. He asked that when staff started to investigate the rebate only model, if it would be possible to investigate if there were any improvements that could be made to that application, permitting, and/or approval procedures. Electric Services Director Don Kom mentioned that staff could look at that; however in 2018/19, staff had reviewed all the processes from Inspections to Electric to Planning and Housing. Mr. Kom stated that the Electric Utility Operations Review and Advisory Board (EUROAB) has been looking at net metering and looking at how the Program is being used. Staff wanted to look at ways to create programs that work towards allowing everyone in the community the opportunity to set up solar panels. He noted that the Solar Farm still has SunSmart Power Packs available for purchase. Council Member Gartin asked if the City should be looking at Net Metering in the context of climate action planning. Director Kom mentioned they are looking at different models and the pros and cons of each model. HEARING ON NUISANCE ASSESSMENTS: The Mayor noted that the sidewalk repair/replacement was paid in full by the property owner, and the only assessment the Council would be considering is the snow/ice removal. The Mayor opened the public hearing and closed it after there was no one wishing to speak. Council Member Gartin wanted to know if any of the parties had contacted the City to offer an explanation as to why they haven’t paid the bill. Finance Director Duane Pitcher commented that no one had contacted the City. Moved by Corrieri, seconded by Beatty-Hansen, to adopt RESOLUTION NO. 21-525 approving assessing costs of snow/ice removal and certifying the assessments to the Story County Treasurer. Roll Call Vote: 5-0-1. Voting Aye: Beatty-Hansen, Betcher, Corrieri, Junck, Martin. Voting Nay: None. Abstaining due to Conflict: Gartin. Resolution declared adopted, signed by the Mayor, and hereby made a portion of these Minutes. 9 HEARING ON AMENDMENTS TO FISCAL YEAR 2021/22 ADOPTED BUDGET FOR CARRYOVERS FROM FISCAL YEAR 2020/21: Finance Director Duane Pitcher stated all the projects and associated budgeted expenditures and funding sources were approved by City Council as part of the fiscal year 2020/21 budget, but were not completed during the year. This Amendment provides formal Council authority to carry forward the appropriation for projects and other work that will not be spent until fiscal year 2021/22. The Mayor opened the public hearing and closed it after there was no one wishing to speak. Moved by Martin, seconded by Corrieri, to adopt RESOLUTION NO. 21-526 to amend the FY 2021/22 Budget for carry-over amounts for FY 2020/22. Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Resolution declared adopted unanimously, signed by the Mayor, and hereby made a portion of these Minutes. ORDINANCE REMOVING ALL PARKING REQUIREMENTS FOR AUDITORIUMS, THEATERS, STADIUMS, AND ARENAS WITHIN THE DOWNTOWN SERVICE CENTER AND CAMPUSTOWN SERVICE CENTER ZONING DISTRICTS: Moved by Beatty-Hansen, seconded by Corrieri, to pass on second reading an Ordinance removing all parking requirements for auditoriums, theaters, stadiums, and arena within the Downtown Service Center and Campustown Service Center Zoning Districts. Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously. ORDINANCE, AS PREVIOUSLY AMENDED, CREATING THE RESIDENT POLICE ADVISORY COMMITTEE: Moved by Beatty-Hansen, seconded by Junck, to pass on second reading an Ordinance, as previously amended, creating the Resident Police Advisory Committee. Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously. DISPOSITION OF COMMUNICATION TO COUNCIL: The Mayor mentioned there was one item remaining under Dispositions. It was an email from Ashley Terrell requesting a speed study to be conducted on Ridgetop Road. City Manager Steve Schainker stated that, rather than requesting a memo, he would recommend directing the Traffic Engineer to put this project on the list to perform a speed study. He mentioned that this would be added to other projects. Moved by Beatty-Hansen, seconded by Junck, to direct the Traffic Engineer to put Ridgetop Road on the list to complete a speed study sometime in the future. Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously. COUNCIL COMMENTS: Ex officio Trevor Poundstone stated that he will be talking to the Student Government Senate about the Ames Plan 2040 and the Climate Action Plan at its next meeting. He is also working on setting a date for the Joint Student Government/City Council meeting. Council Member Gartin congratulated the Octagon Center for the Arts for its success on the 50th 10 Anniversary of the Octagon Art Festival. He explained that the program he mentioned at the last meeting on recidivism was held on September 23, 2021, and is now available on the Ames NAACP Facebook site or on YouTube. He encouraged everyone to take a moment and watch the presentation. Council Member Betcher noted that last Saturday was the first “Engagement Festival - Play Ames - Imagine Your City.” She thanked everyone who came out to help and felt everyone enjoyed the day. There is now a new mural on the side of the building at the corner of 5th and Burnett. Ms. Betcher mentioned the most exciting thing for her was seeing the City’s Small Arts Grant Program in action at both the Engagement Festival and the Octagon Art Festival. Mayor Haila noted that on October 6, 2021, at noon, is the “Healthiest State Walk,” in Ames and encouraged citizens to join. CLOSED SESSION: Council Member Martin asked City Attorney Mark Lambert if there was a legal reason to go into Closed Session. Mr. Lambert replied in the affirmative, citing Section 21.5(1)c, Code of Iowa, to discuss matters presently in or threatened to be in litigation. Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously. Moved by Martin, seconded by Junck, to go into Closed Session. The City Council entered into a Closed Session at 7:06 p.m. and reconvened in Regular Session at 7:09 p.m. Moved by Betcher, seconded by Martin, to approve the settlement with Anna Ernst in the amount of $20,000. Vote on Motion: 5-1. Voting Aye: Beatty-Hansen, Betcher, Corrieri, Junck, Martin. Voting Nay: Gartin. Motion declared carried. ADJOURNMENT: Moved by Beatty-Hansen to adjourn the meeting at 7:10 p.m. ______________________________________________________________________ Amy L. Colwell, Deputy City Clerk John A. Haila, Mayor __________________________________ Diane R. Voss, City Clerk 11 REPORT OF CONTRACT CHANGE ORDERS General Description Change Original Contract Total of Prior Amount this Change Contact Public Works 2020/21 CDGB Improvements (Baker Subdivision) Recreation Clubhouse Project Inc. Improvements (East 8th Street) Recreation Fishing Pier Improvements LLC Recreation Fishing Pier Improvements LLC Period: Item No. 3 #!% &#'##()!*&!( +,---./+0 !""#$ #!% &#'##()!*&!( +,---.1210314516667$-- / !: ;-<!& 266 = 9 #=, -&( >?71662@/$--!""#/ !: = 9 #-(A*?71662@7 .121031451666 %JK L!""# )M)(9 C+$=-R7$ 7="*##!S<( !) # $28( &L=T/TV7$/U< 8W;8688-R7$T- Item No. 4 '( )( ! (*4567 6163 859 9+ 565+0 :+;+<03= >59 ?@ @4565830BC"D (E FGGHI "D &"*! GJGG "DBC"D (E FGGHI L M"N "D &"*! GJGG "D"* BC"D (E FGGHI " DQ " GJGG "DBC"D (E FGGHI "M "! $ GJGG "D U5-T 'WP BM #!$*DQ *M" WX'YY'LZB WX'[ VBWZBXZB WZWWVVL'YY'LZBWZWWVVL'[ VBWZB'LZB P VBYVYY'LZBP VBYV[ VBWZB Smart Choice 515.239.5133 non-emergency Administration fax To: Mayor and City Council Members From: Lieutenant Heath Ropp, Ames Police Department Date: September 27, 2021 Subject: Beer Permits & Liquor License Renewal Reference City Council Agenda The Council agenda for October 12th, 2021, includes beer permits and liquor license renewals for: •Target Store T-1170 (320 S Duff) - Class E Liquor License with Class B Wine Permit, Class C Beer Permit (Carryout Beer) and Sunday Sales A review of police records for the past 12 months found no liquor law violations for the above location. The Ames Police Department recommends the license renewal for the above business Item No. 5 ITEM #: 6__ DATE: 10-12-21 COUNCIL ACTION FORM SUBJECT: CERTIFICATION OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT APPROVAL ON BEHALF OF LOCAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS APPLYING FOR GRANT FUNDS TO THE IOWA FINANCE AUTHORITY (IFA) BACKGROUND: Youth and Shelter Services, Inc. (YSS) and The Bridge Home, are seeking City certification to submit applications for various grant funding through the Iowa Finance Authority (IFA). In order to apply for this funding, these agencies must request a certification from the local government that the program funds are consistent with goals and priorities outlined in the City’s most current CDBG Five-Year Consolidated Plan (2019-2023), for addressing the needs of homeless and low- income households. YSS is seeking to apply for approximately $35,784 of Story County for Transitional Living Program (TLP) and Rapid Rehousing (RRH) funding. The Bridge Home is seeking to apply for approximately $178,459 of Rapid Rehousing (RRH), Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG) and Shelter Assistance Funds (SAF) funding for Two Rivers Regions that will primarily benefit Ames/Story County. The “Certification of Local Government Approval” signifies that the City understands and agrees to allow these non-profit agencies to receive these federal funds directly through the IFA. Also, these certifications confirm that the City approves of IFA to administer these grant funds on behalf of the non-profit organizations. The application is for funding beginning January 1, 2022. In order to facilitate YSS and The Bridge Home to be able to apply for these various grant funds, the Mayor is being asked to sign the attached “Certification of Local Government Approval” on behalf of both agencies. ALTERNATIVES: 1. The City Council can authorize the Mayor to sign the Certification of Local Government Approval for YSS and The Bridge Home in order to apply for various grant funding through the Iowa Finance Authority (IFA). 2. The City Council can choose to not authorize the Mayor to sign the Certification of Local Government Approval for YSS and The Bridge Home in order to apply for various grant funding through the Iowa Finance Authority (IFA). MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION: Receiving these various grant funds administered through the Iowa Finance Authority is very important in helping these agencies provide much needed services related to housing. The staff has determined that requested are consistent with the goals and priorities outlined in the City ‘s CDBG Five-Year Consolidated Plan. Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council adopt Alternative #1. 1 ITEM #___7 __ DATE 10-12-21 COUNCIL ACTION FORM SUBJECT: EXTENSION OF ENGAGEMENT WITH AHLERS AND COONEY, P.C., FOR LEGAL SERVICES RELATED TO APPLICATION OF IOWA CODE CHAPTER 20 BACKGROUND: In 2017, Iowa law related to collective bargaining for public sector employees was modified. Due to federal protections for the collective bargaining rights of transit employees, a dispute arose between the City and the union representing the City’s Blue Collar bargaining unit (which includes a mix of transit and non-transit City employees) regarding how bargaining should work under the new state law. The City engaged the services of the Ahlers and Cooney law firm to prepare a petition to get clarification from the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) about the law. The City is now seeking judicial review of PERB’s decision. On July 9, 2019, the City Council approved an extension of the engagement with Ahlers and Cooney to a total amount of $50,412.58. On May 12, 2020, the City Council approved an additional $15,000 in funding, for a total contract amount of $65,412.58. On July 2, 2021, City staff authorized an increase of $7,000, for a total contract amount of $72,412.58. The City’s brief for oral arguments has been completed, and staff estimates that funds will need to be authorized to complete the City’s reply brief and to conduct oral arguments, which are scheduled for November. Therefore, staff is requesting that an additional $20,000 be added to the purchase order, for a total contract amount of $92,412.58. The actual amount charged to the City is based on the hourly rates for the attorneys, plus actual fees for copying, printing, and related services. Should additional services be required due to appeals by either party, additional funding may be recommended in the future. Expenses are distributed to the operating budgets of the seven City departments with employees represented by this bargaining unit. Normally, these types of services would be retained only after a competitive solicitation process and the evaluation of proposals. However, the City did not envision these issues would require such extensive legal services when it initiated the engagement with Ahlers and Cooney. It would be disadvantageous to the City to solicit proposals at this time, retain a new firm, and prepare that firm to represent the City in this matter at this point. Additionally, the attorney the City works with through Ahlers and Cooney has unique experience with federal transit labor protections, which may not be available through other firms. 2 ALTERNATIVES: 1. Waive the City’s purchasing policy requirement for formal bidding procedures and extend the engagement with Ahlers and Cooney, P.C., of Des Moines, Iowa in an amount not to exceed $20,000. 2. Reject the waiver request and direct staff to solicit competitive proposals for these services. CITY MANAGER’S RECOMMENDED ACTION: The City’s collective bargaining agreement with the Blue Collar labor group has become significantly more complex due to the application of the new state law related to collective bargaining, and how that law interacts with federal labor protections. Outside legal assistance is required to navigate these issues, and the City has used Ahlers and Cooney to assist the City to date in this matter. The service from Ahlers and Cooney has been acceptable to City staff, and Council approval is required to continue using its services. Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council adopt Alternative No. 1 as described above. ITEM # __ 8 __ DATE: 10-12-21 COUNCIL ACTION FORM SUBJECT: VACATION OF UTILITY EASEMENT AT 1100 BUCKEYE AVENUE BACKGROUND: There is a fifteen-foot-wide utility easement across the Red Lobster property located at 1100 Buckeye Avenue (Lot 5 in Block 2 of Southwood Subdivision First Addition). As part of the Flood Mitigation project along Ioway Creek, the utilities located within the easement are being relocated and a new easement was obtained from RL Enterprises LLC as part of the land acquisition process. Therefore, the existing easement is no longer necessary and should be vacated. The area to be vacated is shown on Attachment A. ALTERNATIVES: 1. Set the date of public hearing as October 26, 2021 to approve the vacation of the aforementioned utility easement. 2. Do not proceed with vacation of the aforementioned utility easement. CITY MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION: The easement can be vacated because a new easement was obtained with the land acquisition process. Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council adopt Alternative No. 1, as noted above. ITEM # __9___ DATE 10/12/21 COUNCIL ACTION FORM SUBJECT: 2021/22 TRAFFIC SYSTEM CAPACITY IMPROVEMENTS – GRAND AVENUE CORRIDOR STUDY (9TH ST TO 24TH ST) BACKGROUND: The Traffic System Capacity Improvements Program provides for the planning, design, and construction of improvements identified in Forward 2045, the Ames Area MPO’s latest Metropolitan Transportation Plan. This project will consist of a corridor study of Grand Avenue from 9th Street to 24th Street, as shown in the 2021/22 Capital Improvement Plan. This contract involves planning and conceptual engineering design services along the study corridor. The services the consultant will perform include data analysis and forecasting, traffic evaluations (including operations, safety, and signal warrants), intersection alternatives development, signal timing development, public outreach support, and a final comprehensive study report which summarizes findings and recommendations. Multiple data sources will be leveraged for this project including traffic counts, crash data, origin-destination data, Ames Area MPO travel demand model traffic projections, and multi-modal data (including bicycles and pedestrians). Proposals for this work were received from six engineering firms. Each of these six proposals were evaluated and ranked by the project selection team. Listed below is the ranking information based on this evaluation: Engineering Firm HDR, Inc. 1 $84,853 Strand Associates, Inc. 2 $84,700 HR Green, Inc. 3 $83,628 Snyder & Associates, Inc. 4 $79,816 Bolton & Menk, Inc. 5 $68,512 WHKS & Co. 6 $85,000 HDR, Inc. of Omaha, Nebraska was selected as the top-ranking proposal. HDR’s proposal thoroughly addressed all the items defined in the request for proposals. HDR demonstrated a thorough knowledge regarding corridor studies and traffic analyses. HDR also has an intimate understanding of the City of Ames’ roadway network and the Grand Ave corridor through its work on the MPO’s latest Metropolitan Transportation Plan, Forward 45. This project is shown in the 2021-26 Capital Improvements Plan in the Traffic System Capacity Improvements Program with FY 2021/22 funding available in the amount of $85,000 from Road Use Tax. ALTERNATIVES: 1. Approve the engineering services agreement for the 2021/22 Traffic System Capacity Improvements – Grand Avenue Corridor Study (9th Street to 24th Street) project with HDR, Inc., of Omaha, Nebraska, in an amount not to exceed $84,853. 2. Direct staff to negotiate an engineering agreement with another consulting firm. CITY MANAGER’S RECOMMENDED ACTION: Based on the proposal evaluation and previous work experience, staff believes HDR will provide the best value to the City in this study. Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council adopt Alternative No. 1 as noted above. ITEM # ___10__ DATE 10/12/21 COUNCIL ACTION FORM SUBJECT: 28E AGREEMENT FOR POLICE ENFORCEMENT OF TOBACCO, ALTERNATIVE NICOTINE AND VAPOR PRODUCTS REGULATIONS BACKGROUND: The Police Department is requesting permission to renew a 28E intergovernmental agreement with the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division for enforcement of tobacco, alternative nicotine, and vapor product laws. This agreement provides that the Alcoholic Beverages Division will pay the City $75 for each compliance check conducted. The funding received by the City will be used to cover the costs of conducting the compliance check program. No matching funds are required for this program. ALTERNATIVES: 1. Approve renewal of the 28E Agreement for Tobacco, Alternative Nicotine and Vapor Product Enforcement with the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division. 2. Do not approve the renewed the 28E Agreement. CITY MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION: This program provides an outside source of funding to facilitate tobacco, alternative nicotine, and vapor products regulation compliance within the community. Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council adopt Alternative No. 1, as described above. ITEM #: 11 _ DATE: 10-12-2021 COUNCIL ACTION FORM SUBJECT: AMENDMENT TO THE PURCHASE AGREEMENT WITH HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF CENTRAL IOWA FOR THE PROPERTY AT 1126 GRAND AVENUE BACKGROUND: At the City Council meeting on April 23, 2021, the City Council, as part of the City’s Affordable Housing Program, adopted a resolution proposing the sale of the City-owned property at 1126 Grand Avenue to Habitat for Humanity of Central Iowa (HHCI) for $23,100. The initial closing was scheduled to occur on or before March 31, 2022, if all conditions of the purchase agreement for the construction of a new single-family home and sale of the property were satisfied. The City received a letter from the Director of the Habitat for Humanity of Central Iowa requesting a time extension to complete the construction and closing as outlined below: • Construction to be completed on or before November 30, 2022 • Closing with the City of Ames to be completed on or before December 31, 2022 • Closing to a qualified homebuyer to be completed on or before December 31, 2022 The letter indicated the following reasons for the needed request (see attached letter): • We are working hard to resume building as usual after the last year and a half of Covid and the derecho. This has greatly impacted our use of volunteers, ability to get building materials, and resume on-site build days. • Timing-it has been difficult to secure sub-contractors for our two upcoming builds. Many contractors are very busy just trying to catch up from the past year. We found it very difficult to secure a suitable build schedule before the cold weather hits. • We were waiting and hoping to secure a grant from the State Housing Trust Fund for this build. The moneys for the grant were not released as timely as hoped and this put the entire project behind. Unfortunately, we cannot start the project until the money has been released and our partner family selected. • We have also been working with IFA on some legal issues around when Habitat actually takes ownership of the property. These issues are being worked out and it appears that Habitat will receive the grant money at the end of the build when the property is officially purchased from the City of Ames by Habitat. This was the only way we could apply for the grant. • We have conducted an open application enrollment period for our next partner families. This process can be long and detailed. Our Family Selection Committee takes their job very seriously and checks and verifies the needed documentation. This process is in the final stages and a home visit has been completed and recommendation has gone to our board of directors for approval of the family for the build on Grand. Attached for Council review and approval is a time extension Amendment. ALTERNATIVES: 1. The City Council can approve a resolution approving an Amendment to the Agreement between the City of Ames and Habitat for Humanity of Central Iowa to extend the time completion for the construction of a home at the property located at 1126 Grand Avenue for affordable housing. 2. The City Council can deny approval of the Amendment to the Agreement between the City of Ames and Habitat for Humanity of Central Iowa to extend the time completion for the construction of a home at the property located at 1126 Grand Avenue for affordable housing. 3. The City Council can modify the Amendment. CITY MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION: The extension of time is reasonable given the conditions outlined by Habitat for Humanity. Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council approve Alternative #1. 1 COUNCIL ACTION FORM SUBJECT: AWARD CONTRACT FOR THE FURMAN AQUATIC CENTER PLAY STRUCTURE REFURBISHMENT PROJECT BACKGROUND: The project includes dismantling, inspecting for defects, repairing pieces as necessary, and restoring to a like new condition the play structure and stand-alone slide in the splash pool at the Furman Aquatics Center. There was one alternate which includes replacing all stainless-steel hardware larger than one half of one inch if it is determined that the original hardware is unable to be refurbished. The project is to be completed by April 22, 2022, in time for the 2022 swimming season. Staff sent bid specifications to multiple contractors but only received one bid, which is shown below. Furman Aquatic Center Play Structure Refurbishment Project Fischer Brothers, LLC., Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin $59,300 $2,300 Total project cost will be $59,300 as staff is not recommending awarding Alternate #1 because Fischer Brothers has included this work as part of their base bid. Specifications were done in-house so there are no design fees for this project. Funding of $75,000 is included in the FY 2021-22 CIP to complete the project. ALTERNATIVES: 1. Award a contract to Fischer Brothers, LLC., Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin for the Furman Aquatic Center Play Structure Refurbishment Project in the amount of $59,300 (Base Bid only). 2. Award a contract to Fischer Brothers, LLC., Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin for the Furman Aquatic Center Play Structure Refurbishment Project in the amount of $61,600 (Base Bid and Alternate #1). 3. Do not award a contract thus delaying the project. 4. Reject the bid. CITY MANAGER’S RECOMMENDED ACTION: 2 The play structure and stand-alone slide have been in place since 2009 and are showing wear due to exposure to UV rays and chlorinated water. For individuals to continue to enjoy the facility, it is important these two pieces are functioning properly and display the excellence for which Furman Aquatic Center is known. The City hired Fischer Brothers, LLC., in 2017 to restore the exterior of the drop, tube, and family slides at the facility and staff was pleased with the quality of the work completed. Even though there is only one bid submitted, staff feels the bid amount is a fair price and rebidding would not garner any additional bids or a better price. Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council approve Alternative #1 as stated above. 1 ITEM # __13 __ DATE: 10-12-21 COUNCIL ACTION FORM SUBJECT: PROVIDE ENGINEERING AND RELATED CONSULTING SERVICES NECESSARY TO COMPLY WITH U.S. EPA’S COAL COMBUSTION RESIDUALS (CCR) STANDARD [40 CFR PART 257] – CHANGE ORDER #8 BACKGROUND: On April 17, 2015, a Final Rule entitled “Hazardous and Solid Waste Management System; Disposal of Coal Combustion Residuals From Electric Utilities” was published in the Federal Register, which regulated the disposal of ash in surface impoundments and landfills resulting from the burning of coal in electric utility boilers. In response to this emphasis by the U.S. EPA on coal ash sites, the City of Ames Electric Services began looking for a consulting firm that specializes in coal ash site activities, with deep understanding of the regulations governing coal ash sites, especially the CCR rule. In 2017, the City needed to comply with several near-term requirements of the CCR rule adopted by the EPA. For this scope of work, the City issued a request for proposals (RFP) that resulted in the City receiving nine (9) proposals ranging in price from $30,710 to $124,350, with an average price of $76,555.33. SCS Engineers of Clive, Iowa, was selected as the preferred engineering consultant from the nine proposals for this initial project based upon the combination of technical expertise and price (SCS’s proposal was the lowest priced). On December 19, 2017, SCS Engineers was issued a Purchase Order to complete nine (9) studies/reports required to comply (by April 17, 2018) with the CCR rule. This initial scope of work included: 1) documenting the liner type 2) compiling the history of construction of the site 3) classifying the initial hazard potential 4) assessing the initial structural stability 5) assessing the initial safety factor 6) preparing the initial inflow design flood control system plan 7) preparing the initial written closure plan 8) preparing the initial written post-closure plan 9) preparing an emergency action plan (compliance date of October 16, 2018) It needs to be emphasized that the working relationship between Electric Services and the consulting firm for this work is not like most contractual relationships, with a defined scope with clear start and end points. The CCR rule has many milestones 2 to comply with stretching out over many years. Further, the rules keep changing due to court challenges and actions. Therefore, it is imperative that we continue to work with a strong consulting firm with these critical skills. As Electric Services continues to respond to existing and new EPA rules, it is anticipated that additional change orders will be required to meet these ongoing and new requirements. CHANGE ORDER HISTORY: Change Order No. 1, in the amount not to exceed of $4,415 was to satisfy the CCR rule’s requirement for a qualified professional engineer to perform an annual inspection (with a report) of the ash site. The amount of Change Order 1 actually spent was $4,415. Change Order No. 2, in the amount not to exceed of $122,780 was to satisfy the requirements of the CCR rule to install a groundwater well system around the ash site and to subsequently monitor the site by sampling and analyzing water from the wells in accordance with the CCR rule. The amount of Change Order 2 actually spent was $119,260.98. Change Order No. 3, in the amount not to exceed of $10,820 for 2018-19 was to update the Fugitive Dust Control Plan, conduct a site visit and prepare the Annual CCR Fugitive Dust Control Report, conduct a site visit and prepare the Annual Inspection Report by a qualified professional engineer. The amount of Change Order 3 actually spent was $9,892.50. Change Order No. 4, in the amount not to exceed of $39,880 was to provide the City of Ames with feasible alternatives to transition the ash site in its current arrangement into a site that is useful for the future and in compliance with U.S. EPA’s CCR rule. The amount of Change Order 4 actually spent was $39,865.81. Change Order No. 5, in an amount not to exceed of $196,180 was to provide design and engineering services along with permit acquisition and bidding support necessary to comply with U.S. EPA's Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR) rule by closing-in-place a portion of the City’s Steam Electric Plant’s ash impoundment, and by reconstructing the remainder of the impoundment to support the power plant’s future ash handling needs. This Changer Order remains open. Change Order No. 6, in an amount not to exceed of $57,025 for 2019-20 was to sample the groundwater monitoring wells and prepare the Annual Groundwater and Corrective Action Report, conduct a site visit and prepare the Annual CCR Fugitive Dust Control Report, conduct a site visit and prepare the Annual Inspection Report by a qualified professional engineer, and prepare a report that assesses the site regarding five (5) location restrictions. The amount of Change Order actually spent was $40,271.70. Change Order No. 7 in an amount not to exceed of $41,585 for 2020-21 was to sample the groundwater monitoring wells and prepare the Annual Groundwater and Corrective Action Report, conduct a site visit and prepare the Annual CCR Fugitive Dust Control 3 Report, conduct a site visit and prepare the Annual Inspection Report by a qualified professional engineer, and provide a fund for additional engineering and related services. This Changer Order remains open. THIS ACTION – CHANGE ORDER No. 8: This change order, Change Order No. 8, for an estimated price of $53,585 to SCS Engineers of Clive, Iowa, is for consulting engineering services necessary to comply with the U.S. EPA’s CCR regulation’s annual requirements for 2021-22. The scope of work of this change order is listed and briefly described below: 1) Perform semi-annual groundwater sampling of the ash impoundment’s monitoring wells (2 events), 2) Perform additional groundwater sampling if needed and as required by code (the change order assumes 4 additional sampling events), 3) Laboratory testing charges. 4) Develop and prepare the required Annual Groundwater Monitoring and Corrective Action Report, 5) Annual licensing fee for the software used to perform the required statistical analysis of the groundwater monitoring results. 6) Prepare the required Annual CCR Fugitive Dust Control Report, 7) Inspect the site and prepare the required Annual Inspection Report by a Qualified Professional Engineer 8) An allowance for additional engineering and related services, however, at this time, such additional services are unknown and uncommitted. The Ash Pond Modification Project budget in the CIP has a current balance of $5,824,845. ALTERNATIVES: 1. Approve Change Order No. 8 in the amount of $53,585 to SCS Engineers of Clive, Iowa, to provide engineering and related services necessary to comply with U.S. EPA’s CCR regulation’s annual requirements pertaining to groundwater monitoring, fugitive dust control, and the annual engineering inspection of the City of Ames Steam Electric Plant’s ash site. With this latest change order, the contract with SCS will be increased to $532,610.99. 2. Reject the proposal and solicit equivalent engineering services from another engineering firm. 4 CITY MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION: This scope of work is necessary for the City of Ames Steam Electric Plant to continue to function and be in compliance with U.S. EPA’s CCR rule. Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council adopt Alternative No. 1. Because this monitoring and EPA reporting work must continue indefinitely into the future, staff intends in the future to solicit bids for these tasks for a multi-year contract with annual renewals for this future work. Smart Choice MEMO 515.239.5105 main fax To: Mayor and Members of the City Council From: City Clerk’s Office Date: October 12, 2021 Subject: Contract and Bond Approval There is/are no Council Action Form(s) for Item No(s). 14 and 15. Council approval of the contract and bond for this/these project(s) is simply fulfilling a State Code requirement. /alc ITEM # __16 _ DATE: 10-12-21 COUNCIL ACTION FORM SUBJECT: MAJOR FINAL PLAT FOR SUNSET RIDGE SUBDIVISION ELEVENTH ADDITION BACKGROUND: The City’s subdivision regulations are included in Chapter 23 of the Municipal Code. The Subdivision Code includes the process for creating or modifying property boundaries and specifies whether any improvements are required in conjunction with the platting of property. The creation of new lots is classified as either a major or minor subdivision, with a major subdivision requiring a two-step platting process to finalize the creation of new lots. The “Preliminary Plat” is first approved by the City Council and identifies the layout of the subdivision and any necessary or required public improvements. Once the applicant has completed the necessary requirements, including provision of required public improvements or provision of financial security for their completion, a “final plat application” may then be submitted for City Council approval. After City Council approval of the final plat, it must then be recorded with the County Recorder to become an officially recognized subdivision plat. The final plat must be found to conform to the ordinances of the City and any conditions placed upon the preliminary plat approval. Hunziker Land Development, LLC is requesting approval of a Major Final Plat for Sunset Ridge Subdivision, Eleventh Addition. The Sunset Ridge Subdivision is located north of Lincoln Way along the western corporate limits of the city. The subject property is last phase of the Sunset Ridge development and is located immediately east of the city limits at N 500th Street as shown on Attachment 1– Location and Zoning Map. The proposed subdivision includes 32 single-family lots and the replatting of “Outlot T” and “Outlot LL” in Sunset Ridge Subdivision Tenth Addition which contains 11.18 acres (including 1.83 acres of public right-of-way). The property is owned by Hunziker Land Development, LLC. Thirty-two (32) lots are proposed in the subdivision for single-family detached dwellings as shown on Attachment 2 – Final Plat of Sunset Ridge Subdivision Eleventh Addition. The Final Plat aligns with the preliminary plat amendment that was approved on February 9, 2021 by Resolution No. 21-075, as shown on Attachment 3– Subdivision Map. Street extensions connect with existing streets. “Lot A” (1.83 acres) will be dedicated to the City for public right-of-way. Lot A includes: o Westfield Drive extension westward with a 66’ right-of-way; o Fremont Drive with a 55’ right-of-way; and o Allerton Drive extension with a 55’ right-of-way. Blanket easements are proposed over Outlots “U”, “V” & “W”. The blanket easements include: public utility, storm sewer, surface water flowage, shared use path, open space, storm water detention (Outlot “U” only), and storm water conveyance (Outlot “U” only). The Sunset Ridge Subdivision is bound by several Developer’s Agreements with Hunziker Land Development Company, LLC, including a 2005 Agreement, a 2010 Amendment, and a 2012 Agreement. Staff believes that the developer has complied with the terms of these agreements as they relate to the proposed parcels. The Public Works Department confirms that public utilities, including water, sanitary sewer, and storm water are currently being installed in the proposed subdivision in compliance with the approved preliminary plat. Easements are provided with the final plat, as required for public utility mains that will serve multiple lots and fire hydrants. An Agreement for Public Improvements, and an Agreement for Sidewalk and Street Trees have been prepared for City Council approval with the Final Plat. The Agreement for Public Improvements identifies the need for financial security for the completion of certain improvements and utilities including: erosion control (COSESCO), water mains, hydrants, sanitary sewers and drains, storm sewers and drains, manhole adjustments, pavement, pedestrian ramps, street lights, landscaping, and subgrade preparation. Financial security, in the form of a Letter of Credit, has been submitted to the City in the amount of $774,874.25, which covers the cost of the remaining improvements, in the event the developer does not install the required improvements. Sidewalks and street trees must be installed prior to the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy for an individual lot. However, within three years after final plat approval, all sidewalks must be installed per the Agreement for Sidewalk and Street Trees. Financial security can be reduced by the City Council as the required infrastructure is installed, inspected, and accepted by the City. ALTERNATIVES: 1. Approve the Final Plat of Sunset Ridge Subdivision Eleventh Addition based upon the findings that the Final Plat conforms to relevant and applicable design standards, ordinances, policies, and plans with a signed Agreement for Public Improvements and Agreement for Sidewalk and Street Trees with financial security. 2. The City Council can deny the final plat for Sunset Ridge Subdivision Eleventh Addition, if it finds that the development creates a burden on existing public improvements or creates a need for new public improvements that have not yet been installed. 3. The City Council can refer this request back to staff or the applicant for additional information. CITY MANAGER’S RECOMMENDED ACTION: City staff has evaluated the proposed final subdivision plat and determined that the Final Plat for Sunset Ridge Eleventh Addition conforms to the adopted ordinances and policies of the City as required by Chapter 23 of the Ames Municipal Code. Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council accept Alternative #1. ATTACHMENT 1: LOCATION AND ZONING MAP ATTACHMENT 2: SUNSET RIDGE SUBDIVISION, 11TH ADDITION ATTACHMENT 3: SUNSET RIDGE SUBDIVISION MAP ATTACHMENT 4: Applicable Laws and Policies Pertaining to Final Plat Approval Adopted laws and policies applicable to this case file include, but are not limited to, the following: Ames Municipal Code Section 23.302 1 ITEM #____17_ DATE: 10-12-21 COUNCIL ACTION FORM SUBJECT: MAJOR FINAL PLAT FOR QUARRY ESTATES SUBDIVISION, FIFTH ADDITION BACKGROUND: The City’s subdivision regulations are included in Chapter 23 of the Ames Municipal Code. Once the applicant has completed the necessary requirements, including provision of required public improvements or provision of financial security for their completion, an application for a “Final Plat” may then be made for City Council approval. After City Council approval of the Final Plat, it must then be recorded with the County Recorder to become an officially recognized subdivision plat. The Final Plat must be found to conform to the ordinances of the City and any conditions placed upon the Preliminary Plat approval. Quarry Estates LLC, represented by Kurt Friedrich, has submitted a final major subdivision plat for Quarry Estates Subdivision, Fifth Addition. The Quarry Estates development lies north of Ada Hayden Heritage Park as shown on the location map in Attachments A & B. The most recent final plat, Fourth Addition, was approved in September of 2019. A major amendment with a new Preliminary Plat for this addition was approved in March 2021. The amendment allowed for two additional lots to be created within the overall Quarry Estates subdivision. The Fifth Addition includes 24 single-family detached lots and 4 outlots, three outlots (Outlot A, B, C) for open space as well as utility and conservation easements. (Attachment C). An 8.14-acre outlot to the south is reserved for future platting. The Fifth Addition includes the construction of the remainder of Ada Hayden Road from McFarland Avenue west to Hyde Avenue. A shared use path will be constructed along the north side of Ada Hayden Road. All of the proposed 24 single family lots in the fifth addition gain access from Ada Hayden Road. A turn lane along Hyde Avenue has been installed in anticipation of the Ada Hayden Road connection as required for traffic safety. Many of the required improvements in the fifth addition including streets foundation, sanitary sewer, public water, and storm sewer system, have been completed and inspected. Financial security in the amount of $309,564 has been provided for the remaining public improvements. The financial security includes the costs of installing all the remaining sidewalks, street pavement, conservation management, storm sewer and streetlights within this phase. The City Council is being asked to accept the signed Improvement Agreement with financial security for those improvements. Financial security can be reduced by the City Council as the required infrastructure is installed, inspected, and accepted by the City Council. 2 A Conservation Management Plan update is a requirement of the Subdivision Code for this Addition. The Conservation Management Plan (CMP), prepared by Inger Lamb of Prairie Landscapes of Iowa, details the installation, long-term maintenance, public outreach and education, and lawn care coordination of the prairie and woodland areas. An updated CMP reflecting the Fifth Addition was required and has been accepted by the Municipal Engineer.. The approval of the preliminary plat placed some very specific requirements on the final plat. One condition is that the developer provide a north bound and south bound turn lane on Hyde Avenue. This requirement for a turn lane must be fulfilled in conjunction with this phase when the connection to Hyde Avenue is made. The developer is also required to comply with a Pre-Annexation Development Agreement that requires payment of costs for sewer and water connection districts for each lot in the Addition. The developer has paid these fees at this time in order to proceed with platting of the fifth phase of the development. ALTERNATIVES: 1. The City Council can approve the Final Plat of Quarry Estates Subdivision, Fifth Addition, based upon the staff’s findings that the Final Plat conforms to relevant and applicable design standards, ordinances, policies, and plans with a Public Improvement Agreement and financial security. 2. The City Council can deny the Final Plat for Quarry Estates Subdivision, Fifth Addition if it finds that the development creates a burden on existing public improvements or creates a need for new public improvements that have not yet been installed. CITY MANAGER’S RECOMMENDED ACTION: City staff has evaluated the proposed final major subdivision plat and determined that the proposal is consistent with the master plan and preliminary plat approved by City Council and that the plat conforms to the adopted ordinances and policies of the City as required by Code and other agreements Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council adopt Alternative #1 to approve the final plat for Quarry Estates Subdivision, Fifth Addition. 3 Attachment A 4 Attachment B 5 Attachment C- Quarry Estates Fifth Addition 6 Attachment D Applicable Laws and Policies Pertaining to Final Plat Approval Adopted laws and policies applicable to this case file include, but are not limited to, the following: Ames Municipal Code Section 23.302 ITEM#: 18 DATE: 10-12-21 COUNCIL ACTION FORM SUBJECT: 2019/20 COLLECTOR STREET PAVEMENT IMPROVEMENTS (BLOOMINGTON ROAD – GRAND AVENUE TO HOOVER AVENUE) BACKGROUND: This is the annual program for reconstruction/rehabilitation of collector streets. The 2019/20 project included pavement rehabilitation, repair/replacement of select curb and gutter locations, and shared use path reconstruction and infill. On March 24, 2020, City Council awarded the project to Manatt’s Inc. of Ames, Iowa in the amount of $399,820.95. Change order No. 1, in the amount of $10,245.00, was for additional curb and gutter repair. Change order No. 2 (balancing) was to reflect the actual measured quantities completed during construction, with a net contract reduction of ($3,467.24). The final construction of the projected was completed in the amount of $406,598.71. Revenue and expenses associated with this program are estimated as follows: Available Revenue Estimated Expenses Construction Remaining funds will be utilized on future eligible projects. ALTERNATIVES: 1. Accept the 2019/20 Collector Street Pavement Improvements (Bloomington Road – Grand Avenue to Hoover Avenue) project as completed by Manatt’s Inc. of Ames, Iowa, in the amount of $406,598.71 2. Direct staff to pursue modifications to the project. CITY MANAGER’S RECOMMENDED ACTION: This project was completed in accordance with the approved plans and specifications. Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council adopt Alternative No. 1. ITEM # ____19__ DATE: 10-12-21 COUNCIL ACTION FORM SUBJECT: WATER TREATMENT PLANT LIME POND UNDERDRAIN IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT COMPLETION BACKGROUND: On February 23, 2021, City Council awarded a contract to RW Excavating Solutions, LC of Prairie City, IA, in the amount of $86,635.56 for the Lime Pond Underdrain Improvements Project. There was one change order issued in the amount of $1,600 for removal of a concrete slab, bringing the total project cost to $88,235.56. The authorized funding carried over from the FY 2020/21 Capital Improvements Plan is $124,982. All work under this contract was completed in accordance with the plans and specifications. ALTERNATIVES: 1. Accept final completion of the Lime Pond Underdrain Improvements Project and authorize final payment, in accordance with the contract, to RW Excavating Solutions, LC. 2. Do not accept completion of the Lime Pond Underdrain Improvements Project at this time. CITY MANAGER’S RECOMMENDED ACTION: Work for the project has been completed in accordance with plans and specifications. Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council adopt Alternative No. 1, as described above. Lime pond underdrain piping staged in advance of installation – August 2, 2021 39th Annual Report Ames Residential Satisfaction Survey 2021 Item No. 20 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 1 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 39TH ANNUAL STATISTICAL REPORT The City of Ames, Iowa, conducts an annual satisfaction survey of residents. In April 2021, the City mailed questionnaires to 1,350 city residents whose names were randomly selected from the City of Ames utility users list (population=~20,000+). Additionally, 1,000 Iowa State University students were randomly selected from a mailing list generated by the ISU Office of the Registrar. Stratified random sampling was used to have representation from the students based on classification (sophomore to graduate levels). First-year students were intentionally excluded in the ISU sample due to their minimal exposure and use of City of Ames’ services. Utility bill customers received a 12-page survey booklet via U.S. Mail. The booklet included the same standard benchmarking questions as were presented in the 2020 survey. This survey was available online for those invited to participate. This ensures that only randomly selected respondents have access. The ISU students received the same survey via email developed using the Qualtrics Survey Software. The analysis was completed with assistance from Nora Ladjahasan and Amy Logan from Institute for Design Research & Outreach, College of Design, Iowa State University. This statistical report summarizes results from 600 respondents who returned usable questionnaires, 300 came from Ames utility bill customers (referred as non-student residents in this report) (50%) and 300 from ISU students (50%). Thirty-five (12%) non-student residents did the online survey. Only 300 surveys from the students were included in the analysis to have an equal representation as the non-student residents. Incomplete surveys and those who had lived in Ames for a shorter period of time were excluded from student samples. Response rate for Ames residents’ group (non-student residents) was 22% and 54% for ISU students. Overall response rate for this year is 36%, which is 13% lower than last year (49%). The number of questionnaires mailed or emailed included an oversampling of students in order to come up with the desired sample size that reflects target populations. The sample size needed to confidently generalize the findings was 351 for both groups (95% confidence level and a confidence interval of 5). The 600 completed surveys indicate that we are 95% confident that the questions are within +/-3.69% of the results if everybody participated in the study. In other words, the findings or the data significantly reflect the responses of the total population. For more details on calculating sample size, refer to: https://www.checkmarket.com/sample-size-calculator/. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 2 Respondents’ Personal and Social Characteristics Table 1 illustrates the personal and social characteristics of respondents who completed the questionnaire. Column 1 lists characteristics of the respondents who participated in the survey. Column 2 shows personal and social characteristics of Ames residents collected from secondary data sources such as census, suburban stats, labor statistics, etc. Columns 3-7 show personal and social characteristics of individuals who completed surveys between the years of 2017 and 2021. Of the respondents in this year’s survey, there are more female respondents than male (57% and 41%, respectively). This is the opposite of previous years (2020 and 2017). One percent of the respondents opted not to respond to the gender question and another 1% indicated the third category (non-binary/3rd gender). Male respondents are lower than the census stats (53%). A majority of respondents were White (84%), 9% were Asian, 2% stated “other,” 1% Black or African American, and 3% preferred not to answer. There were some minor shifts in racial composition from 2020 survey, there was a slight decrease of 4% in White respondents and a 4% increase in Asian respondents. Fifty-two percent (52%) of the respondents have some college credits and/or college degree, which is a little bit lower than the 2021 data (56%) https://worldpopulationreview.com/us-cities/ames-ia-population. Seventy-two percent of respondents are employed (35% had fulltime employment, 37% parttime). Eighteen percent were retirees. Eight percent declared that they were unemployed (a lot higher than the July 2021 labor dep department estimate of 3%, https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/metro.pdf.) Forty percent of respondents reported their household income to be less than $25,000, 19% reported their income to be between $25,000 and $49,999, 23% reported earnings of $50,000 to $99,999, and another 18% of respondents make more than $100,000 annually. Compared to last year’s survey, there were less respondents with a household income of $100,000+ (18% for 2021, 22% for 2020) and less than 2019 rate of 21% (https://www.city-data.com/income/income-Ames-Iowa.html). 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 3 Table 1. Demographic Characteristics 1-3 years 4-6 years 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 4 * https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/amescityiowa ** https://suburbanstats.org/population/iowa/how-many-people-live-in-ames (2020, 2019) *** https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/metro.pdf **** https://worldpopulationreview.com/us-cities/ames-ia-population (2021) ***** https://www.city-data.com/income/income-Ames-Iowa.html Less than half (43%) of the survey respondents own their residence, the others rent. Majority of renters (77%) reported renting due to their short-term stay in Ames. Other reasons for renting were lack of adequate income (37%), followed by little or no upkeep (23%), and more security (6%) (Table 2). Respondents who are homeowners differ from renters on several personal and social characteristics. Homeowners have lived in Ames longer than renters (23.9 years and 4.9 years, respectively). Of those who have lived in Ames more than 10 years, 88% are homeowners. Of those who have lived in Ames for four to 10 years, more than three-fourth (76%) own their home. Majority of the renters (83%) have lived in Ames for four years or less. Not surprisingly, respondents who are homeowners (55.9 years old on average) tend to be older than renters (26.3 years old on average). Of those between 25 and 44 years old, more than half (62%) are homeowners. Of those between the ages of 45 to 64, almost nine in 10 (85%) are homeowners. In contrast, 97% of those under 25 years of age rent, and 92% of fulltime college students currently rent. For those with a college degree and higher, 51% are homeowners and 49% are renters. Finally, homeowners typically have bigger household income than renters. Eighty-one percent of homeowners earn $50,000 or more, whereas only 13% of the renters earn more than $50,000. (Figures from this paragraph are not shown in any tables.) Table 2. Housing characteristics Characteristics 2021* 2nd Data Survey Year 2017 2018 2019 Percent 2020 2021 Housing type Rent 59 50 51 49 55 57 Own 41 50 49 51 45 43 If rent, for what reason? Short term stay in Ames - 77 77 75 77 77 Lack of adequate income - 25 36 40 39 37 Little or no upkeep - 5 25 32 24 23 More security - 33 5 10 5 6 Location of home Northwest - 49 47 42 42 46 Southwest - 14 13 29 32 29 Northeast - 25 29 16 11 14 Southeast - 12 11 12 15 11 * https://worldpopulationreview.com/us-cities/ames-ia-population 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 5 Respondents also were asked about the location of their home in Ames. As seen on Figure 1, almost half (46%) of the respondents reside at the northwest part of the city (42% in 2020), 29% are from southwest (32% in 2020), 14% from northeast (11% in 2020), and 11% from southeast side (15% in 2020). (Figure 1) There are more respondents from southwest and northeast parts of the town compared to last year and less from southeast and southwest parts. Figure 1. Geographic Sections 46% = Northwest 29% = Southwest 14% =Northeast 11% = Southeast Priorities for On-Going Services Respondents were asked to indicate their priorities for the upcoming City budget by indicating allocation levels (less, same, or more) on various services paid for by property or sales taxes. Budgeted funding amounts were indicated for each of the services. Table 3 shows the residents’ spending priorities. Most respondents reported that they would like the City of Ames to spend the same amount as the previous year for all of the 10 services mentioned. On a scale of 1 to 3 (1 – less spending, 2 – same spending, and 3 – more spending), all the programs received a score of 2.0 or higher, except CyRide which received a score of 1.8 with almost one-third of respondents indicating less spending on CyRide. The programs receiving a 2.0 included parks activities and recreational opportunities. Programs that received the highest ratings for spending reduction were CyRide (32.9%) and Ames Public Library (15%). Of those selecting “spend more,” 28.5% of respondents would like to see more money spent on arts programs, 27.8% wanted more spent on the Ames Public Library, followed by human service agency funding (ASSET) and law enforcement both at 27.3%, and fire protection (27.2%). These findings are in Table 3. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 6 Table 3. On-going service priorities On-going service (budgeted amount) Should the city spend ….? (2) Arts programs (Public Art & COTA) ($269,733) (n=561) 6.3 65.2 28.5 2.2 Fire protection. ($8,037,128) (n=560) 6.6 66.2 27.2 2.2 Human service agency funding (ASSET). ($1,601,093) (n=553) 7.6 65.1 27.3 2.2 Law enforcement ($ 10,877,377) (n=563) 8.1 64.6 27.3 2.2 Ames Animal Shelter & animal control ($551,432) (n=562) 6.7 72.9 20.4 2.1 Ames Public Library ($4,844,091) (n=561) 15.0 57.2 27.8 2.1 Land use planning (both current and long-term) ($913,342) (n=559) 12.7 68.8 18.5 2.1 Parks activities ($1,531,461) (n=558) 11.4 72.5 16.1 2.0 Recreational opportunities ($2,280,020) (n=553) 4.3 87.0 8.8 2.0 CyRide (public transit) ($2,037,720) (n=554) 32.9 54.0 13.1 1.8 Other(n=94) 3.2 77.7 19.1 2.2 Table 4 shows the trends of the “spend more” responses. The categories that received the most support for increased spending were Art programs and the Ames Public Library. Both categories saw increases in “spend more” responses from last year (Art program – 2021: 28% compared 2020: 23% and Ames Public Library – 2021: 28% compared to 2020: 16%.) Comparing 2020 to 2021, eight of the ten categories saw noteworthy changes from the previous 4 years (between 5% to 12% change). In previous years, most categories had smaller year-to-year changes of 1% to 4% for most categories. The largest decrease in the “spend more” category from the previous year was for recreational opportunities funding (-12%). From 2017 to 2020, there has been varied levels of support for recreational opportunities but in 2021 support for additional spending dropped sharply. However, 87% of respondents felt that the city should continue with the current level of support at $2, 280, 020. It is important to remember that many respondents consistently say the City of Ames should spend “the same” amount on service priorities, while “spend less” and “spend more” numbers represent a much smaller number of respondents. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 7 Table 4. Trends in “spend more” responses for on-going services (%) Services 2017 2018 Survey Year 2019 2020 Percent 2021 Ames Public Library 20 23 15 16 28 Art programs 23 20 20 23 28 Fire protection 17 14 11 11 27 Human Service Agency funding (ASSET) 33 21 22 25 27 Law enforcement 25 17 17 15 27 Ames Animal Shelter and Animal Control 26 23 29 28 20 Land use planning (Both current and long-term) 17 16 18 15 18 Park activities 22 21 19 23 16 CyRide (public transit) 25 20 18 19 13 Recreational opportunities 27 20 18 21 9 There were statistically significant differences noted between social characteristics and responses to some services. The data were examined for differences by years lived in Ames, age, gender, currently a full-time student at Iowa State University versus non-student, home ownership, education, employment status, household income, and geographic residence in town. No significant difference in budget increase/decrease by geographic residences of respondents was found. These groups of respondents supported increased spending for the following programs and services. Arts Programs (Public Art &COTA) • Female • Younger respondent (34 years of age) Fire protection • Homemaker Human service agency • Non-student residents • Female Law enforcement • Non-student residents • Owner • Long-term residents (more than 16 years in Ames) • Older respondent (older than 46 years of age) • High school diploma and below • Homemaker • Income of $200,000 or more 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 8 Ames Animal Shelter and Animal Control • Non-student residents • Female • White • Younger respondent (33 years of age) • Short-term residents (less than 10 years in Ames) • Renter Ames Public Library • Female • Younger respondent (35 years of age) • Short-term residents (less than 9 years in Ames) • Renter Land use planning (both current planning and long-term) • ISU Student • Short-term residents (less than 9 years in Ames) • Younger respondent (younger than 32 years of age) • Renter • Unemployed • Income of $150,000 - $199,999 Park activities • ISU Student • Younger respondent (younger than 32 years of age) • Short-term residents (less than 8 years in Ames) • Unemployed • Hispanic/ Latino origin • Renter Recreational opportunities • ISU Student • Homemaker • Younger respondent (younger than 32 years of age) • Short-term residents (less than 9 years in Ames) • Renter CyRide (public transit) • ISU student • Short-term residents (less than 9 years in Ames) • Younger respondent (younger than 32 years of age) • Homemaker • Income of under $25,000 • Non-whites • Hispanic/ Latino origin • Renter 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 9 The City levy for the next year is $9.87 per $1,000 of taxable valuation. This means that the City portion of the property tax on a $100,000 home in Ames is about $556.97 after rollback. When respondents were asked what about adjusting property taxes next year, 54% indicated no change, 28% suggested decrease and 18% suggested an increase in property taxes. Figure 2 shows preferred property tax adjustments over the past five years. This year, slightly more respondents indicated they would prefer a decrease in property tax (28% in 2021 compared to 27% in the previous year). Another 18% would accept an increase in property tax (compared to 22% in 2019). The percentage of “no change” preference increased by 2% (52% in 2020, 54% in 2021). Figure 2. Trends in preferred property tax adjustments for next year Capital Improvement Priorities Respondents were asked to prioritize seven suggested capital improvement project (CIP) areas. Table 5 shows respondents’ 2021 capital improvement priorities. This year the three highest priorities were reconstruction of existing streets (83% rated this as somewhat or very important), traffic flow improvement (78%) and improvement to existing parks (78%). Reconstructing existing streets received a mean value of 3.2 based on a 4-point scale (1- not very important, 2 - not important, 3 - important and 4 - very important). Twenty-four survey respondents answered with “other” specified priorities, see below. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 10 Table 5. Capital improvement priorities, 2021 Somewhat or Very Unimportant Somewhat or Very Important Average* % % Reconstructing existing streets 17 83 3.2 Traffic flow improvements 22 78 3.2 Greenway trails (recreational) improvements 23 77 3.1 Improvements to existing parks 22 78 3.0 Storm water drainage improvements 27 73 3.0 Off-street bike facilities (commuter) improvements 31 69 2.9 On-street bike facilities (commuter) improvements 34 66 2.7 Other, specify 4 96 3.3 *1=very unimportant; 2=somewhat unimportant; 3=somewhat important; 4=very important Other responses: (n=24) • Cemetery upkeep • Traffic Congestion o Duff Avenue from Lincoln Way south is way too congested o Improve North-South Traffic Flow, Duff and Grand are bottlenecks o Mark no parking on busy streets, mark no passing lanes on streets with poor use i.e., hills and curve etc. o Truck routes, commercial away from city o Traffic • Recreational Improvements o More accessibility to lap swimming- probably more appreciable in another area than capital improvements o More community spaces or community activities o More equipment and bathrooms needed at Edwards site. Also, more green roofs on public buildings o Replacement of paved areas with greenspace o More gathering spaces • Sustainability Efforts o Recycling program o Recycling services o Renewable energy infrastructure, local composting, and recycling program (that is not shipped to another city) • Road Improvements o Renovate Mortensen Rd! o Road maintenance • Replace removed trees with new trees. • Residential vendor mitigation • Rose Prairie 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 11 • Sidewalks • Snow Removal • Utility Upgrades o Burying above-ground power lines o Eliminate gravel Table 6 illustrates trends in respondents’ views about the importance of each of the Capital Improvement Projects in the last five years. Two of the top three project priorities have remained quite consistent over the past five years: (1) reconstructing existing streets and (2) traffic flow. This year, improvements to existing parks edged out storm water drainage improvements for the third priority spot. In 2021, there were a number of changes in the trends for capital improvement priorities from the previous year. Only reconstructing existing streets remained the same as the previous year. Two CIP categories, traffic flow improvements (-3%) and storm water drainage improvements (-7%) decreased as priorities. Four categories saw large increases: improvement to existing parks (+15%), greenway trails (recreational) improvements (+15%), off-street bike facilities (commuter) improvements (+12%), and on-street bike facilities (commuter) improvements (+11%). Table 6. Trends in capital improvement priorities Service Survey Year 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Percent very or somewhat important Reconstructing existing streets 82 82 86 83 83 Improvements to existing parks 68 65 63 63 78 Traffic flow improvements 78 81 81 81 78 Greenway trails (recreational) improvements 67 65 62 62 77 Storm water drainage improvements 78 76 80 80 73 Off-street bike facilities (commuter) improvements 57 58 57 57 69 On-street bike facilities (commuter) improvements 59 60 55 55 66 Other 53 79 60 60 96 Survey respondents ranked their three highest capital improvement priorities. Table 7 shows the results of those rankings. Reconstructing existing streets and traffic flow improvements tied for the first and second priorities in 2021, followed by greenway trails (recreational) improvements ranked as the third priority. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 12 Table 7. Ranking of Capital Improvement Priorities Capital Improvements 1st Priority (n=567) 2nd Priority (n=562) 3rd Priority (n=557) Reconstructing existing streets 28 21 14 Traffic flow improvements 28 21 15 Greenway trails (recreational)Improvements 11 11 18 On-street bike facilities (commuter) improvements 10 10 11 Improvements to existing parks 8 14 14 Storm water drainage improvements 8 13 18 Off-street bike facilities (commuter) improvements 7 10 10 Other 2 1 1 Resident Satisfaction with City Services Respondents were asked to rate their level of satisfaction with nine services provided by the City of Ames. Responses were based on a scale of 1 to 4 (1 = “very dissatisfied”, 2 = “somewhat dissatisfied”, 3 = “somewhat satisfied”, and 4 = “very satisfied”) as well as a fifth option, “don’t know.” Figure 3 shows the level of satisfaction with City services continues to be high. From 2017 to 2021, all nine services were rated high (satisfied to very satisfied) by the respondents. In 2021, the levels of satisfaction were exactly the same as last year in eight out of nine services provided by the City. Law enforcement services, however, slightly decreased this year by .1. The average satisfaction rating in 2020 for law enforcement services was 3.5 but went down to 3.4 for 2021. Figure 3 shows that in the past five years, the level of satisfaction was steady at satisfactory levels. Public nuisance enforcement (e.g., noise, over-occupancy, yard upkeep) was consistently rated the lowest. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 13 Figure 3. Perceived Satisfaction Levels on Services, 2017-2021 (1=very dissatisfied; 4=very satisfied) Table 8 summarizes respondents’ satisfaction with City departments. Overall, respondents are quite pleased with city services, as seven of nine service areas receiving more than 94% “somewhat or very satisfied” responses. Respondents were least satisfied with Public Nuisance Enforcement services with only 80.4% of respondents “somewhat or very satisfied”. Table 8. Summary Table of Satisfaction with City Services (removing “don’t know”) Very/Somewhat Dissatisfied Very/Somewhat Satisfied Fire & Rescue Services (n=430) 1.4 98.6 Library Services (n=430) 1.4 98.6 Parks & Recreation Services (n=556) 3.6 96.4 Sanitary Sewer System (n=500) 4.2 95.8 Water Services (n=556) 5.0 95.0 Electric Services (n=537) 5.2 94.8 CyRide Bus service (n=432) 5.6 94.4 Law Enforcement Services (n=517) 12.2 87.8 Public Nuisance Enforcement (n=443) 19.6 80.4 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 14 Police Department Survey respondents were asked about their priority areas for law enforcement by indicating if the Ames Police Department should give less, the same, or more emphasis to 16 law enforcement activities. More than half of respondents indicated emphasis should be the same for every category, except sex-related offenses investigation. Table 9 shows respondents’ priority preferences for Ames Police Department activities from the 2021 survey. While most people indicated that law enforcement activities should remain constant, 54% of respondents indicated sex-related offenses investigation should be considered for additional priority. Only 2.6% suggesting less emphasis. Other policing activities that people specified should have additional emphasis included violent crimes investigation (37%), crime prevention and education activities (34%), domestic violence & family dispute resolution (33%), and illegal drug use prevention and enforcement (28.6%.) Parking laws enforcement was one area that 43% of respondents agreed should receive less emphasis from law enforcement. Less emphasis on parking has been consistent for the past five years. Other categories that respondents felt should receive less emphasis included speed limit enforcement (22%), illegal drug use prevention and enforcement (17%), school resource officer (15%), alcohol- related crime enforcement (15%), and noise laws and nuisance party enforcement (14%.) Table 9. Future emphasis for Police Department activities Police Department activity Less Same More Sex-related offenses investigation (n=569) 2.6 43.4 54.0 Violent crimes investigation (n=564) 2.1 60.6 37.2 Crime prevention and education activities (n=574) 3.3 62.7 34.0 Domestic violence & family dispute resolution (n=570) 4.7 62.3 33.0 Illegal drug use prevention and enforcement (n=570) 16.8 54.6 28.6 Bad checks, fraud, & identity theft investigation (n=573) 4.4 69.6 26.0 Noise law and nuisance party enforcement (n=574) 13.9 64.1 22.0 Alcohol-related crime enforcement (n=574) 14.8 65.9 19.3 Residential patrolling (n=577) 12.0 69.5 18.5 School resource officer services (n=569) 15.1 66.8 18.1 Animal control and sheltering (n=579) 8.5 76.0 15.5 Speed limit enforcement (n=576) 22.2 65.8 12.0 Traffic control and enforcement (n=572) 13.8 75.3 10.8 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 15 Table 10 shows five-year trends for police department activities that should receive “more emphasis.” Most survey respondents (54%) indicated that sex-related offenses investigation needs “more emphasis.” The trends for areas that need more emphasis have generally remained consistent, 2 out of 16 police activities reported similar numbers between the 2021 and 2020 survey (crime prevention and education activities; and residential patrolling). Several policing activities have seen slight declines in the number of respondents indicating a need for “more emphasis” compared to 2020 data: domestic violence/family dispute resolution (-8%); school resource officer services, and animal control and sheltering (-4%, respectively); illegal drug use prevention and enforcement, and juvenile crimes investigation (-3%, respectively); and sex-related offenses investigation, violent crimes investigation, speed limit enforcement, business district patrolling, and parking laws enforcement (-1%, respectively). However, the following police department activities should receive more emphasis for 2021 compared to last year: traffic control and enforcement (1% increase compared to last year); noise laws and nuisance party enforcement (2% increase); and bad checks, fraud & identity theft investigation, and alcohol-related crimes enforcement (3% increase, respectively). Table 10. Trends in “more emphasis” for police department activities Survey Year Police Department activity 2017 2018 2019 Percent 2020 2021 Sex-related offenses investigation 52 51 51 55 54 Violent crimes investigation 39 33 34 38 37 Crime prevention and education activities 36 35 38 34 34 Domestic violence/family dispute resolution 37 32 30 41 33 Illegal drug use prevention and enforcement 42 36 35 32 29 Bad checks, fraud & identity theft investigation 30 22 25 23 26 Noise laws and nuisance party enforcement 20 18 18 20 22 Alcohol-related crimes enforcement 30 21 23 16 19 Residential patrolling 19 18 19 19 19 School resource officer services 18 26 23 22 18 Animal control and sheltering 15 15 18 19 15 Speed limit enforcement 12 14 15 13 12 Juvenile crimes investigation 13 14 13 14 11 Traffic control and enforcement 14 12 11 10 11 Business district patrolling 9 8 7 9 8 Parking laws enforcement 4 6 5 6 5 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 16 Additional Comments (n=103) The police department received many positive comments from the surveys. Here are examples: • “They are timely and professional. I think highly of the Ames Police Dept.” • “I'm very proud of our police department and feel they are professional and serve the community very well. Not an easy job in these times!” • “Don't have a lot of experience with the police department. We definitely appreciate all the outreach efforts, and general approachability of the officers.” Many people indicated having a lack of knowledge about the current policing priorities or lack of police contact. There were 12 respondents who suggested police reforms as well as reassigning some of the roles served by police to alternative service providers such as DHS, nurses, or mental health providers. Here is an example comment, “Ames needs to establish resources for those struggling with immediate mental health concerns that are not the police/hospitalization.” Another comment suggested, “Sometimes police intervention is used when the other services are more appreciable. Fund social services outside of the PD to actually support the community and let the PD focus on law enforcement. Also, support opportunities to reform PDs (officer stress support, de-escalation techniques, cultural sensitivity, etc.)” Several survey respondents provided suggestions for improvement in regard to diversity, equity and inclusion. Several respondents suggested providing officers with additional training (anti-racism, racial bias, conflict resolution.) Another person recommended more diversity in the police force. Another comment suggested, ” I think it is… important that Ames responds to the concerns from community members in Ames, especially BIPOC community members, about the role of police officers in community safety and how the law enforcement system needs to be restructured to ensure that community members who need help are receiving help from those with the most expertise for that particular situation and that crime prevention is prioritized, in addition to mental and physical health … voices and recommendations of those who have been most harmed by our systems. It seems like Ames Police Department can be a leader in reimagining this system and valuing equity and justice above all else.” There were a couple comments requesting that police provide greater protection and law enforcement measures for the rights of bicyclists. Four people asked for more patrolling in their neighborhoods. Conversely, there was one comment that patrolling should be cut and is a waste of time and money. Parking was another topic that received comments. Comments focused on street parking policies and ticketing. A couple comments were targeted toward better noise enforcement including this one, “Noise violations should also be served more frequently, especially in areas with high densities of college students.” Another comment, “Campus house parties - patrol more, loud amplifiers, past curfew.” There were several people commenting against drug enforcement mainly around the use of marijuana. However, one respondent shared the following comment, “Ames needs to make sure that meth and cocaine do not get a foothold here. That is the root cause of lots of crime. Tackle the root cause!” 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 17 School resource officers was another theme that received several comments. There were several comments calling for the removal of school resource officers. One respondent provided a positive comment, “I am a foster parent- the middle school resource officer was amazing. Please don't take them out of the schools!!! The officer we worked with had a great rapport and really felt like a resource.” The word cloud is the visual representation of the comments. For original responses, please refer to the appendix. Figure 4. Comments on Police Department Fire Department Survey respondents reported their satisfaction with various Ames Fire Department activities. Table 11 shows respondents’ satisfaction ratings. For each activity, at least 58% of survey respondents responded with “Don’t know” (which was excluded in the analysis in Table 11). Nearly all the respondents were somewhat/very satisfied with efforts at putting out fires (98%) and ambulance assistance (95%). This is followed by 94% for fire prevention education and outreach, and home and business safety inspection and 93%. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 18 Table 11. Satisfaction with Fire Department activities (“Don’t Know” removed) Fire Department Activity Very/Somewhat Dissatisfied Somewhat/Very Satisfied Putting out fires (n=198) 2 98 Ambulance assistance (n=194) 5 95 Fire prevention education & outreach (n=244) 6 94 Home & business safety inspections (n=193) 7 93 Additional Comments (n=56) Residents of Ames provided many positive comments regarding the Ames Fire Department. This included people who wrote comments of gratitude for times they needed fire or ambulance services. Another respondent commented about being grateful for ambulance services, “They were very professional and very kind.” Survey respondents provided positive examples of fire safety training, education, and outreach activities including outreach at schools and airport fly-in event. One person commented how they missed attending last year’s fire house open house because of the pandemic. There were several comments requesting additional fire prevention education and inspections. “I have seen no outreach whatsoever from the fire department, but I have seen a lot from the police. I think this is something they could take large advantage of with teaching about dorm/apartment safety and hazards.” There are also several survey respondents made negative comments regarding inspections. One person complained about inconsistency of inspections. Another landlord felt the fire inspection measures were burdensome. An apartment tenant was concerned about the lack of fire safety measure including non-functioning fire extinguishers and smoke detectors. Many respondents commented that they have never had any instances where they needed the services from Fire Department and/or little experience dealing with the fire department. One person suggested that the city of Ames should consider building a fire station on the west side of town. Actual responses can be seen at the appendix. Figure 5. Comments on Fire Department 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 19 Ames Electric Service Survey respondents were asked a series of questions regarding Ames Electric Services including questions about power outages, satisfaction with various aspects of the Electric Services department, and SunSmart Ames, the community solar project. The number of respondents who have experienced a power outage fluctuates every year and is nearly always connected to weather conditions. Table 12 demonstrates this fluctuation. Between 2017-2019 around one-third of respondents reported experiencing a power outage, by 2020 that number climbed to 48% and in 2021, over 80% of those surveyed reported experiencing an outage. In August of 2020, a massive windstorm swept across Iowa This derecho caused a community-wide power outage which required several days to resolve for all Ames Electric Services customers. Twenty-four percent of respondents experienced a power surge, which affected their computer operations in 2021 compared to 18% in 2020. Table 12. Respondents’ experience with electric service interruption Service outage Survey Year 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Percent who responded “yes” Experienced power outage 34 36 34 48 80 Experienced power surge which affected computer operations 10 10 12 18 24 Table 13 shows satisfaction rates with Electric Department services. “Does Not Apply” responses were excluded in this analysis. Ninety-six percent of Ames customers were somewhat or very satisfied with the quality of power, 94% were satisfied with the response of employees. There was a high rate of satisfaction with the ease of reporting an outage (91%). Respondents indicated relatively favorable rates of satisfaction for the communication of progress in restoring services (87%) and time to restore services (85%). Eighteen percent of respondents reported being very/somewhat dissatisfied with electric rates. Table 13. Satisfaction with Electric Department services Very/somewhat dissatisfied Somewhat/ very satisfied Average Percent The quality of power (n=489) 4 96 3.6 Response of employees (n=398) 6 94 3.5 Ease of reporting an outage (n=412) 9 91 3.4 Being informed of progress restoring services (n=468) 13 87 3.3 Time to restore service (n=466) 15 85 3.3 Electric rates (n=485) 18 82 3.1 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 20 Figure 6 shows the five-year trends in the level of satisfaction with the Electric Department. In general, the satisfaction levels have remained quite constant over the five-year period. For 2021, the two categories that saw the most noticeable changes were in the ease of reporting an outage and time to restore power. Figure 6. Satisfaction with City Electric Department activities, 2017-2021 Respondents were asked to gauge their interest in participating in the SunSmart Ames community solar farm. To participate, Ames Electric Services customers can purchase a share of the project at $300 per “Power Pack” and receive a small monthly credit on their bills for 20 years. To better market this program, the survey asked for feedback on why customers would not want to participate. Eighteen percent of respondents expressed a favorable opinion. Of those who were not interested, a majority (59%) stated that they are not planning to stay in Ames long term, 26% stated that it’s too expensive, and 5% stated that they were not interested. Other reasons for not wanting to participate in the program include the cost, they don’t own the house they’re living in (renters), long-term commitment required, concerns about return on investment, short-term stay in Ames, need more information about the program, and already have solar. Others aren’t interested and are don’t believe solar is sustainable. Other comments • Age o Too old (6x) • Already have solar (3x) • Considering (3x) • Concerned about reliability of power sources • Expensive • Just started using • Lack of interest (x7) o Really don’t care either way o Don’t want to o Not interested o Never really thought about it 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 21 • Lack of Knowledge (x26) o Don't know enough o Never heard of it but now interested o Uninformed by choice o Didn't know about it • Low Benefit/Return on Investment (7x) • Need more information (9x) • Need to sign up (7x) • No Need (3x) o No reason o Our electric bills are very low and we use very little electricity o We have cheap electricity • Renter (11x) • Short-term/Likely to move soon (12x) • Unsustainable (5x) o Doesn't work w/o subsidy o In addition to the cost, solar energy is far less effective than natural gas. o Its life cycle cost far outweighs o Solar energy is not sustainable o I don't understand how this helps Ames be more sustainable Water and Sanitary Sewer Utilities Of the respondents who use City of Ames water and sanitary sewer services, the majority reported never having problems such as too much pressure (91%), soft water (80%), rust (77%), disagreeable taste or odor (77%), too little pressure (71%), or sediment (71%), and hard water (68%). Figure 7a shows the frequencies of water service problems as reported in 2021. Most respondents experiencing water problems indicated they had problems once or twice in the past year ranging from too much pressure (3%) to sediment or cloudy appearance (19%). Ten percent of survey respondents reported experiencing hard water on seven or more occasions in the last year. Figure 7b shows data on the number of respondents reporting no water problems for the past five years (2017 to 2021). Historically, a majority of Ames residents are pleased with their water. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 22 Figure 7a. Frequencies of water service problems, 2021 Figure 7b. Respondents Reporting No Water Service Problems, 2017-2021 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 23 Additional Comments Many respondents commented positively about Ames tap water. Most comments indicated that they were pleased with the quality and taste through words like amazing, awesome, excellent, fantastic, good, great, and wonderful. Many respondents believe Ames is among the best water in the country. While there were many positive comments, respondents also shared their complaints. Some common comments included hard water, low pressure, rust and sediment in water, and water odor. Several people living in apartment buildings said they experience water issues, but they attributed their issues to conditions within the apartment building rather than city water. For exact wording of comments and to review all comments, please see the appendix. Figure 8. Comments on Water Service Water and Pollution Control Department Survey respondents were asked to provide their level of satisfaction with water quality and rates on a scale of 1 – Very Dissatisfied to 4 – Very Satisfied. Respondents could also choose “Does not apply.” The satisfaction rates are reported in Table 14. Ninety-two percent of those surveyed were satisfied with water quality, and 84% were satisfied with water rates and 83% sewer rates. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 24 Comparing 2021 data to the previous year, overall the numbers remained quite steady from the previous year. Customer satisfaction is high among all three categories. Water quality ranked highest with an average score of 3.6 out of 4, indicating a high level of satisfaction. Table 14. Satisfaction with Water & Pollution Control Department services Average Water quality (n=552) 8 92 3.6 Water rates (n=481) 16 84 3.1 Sewer rates (n=465) 17 83 3.1 * “Does not apply” excluded when calculating percentages for “very dissatisfied” to “very satisfied.” Figure 9 shows trends in number of people experiencing problems related to the city’s stormwater system. Over the past decade, there have been some years with increased activity. For example, in 2017, there was slightly more stormwater flooded property, but the numbers from 2019 far exceed any of the other years. For 2021, few survey respondents experienced flooding or sewer backups on their property. Survey respondents were asked if the City sewer system caused a drain back-up in their basement/home. Only 7% percent of those surveyed or 39 individuals indicated that they had a back- up in their home (compared to 45% or 239 individuals in 2019). Of those who had a drain back-up problem, 33% (n=13) reported the problem to the City, of which 9 people were somewhat/very satisfied with the response and assistance they got from the city. Respondents also reported whether the stormwater flooded onto their properties from the street. In 2021, storm flooding was reported by only 29 respondents or 5% of respondents. Of the 29 respondents who experienced flooding, only 10% (n=3 people) reported the problem to the City. When asked how satisfied they were with the city’s response to the flooding problem, all three reported being somewhat dissatisfied with the response. Figure 9. Respondent’s experience with city sewer system problems, 2012-2021 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 25 Additional Comments Many of the comments in this section were detailing specific incidents of sewer drain backup or flooding of property. Several discussed stormwater damage from heavy rains. One person shared how they resolved the issue by rerouting the water through landscaping. A common complaint was about the cost of water. Several people made comments about summer seasonal water rates being much higher compared to off-seasonal rates and one person did not feel it was fair to pay sewer rates for water used in yard and gardens. Another respondent complained about the cost of the water deposit. Another person questioned why they were required to pay a base charge on their water bill when they were away for a month. There were also positive comments (i.e., good, thank you, good customer service) about Ames water and water services. See the appendix for complete comments. Neighborhood Nuisance Enforcement Table 15 illustrates survey respondents’ satisfaction with the City’s neighborhood nuisance enforcement efforts. Almost half of respondents surveyed indicated that they did not know about nuisance enforcement activities (“Don’t know” ranged from 49% (noise limits) to 76% (rental over occupancy). These individuals were excluded from the calculated satisfaction percentages. Among those who expressed opinions, more than two-thirds reported being “somewhat” to “very satisfied” with each enforcement effort: front yard parking on residential property (73%), over occupancy in rental property (71%), noise limits (70%), and outdoor storage on property such as old cars, tires, furniture property upkeep (70%). More than half rated property upkeep (paint, gutters, broken windows) (68%) and yard upkeep (67%) as satisfactory (somewhat to very satisfied). The average satisfaction is somewhat satisfied (level ranges from 2.9 to 3.0) When satisfaction level was compared against geographic residences of the respondents, the level of satisfaction on all of the six nuisance ordinance issues (i.e., front yard parking on residential property, over-occupancy in rental property, outdoor storage on property (old cars, tires, furniture, garbage, noise limits, property upkeep (paint, gutters, broken windows), and yard upkeep (overgrown vegetation) were almost the same regardless of where a respondent lives. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 26 Table 15. Satisfaction in neighborhood nuisance enforcement Very/Somewhat Dissatisfied Somewhat/ eVery Satisfied Percent Average Front yard parking on residential property (n=219) 27 73 3.0 Over-occupancy in rental property (n=144) 29 71 3.0 Outdoor storage on property (old cars, tires, furniture, garbage (n=288) 30 70 2.9 Noise limits (n=301) 30 70 2.9 Property upkeep (paint, gutters, broken windows) (n=293) 32 68 2.9 Yard upkeep (overgrown vegetation) (n=292) 33 67 2.9 Additional Comments Many people had no experience with any of the nuisance enforcement issues or felt it not applicable to their situation. Several respondents commented about living in a private community that has its own rules and enforcement (HOA and mobile home park.) An ISU student observed that there was a difference between enforcement on campus versus within Ames. Several people reported not being aware of nuisance ordinances. Others do not have confidence that their nuisance complaints are being investigated. Here is an example comment, “It’s unclear to us whether anyone ever investigates noise complaints or what even constitutes a violation.” Another comment also reveals this, “… residents may not be aware of the work being done and whether it is effective or not.” For those who are aware of nuisance enforcement, several expressed concern lag in action from the time of violation to the resolution. There were also a number of people who commented on uneven enforcement. Another respondent commented, “Action depends on neighbors' complaints before violations are addressed.” Several other comments also indicated that many issues go unreported. One person suggested, “Sadly, many ‘nuisances’ go unreported because ‘reporters’ don't want to cause trouble w/a neighbor. It would be nice if City employees would report instances of problems they see as they go around doing their normal work.” A group of respondents felt that property and yard upkeep ordinances weren’t important and should receive less emphasis from the City. “The City shouldn't be involved in enforcing yard upkeep, property upkeep, or outdoor storage. If it's a person's private property, it is their freedom to ruin it if they choose.” Another person felt that there wasn’t a need for regulation unless there was a safety hazard. There were several comments in favor of encouraging the City to provide 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 27 outreach and assistance to homeowners in violation. Some examples, “How people keep their lawn should be their own business, but perhaps offer help via community service, if people want it,” and “encourage programs that assist homeowners if [disrepair] becomes an issue.” Several survey respondents discussed their opposition to overgrown vegetation ordinances. “Overgrown vegetation shouldn’t be a concern for the City. It’s better for wildlife.” Another agreed with relaxed vegetation requirements saying, “… I would love to see more diverse and lush vegetation instead of grass lawns – prairies, forests, and vegetable gardens!” One respondent suggested passing, “a front yard garden ordinance” (allowing the lawn to be converted to garden space). Others are in favor of ordinance enforcement and see it as way to maintain property values and prevent crime. A number of respondents gave specific examples of violations of nuisance ordinances. Several provided locations of houses or neighborhoods that were in need of maintenance. There were many comments expressing concerns about noise violations, often citing noise from college students and house parties. Finally, there were a number of other comments. One person shared that they did not agree with parking rules on Ash Avenue. Another comment was focused on brush removal in the parks. A respondent commented with their dissatisfaction with Campustown. For additional and specific comments, see the appendix. Figure 10. Comments on Nuisance Enforcement 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 28 Street Maintenance Residents were given the opportunity to rate street and bike path maintenance using a four-point scale from “very poor” (1) to “very good” (4). The average values ranged from 2.9 to 3.3, meaning the road services were rated almost good to very good. When “very good” and “good” responses were combined, responses ranged from 70% for neighborhood snow plowing to 95% for street sweeping in the business areas seen in Table 16. Table 16. Road service ratings Very Poor/ Good/ Very Poor Good Percent Average Street sweeping in business areas (n=456) 5 95 3.3 Snow plowing on major streets (n=581) 12 88 3.3 Appearance of medians and parkways (n=572) 9 91 3.2 Maintenance of bike path system (on street lanes & paths) (n=488) 12 88 3.2 Street sweeping in your neighborhood (n=492) 15 85 3.1 Surface condition of major streets (n=580) 15 85 3.1 Condition of streets in your neighborhood (n=579) 19 81 3.0 Ice control at intersections (n=560) 23 77 2.9 Snow plowing in your neighborhood (n=583) 30 70 2.9 Figures 11a&b compare this year’s road service ratings with ratings from four previous years. Three categories saw an increase in satisfaction from 2020. Seven out of nine street maintenance features were ranked “good” with an average score higher than 3.0. Two street maintenance categories received slightly lower average ratings: ice control at intersections and neighborhood snow plowing. Long-term respondents gave a higher rating to the three road services (ice control at intersections, snow plowing in their neighborhood, and snow plowing on major streets). The older the respondent, the higher rating given to six of the street maintenance features, except for maintenance of bike path system, street sweeping in the neighborhood, and surface condition of major streets. In 2021, those living in northwest Ames had higher rating for ice control in intersection (average score of 3.0) compared with those from southwest and southeast (average score of 2.7). The trend is quite different for snow plowing in the neighborhood. Respondents from northeast part of the city rated snow plowing as the highest (average score of 3.3 with southwest average of 2.7, and northwest average of 2.9). Snow plowing on major streets was rated the highest by northeast residents (average score of 3.5) as compared to 3.3 by northwest residents. The other six street maintenance features were viewed the same regardless of geographic residence. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 29 Figure 11a. Quality of street maintenance features (2017-2021) Figure 11b. Quality of street maintenance features continued (2017-2021) 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 30 The survey also asked survey respondents to rate the effectiveness of coordination between traffic signals. Table 17 shows that while 63% of respondents said coordination was “often and/or always” effective, another 32% said the coordination was “rarely to sometimes” effective. Table 17. Signal Coordination Effectiveness (n=549), 2021 Percent Often effective 34 Almost always effective 29 Sometimes effective 25 Rarely effective 7 Don’t know 5 Additional Comments Several people responded with positive comments including gratitude for the addition of a new traffic light. This year, the most common complaints were about pedestrian/bicycle related concerns, snow/ice removal from roads and sidewalks, street maintenance, and lack of coordination in traffic lights. Several people identified specific problem intersections, which are listed below. Other comments are also listed below. Positive Comments • Good • Streets are generally good with a few spots needing work! • Thanks for adding the light at State and Mortensen!!!! Specific areas that need attention are: • Bicycle and Pedestrian o Again, many street intersection lights do not detect bicyclists. The 9th and Grand intersection, the 6th and Grand intersection, and 9th and Duff intersections are very, very frustrating. Conversely, the 6th and University light is WONDERFULLY responsive, so I know the technology is available... o Bike paths and on-street lanes need continual maintenance. Street bike lanes often have rocks and branches that need to be avoided. Street sweeping on-street bike lanes need to occur more often. o Firstly, I feel that the bike system is very poor in Ames because bicyclists are often asked to bike on the same roads that cars are on. This makes bicyclists, especially beginners, feel too unsafe and uncomfortable to actually take up biking. And having inexperienced bicyclists on the same roads as motorists causes stress and anxiety for the motorists as well. Thus, I think Ames should have dedicated, protected bike lanes throughout the entire city, for the benefit of all involved. Secondly, I have noticed that sidewalks are maintained much more poorly than streets. Unlike streets, which are smooth and always clean, sidewalks are bumpy and blocky, and are rarely cleaned well after a snow. Plus, unlike roads which are sloped so that water will run off and not collect, sidewalks usually collect puddles which end up turning to ice. This makes sidewalks extremely dangerous for pedestrians, especially during the winter. It 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 31 would be excellent if sidewalks were maintained to the same standard as streets are. o I am a little disappointed in bike paths on Duff Ave. recently installed. I live on 17th Douglas Ave and use Duff often and have yet to see the bike paths used. o I bike a lot- 1100 miles in Ames in 2020. Remove the green bike squares- downtown- a really dumb concept. Cars hate bikes in a car place- and starts and stops of places are dangerous for both bikes and cars. Choose one and do it everywhere or nowhere! o I like having the bike lanes on the roads. However, they are oftentimes dangerous/unusable because the seam (crack) between the curb-section and the actual street is uneven and happens to be RIGHT down the center of the bike lane (see 30th street between Grand and Hoover for an example). It makes me either ride too close to the normal traffic lanes or just back on the sidewalk. o I wish there were more "greenway" bike paths to get around the city (Such as the system that links University Village to Brookside and then kind of toward 4th street. But more paths! o Increasing biking infrastructure and safety would be very helpful environmentally and socially, especially for so many students in the Ames area. o Many bike paths have wide cracks, people don't use them. Also, I drive on N. Duff often, have never seen a bicycle rider (Waste of paint)!! o Many traffic signals are not responsive to bicyclists. 13th to Northwestern, 9th to Duff Avenue and 9th to Grand are intersections I've had issues at. o More bike paths would be good o My complaint is that vehicles can left turn while I legally cross after getting the walk signal. I expect I'll be killed eventually. I feel sorry for any blind person or someone handicapped or in a wheelchair who tries to find or use the walk button by Lebeda Mattress. The one across Lincoln way from Lebeda Mattress could be hard for a blind person to find. o One bizarre feature of the Ames bike path system is the fact that many of the "bike paths" are simply glorified shared-use sidewalks that are not marked. I have not seen this in any other city where I have lived. This is highly problematic for bicyclists because motorists are simply not expecting cyclists on these separate paths when crossing at intersections; cyclists are much more visible when they are able to use paths that are integral parts of the streets (not the sidewalks) o Street maintenance- the bike path space on 6th is abysmal, I believe the space is extremely dangerous. o The surface of most bike paths is not in good condition and should be fixed. o They are not coordinated for bikes o Too many bike paths- roads are for cars. All the money spent on North Duff for bike paths was a total waste. It isn't used. o Traffic flow in Ames needs much improvement. If you dedicate bike lanes on the streets, you need to regulate and enforce bike registration and laws, just like Ames used to do. o The streetlights around Somerset are on red for bikers and pedestrians too long. o There is a need for a sidewalk on Ross Road. It is narrow and sides where you walk or bike are in poor, very rough condition. o This is from a pedestrian's perspective and not really a driver's perspective. It's clear to me when I cross the street at Lincoln Way that the traffic signals effectively handle traffic in waves and provide opportunities for pedestrians to cross. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 32 • Landscaping o No idea who thought those rectangular holes w/a single tree in Campustown was attractive. o The Blvd area on Bloomington Rd. (east of Grand Ave.) has not been as well kept in the landscaped sections in the last few years. • Other o New stop light by vet school is going to back up traffic onto university o My parkway has been dug up 15,000 times. Full of weeds and construction debris that destroys the lawn mower. o I’m in the minority, but I think traffic circles are a good idea. I think they save gas and when people learn to understand them, they’ll keep traffic moving more smoothly. I find that the street lines fade so quickly that sometimes it’s hard to tell where the lanes are especially the bike lanes. • Repair Roads o Ames streets are a disgrace! o Top O Hollow is pretty rough on the west, and Grand is pretty rough by the mall much worse that Bloomington when it was repaved. o If you are stopped by one light, it seems we are stopped by a lot. Prioritizing road maintenance would seem to be a good idea with repaving and not just patching areas. o The Mortensen Rd is really bad. There are hundreds of cars use that road every day. But this road is full of potholes. It's very bumpy. I also hope someone can fix or rebuild the Mortensen Rd. o There are terrible potholes everywhere in Ames, and it's a serious problem. There are some that I swear are over a foot wide. Whenever there is snow there is not adequate salt put down, snow is not plowed in a timely manner and the snow is often packed down to ice on the roads • Sensors o Ames needs to install automatic stoplight sensors. Too many times, especially on Lincoln Way the street will be very backed up for a road light with nobody coming. o There are a number of intersections that do not register motorcycles!!!! • Snow and Ice removal/Slippery Pavement o After freezing rain, the pavements get too much slippery to walk. It becomes very risky and dangerous to walk on such slippery paths. Many people fall down and there have been many cases of accidents and injuries due to that reason. I request the Street Maintenance authority to look after and solve this issue. o I wish that more care was given to removing snow and ice from bus stops and from the pavement where the sidewalk meets the street. o I clean my front walk. The snow plough comes by driving too fast and throws snow all over my clean walk! o I have lived in the Midwest for 20+ years and Ames is THE WORST when it comes to snow removal. o I have never experienced such poor snow removal until I moved to Ames. I don’t know if they need to purchase more plows, employ more people to do the plowing or what the solution needs to be, but something needs to be done. I work at 5 am and sometimes I have to walk in very deep snow for about a mile because I cannot drive on the roads. It seems that they plow once, put one layer of salt down and call it a day. o I would like to see the city invest in residential snow removal equipment (to scoop up and melt or haul away roadway snow). It is frustrating when I have cleaned my 3-car-garage driveway with scoop shovel and snow pusher and then the city snowplow comes by and pushes a deep bank of snow from the street into my driveway again. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 33 o Ice control at intersections: Ontario and Minnesota: Often we get a pile that limits visibility and lane width o If you live in a cul-de-sac the road maintenance is the worst. Snow is pushed back into the driveways and sometimes snow piles are lumped in the middle and then never take out making it difficult during heavy snow to enter driveways. People living in a cul-de-sac should have the same road sweep when the other side roads are done. Cul-de-sacs are last and that is problem. o In the winter, the residential streets are very dangerous with the amount of snow and ice o It would be nice to have some sort of schedule as to what neighborhoods are getting plowed when. As someone who has to park on the street, I don't have anywhere to move my car so it's frustrating when I'm not able to move it out of the way and it gets piled in, and the snowplows never come around again o Last year (2020), my son watched the person who was plowing our neighborhood take out three mailboxes in a row. This year (2021) the person plowing our neighborhood has been wonderful. We didn't have huge piles of snow at the front driveway, and he even piled the snow in the middle of our circle just night for the kids to build snow forts. Thank you. o Piles of snow left by snowplows make it very difficult for us walkers to get from the sidewalk into the street at intersections. o Snow plowing of my (admittedly very low traffic) side street seemed slow, but intersections and curves nearby were handled well. o The current system of snow removal needs to be seriously evaluated. Some contractors take snow removal more seriously than others or their zones do not overlap well enough. I have gotten stuck in my neighborhood from plows leaving snow piled at the entrances onto main roads. I have lived in other Midwestern cities and never experienced such poor snow removal until I moved to Ames. o There is just not a lot of space to put snow. But I frequently have issues with ice in the winter. o There needs to be more plows who come out when it is snowing and ice/sand and plow, it always just gets compacted into ice and then it’s impossible to drive. Lights on university are always timed off and you hit every single red (Duff as well). The light on Mortensen is dumb and is always red for every direction you come at it from, slowing everything down. o We have parking on one side only and they keep piling the snow against the cars. Why? o Would love to see increased plowing after snowstorms, especially on side streets. There are some intersections that could be improved, as it relates to light changing efficacy, but overall, pretty good! • Traffic Light Coordination o A lot of trip lights so not coordinated. o Ames traffic lights are incredibly frustrating o Grand Ave.: If you hit just wrong, you will have almost all red lights o How do I know what light oncoming traffic has? I can't look at oncoming traffic and my light at the same time. o I always struggle at Lincoln Way (east to west) from HyVee to HyVee. o I purposely avoid streets with traffic lights in favor of those with stop signs when going across town because of how bad some of the traffic signals are. For example, cars turning left from 13th onto Grand must either take dangerous chances or wait 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 34 multiple whole light cycles to get a single car across, causing lots of backup. Another bad one is turning left onto Grand after exiting the mall or Walmart via 30th St. This also requires dangerous chances or long waits, again causing backup at this busy intersection leaving these major shopping areas. o I travel from far west Ames to Duff Ave. via Lincoln Way multiple times per day. It is very common that I stop at 90% of the traffic signals. Too many times I am stopped by a light with nobody triggering the light to change. This is probably my biggest complaint about Ames. o I try to avoid Lincoln Way because the lights are not timed well (I go the speed limit). I should not be stopping as often as I do on Lincoln Way even when I go the speed limit. o I understand that there are crosswalks that would interfere with the traffic lights heading west on Lincoln Way around campus, but from a personal opinion, it can be displeasing to have a light turn green on Union and Lincoln Way and the light at Ash and Lincoln Way turn red) o If you hit a green on Lincoln Way, shouldn't you technically hit more greens? There needs to be more overlap so that people can drive more efficiently on Lincoln Way o Lights are the worst thing in this town! Dead horses move better than traffic in this town. o Lights on Lincoln Way seem uncoordinated o Traffic signals late at night may need to be better coordinated as well. I would use the intersection of Lincoln and South Duff as an example of how to coordinate lights late at night. A car comes, the traffic light senses the car, and changes quickly to adjust to the current situation, resulting in a short wait time for the red-light facing car -- it's very nice! Other lights seem to be on a timer and make cars stop at 2 a.m. for absolutely no reason. Unfortunately, no examples pop into my head at this very moment of specific intersections that do this. Nevertheless, I recall being frustrated, so I think they are out there! o They're good if you consider having to stop at every empty intersection back-to-back an effective coordination. Then disregard my answer. Having to stop at back-to-back intersections on Lincoln Way is a good way of having consistently long travel times and reduce overall speed of traffic, but it seems people still like to accelerate through these short spirts of traffic stops. o This could be improved, especially when driving by campus on Lincoln Way. Stop and go traffic also wastes gas. o Traffic signals on Lincoln Way are infuriating! Why do I have to stop five times to drive a half mile? o Westbound 13th and Grand intersection need turn signal, and the light at 13th and Stange takes too long if you're coming from East or West. o Traffic signals -- there are some streets that are particularly bad for it. In 2 years of living on the west end of Lincoln Way my Prius managed to lose 8 mpg due to the frequent starting and stopping caused by all the traffic lights • Traffic Control Signage o Small neighborhoods need more stop signs or yield signs at 4-way intersections. Multiple accidents have occurred in my neighborhood due to people going straight through intersections and assuming they have the right-away. PUT UP MORE STOP SIGNS. o Stop signs on residential areas, markings on roads are very poor. o Specific intersections that need attention (See full listing in the appendix). 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 35 CyRide Ames’ mass transportation system – CyRide – was evaluated in the survey. Note in Figure 12, the difference in ridership between those identifying as students and non-students. Among respondents who used CyRide at least once a week, 76% were students and 28% were non-students. Figure 12. Use CyRide at least once a week, 2017-2021 In 2021, 44% of survey respondents reported some weekly use of CyRide. In the past five years, the use of CyRide has averaged around 46% (between 44% and 49%). In 2021, 56% of respondents reported they never rode the bus. There was a 3% increase in those using CyRide once a week, and an 8% increase in those riding for 2 to 6 times per week. The number of respondents who reported taking CyRide more than 10 times per week decreased 8% from last year (Table 18). There is correlation between resident demographics and CyRide usage. CyRide users are mostly younger (18 years of age) and have stayed in Ames for a shorter period of time (average 5.8 years). The non-CyRide users were older (average age 48) and have lived in Ames longer (average 26 years). The majority of those who used CyRide were students (81%) and mostly renters (88%). Table 18. Respondents’ weekly CyRide usage Weekly use 2017 2018 Survey Year 2019 Percent 2020 2021 Never 53 51 56 55 56 2 to 6 times 6 17 16 17 25 7 to 10 times 19 16 12 12 8 Once a week 12 5 4 3 6 More than 10 times 10 11 13 13 5 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 36 When respondents were asked what would make them consider using CyRide if they are not currently using it, more than half (56%) said “nothing.” Fifteen percent mentioned service to more areas of Ames and service more frequently near their residence (15%). Other additional features mentioned were longer service (earlier/later) for some routes, lower cost, and no cost. (Table 19) Many respondents commented that they plan to take CyRide once things become better with the COVID-19 pandemic and people begin working on campus again. Table 19. Services that would make you consider using CyRide if not currently using this service (n=301) Reason No. % Nothing 168 56 Services were provided to more areas of Ames 44 15 Service was more frequent on routes near me 46 15 The fare when boarding the bus was at no cost 25 8 Service was offered on my route longer during the day (earlier or later times) 25 8 The fare when boarding the bus was lower 10 3 Other (specify) 57 19 Other responses to consider using CyRide • Better Transfers o Service to campus from routes near me without having to transfer now that transfers are not guaranteed. o The routes from my house involve several transfers. I can bike faster than taking CyRide to work. When I was going to ISU, I used CyRide often. • Better understanding of schedule/routes o Have a better understanding of the schedule and connecting routes. o If I knew how to use it easily o Making it easier for people to use the mobile app or website • COVID-19 o COVID has kept us working from home, so there has been less call to use CyRide. When I go into campus I usually bike. I may use CyRide this winter to get to campus when it's too cold or icy. o COVID-19 going away. Again, consider current events in your survey. Your results are going to be wildly skewed and inaccurate. o End of COVID and return to work on campus (ISU) o If bars were open again (No COVID) o No COVID-19 restrictions o Stopped utilizing CyRide due to COVID-19 pandemic since work has moved remotely. Used to use the bus service daily and always enjoyed it! o Trying to avoid public transportation due to the pandemic o Worried about COVID-19 • Frequent Stops 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 37 o Bus stops too frequently. It takes too long to go from one end of the route to the other end of the route. POV allows better mobility. o Less stops actually • Prefer Car Transport o I drive my vehicle (2x) o I need to use my car • If I needed it o If I needed the service o Only in an emergency o If I could not drive anymore o When I get too old to drive. o If I had no other transportation. o If my vehicle broke down o Quick travel o If I go on campus, I do use it • No Need o No need to use (2x) o Not needed, but would take if necessary o Work out of town, no need • Prefer Walking/Biking o I live too close to campus. Walking is faster o Right now, I am able to walk or bike and only use my car 1-2 times per week. In the future, I may use CyRide o We walk or bike when able, use car when weather is bad • Route Times o I work but get off @ 1:45 in the morning. o If more bus routes went longer hours (into the night instead of ending at ~5 pm) • Stop Location o Bus stops too far away for a 56-year-old o Have service available without walking 2 miles o No service on our road o There is no stop accessible to where I live. It's about a mile away and walking that at night is too risky o Too far to walk to bus stop. Use HIRTA • Other o I already considered it o Make it part of ISU parking fees o Complimentary snack and beverage o The use of electric vehicles would make me consider using CyRide Additional Comments (See full listing in Appendix) • Bus Stop Locations o Closer to bus stop would make me consider using these services o I would need to walk 4-5 blocks for a stop o Too far to walk to bus stop. They stopped the close-by bus stops. o Travel time and distance to bus stop one primary issues. o CyRide doesn't service my area, Scenic Valley and Northridge Heights. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 38 • Does not fit my schedule/timing o CyRide just does not fit our schedule. We need flexible transport times. o I have three kids, so being on time and herding them is just easier with a van. o I live in South Ames and there are not many routes near my home. Despite this, my work schedule makes it difficult to rely on CyRide consistently and I prefer using my personal car for the flexibility it offers. o When I was in undergrad, CyRide was super helpful and convenient. However, I park on campus now that I'm in graduate school and have to be on farms so frequently. • Don’t Use I Drive/Walk/Bike o CyRide is great, I just like the convenience of my own car. o I ride my bike everywhere o I'm impressed with the service but live downtown where most places I go are easily accessible. If a place is too far to walk, it is easier and faster to drive. • Driver Comments o I have seen one driver become rude to a student that ran to catch the bus, so she tried lecturing him even though the bus was early. o Some drivers are very sharp when turning and sudden stops that causes students to have to brace themselves o Some drivers speed up very fast and then slam on the breaks, make the ride jerky. A “rate your driver option” or additional training would be appreciated. o The drivers need to be more conscientious of people around them; I have had drivers drive off as I was about to cross the road to get on & nearly hit me & not once slow down. o Friendly drivers! Love them. • Empty Buses o Too many buses for the number of riders. I see 1 or 2 people on a lot of buses in the summer. It is a joke then they ask for more money every year. o Watch them go by empty majority of time. Real money loser. • Nice Option o Although I don't use CyRide, I am very happy we have it as an option. o I am unlikely to use CyRide but appreciate that it’s there, particularly for our friends, who do not have cars. • Non-student Outreach o I think a lot of the routes are hard to figure out and often students want to use it when they aren't able to drive to save money. But it is inconvenient for non-students and the buses need to run later into the night o Add services for non-university citizens! o Need to do more advertising if CyRide is available to non-students. We thought it was a student bus. • No Need o My husband works from home and I work at the vet school o I frequently travel outside of Ames for work so just not there much to use it. o I have a car and live near campus, I have no need to drive unless getting groceries, which a car is much more convenient for. o I live four blocks from my daughter's school, so I walk and I can't bring 10 bags of groceries on CyRide so I drive for those. o I live in a retirement community, so have no need to use. • Other Comments o Not convenient 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 39 o We live on campus, so everything we need is pretty much walking distance. o CyRide is great. We just don't use it. o Make children ride free. I hate paying $1 for multiple rides and I don’t have enough money for the pass o Kids use CyRide. I use CyRide when extreme cold moves in. o My grandkids like to ride it o Not a bus person o Not sure how CyRide is funded. But I think ISU should bear most of the burden, as it is primary used by students. • Positive Comments o Convenient o CyRide is awesome! Nearly everything about it is absolutely amazing! o CyRide is fantastic as a student, and I think it's something worth putting more funding into o Effective and essential. The app is very nice. o I am satisfied with CyRide o I love CyRide and would be really upset if this service was no longer available o I've always loved CyRide!!! One of the best bus systems I've seen in a college town!! o Keep up the great work. o Love CyRide o One of the best services in the USA! I am very much satisfied. • Revise Routes o Please increase bus frequency on the weekends and run route 25 o Bus lines 1 and 11 needs to be revised. o CyRide is doing a great job. I really wish they would service the Applied Sciences Complex and have a little more overlap in the stops between routes. o Dayton road needs a route o It will be a good idea to increase the frequency of CyRide in the University Village. Also, at least one Bus going North (25 Gold North) should be re-routed to go via University Village, like 25 Gold South o There needs to be better route management and some drivers need more/continued training • Should be free o CyRide should be free o Tax the whole city so that anyone can use the buses at any time • Suggestions o Some buses have gotten digital screens inside that display upcoming stops/transfer points. Those are really nice and I'd like to see them in all buses. It increases the accessibility especially for deaf/hard of hearing folks. o Please consider heated bus stops for winter. o I would like to see more support for low-emissions vehicles. o We need more transfer hubs o The route schedules have been removed from most (if not all) bus shelters. I think they should be reinstated. • Transfers o I used to ride the bus every day to and from ISU campus. After CyRide 2.0, the route near me is became less frequent and no longer goes to north campus without transferring to 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 40 another line. Now that transfers are not guaranteed, this is a problem. Because of these factors, CyRide is no longer a practical route to campus for me, so now I drive every day instead of bus every day. o If the yellow route went to campus directly instead of having to transfer. o Not convenient for multiple stops all over the town without transferring multiple times. • Use for events with poor parking o We ride CyRide during ISU football Games • Used in the past o I used CyRide for several years when I was working. Now retired and where I live would have to walk several blocks to ride - besides, not convenient for running errands. o I used to ride CyRide a lot but now it only goes south to Garden Rd on Duff (south). I live one more street Ken Maril Rd so now I can't ride it anymore. I still have 2 books of tickets to use up. o Used to use, seemed to work well. No longer use ever but not for any negative reason. Community Parks and Recreation Residents were asked to rate their level of satisfaction with various Ames Parks and Recreation features on a four-point scale from “very poor (1)” to “very good (4)” or “don’t use.” The individuals who did not use a park feature were excluded from the ratings in Table 20. Satisfaction with parks and recreational features continues to be high with 81% (restrooms) to 98% (overall appearance of the parks) of users providing a combined “very good” and “good” rating. The average rating ranges from 3.0 (restrooms) to 3.5 (overall appearance of the parks) on the 4-point scale. This year, most features were ranked similar to last year, see Figures 13a & 13b. In 2021, overall appearance, averaged 3.5, which was down slightly from the 2020 high of 3.6. Restrooms while still having the lowest rating among all features was rated slightly higher in 2021 compared to the two previous years. Table 20. Users’ satisfaction with parks and recreation facilities, 2021 Very Poor Poor Good Very Good Average* Overall appearance of parks (n=565) <1 2 43 55 3.5 Playground equipment (n=313) <1 2 51 46 3.4 Wooded areas (n=494) 1 4 49 46 3.4 Hard surface trails/crushed rock trails (n=507) 1 4 51 45 3.4 Shelter houses (n=393) <1 4 62 34 3.3 Picnic areas (tables/grills) (n=446) 1 8 55 36 3.3 Tennis courts (n=216) 1 6 57 35 3.3 Restrooms (n=355) 2 17 61 20 3.0 *“Don't Use” excluded when calculating percentages & average for “very good” to “very poor.” *1=very poor; 2=poor; 3=good; 4=very good 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 41 Figure 13a. Rating of Parks and Recreation features in the past 5 years Figure 13b. Rating of Parks and Recreation features in the past 5 years 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 42 Additional Comments • Positive Experiences o Thanks for Emma McCarthy Lee bridge replacement!!! o Also, good water features, and a big fan of the disc golfing areas. o Best in Iowa, from Ankeny and Ames has way better parks o Enjoy visiting Ames parks and happy with upkeep. o Excellent parks! o I have been at several parks and think they look nice and the facilities I have used (tables/grills) are always clean. o I love the neighborhood parks. Play equipment for the grandkids was great and nice places for sitting. o I run around most of the parks and I'd say you guys are doing a stellar job especially with Ada Hayden. o Love all the parks in the city. And the trails. Our neighborhood, Sunset Ridge, worked with the city to get a park built in our neighborhood. It took a number of years but so glad to have one here so kids don’t have to cross Lincoln Way to get to a park. o Love our parks! o Most of my experience is with Brookside, as I have nearby and walk through several times a week. Thanks for the new bathrooms! o The new Miracle Park is amazing. o We have lived in our current home for 9 years. In the last year we have found two more wooded areas with awesome trails. We use our neighborhood parks on a weekly basis- all year long! Thank you! o We moved to IA this last year and we're very impressed by the park facilities! • Additional Amenities/Upgrades o Could use mountain bike park o Currently there are lack of water fountains o Hard to find where a trail map is. I see trails all over town and know nothing about them. o Shelters need to be maintained better as far as wasp nest removal. Some playground equipment needs updates. o There is no sidewalk access to Teagarden Park in the Southdale neighborhood. Difficult and dangerous to go to the park with young children. o Basketball courts could be updated (Brookside and 24th street) • Bathrooms o Bathrooms are apparently never open anymore which is exceptionally inconvenient with small children. o Bathrooms need soap/hand sanitizer and hand dryers or towels and cleaned more frequently o The public toilets in the parks need to be kept clean and hygienic. There are too much bad odors, and the toilet seats are also not that much clean. It's a concern of public health. We expect the authority will take proper care of that. o Wish bathrooms open earlier in the season. Unsure if the closure was COVID-19 related or normal. Loved getting outside on nice Feb/March days, but bathroom situation was stressful. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 43 • Dogs o The dog park is amazing! It was a really great feature that we enjoy! o Too much dog waste. • Don’t Use Parks o Unfortunately, I do not have time in my schedule to utilize a lot of these resources. • More Parks o Trails are very nice. Only complaint is that there are not enough. All parks are quite crowded due to insufficient public park space. • Park Maintenance o Cleanliness is sometimes an issue. o Need better mosquito control and mowing at Carr Park and South River Valley. In past years it has been inadequate. o Some of these parks appear run down or not well cared for o There should be a general and a bit strict rule of "Clean after yourself" for grills. o Stop cutting the underbrush • Park Priorities o I sense a shift of priority from green space to infrastructure growth. While it is important to support a growing population, it's incredibly frustrating and disappointing to see green spaces disappear. o I think the citizens of Ames need more parkland. Our existing parks are so heavily used that they feel crowded. And we are continually adding new facilities to them. o Overbuilding destroying habitat. Need permanent restrooms. Maintenance of wooded areas are poor for waterways o Should use more money to make them better. • Recycling and Trash Cans o Recycling bins in the picnic areas would be nice o Could use more trash cans • Too Many Parks o Difficult with so many public parks to maintain. o We have too many parks. Maintenance costs continue to rise and our property taxes are already way to high. • Tree/Natural Area Maintenance o Avoid cutting down native shrubs while removing invasives like honeysuckle and buckthorn o Brookside Park "forest" needs a controlled burn to clear dead trees and spur new growth o Damage from derecho still evident in some wooded areas. o Fallen trees need to be removed. Hanging limbs are a concern for safety. o Lots of dead or down trees around River Valley Park. Need to open the bike path; it's been over 2 years. o More care should be taken for the woodlands and creeks. Culverts are jammed with debris, which can cause more problems in floods. • Trails and Paths o A friend and I frequently enjoy going on walks around Ames on the weekends. I appreciate all the paths. o Ada Hayden can be very crowded and sometimes walkers and dogwalker 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 44 cannot hear bicycles coming up behind. Maybe separate lanes? o I especially love the wooded area around Carr Park. I run there almost every day and enjoy the feeling of near seclusion from civilization. o I love all the trails Ames has to offer and they are very well maintained. In addition, I feel safe running on the trails alone. I would appreciate if there was more information about all the trails Ames has to offer, such as condition (paved, gravel, mix), distance, etc. o Love having so many parks available, and the wooded areas with hiking trails (Munn Woods in particular is close to me). o Most of the walking trails are very uneven and have big potholes/gaps in them. Parks for the most part look good besides maybe a bit run-down and I don't think many college students know about parks and recreation features/areas available to them since there isn't much advertisement/signage/etc. o Warnings if a bike trail is about to end would be good o Wider bike paths would be nice i.e., city of Bettendorf has bike paths through entire city. o Would like to see more bike paths throughout Ames without sacrificing roadways for usage. • Other Comments o I miss the old wooden [structures]; the plastic playground doesn’t have weird stuff like the secret room at Moore Memorial or the tunnels under the old Fellows playground. o All park appearances are good. Maintenance could be improved. Playground equipment could be more natural colors instead of strong colors. o I went to many parks in Ames, almost all are in good feature. However, I often saw some people in the Georgie Tsushima skateboard park are smoking. I hope there is a clear sign saying no smoking in the park. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 45 Ames Public Library Generally, survey respondents rated Ames Public Library features highly. The survey asked respondents to provide opinions on 13 features provided by the Ames Public Library. Table 21 shows the results. Eight features were rated good/very good by 98% to 99% of the respondents. On the 4-point scale, average scores ranged from 3.4 to 3.8 (good to very good). The most highly rated features were the welcoming atmosphere, followed by good customer service, ability of the staff to serve the residents by phone, the range of available materials such as books, videos, magazines and software, and meeting/study rooms. The feature receiving the lowest rating was the wait time for requests/holds. Table 21. Users’ ratings of Ames Public Library features, 2021 Feature Very Poor Poor Good Very Good Don't Use* Average* Welcoming atmosphere (n=367) 1 22 77 n=224 3.8 Customer service (n=337) <1 1 27 72 n=250 3.7 Asking questions of library staff by phone (n=213) 1 29 70 n=377 3.7 Range of materials available (books, videos, magazines, software) (n=352) 1 31 68 n=236 3.7 Meeting/study rooms (n=219) 2 32 67 n=372 3.6 Bookmobile service (n=135) <1 4 30 65 n=453 3.6 Use of library resources from home via computer (n=247) 2 37 61 n=343 3.6 Availability of seating (n=278) 2 38 60 n=309 3.6 Programs (story hour, book discussions, concerts) (n=161) <1 2 37 61 n=426 3.6 Handicapped accessibility (n=133) 2 41 56 n=454 3.5 Internet/computer services (n=224) 1 3 37 59 n=366 3.5 Page One – the library newsletter (n=108) 6 36 58 n=478 3.5 Wait time for requests/holds (n=264) 5 47 48 n=323 3.4 *Don’t Use response not included in calculating ratings (%) and average Only 43% of the respondents use the Ames Public library as often as they would like to use it. Of those respondents who use the public library, 42% were ISU students. For non-library users, both students and non-students reported the same major reasons: not having time and acquiring materials from other sources. While 17% of non-ISU students listed parking as a barrier for not using the Ames Public library more often, only 13% of Iowa State students listed that as a reason. (Table 22) 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 46 Table 22. Comparing students & non-students’ reasons for not using the Ames Public Library (respondents could choose multiple responses) Respondent Status I don't have time from other sources problem hours that are convenient to Other reasons mentioned for not using the Ames public library were: • By non-student (n=42) o Pandemic (COVID-19) (25x) o Don't have much need (3x) o Have access and use ISU (2x) o Difficult to get card during pandemic o Do not enjoy reading o Don't go to the library o I haven't got around to stopping in o I get anxious o I have a significant library of my own books o Mask required o My health issues have limited my mobility and energy. o No public access o No vehicle o Not a good reader o Not safe when too many • By ISU students (n=42) o I use Parks Library (8x) o Pandemic (COVID-19) (16x) o Didn’t know there was one (2x) o Not convenient location for me (2x) o Out of the way for students without vehicles (2x) o A secondary library in the west or north of town would be nice o Hard to find quiet space. Really quiet. o Don't always feel safe, get stared at by older men who also hang out there o Far enough away that I don’t have time to go. o I don't have a membership there. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 47 o I forget about it sometimes o I have never considered to go to the Public Library for any reason but would probably be a great place to study! o I moved here during COVID and am excited to use the library when things return to normal o I study other places o I usually find materials online o I’m not a reader so I don’t go to the library. o Lighting makes studying there for long time periods difficult Additional Comments The respondents are generally very pleased with the Ames Public Library. They used the words: love, amazing, super awesome, splendid resource, very satisfied, fortunate, great asset, great services, gem of Ames, and I am a library junkie. They also mentioned the friendly staff. Some of the features mentioned were the Bookmobile, great selection of resources, accessing materials online, and lighting/design. There were many comments related to the COVID-19 pandemic. These are some of the comments: o Can't wait for it to be fully open again. My family loves going to the library on evenings and weekends to read, study, check out books. o I appreciated the willingness of library staff to bring checked out books to patrons’ cars when the library was closed to the public o I would go more if I wasn't asked (very rudely, to wear a mask) o Look, I loved the library. But I can't bring my kids anymore and they went way overboard with the COVID restrictions. So far 2019, the library was great. o Love the children’s play area, can't wait until it is able to be opened again! o Many times I wait weeks to months to check out digital content, which is frustrating. Now that the library is open again, I just kind of forget about it since it wasn't open for so long due to COVID. o Most of the meeting rooms not available during past year o The Ames library staff are amazing!! They went above and beyond during COVID to help people. o I love the Ames Public Library! The selection is generally very good (occasionally there will be a book I want that they do not have) and wait times are not long. The staff is super friendly, and they were rockstars bringing holds out in the cold during winter curbside service. There were several comments about the need for a wider spectrum of perspectives. “Staff is friendly and welcoming. I do sense the library is a very liberal establishment. It would be nice if books, displays etc., could show a wider range of perspectives.” Another respondent provided a comment, “There are some books that push agendas too quickly for very young people. We love the library in general when we would go pre-COVID. But there are some social issues we do not want to expose our kids at very young ages, when they intellectually can't comprehend a very complex issue.” 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 48 Several respondents included comments about the restrictions on public computer time. “I wish the computer times weren’t so short. Thirty minutes just isn’t enough for people who don’t have laptops at home.” Many people are excited to use the library and made comments about planning to go in the future as things open-up after COVID-19 restrictions are lifted. Figure 14. Comments on Ames Public Library Information Dissemination The next section of the questionnaire focused on residential preferences for City communications. Respondents were asked to rate the usefulness of city communications sources on a three-point scale: 1- not useful, 2 – somewhat useful, 3 – very useful or don’t use. Table 23 shows the results. The most frequently used sources for local government information included City of Ames Web page (70%), Facebook/Twitter/ YouTube (68%), CitySide (utility bill insert) (53%), Ames Tribune newspaper (50%), and ISU Daily newspaper (57%). When asked about the degree of usefulness of those sources, the most useful source was reported to be City of Ames website (average of 2.47 on a 1-3 scale). Also, social media including Facebook/Twitter/YouTube was the second most highly used source, and second in terms of usefulness (2.43). 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 49 Table 23. Usefulness of media sources for government information, 2021 Media Don't Use Percent Use Percent Average* City of Ames Web page (n=412) 30 70 2.5 Facebook / Twitter / YouTube (n=396) 32 68 2.4 CitySide (utility bill insert) (n=309) 47 53 2.3 Ames Tribune newspaper (n=291) 50 50 2.1 ISU Daily newspaper (n=336) 43 57 2.1 KASI/KCCQ radio (n=142) 76 24 2.0 Des Moines Register newspaper (n=268) 54 46 2.0 KHOI (n=128) 78 22 1.9 Cable TV 12/Government Access Television (n=141) 76 24 1.8 The Sun (n=170) 71 29 1.8 *1=not useful; 2=somewhat useful; 3=very useful Next, those surveyed were asked to choose one preferred method for communications about construction projects, programs, meetings, and other news in their area. Figure 15 shows that letter and email are the most favored methods of communication (27% respectively), followed by door hanger (12%), City website (11%), Facebook (10%), local newspaper (6%), Twitter (4%), local radio (2%), and other (1%). The responses varied slightly for ISU students. Email is the best way to communicate (32%), followed by letter (18%), City of Ames website (14%), Facebook (12%), door hanger (11%), Twitter (6%), local newspaper (3%), and local radio (2%). Figure 15. Preferred method to learn about City services, programs or projects, 2021 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 50 Figures 16a&b illustrate trends in the perceived usefulness of City communication sources over a five-year period. Those rankings have stayed generally consistent over the years with slightly lower average scores this year compared to previous year except for ISU Daily with .02% higher. The City of Ames website, social media, and the CitySide newsletter remain the most useful sources of City information. There was a slight decrease in the perceived usefulness of most news sources. Figure 16a. Usefulness of news sources over the past five years (Users only) Figure 16b. Usefulness of news sources over the past five years (Users only) 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 51 Table 24 indicates the usefulness of various communication tools based on the respondent’s student status. There were some statistically significant differences between student and non-student responses. City of Ames website was slightly more useful to Ames residents (non-ISU students) than ISU students. Social media such as Facebook/Twitter/YouTube were equally useful to ISU students and non-student residents. Both groups found the Ames Tribune newspaper, KHOI and the Sun similarly useful. The perceived usefulness of the CitySide, the City website, and Cable Channel 12 varies between ISU students and non-students. For instance, CitySide, KASI/KCCQ radio, Des Moines Register Newspaper were more useful to non-student resident. On the other hand, Cable TV 12/Government Access Television was more useful to the student residents. Table 24. Usefulness of news sources for Non-student and ISU students Information Source Non-student Average Student City of Ames website 2.5 2.4 CitySide (utility bill insert) 2.4 2.1 Facebook/ Twitter/ YouTube 2.4 2.4 Ames Tribune newspaper 2.1 2.1 KASI/KCCQ radio 2.1 2.0 KHOI 1.9 1.9 Des Moines Register Newspaper 1.9 2.1 ISU Daily newspaper* 1.9 2.2 The Sun* 1.8 1.8 Cable TV 12/Government Access Television 1.7 2.0 *statistically significant at .05 level Note: average was compute using this value: 1=not useful; 2=somewhat useful; 3=very useful City Channel 12 City Channel 12 has been rebranded as Ames Television. This communication tool is available to Mediacom TV subscribers and is streamed from the City’s website. Only about one-fourth (24%) of survey respondents were Mediacom cable TV subscribers. Among the Mediacom subscribers reporting, 72% never watch City Channel 12. Table 25 shows that Channel 12 has peak viewership between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. (15%). Of the survey respondents who indicated their frequency of watching Channel12 (n=37), 40% percent watched for one hour or less per week and 35% watched two to three hours per week. Twenty-five percent of Channel 12 viewers responded they are watching four or more hours per week (Table 26). 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 52 Table 25. Time to watch Cable TV Channel 12 (n =143) Percent Never watch TV 12 72 Midnight to 6:00 a.m. <1 6:01 a.m. to noon 2 12:01 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. 6 6:01 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. 15 9:01 p.m. to midnight 5 Table 26. Hours per week for those watch TV Channel 12 (n = 37) Percent 0-1 hour 40 2-3 hours 35 4-5 hours 11 >5 hours 14 City of Ames Website (www.cityofames.org) A significant majority (62.5%) of the respondents use the City of Ames’ website (www.CityofAmes.org). Of those who reported using the City’s website, the main purposes include checking for community updates (67%), using Ames Public Library account (40%), signing up for Parks and Recreation classes (30%), gathering information for City Council meeting or other City meeting (16%), and watching a City Council meeting or Channel 12/Ames Television programming on video streaming (9%). Other uses of City of Ames’ website were: • City utilities (i.e., pay bill, sign-up) (n=28) • Miscellaneous info/news (n=9) • Information about city programs and policies (i.e., emergency power outage, city ordinance) (n=6) • City parks (n=5) • Employment opportunities (n=5) 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 53 • City calendar and events (i.e., yard waste days, seasonal events, natural disasters) (n=3) • Ames Animal shelter page (n=2) • Schedule a tee time @ Homewood (n=2) • Research (n=2) When respondents were asked about other information that should be included in the Ames’ website, the following suggestions were mentioned: • Update the website o A clear section/category for new construction, revitalization, money allocation, etc. o The local government boards and commissions page should have a summary page with a table showing the responsibilities of each board and commission at a glance. o A list of parks that are great for dog walking. o Better construction of parks and recreation section of website. o Better bike and recreational path maps showing connections with city and county parks and state trails or alternate ways to connect where there are missing sections. o Currently the website is not very useful. During summer outage, followed Ames Electric on Twitter. More of that info should have been on website. Emails and website should do more than they currently do. City terrible about keeping people informed. o The website is dysfunctional. Please refer to other cities’ examples. Ease of use and links to services should be priority. o Should be more user-friendly • COVID update o Need to update the mask mandate • Planning Policy and projects o Continuously updated status of upcoming/planned city projects or improvements around Ames. o Status of important projects that the city is pursuing and how they affect residents (for instance, climate action planning, evaluation of law enforcement system, etc.) o Notices or lists and locations of new businesses o Easier to read breakdowns of the city ordinances. o Information on upcoming policy planning sessions, as well as public input sessions • Utilities o A section dedicated to real-time updates on water main breaks, power outages, etc. o The online payment system for utilities is outdated. • Housing o Average apartment rents in Ames o Renter Rights • Local events o Concerts/events o Events calendar for city o Nearby events outside of Ames o More kids’ activity info • Weather and Crime Announcement o Weather related announcements o Snow alert 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 54 o If there are crime alerts or snow ordinances (something of great importance) this should be updated to show on the homepage so that it can be easily found. • Easier reporting of problems (unshoveled sidewalks and intersections) Your Health For the fourth year, respondents were asked to rate their health. On a scale of 1 to 5 (1-poor and 5-excellent), the average rating is 3.67. Figure 17 shows the overall health rating of respondents. Fifty-eight percent of respondents rated their health as very good (39%) or excellent (19%.) Only 9% of the respondents rated themselves to have poor (1%) or fair health (8%). When demographic information of the respondents is correlated to the health rating, several variables had significant relationship. Those who give a higher overall health ratings were: • Male • Higher education level (some college up to graduate degree), • With higher incomes ($75,000 to $99,999 and $200,00 or more). The lowest health rating was given by those who had an income level of $50,000 to $74,999, • Those living in the northwest and southwest part of town, Age, length of residence, race, student versus non-student residents had no impact on overall health rating. Figure 17. Overall health rating 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 55 Respondents were asked about their physical activity in the past week. Four percent (n=21) of the respondents did not engage in physical activity of 20 minutes or more on any day of the past week. Around two-thirds (64%) of respondents reported exercising at least 2-3 days (34%) or 4-5 days (30%) in the past week. One quarter of respondents (26%) exercise for at least 20 minutes or more on six or more days per week. Table 27 compares the non-ISU residents with ISU students. There were more non-students who spent more days (4 days+) exercising compared to students (60% and 52%, respectively). The highest percentage of students (38%) reported spending 2-3 days engaging in physical activity. Table 27. Number of days engaged in physical activity of 20 minutes or more Frequency of Exercise Non-Student (n=288) Student (n=300) Total 0 day 3.5% 3.7% 3.6% 1 day 6.9% 6.3% 6.6% 2-3 days 29.9% 38.0% 34.0% 4-5 days 29.9% 30.7% 30.3% 6 or more days 29.9% 21.3% 25.5% Total 100% 100% 100% Eating fruits and vegetables adds nutrients to diets, reduces the risk for heart disease, stroke, and some cancers, and helps manage body weight when consumed in place of more energy-dense foods https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6426a1.htm. Depending on their age and sex, federal guidelines recommend that adults eat at least 1½ to 2 cups per day of fruit and 2 to 3 cups per day of vegetables as part of a healthy diet. As part of the survey respondents were asked to estimate the number of fruit and vegetable servings they consumed in the past seven days. Most of the respondents ate fruits and vegetables in the last seven days. A small minority of respondents reported not eating any fruits (5%) and vegetables (2%) in the past seven days. Most respondents reportedly had fruits and vegetables 4 to 6 times per week (34% for fruits and 38% for vegetables). The rate is higher for those who eat vegetables more frequently or daily (41% daily), but lower for fruits consumption (36% daily) as shown in Figure 18. Unfortunately, respondents were not asked the quantity of their intake daily so it can’t be compared with the federal guidelines. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 56 Figure 18. Number of times fruit and vegetables were eaten during the past 7 days The survey also asks respondents to gauge their interest in community gardens. On a scale of scale of 1 to 5 (1 - being not interested at all, 2 – somewhat not interested, 3 – uncertain, 4 - somewhat interested, 5 - very interested), the average value is 2.82 (indicating an uncertain level of interest). Forty-two percent were not interested (not interested at all and somewhat not interested combined) in getting involved in community garden, 16% were uncertain, and 42% were interested when somewhat and very interested were combined. Those who were more interested in community gardens were: • younger respondents, • long-term residents, • with income under $25,000, • more educated (some graduate work), • homemaker, • females, • non-whites, and • renters However, their views on community gardens were not affected by geographic residence (i.e., NE, SE, NW and SW), and student status (student vs non-student). 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 57 Sense of Community For the fourth year, the survey included a question asking about the respondent’s perception of connection with the community. Sense of community is a feeling that members have of belonging, a feeling that members matter to one another and to the group, and a shared faith that members' needs will be met through their commitment to be together (McMillan, 1976) https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/e5fb/8ece108aec36714ee413876e61b0510e7c80.pdf. A clear and empirically validated understanding of sense of community can provide the foundation for lawmakers and planners to develop programs that meet their stated goals by strengthening and preserving community. Figure 19 shows that in 2021, one-third (34%) of the respondents reported to know about half or more of their neighbors. This is down from 57% in 2019. When the numbers are examined by student and non- student populations, 16% of the students reported knowing about half or more of their neighbors compared to 55% of non-students. This year, 9% of non-students reported that they didn’t know any of their neighbors compared to 32% of the student population. In 2020, eight percent of non- students didn’t know any of their neighbors compared to 30% for ISU students. Figure 19. Neighbors you know 9% 36% 21% 25% 9% 32% 52% 8%7% 1% 21% 44% 14%16% 4% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% None of them A few of them About half of them Most of them All of them Non-Student Student Total On a scale of 1 to 5 (1 - not at all strong to 5 - extremely strong), respondents were asked to rate their perceived level of sense of community in their neighborhood. Looking at the average score, the sense of the community by all respondents was 2.6 (2.8 for non- students and 2.3 for students). Combining the extremely strong and very strong responses, only 16% of all respondents felt that the sense of community in their neighborhood is strong, but when divided by students and non-students there was a noticeable difference (26% non-students felt a very strong sense of community compared to 7% of students), see Figure 20. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 58 On a scale of 1 to 5 (1 being not at all strong to 5 extremely strong), strength on sense of community were viewed differently by demographic characteristic: Grouping of respondents: • ISU student vs non-student residents: no difference • Home ownership: no difference • Gender: no difference • Household income: the higher the household income, the higher is the sense of community • Employment: retired had stronger sense of community compared to other employment status • Education: stronger sense of community for those with graduate degree (2.7) • Length of residence: Long-term residents had stronger sense of community than short- term residents • Age: Older respondents had a stronger sense of community compared to younger respondents • Residence geography: SE residents had weakest sense of community (2.26), followed by SW (2.27), NW (2.69) and lastly NE (2.76) Figure 20. Sense of community in the neighborhood 10% 26% 38% 21% 5% 21% 42% 29% 6% 1% 16% 34%34% 13% 3% 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% Not at all strong Not so strong Somewhat strong Very strong Extremely strong Non-Student Student Total Respondents responded to a series of statements regarding community involvement. Table 28 summarizes the responses. When asked if “issues facing my community are important to me,” 92% agreed (somewhat agree/strongly agree), which is similar to the 2020 response of 90%. This trend is much higher than the 2019 survey response when only 6 out of 10 people responded that issues facing my community are important to me. Seventy-one percent of respondents indicated that they were knowledgeable about issues facing their community. In the 2020 survey, 66% of respondents indicated that they were knowledgeable about the issues facing their community. Forty-three 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 59 percent of respondents reported that they were engaged in addressing the issues in the community. Over one-quarter (27%) of respondents indicated that they currently volunteer at nonprofit organization serving the city and 63% contributed financially as a sign of support. When asked if they serve on the Board of Directors for a non-profit organization, only 10% indicated that they were board members. Table 28. Community Involvement Community Involvement Issues Strongly disagree/ Somewhat Disagree Somewhat Agree/ Strongly Agree Average Issues facing my community are important to me (n=544) 8 92 4.1 I am knowledgeable about the issues facing my community. (n=541) 29 71 3.3 I currently support nonprofit organization(s) with financial contributions. (n=523) 37 63 3.3 I am engaged in addressing the issues of my community. (n=533) 57 43 2.8 I currently volunteer for a nonprofit organization serving the City of Ames (n=490) 73 27 2.2 I currently serve on a Board of Directors for a nonprofit organization serving the City of Ames (n=481) 90 10 1.6 Table 29 shows the demographic characteristics of the respondents who were likely to be involved in community activities. Older, long-term residents and homeowners stated that all the issues involving their community were important to them. Issues facing community were more important to female while male more likely to serve on a Board of Directors for a nonprofit organization serving the city of Ames. Non-white respondents were more engaged in addressing the issues of the community while whites would more likely provide financial support to nonprofit organization. Five out of six community issues were highly rated by those living in the NE part of the city except for the general statement on importance of the issues facing the community by those living the NW part of town. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 60 Table 29. Community involvement by demography Age Length of Residence Gender HH Income Homeownership Geographic Residence Race Issues facing my community are important to me (n=544) Older Long-term Female $200,000 or more Owner NW I am knowledgeable about the issues facing my community (n=541) Older Long-term $200,000 or more Owner NE I am engaged in addressing the issues of my community (n=533) Older Long-term Owner NE Non-white I currently support nonprofit organization with financial contributions. (n=523) Older Long-term $150,000– $199,999 Owner NE White I currently serve on a Board of Directors for a nonprofit organization $199,999 Sense of Belonging The survey asked respondents to indicate their level agreement with six statements regarding community integration and sense of belonging to the Ames community. Respondents were asked to respond to six statements were on a 5-point scale (strongly agree, somewhat agree, uncertain, somewhat disagree, strongly disagree) as well as the option “don’t know”. Table 30 shows that respondents feel that the City of Ames has the attributes for community integration: • the City of Ames has a strong commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion (82%), • there are one or more organizations in this town where respondents feel they belong (82%), • and the City of Ames is a place where they could perform their full potential (87%). Ninety-three percent of the respondents felt that they were treated with respect in Ames, followed by feeling that they belong in this town, and the feeling of belonginess in this town (87%, 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 61 respectively). The average value shown in Table 30 ranges from 3.7 to 4.1 indicating that the respondents agree that those integration/sense of belonging measures are present and/or being observed in the city. Table 30. Community Integration and Sense of Belonging Issues Strongly disagree/ Somewhat Disagree Somewhat Agree/ Strongly Agree Average I am treated with respect in this town (n=559) 7 93 4.1 I feel I belong in this town (n=560) 13 87 3.9 I feel this city is a place where I could perform up to my full potential (n=558) 13 87 3.9 I have found one or more organizations in this town where I feel I belong (n=527) 18 82 3.8 The city has a strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (n=550) 18 82 3.7 I feel valued as an individual in the Ames community (n=550) 17 83 3.7 Table 31 shows that there are some differences in the integration/sense of belonging measures by demography. Due to small sample sizes of other races (Black, American Indian, Asian, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander and other), this was grouped as non-whites. Thus, race was analyzed as White versus Non-whites. Older, long-term residents, homeowners, and whites felt more integrated to the city. See table for specific details. Those with household income of $150,000 to $199,999 felt they belong more to the town and those with higher income felt the city is a place where they could perform their full potential. However, perception was the same regardless of geographic residences of the respondents in five out of the six measures except for those living in the northwest part of the town finding organizations where they feel they belong. Perception was the same regardless of gender. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 62 Table 31. Community integration and sense of belonging demography Age Length of Residence Gender HH Income Home ownership Race Geographic Residence I feel valued as an individual in the Ames community (n=550) Older Long-term I feel I belong at this town (n=560) Older Long-term $150,000– 199,999 Owner Ames has a strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (n=550) Older Long-term Owner I am treated with respect at this town (n=559) Older Long-term Owner I feel this city is a place where I could perform up to my full potential (n=558) Older Long-term $75,000– 99,999 Owner Whites I have found one or more organizations in this town where I feel I belong (n=527) NW Respondents were asked what would make they feel welcome and give them a sense of belonging in Ames. This was an open-ended question. Figure 21 shows that the 183 respondents who answered this question gave 175 different suggestions. Many respondents said that they already felt welcomed and have sense of belonging living in Ames. Respondents were asked what would make them feel welcome and give them a sense of belonging in Ames. This was an open-ended question. Figure 21 shows that the 183 respondents who answered this question gave 175 different suggestions. Many respondents said that they already felt welcomed and have sense of belonging living in Ames. Similarly, many respondents also said provided suggestions such as “none”, “I don’t know,” and “N/A”, also indicating a level of satisfaction. A frequently mentioned suggestion was more community events to interact and get to know more people. Specific suggestions included a city fair, more outdoor concerts (like Roosevelt Summer Sundays and Bandshell), opportunities to meet people from the around the city and activities for more interaction in the winter. Neighborhood block parties were also suggested as a social event. A number of people would like to see a great diversity of cultural celebrations. One person shared that this would create greater understanding and perhaps reduce microaggressions. Along with diversity in city celebrations, there were also respondents asking for diversity in business ownership (more black-owned businesses). A number of those who took the survey also were asking 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 63 that Ames have a stronger commitment and action toward diversity, equity, and inclusion for all people. “A louder commitment (backed with action) towards diversity and inclusion, both in and out of the university.” Several people mentioned that Ames would be more welcoming if there was less harassment and racism. In this year’s survey there were a number of comments from varying political views calling for, “Acceptance of diversity of thought and opinion, not just diversity as it relates to skin color.” Please see comments – expression of views for the full range of comments in the appendix. Better publicity and information about public events was another way many people suggested that they would feel more welcomed. “When I first moved to Ames it would have been nice if there was a community organization which reach out and contact you (with a personal visit). Not to push you into joining a nonprofit, but just to make you feel welcome.” Along with this several respondents made comments about the city’s communication and transparency and suggested improvement in community engagement. Affordability is another concern. Both in housing as well as opportunities for leisure such as parks and recreation opportunities. Respondents would also like to find ways to connect ISU students with the greater Ames community. A number of respondents requested having more events for young professionals without kids. There were also requests for more activities for other groups including senior citizens, foster parents, LGBTQ, and other underrepresented groups. Other suggestions for ways Ames could be more welcoming included more career opportunities, mental health programming, more fishing locations, and a roller derby site. Figure 21. Suggestion to make you feel welcomed and sense of belonging in Ames 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 64 City of Ames Overall Service Quality Each year survey respondents are asked to give an overall evaluation of the quality of services they receive from the City of Ames as well as provide any additional comments. This year forty-one percent of respondents provided a “very good” rating, which is the same as last year (2020). The number of respondents rating the City of Ames as “good” was 55% in 2020 and 56% in 2021. When the positive (“good” and “very good”) ratings are combined, 97% of Ames residents ranked their overall satisfaction with city services as good or very good. This is the slightly higher than the 2020 total of 96%. (Figure 22) Figure 22. Trends in overall satisfaction with City of Ames service quality (good/very good) Other Issues the City Should Focus On The survey asked respondents if there were other issues that the City should focus on its attention towards. There were 211 responses were provided by 225 respondents. Figure 23 shows the visual presentation of the responses using ABACY word cloud. A common issue mentioned related to traffic control and flow as expressed in this comment, “Transportation/traffic flow continues to need attention. Arterial streets are slow and inefficient - lots of stop lights cause constant stops and waste fuel.” Many people mentioned better flow on busy roads such as Duff Avenue, Lincoln Way, S 16th Street, Campustown, University Avenue. Several people also called from better enforcement of speeding in residential neighborhoods including Hyde Avenue in Bloomington Heights. There were several comments about adding turn arrows at traffic light or additional roads to get across the city. One respondent believes that opening up the South Grand Avenue extension will help with traffic flow. Other road related issues frequently mentioned were the need to improve roads and snow removal. Several comments focused on fixing potholes and curb maintenance. Snow removal comments 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 65 focused on keeping sidewalks clear for those walking. There were also comments about the slow timing of snow removal. One respondent mentioned the safety of the Duff Avenue railroad crossing mentioning several accidents with pedestrians. Several comments focused on improvements to safety. One person asked for better lighting on streets. There were several comments about night police patrols and police patrols in residential and business areas. Sexual assault and crime were other areas of concern that respondents felt should have a greater city focus. Another comment asked for more targeted law enforcement. Respondents raised a number of topics related to social concerns. Some mentioned the need for greater focus on childcare options and accessibility. Another person suggested, “providing summer learning, volunteer and employment opportunities for youth.” Several comments focused on improving education in the city’s public schools. Other social needs included more gathering spaces (multi-use, rec, shopping, dining), and entertainments for various groups (families, middle-aged people, students, etc.) This year there were a number of comments that specifically discussed the City of Ames’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Several people commented that they thought Ames should “cancel the mask mandate. They do more harm than good.” Another response expressed frustration and confusion saying, “[get] rid of non-enforceable ordinances and mandates. They just cause confusion and division…” Other citizens (in favor of restrictions) also asked for better leadership, “Better enforcement of pandemic measures, more programming to encourage vaccination, mask wearing, etc.” Another commented, “[The city should focus on] keeping bars from getting overcrowded and help stop the spread of COVID-19.” One person suggested that Ames have a greater focus on public health. Another theme that emerged was a greater focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Thirteen people made comments regarding this topic. Several comments asked for a focus on equitable access to public resources and the inclusion of diverse groups in City governance. This comment captures this idea, “…focus on ensuring that equity is integrated into City services and planning.” Another comment, “Creating an inclusive environment for people who identify in groups that have been marginalized in the past.” “Community engagement opportunities among all racial groups.” Others called for action such as the following suggestions, [take] “…action steps toward improving racial and social equity (i.e., paying reparations, etc.)” and “…re-evaluating our law enforcement system based on recommendations from leaders of BIPOC community organizations.” This year there were several comments asking the City to decrease police budget. Along a similar topic, reallocating resources from policing to mental health was another idea expressed in the comments. “Mental health interventions for those who are in crisis from trained counselors. A hotline that you could call 24/7 for a counselor instead of the police.” This year’s survey also received numerous comments supporting more mental health services. “More funding toward social services- DHS, YSS, Foster care, affordable therapy.” Homelessness was another topic respondents felt the City should focus on with additional effort. Several respondents asked for more focus on the homeless population including additional services, support, shelters, soup kitchens, and help with basic needs. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 66 Affordable housing was an important topic to a group of respondents. Many comments mentioned the lack of affordable housing. Several comments gave specifics about affordable housing for lower incomes, “Affordable housing with a more modest income limit ($45,000)” and “Affordable housing- meaning $75,000 to $150,000 price range.” Other respondents shared their frustrations as revealed in the following comments. “Rent in Ames is very high for the quality of housing when you factor the population and the recreational activities available. It is over-valued.” Another commenter wrote, “…as a renter, I have wondered about how affordable this city is for low-income residents since rent prices are so high. I hope Ames is addressing affordable housing, as the city is reliant on many workers in service industries.” “Rental housing increases are insane. I had to call and ask ‘Is this even legal?’ but apparently when they break the new fees up this way, it is. Are rent increases tracked? It's extortion.” A related topic also discussed by a number of respondents was City planning and planning for the future. Comments included ideas such as, “anticipate future change and prepare in advance,” and “reduce sprawl.” One comment suggested that the City of Ames work with Iowa State University studios to help find innovative solutions. One respondent had a comment expressing concern of lack of services and call for long-term planning in West Ames. “West Ames is growing but there are limited resources in that area especially for food – groceries and restaurants…I have noticed many young, large families…interested in the housing opportunities as they are affordable with a high bedroom count. It is problematic because I noticed many of these families did not have cars and would walk with 4+ kids to Hy-Vee (over a mile away)…The development has been so dense with housing that it's now lacking in amenities...It seems that the planning and development of areas like this would be more sustainable from the city's standpoint if there were resources for food, parks & rec, health/hygiene/pharmacy stores, etc. built into the process of housing development when it becomes this expansive so that the area can be broken up with some amenities.” Economic development and redevelopment were another topic frequently mentioned in the comments. One person suggested, “Economic development. The pandemic highlighted the over dependence of the economy on the University. It would be great for the innovation that comes out of the colleges to stay here in Ames with business incentives from the City.” There were several calls for the city to be “pro-business” and to support growth in retail and small business. Many people are looking forward to redevelopment in downtown Ames and along Lincoln Way. Others would like to see redevelopment along Duff Avenue, “…make Duff Avenue look better and be safer. This is a gateway to our community…” A handful of respondents were concerned about getting better internet services across the city. One person suggested making internet a public utility. City beautification was another topic discussed by survey respondents. A handful of people provided comments about garbage littering the streets. One person suggested having more garbage cans around the city, and another asked for additional street sweeping in Campustown after the weekend. Others suggested repairing sidewalks, especially in the Old Town neighborhood, where tree roots have caused them to become very uneven. Several respondents also recommended the City focus on tree care, removal, and replacement. There were a number of comments related to parks. There were a pair of comments asking for a greater focus on cleanliness, hygiene, and safety at public toilets in the parks. A dog owner asked for additional dog waste disposal containers at bus stops or entrances to parks. A couple of respondents 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 67 asked for additional outdoor pickleball courts. There were other suggestions for recreational amenities and improvements including an indoor pool, more parks, more outdoor recreational opportunities, ice skating, and more fish stocking in local lakes and ponds. There was also a strong focus on sustainability. There were a number of sustainability-related topics including: water quality and monitoring, choices in electric service, renewable power, an accessible recycling program, environmentally cautious, more bird and wildlife friendly by implementing a “lights out” program, limit the discharge of firearms, update zoning for 21st century (dense but beautiful mix used with no cars needed), and higher energy efficiency standards. Respondents expressed anticipation as the City begins undertaking a climate action plan in response to climate change. Many respondents discussed the need to make Ames more walkable and bikeable. It was suggested that new developments should be walkable and bikeable. Bikes, bike safety, and bike trails were also topics of discussion. Several people called for increased pedestrian and bicycle safety. Numerous comments were made about the need for more off-street bike trails and providing connections for the existing trails. There was also a concern for safer on-street bike lanes and paths. There were a number of other comments which were various topics the city could focus on: reducing property taxes, not overspending, fixing the City of Ames online utility payment website, adding more bus routes, and helping immigrants. Figure 23. Other issues the city should focus 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 68 Best thing about living in Ames There was a total of 415 people who responded to the question of the “Best thing about living in Ames,” some providing multiple responses. Responses discussed many things they think make Ames a great place to live. Some of the top reason people like living in Ames include safety, access to parks, living in a larger city with a small-town feel, convenience, having Iowa State University in the community, and the people. For full comments, please refer to the appendix. Adjectives given to describe the city were safe, accessible, clean, quiet, nice, peaceful, beautiful, and tranquil. Several people agreed that Ames is a good place to raise a family. Respondents discussed the low crime rate and safety. The people and community are among the best parts about living in Ames. Many respondents remarked that the residents are friendly, welcoming, have sense of community, and there is diversity. A number of people discussed how much they appreciate having access to many parks as well as bike trails and paths and other recreational opportunities. Many people expressed their enthusiasm for Ames’ parks, echoing this comment, “All the parks! There are so many, and such a variety. They are easily accessible and most have good trails.” Another respondent provided additional comments about recreation, “My favorite thing about living in Ames is all the opportunities to do things outside. Daily, I use public trails, paths, and sidewalks to walk, run, bike, and rollerblade.” There were numerous comments regarding Iowa State University and the positive contribution and connections it has to the Ames community. Many respondents recognized the opportunities and amenities that Iowa State University brings to the community. C.Y. Stephens, Reiman Gardens, and ISU athletic events were commonly mentioned. Respondents want to see the relationship between the City of Ames and Iowa State University grow. Overall, living in a college town was seen as an asset. Others described Ames as a smaller city with big city amenities, resources, and activities. Public transportation (CyRide), Ames Public Library, the farmer’s market, local businesses, medical facilities, and Main Street (downtown) were among the most mentioned features of the city. Respondents appreciated the quantity and diversity of options in activities and restaurants that are offered in Ames. Figure 24. Best things about living in Ames 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 69 What would make Ames fun, vibrant community? This is the second year that an open-ended question was asked on would make Ames a fun, vibrant community. Less than half (44% or 264 respondents) responded to this question. The responses varied from a variety of topics including community festivals and events (28%), economic development (27%) and recreational facilities and activities (22%). One-fourth (25%) of the total respondents mentioned other suggestions including infrastructural development, prioritizing people and public activities, more diversity and activities and so on. For summary, see Figure 25 and specific comments on the appendix. The remaining ten percent (32 respondents) appreciates Ames for being a fun, vibrant community. They are happy to live in Ames. Special mention was made with pre-pandemic situation, and the safe and quiet environment. Major share (28%) of the respondents mentioned that community events and festivals would make Ames fun and vibrant. A wide range of socio-cultural events, music and art festivals were recommended by the respondents. Some of these community festivals and event include: • Music o More live music events o Outdoor concerts and festivals o A town festival. The town I grew up in had a cherry festival and it had some great flair. The high school jazz band did an open dance night, there were carnival rides, cherry pie eating contests, fireworks, etc. It was a great community event we all looked forward to. • Arts o More artwork and interactive activities o Fun/colorful displays of art, particularly outdoor paintings on business walls in high walking traffic areas (near campus and downtown areas) o More community art projects. A way to get residents out and participating while learning and creating together. • More events to bring people of diverse backgrounds or different age groups together. • A city festival. VEISHEA in a more family environment. • More community gatherings, parades, festivals, arts, shows, lecture series, etc. items/ gathering of cultural value. • Community interaction for adults. Trivia nights, scavenger hunts, painting classes. • More community events, like stuff on Main Street. The farmers market is nice, an art fair or outdoor event of some kind would be fun. Small towns in Iowa do local festivals, like the fall festival or strawberry festival, which would be fun. The Des Moines Christmas Market was cool, but it was not worth the drive. Doing it in Ames would be better. The economic development related suggestions were mostly focused either on economic (business) activities and infrastructural development. Some of the outdoor activities mentioned by the respondents includes: • Economic (business) activities o A greater focus on small business opportunities for bars, restaurants, coffee shops, etc. Too many national brands coming in, and lease rates are a huge barrier to entry for 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 70 smaller operations. o Free parking downtown; more national chain business o A more vibrant downtown o Old Navy, Aldi on the west side o Brewery, more districts with restaurants/bars that aren't so close to campus o More non-chain restaurant options, new mall with open stores, drive in theatre. • Infrastructural development o Better connection to downtown and improve Welch Avenue. o Improving off-road bike paths/connectivity o Lower taxes In terms of recreational facilities and activities, both indoor and outdoor activities were recommended. Parks improvement and more activities on parks received a huge priority to the responses. Some of the outdoor activities cited were: • Parks o More activities in Bandshell Park o Trampoline Park i.e., Skyzone/ GetAir o More dog parks o Continued programs and activities, upkeep of parks/greenspaces, and welcoming atmosphere. o More infrastructure on parks (restrooms for instance) o More natural areas like Ada Hayden Park • More outdoor activities, especially walking trails and hiking sports. • A skate park in that empty lot on Mortensen and South Dakota over by perfect games • Some sort of community center for activities, lunch, events, a relaxing workspace etc. • The game parlors, beautiful parks, golf courses, restaurants, movie theatres, lakes, picnic spots and many more. • A drive-in movie theatre. • More disc golf courses. • More fishing locations. • Fun lighting on paved trails for cool and safe later evening walks. Indoor recreations and wellness mentioned were: • Warm water indoor pool • An indoor/outdoor recreation center. A place for families to utilize and bond. There are very few activities around Ames you can do as a family especially in the cooler and cold months. • More indoor activities for winter: ax throwing, indoor golf league, etc. • A nightclub, a gay bar, outdoor sculpture garden, art museum!!, nature center. • Children’s’ museum. • More entertainment for handicap access and for elderly, retired citizens. Some of the other suggested measures were • The more people in Ames, the more interesting and vibrant the city becomes. When students leave for summer break, the city can get kind of lonely, so adding incentives like more employment opportunities and affordable housing to increase the population of the city would do a lot for the community. • Get rid of racism, xenophobia, homophobia, and hate. • More community garden space and drinking fountain with dog bowl on Main Street. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 71 • It's an old town and the buildings look that way. So maybe nicer looking buildings, better recycling system, trash clean up. • Fewer lawns and parking lots. MORE GARDENS (especially if we could encourage homeowners to replace lawn space with gardens somehow), more mixed-use dense development (kind of like Greenwich Village in NYC), and more opportunities to socialize just in the neighborhoods. • More concerts and shows in our stadiums. Take advantage of the university’s facilities size. • improved commitment to climate action; continued and increased investment in the arts. • Diversity of people and less lawyers/chiropractors on Main Street and more business that I would want to spend money. Figure 25. What would make Ames a fun, vibrant community? 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 72 APPENDIX 2021 Residential Satisfaction Actual Open-Ended Responses Comments on Overall City of Ames Services • City of Ames office o Customer service is terrible. People working with the city clerk office or any other customer facing service needs serious work on how they interact with customers. I know this is a problem for many Ames residents. There is a sense of entitlement by the employees at city hall and they care not to help customers at all. They are very rude and seldom provide the answers or assistance needed. • CyRide o Add bus stops to Oakwood Rd in South Ames o CyRide bus services needs better management o CyRide gives very good service but I'm disappointed that I can't use it anymore o CyRide needs more bus routes by Copper Beech. One bus every 20-30 min. doesn't help o Lot of empty CyRide buses, can we reduce this waste by using smaller buses? o We would love to use CyRide more regularly, but we don't have very frequent buses, particularly during the winter and summer breaks, in southeast Ames. o Would like CyRide to go North of Bloomington on Hyde • Electricity o Angry- we are charged for our electric at a different (higher) rate than what we generate! Ames screwed us. We had solar before the push for Ames Solar o Overall, the services provided by the City of Ames is very good. The only thing as a student I feel is that the electricity rate during summer is high. Otherwise, I do not have any other complaint or grievance. o Water services and electric services - satisfactory o We have Energy for the electricity. • Garbage o Ames needs garbage pick-up to be assigned districts. And it should include curbside pick-up for composting, etc. o I would love to see more public trash cans available around the city. For example, in my previous city, these were frequently at larger bus stops. As a dog owner, it would be nice to have more places to dispose of waste during walks. • Garden o It would be awesome to have more garden spaces! • Housing o Rental Department fails to follow up on repeated complaints on rental properties. • Library 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 73 o Why limit computer time when the library is empty? This just makes me go home. • Nuisance Ordinance o Keeping pets on leashes is never enforced! Neighbors just turn their dogs out to roam and poop in our yard. o Mr. X @ Animal control should be fired. The idea that a barking dog complaint needs to be determined by the neighbors was ridiculous. One complaint should do it, your policy on this sucks! o Public Nuisance Enforcement: City does not seem to initiate action and neighbors often reluctant to phone in a complaint. Once a complaint is made, city action follows. o Would prefer if Ames PD only responded to noise ordinances if they were called in rather than acting on their own accord. • Other o Hard to over generalize o I hope the survey made for them is better in the future. o N/A o None o We choose to live in the college town. So get over it! • Parks & Recreation o Love the Parks and Rec exercise classes and instructors; Nancy’s show is the best o My family hopes for more swings in the parks. Also, a climbing wall would be great. o Parks and rec leadership is unresponsive to very real neighborhood concerns - dismissive. o Parks and Rec needs to stop the swim club overtaking the pool the first weekend of June!! o The bike/walking path that goes out of Gateway Hills Park is in extreme disrepair at certain points. o We use parks and rec classes frequently! I'd love to see them for older youth as well. o West Ames seems to be far away from a lot of things including nice recreational trails. I recognize there are nice trails and businesses, but north Ames and south Ames seem to have more abundance of such amenities. Growing up in north Ames I loved it, but west Ames seems a little different. Perhaps more thoughts could be directed towards west Ames. • Police o Ames and ISU police must aggressively deter any dealers from setting up shop here in Ames. Drive them out! o I have had to deal with law enforcement three times. Two of these times the officers were rude and disinterested, the other time the officer was very nice and polite and professional. o Less cops! More resources! o Police do nothing for noise complaints/drug usage complaints in apartment complexes. Police have also been disrespectful to us previously during a call • Positive Comments on the City o I really appreciate the excellent Public Library and the parks system. I 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 74 wish there was greater enforcement of snow removal ordinances during the winter. Many of my neighbors never shovel their sidewalks, or they just make a narrow path that doesn't accommodate wheelchairs, strollers, etc. The same pattern happens year after year, apparently without consequence (have now lived for six years at the same residence). o Ames is pretty good, especially library o City of Ames Services are actually pretty great, except snow removal. I have almost totaled my car several times during winters here. I feel that there is a bias that every person should have 4-wheel drive to live here and is the only thing that I feel unwelcomed by. o Excellent. I love living in the City of Ames o Excellent services, except could expand CyRide (more stops at vet school) o Good o Good stuff guys o Great effort to provide a healthy lifestyle to the residents. o Great Job!! o I am happy to see that the City of Ames is taking into account residents' feedback on these services. A survey like this could be more helpful if some of this information (on what the city is and isn't doing/what their successes/struggles have been in each of these areas) was available in an accessible format alongside this survey. I am also very glad to see that the city is pursuing a climate action plan and hope that this plan will include community input before and during its creation and that Ames (and ISU) will be a leader in climate action. This seems like a great opportunity to make a plan that will put Ames on the map and also help protect the future of Ames residents and residents all over the Midwest, nation, and world in the coming years. o I am very much satisfied. o I have lived in Ames for the past six years and I love Ames so much! The services available here are better than most other communities. o I love Ames, it's a wonderful place to live. o I think the city does a good job. I would like to see when pruning street trees that they employ someone that does it properly and balances the trees. I would like to see planting in city owned areas of more wildlife food. I would like to see the floodplain empty of businesses. o It's good I guess o My experience over the past 3 years is that Ames is a well-managed city. o Nice city to live in. o Overall, a great place to raise a family and attend graduate school. o Overall, Ames is doing great! o Overall, good, just some small things that would need to look at o Overall, I think Ames is a great city with lots of great services. Some could use some improvement. o Overall, Ames provides a suitable place for short term living, but is not somewhere that I can imagine raising a family. The crowded and underkept roads pose safety and drivability concerns. I like what the city does to start green living, but I am saddened to see that many trees have begun to be cut down. The increase in crimes has also caused 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 75 some concern. Nice place to live, but not necessarily somewhere I’d like to stay long term. o Thank you for your support of students and creating an environment where you educate us and keep us informed. We are able to truly become young adults because you are helping us (mutually beneficial relationship). o Thank you! o The city of Ames services does a great job at all of it. I feel safe and happy here. • Recycling o Need recycling! • Street Maintenance o I was very impressed with the quick response. I received when I reported streetlights out. • Water o Sometimes the drinking water has a weird smell which worries me. o You charge too much for outside water used for gardening, lawn sprinkling, etc. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 76 Comments on Police Department activities • Since new to city, I noticed many drivers wait to signal left turns until already turning at traffic lights. Many do not understand 4-way stop signs, courtesy rules. • All good. • Ames needs to establish resources for those struggling with immediate mental health concerns that are not the police/hospitalization. • Ames needs to make sure that meth and cocaine do not get a foothold here. That is the root cause of lots of crime. Tackle the root cause! • Ames police should focus on things like violent crimes, white supremacy, and things that actually endanger the community. They should not focus on mental health related issues, drugs, alcohol, etc., because those would be better handled with proper resources, rather than police that do not typically de-escalate a situation. More resources are needed and less involvement of the police department. • As Ames grows and more stoplights are added, they should be meticulously timed so that they are effective at all times of day and days of the week. Look to bigger cities like downtown Boulder CO for examples. • As an international student living in Ames, recent microaggressions against Black or Asian people make me nervous. I hope the police department make an announcement related to it. • Campus house parties - patrol more loud amplifiers past curfew. • Cases of crime seem to increase in Ames. • Continued discussion and efforts toward racial and social equity. • Cut patrolling by 50, waste of time and money. • Don’t Defund the police! • Don't have a lot of experience with the police department. We definitely appreciate all the outreach efforts, and general approachability of the officers. • Don't know (3x) • Drop the "broken glass" mentality. No need to pull over individuals for minor traffic interactions. Have social workers deal with social problems. Eliminate military-style uniforms and equipment. Deemphasize "politicians" and focus on "community". • Emphasize anything which will help children, both by safety and learning • Police involvement should be limited to the criminal side of things, but the responder should be SANE. • Fund social services outside of the PD to actually support the community and let the PD focus on law enforcement. Also, support opportunities to reform PDs (officer stress support, de-escalation techniques, cultural sensitivity, etc.). • Go back to walking the beat, conversing with people! • Good • Had a really satisfying experience with the police department when we reported vandalism and attempted robbery cases. The officers were really quick to come to our place and took proper measures to ensure safety. • I am a foster parent- the middle school resource officer was amazing. Please don't take them out of the schools!!! The officer we worked with had a great rapport and really felt like a resource. • I am certainly pro law enforcement/the need for a responsive police force. Ames is a wonderful- mostly safe community - maybe that's because we have a police force that's responsive when needed - stays out of our way if not - but we know we can count on them. • I am sure most everything is good. I leased an apartment at 127 Welch when the alcohol establishments were more shut down, but now I know what it is really like. Screaming, loud music, loud cars, loud engineers, drunks all over, my bike was stolen. Vomit, trash. Sorry. I thank the officer who helped me out a great deal once. I appreciate it. I am not dissatisfied with Ames Law Enforcement. The lady on the phone was very kind to me when my bike was stolen and I was sad. Helpful! • I appreciate our great police officers • I don't have enough experience with these to comment. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 77 • I don't have enough information to offer informed opinions about any of these questions. How much of the departmental resources are allocated to these various issues at the present? Without this baseline information anything I could offer would be simply anecdotal • I don't know too much about the police. However, I think that the police system should not prosecute people for doing drugs. While I don't think people should do drugs, I think that people with drug problems need medical and social support, not punishment. I also think that the police should focus on a restorative justice approach, especially for youth, and make sure not to cause a school-to-prison pipeline. I remember that when I attended Ames High School, police were sometimes called because kids were being rowdy in the back of the bus. I think that could have been solved differently without "punishment." Also, I think that the City should make sure to work closely with communities of color to ensure that the Ames PD is not perpetuating systemic racism. • I don't see them patrolling enough. Many police cars at the station every time I drive by. • I don't think police are a deterrent to crime and funding should be re-allocated to social services. • I don't understand if there is an active warrant and police are informed of the location of the person with the warrant, why they would call the person or person where they are hiding out instead of going to get them. A call to a person where they're hiding may already be abused or in danger. • I don’t have much interaction with Ames police. • I generally appreciate the Ames police department. • I have had and heard of several instances where the police department declined to issue tickets, or even warnings, related to a bicyclist's rights being broken. The Ames police department needs to enforce these laws so drivers understand this town is welcoming and supportive of bicyclists (which Ames claims to be, but I have seen little actual action on that front). • I have had property stolen 3 times. I gave detectives the name of the suspect. One for Ankeny and one from D.M. The Ames police never followed through either time. I am very disgusted with the Department and let everyone know how important this dept. is. • I have no experience with the Ames Police Department • I have no opinion • I have some biased responses for number 11 and 16 due to events that occurred in the last 4 years that I've lived at Ames. I'm not as educated as I probably should be on the impact that the Police dept. has on the community. • I lost my keys one time and called the Ames Police Department to see if they had any keys that match my description. They said they didn't. I was presently surprised that they kept following up with me when they got new keys in to check if they were mine. Little acts like this go a long way. Keep this up! • I needed them twice since I moved to Ames, and they were great to help me. I can only say good things about this department. • I really don't know APD's priorities- I assume they are doing a good job. • I request Ames Police to emphasize more on Residential Patrolling to prevent trespassers and people who disturb the residents by making noise and by their wrong behavior that are unacceptable for the residents. • I think APD does an excellent job keeping Ames safe. I miss the PR campaigns and meets around town, but COVID didn't help. • I think it is largely Ok, but I would focus on the more difficult crimes and enforcement that their training and preparedness is for. • I think it is very important that Ames responds to the concerns from community members in Ames, especially BIPOC community members, about the role of police officers in community safety and how the law enforcement system needs to be restructured to ensure that community members who need help are receiving help from those with the most expertise for that particular situation and that crime prevention is prioritized, in addition to mental and physical health; economic, social, and environmental equity; and the voices and recommendations of those who have been most harmed by our systems. It seems like Ames Police Department can be a leader in reimagining this system and valuing equity and justice above all else. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 78 • I think they do a pretty good job at outreach activities but are too concerned with certain things like parking tickets and speeding tickets than working on sexual assault prevention, etc. • I would guess the speed of most cars using Northwestern Avenue between 30th and 24th is 40 to 45 mph. This needs to stop. It already had 1 car crash into my home. • I'd like more patrol in campus neighborhoods • I'm very proud of our police Department and feel they are professional and serve the community very well. Not an easy job in these times! • Idk most of these. The Ames PD overall does well. • In general, I think Ames PD has good outreach, but it can always be better. • In October, I was hit by a car while riding my bicycle. I'd never had a serious police interaction before, and the officer who talked to me was unhelpful, did not listen, and wrote a report saying that I caused the accident. Not very cool if you ask me. Under more normal traffic stop circumstances, campus police are usually tweaking out as they try to find reasons to ticket me. City of Ames police are much more understanding and helpful. • It would be nice to get follow up calls on issues. You report a problem and no one calls you back or emails you. • It's a politically difficult time right now but I think APD does a great job overall. • Jaywalking is problematic especially near Campustown. Students routinely do it in the dark and when wearing dark clothing. It's surprising that more accidents don't happen. Noise violations should also be served more frequently, especially in areas with high densities of college students. • Keep doing what you're doing! Thank you! • More involvement with mental health providers • Much more emphasis needed on conflict resolution and racial bias training. • My neighborhood has a lot of domestics and could use more patrolling. • No issues, thank you for your service. • No more SROS! • None (3X) • Not a fan of the officer who was driving drunk on the wrong side of the road being placed on paid leave. Not how I like my tax dollars being spent • Officers polite, not always well informed. Under trained. • One time my door blew open when it was especially windy. It was late at night and I didn't notice the front door was open until I came downstairs to let my dog out. The sight of the door wide open at 10:30 gave me quite a scare as a young female who was alone in the house, but I noticed a vigilant patrol car across the street and was so comforted and impressed that an officer had noticed the possibility of something amiss. Thank you! • Police need to enforce laws protecting bicycles MORE (protecting bicyclists from cars, tickets for violating the law, for example) • quit giving me parking tickets • Really don't know how much each one is currently emphasized. A better question would be to ask which should be prioritized most. • Require racism courses for all police personnel. Diversify the police force • Seems like there is more parking police than criminal handling police • Since the coverage of crime in the paper is negligible, it is hard to know why crime even exists here. • Some of these jobs seem better fit for alternative services. • Sometimes police intervention is used when the other services are more appreciable. • Take the resource officers out of the school for their office; keep the partnership between the school and the police department. • Thank you, police. Keep up the good work • The Ames Police Department needs to step it up. They seem to kind of let things go unless they absolutely can’t. Stop just sitting parked in the middle of random places where it’s obvious the officer isn’t doing anything and get out and about do your job. • The only time I've been disappointed with the Ames Police Department was went they never 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 79 followed up on a noise complaint, but it was 801 Day, so they probably had their hands full. Also, when one officer threw away something I had lost when someone else turned it in to them for the lost and found. • The parking in Ames is quite poor, and the 48-hour city wide parking limit is quite frankly a terrible idea. I understand its use, but for those of us who are restricted to street parking, we would not have to go out and start our vehicle every 48 hours to move it, especially on very cold days in the winter where it is completely unnecessary to start a vehicle if you don’t have to. • There is a private security service that works in Campustown. Several times now they have illegally shut down parties (as well as verbally and sexually harassed citizens). These security (expletive deleted) open carry and do not prove their identity making everyone feel uneasy. I think the Ames PD needs to keep an eye on these mall cops before someone gets hurt. • They are timely and professional, I think highly of the Ames Police Dept. • They cannot enforce the useless mask mandate. Complete waste of time. • They need to have a better working relationship with the social work groups in town and learn when it is appropriate to delegate incidents to them. Police have no business addressing domestic disputes. The sheer volume of students arrested for underage drinking also implies that the police are focusing entirely too much on prosecution and not allowing health professionals to use the police's public platform to educate the public about addiction and substance abuse. • This city needs less policing and more mental health outreach. • This is a hard thing to decide because they should be doing all these things anyway. We support our officers! • This is a poorly designed survey question. • Too many public intox; decriminalize pot. • Traffic control and enforcement: Really not a police problem, but infrastructure (city) problem. • Turn our any non-violent calls to DHS or EMTs, increased police presence is detrimental to the neighborhoods. • Very in favor of moving towards a social service and mental health approach for things not as well suited for law enforcement, esp. some (non-violent) juvenile crimes, in school resource/support, domestic violence and family dispute. While traffic control and speed enforcement should be police, it is often the main activity and question if we need to see LE vehicles so frequently on streets. Whereas little effort appears to be put forth in crimes. • We called the police this past Monday for a recurring incident in our apartment building with a homeless man. They asked what apartment complex and number we lived in, but never came to check on us as we had direct encounter with the repeat-offender. Again, I am here to support our police department, but was very scary that they did not come check on the people who had the direct encounter. • We don't know much about local policing policies, but I'm generally against drug use criminalization, particularly around addition issues. The one thing that we know could use more emphasis is keeping people from speeding down Summit Ave by the high school. That street could use a speedbump since folks often use it as a high-speed cut-through and it's a residential street with a high accident rate. • We don't need school resources officer services. • We feel safe in Ames. Thanks to our police. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 80 Comments on Fire Department activities • All good. • Ambulance assistance: Not from personal experiences, but by observing neighbor's receiving assistance a number of times. • Ames firefighters are kind and thoughtful. I appreciate them. • Black people- they also show up • Called for EMT services one time. Response time was very fast. • Don't clean up after themselves. Tracked a lot of dirt and snow into buildings • Don't know • Educational opportunities for kids are exceptional! • Fire department is very professional, always felt respected and safe working with them in Ames. • Friendly staff, is one block away from me, and is not even noisy. • Great presentation at Ames Airport Fly-In • Have never needed of know of these • Have not been involved with the fire department, but I have no complaints. • I am fortunate to not have used these services. • I don't have enough information to offer informed opinions about any of these questions • I have never had any need of or interaction with the Fire Department. • I have not really interacted with the fire department despite my 4 years of living in Ames. • I have not used the Fire service so it will not be okay to comment. But I've heard from my friends and acquaintances that the Fire Department is very prompt with their service. • I have seen no outreach whatsoever from the fire department, but I have seen a lot from the police. I think this is something they could take large advantage of with teaching about dorm/apartment safety and hazards • I have seen them put out one fire near my apartment and it was timely and they got it under control. • I have thankfully never had to utilize any ambulance or fire services while living in Ames. • I haven't used any Fire Department services • I hope I don't need them, but I'm glad they're there! • I know basically nothing about the fire department. They did come to Edwards Elementary school back in 2007-2011 when I attended, and my awareness was raised about fire danger. • I love their elementary school presentation! I have never had to use their services. • I'm sure everything is good with the fire department. • I've never interacted with this resource • I've never really had any reason to interact with the fire department (thankfully no fires) • I've seen the fire department around. I don't have any complaints, but I've never interacted with them. • Inspections seem inconsistent and, in some cases, overly picky. For e.g., a small table in an apartment hall was banned after being there 16 years. Reason: ambulance persons need access; ambulance had taken gurney into that apartment many times with no problem. • Is there any fire prevention education or outreach/inspection? I'm not aware of it. • Just new to area • Living in apartments fire prevention is horrible. Most don’t fill fire extinguishers or fix smoke detectors • More outreach needs to occur to apartment buildings that are owned by a mix of people who own their own apartments and renters. I don't remember the last time my building tested its fire alarms. Consider adding carbon monoxide in the safety inspections, too. I don't recall any such inspections happening in my building. • Never needed their services • New to city; thank goodness didn't need Fire Dept/ambulance assistance! (over 80 years old) • Nice, quick response time is always appreciated! 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 81 • No interaction w/AFD • No open house last year... yeah, I know why. • None • Put list miles on vehicles • Should consider fire station on West side • Thankful that I haven’t had to use this • The fire department had to come to pick my dad up off the floor. They were very kind. Also, I follow their Facebook page. • The rules on medical amnesty and when you can be charged for an ambulance are unclear. This is sometimes a problem for those living in dorms. • They came and tried to help my dying husband. • They go by our apartment all of the time, but I have never actually needed their services. I am here to support them though! • They seem pretty good, but I've been lucky enough to not need their services. • They were awesome and came to my apartment at 1am when my alarms wouldn't stop going off and I am too short to stand on anything and change the batteries. I was very thankful for them! • We have had ambulance assistance twice in the last 16 months. They were very professional and very kind. • We support firefighters of user responses. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 82 Comments on City Electric Department • Good • Handled the storm this summer well. Kudos. • I am a supporter of renewable energy as I have family in the industry. I think it is a great incentive program • I currently rent. I'd love to participate in the program, but I'm curious how it applies if we move/buy property, etc. Also, what happens if we leave Ames before the 20 years is up? • I like this idea, but for students, we are only renting temporarily. There may be a solution if you offered rental rates for solar energy? • I love the idea of a community solar farm; unfortunately, I will not be living in Ames long-term so I cannot participate, but I support this effort. • I think the City should work to achieve 100% clean, carbon-neutral energy by 2030. • I think there needs to be a better system of reporting when power will come back on. I have called and it said they would call me when power returned, which is useless. I would like to know if the city has already sent people out. • I think this is a good thing to do and I would if I purchased a home or stayed in Ames • I wish there was a way to pay your bill online without a charge. I receive gas through a different company which has an app and free online payment through echeck. I wish the city would offer this type of option. • I would if I were staying here longer. However, I am a graduate student planning on moving after I receive my degree. If my monthly credit were to transfer in some way, I would be interested. • I would like to support SunSmart Ames but don't know how long I will be in Ames. It's a somewhat expensive investment for a student, but I am still considering whether I can do this. I support any and all efforts to pursue renewable energy in the City of Ames and think this should and needs to be a priority for the coming years and that our waste management system needs to also be re-evaluated to ensure that this can happen (as the recent report by the League of Women Voters suggests). • I'm not a homeowner in Ames but this sounds like a cool program. I think I would participate if I were a homeowner. • If I lived in Ames full time or for a longer time, then I would have checked yes • If I were not a student and planning to stay in Ames, I would want to purchase a power pack. • It would be great to see more renewable energy usage in our community. Also, it's blatantly unrealistic for the time being, but I would LOVE to see a nuclear plant in Ames :) • Outage reporting and communication were exceptionally poor following the derecho last August. Granted that those were exceptional circumstances, and that service could not be restored quickly, the description of the situation and progress updates for individual service areas was atrocious. • Possibly interested with solar. Would need to know more. • Renewable energy is the future. I would like to see the city invest into the abundant wind resource we have here as Nevada has • So, it is a great idea and we would purchase if staying longer. • Solar energy is significant in terms of environmental stability • The derecho is really going to tilt this survey. I know that was one of the two times last summer when I experienced an outage. I have already signed up for the solar project • The derecho response was awful and the bill following it was absurd. • The derecho was obviously a special case, but it points to the advantages of burying more of the residential lines to improve resilience of the system, and for safety. A transformer fell into our backyard and it took eight days to get the power back on. I would support a long-term rate increase to modernize the system. • The only outage in the last 12 months was due to the derecho in August 2020. Our power was restored very quickly, considering the amount of tree damage in my neighborhood. I have been 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 83 very happy with Ames Electric Services. • The only power outage I have had was because of the derecho...super understandable. • The storm water drainage fee disproportionately affects apartment dwellers, who are already more likely to be of lower income than single family home dwellers, making it a regressive tax. Living in a small apartment in Ames in the past, my electricity bill was typically $20-$25, so that the $4.95 storm water fee increased the total bill by 20-25%. This is even more disproportionate when considering that a single apartment of 500 sq ft. in a 4-story building only contributes 125 sq ft of impermeable area per unit, yet each individual unit is paying the same $5 fee as a single-family home with up to 10,000 sq ft of impermeable area. This means that the city gets far more of this fee from a multi-unit dwelling than a comparably-sized single-family home. Therefore, the storm water fee should be pro-rated by impervious area per unit in multi-unit dwellings. • This is an awesome idea but as a college student I will only be in Ames for another 1-2 years • This would be a great way to use solar energy even though I live in an apartment • Very impressed with employees going door to door in my neighborhood after derecho. • Very pleased with response during 2020 derecho. • We love that this is offered. • What will the discount be? 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 84 Comments on Water Service • Apartment Water Complaint o Again, apartments are cheap living and don’t provide anything good o The issues with water taste and odor are the results of my experiences living in Copper Beech apartments. o The water issues likely have to do with my building and not the City of Ames. • Best Water o Ames has the best water almost anywhere o Ames water is among the best in the U.S. o Ames water is the best! o Best water in the country in my opinion. Loved the open house in 2019 at the treatment plant, very educational. • Cloudy/Rusty/Calcium o Calcium build-up o Our water is always cloudy, but safe to drink. Not a major issue, just odd. o Water gets cold fast, when using hot water from the sink it is cloudy o Have to filter water for drinking to reduce sediment o It was dark orange one day o My water looks funny at times! o Rust only after flushing the water lines o The one time it way rusty I called and was told it was a leak further up but safe to drink. Glad I could reach someone easily. o We were informed hydrant flushing can cause brown water. o A lot of sediment collects in my water heater o We get a great deal of calcification in our water heater. • Derecho o After Derecho it's ok now o Only during derecho- overall very satisfied. • Good Water o Good o Good job o No problems, good water. o Really good water quality o Water is good! o Great water o Water is great. • Hydrant Flushing • ISU Student o I live in Frederiksen Court, so my water problems are through Iowa State University o This is again living in the dorms and may not reflect the general Ames water supply. • Not Applicable (x2) • None (x2) • Water Hardness o Due to the chemistry of our underlying aquifer our water will always be "hard" (carbonate-rich) and will contain oxidizable iron (i.e., a source of rust) o My water is quite hard, but the taste is excellent o Ames water is good but hard! o Water is very hard- faucets need to be replaced more often. o Water quality seems good generally but is "hard" compared to softened water. o We recently moved here and our water is not near as soft as what we had previously. o I don’t really know how to tell the difference between hard and soft water o I don't know how to tell whether water is hard or soft. I've never noticed calcium 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 85 precipitation, so does that mean it is soft? I thought soft was good? o I don't know what a soft water problem would be • Like Ames Water o Ames water is AMAZING! o Awesome tap water. o Water service has been fantastic o Thank you Ames water people :) o Water is wonderful in Ames o Love the water! • Smelly Water o I get a fishy smell maybe every other month. o In the last few months noticed the water in the toilet tank having a bad odor. Dropped in a bleach tablet and that seems to have solved the problem o Our dog did turn up her nose at water for a couple of weeks in March • Water pressure o I would like better water pressure o An entire shower/bathtub was replaced that messed up the water pressure for the kitchen sink and it was never fixed. o I think this year the water pressure is less than last year! o Too little pressure only when using hot water • Dislike Ames Water o I'm not sure if I can 100% trust the quality of the water as I used to! o Sorry, I have not drunk the water since the last major contamination incident. • Other Comments o There should be drinking water availability at historic parks like Ada Hayden, etc. o Water goes cold quick and takes a while to heat up o I went never o May be specific to faucet rather than city water service. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 86 Comments on Water & Pollution Control • Sewer Drain Backup or Storm Water Flooding o But it happened 3 other years, due to very old sanitary, storm drains/pipes, which still need to be replaced. o I live in a 3rd-floor apartment, but I have several friends who had basement water damage from stormwater. I have seen severely flooded intersections because the street drains couldn't handle the amount of rain. o In terms of stormwater flooding onto our property from the street: it used to run straight to our house and leak into the basement, but we altered our driveway to be curved and now the water goes down the hill to a creek. o Not from city street, but yard runoff. No reporting. o The hill in my backyard can get very high o We had drainage problems in our apartment parking lot. It was resolved, but the drains were full. • High Cost of Water Utility o Sewer rates shouldn't be paid when watering yard/garden o Question: Can you adjust the sewer rates for amt. of permeable surface? o The Ames water deposit of over $500 is absolutely absurd. Come on, folks. $500?????????????? o The excessive tier pricing for summer water rates is too high. I understand wanting to conserve water in the summertime but charging 3-10 times the standard rate is robbery. o Why was I charged for these, even when I was gone all month? • Positive Comments o Ames tap water! o Thank you Ames water people :) o Good o I will always remember Ames Water reaching out to me about a potential leak and knowing that City of Ames Water was looking out for their customers. I have been very happy with my water service o [Name redacted] is a great student operator • Other Comments o When running the dishwasher, the sink tends to fill with water o Ames tap water is good but sometimes we get cloudy yellowish water. But within a couple of hours the problem gets settled. I have doubts regarding presence of contaminates in the water. o Drinking water should be made available at historic parks like Ada Hayden. • Not Applicable/None/No Problems (x8) 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 87 Comments on Neighborhood Nuisance enforcement • Action Is Based on Complaints o Action depends on neighbors' complaints before violations are addressed. • Brush Removal at Parks o Could spend more time in weed chopping at open parks like Ada Hayden. • Campustown Complaint o I'm only dissatisfied at Welch Ave and Stanton area. • Different Enforcement Between ISU And Ames o ISU handles my noise concerns because I live on campus. I think the city of Ames cannot do anything unless there is a top-down policy change for how cities can interject and intervene when on-campus residents are not satisfied with how their residence hall or apartment complex managers handle their concerns. I like the city of Ames' noise ordinance much better than ISU's. • Dog Barking Complaint o I have neighbors for over 10 years. My neighbor would tie his barking dog in the backyard and it barked constantly and called animal control for 5 months and they did nothing. • Parking o Do not agree with parking rules on Ash • Do Not Care o You need to create an option for the survey participant to say they don't care about those issues. Yard upkeep and outdoor storage are classist, ableist concerns. o Not important, less emphasis o Take it easy • Encourage Homeowner Assistance Programs o How people keep their lawn should be their own business, but perhaps offer help via community service, if people want it. o I've never had an issue in any of these and so maybe shouldn't comment, but in general encourage programs that assist homeowners if despair becomes an issue. Fines aren't going to help if situation upkeep isn't done. • Find Something Better to Do Than Complain o I feel like these topics are what people who don't have anything better to do with their lives complain about. • Good o All good. o City looks good o Good • Noise Ordinance o So, fireworks are banned in city limits, but a certain gun range is in city limits? Guns are 100x louder than fireworks. o The gunshots from the Isaac Walton league are a nightmare. o I'm not really concerned as to if people have untidy yards or homes; it can be very expensive to upkeep a home and that is not a safety issue. I do, however, have issues with my neighbors blasting music at 3 in the morning every weekend at an apartment building with several guests. I would much more be interested in time spent enforcing noise limits in apartments rather than worrying if someone's grass is too long. o Noise complaints are disregarded by officers unless it's a party. Property keep-up is not your business!! o Noise complaints not kept up with in college area o Noise ordinance is a big issue o In areas with high populations of undergrads, it seems a lot of the noisy party houses are serial repeat offenders. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 88 • Houses in Rough Shape o There are some houses here in REALLY rough shape o I think there are some areas in Ames where there needs to be some upkeep done on some worn down properties o In the west side there are a few houses that need some attention o Not sure of properties that are being reported, but there are a couple houses between 13th St and Lincoln Way that are in rough shape (I may have already been worn down). • Lag in Action o It took one entire year to inspect, condemn and raze a property in our neighborhood. I do appreciate it got done but it sat for years before action was taken. There are several properties in similar condition. o Can take a long, long time to resolve some issues • Landlords o Landlords need to take care of lawn-leaves-snow. Must live within 15 miles of Ames or have maintenance company. • Issues Go Unreported o The city is very quick in regard to a response and solving issues, but I feel many issues go unreported o Sadly, many "nuisances" go unreported because "reporters" don't want to cause trouble w/a neighbor. It would be nice if city employees would report instances of problems they see as they go around doing their normal work. • Mask Mandate o I see people outside without masks on. That's against the useless mandate. Isn't this a nuisance or is the useless mask mandate the nuisance? • More specific enforcement suggestions o Would like to see more pro-active enforcement of cars blocking sidewalk • None/No Issues o Never needed to contact them o I've never reported any of these issues. o The neighborhood I live in seems to be doing well in these terms. No complaints! o We have never had issues with any of these. o I have never reported any issues, as there are no violations in my neighborhood. o I've lived here less than a year; haven't run into these issues. o None o I have no connection with nuisance ordinance. o I have no involvement with these issues so don't know. • Not Applicable o N/A (x4) o I have never dealt with any of these issues as an Ames resident. I live in an HOA that addresses these items o Not much experience with many of these items as I live in Four Seasons Park (mobile home park). It is private property with our own manager. Police are seldom seen here unless there is a real problem. o Question really doesn't apply since we've had no experience with any o I rent an apt, I don't know much about these policies o I live in an apartment, not all apply to me • Occupancy Rules are Discriminatory o The rule where certain neighborhoods can only have the same number of residents as they have bedrooms is discriminatory and pushes certain socioeconomic classes into certain areas. The rule is also not well known or justified. o In these days of increasing unemployment and increasing rents, "over occupancy" is necessary to prevent homelessness. • Overall Good Some Areas Need Attention 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 89 o Ames is a clean city overall. There are sections that need attention. o Homes in Ames are very well kept in general. There are a few in the neighborhood with excessive garbage, furniture, etc., outside. • Specific Complaints o I've had a couple of junk cars on the street in my neighborhood for years. o Rental next door, called Rental Supervisor on multiple occasions, because of trash/rubbish in yard. Never saw any response or concern. Another neighbor went in and cleaned it up. o There is a house on Tripp Street that always has overflow of junk and is a huge neighborhood eyesore o I see houses that appear in disrepair and/or abandoned. One house on E side of Duff N of the clinic. One brown house on the corner of Duff near golf course. One house on the corner of Duff and Northwood. o My adult child lives by a house in bad conditions for some time but on the other side of that they are glad it is empty as it is quiet and without seedy neighbor type. o Several places need some help. Example- south of 13th St. o There are a lot of eyesore properties on Lincoln Way and in a few neighborhoods. I have seen several properties that fail to keep their lawns from being overgrown with no apparent response from the city. o On the north side of Lincoln Way between Hazel Avenue and Squaw Creek there are some apartments that are not well kept and they do not shovel their sidewalks of snow. It feels dangerous to me to walk on these surfaces so close to Lincoln way when there is inclement weather. I also think in some of these apartments there may be drug and/or human trafficking. • Uneven Enforcement/Unclear Enforcement o Some of these questions seem like they will only apply to those who have reported an issue. Otherwise, residents may not be aware of the work being done and whether it is effective or not. o Enforcement seems uneven; houses with weeds or yard trash not always forced to clean up. o I don't have any comments on the City's explicit response to any of these issues, but I note that there are a number of houses in my neighborhood that exhibit many of these violations and have for many years. I'm not sure if lack of enforcement is merely due to a lack of reports on these issues from neighbors, or due to subsequent neglect of enforcement activities. o I drive past a house on Northwestern every single day with half of the landfill on their property. Nothing ever comes of that despite being only a mile away from City Hall. I can't be satisfied or dissatisfied with something nonexistent. o I sometimes see houses that offend 4-6 for a few years at a time. • Against Upkeep Ordinances o The city shouldn't be involved in enforcing yard upkeep, property upkeep, or outdoor storage. If it's a person's private property, it is their freedom to ruin it if they choose. o These should not be enforcement priorities. Again, don't focus on the broken glass. Help those wanting/needing to know through more community engagement. Officers pulled over my wife and me, as we were exiting on the driveway. When questioned as to the nature of the stop, "I didn't know you lived there!" o While I appreciate that Ames feels like a clean, well-kept city, these things are a low priority for me. o Yard upkeep and private residence upkeep should not be a high priority. o I didn't realize property appearance was a nuisance. I don't think that's something that needs to be regulated unless it’s a safety hazard for the residents. o Overgrown vegetation shouldn't be a concern for the City. It's better for wildlife. o Is "overgrown" vegetation really illegal here? I think that people should be allowed to grow all the vegetation they like in their front yards. Personally, I would love to see more diverse and lush vegetation instead of grass lawns - prairies, forests, and vegetable gardens! I think it would help make communities feel more welcoming and vibrant as well. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 90 o I would like to see the city pass a front yard garden ordinance (allowing the lawn to be converted to garden space) The fireworks ordinance doesn't work! • Pro Ordinances o Many of these nuisance ordinances directly target students living in off-campus housing and should be enforced. o Property codes need to be enforced on owner-occupied properties too. o I own and rent property in town to college students. The inspections can be a hassle, but I support the work. o The city should prioritize ensuring the property values of all Ames properties (including those next to problem properties) remain high. o While I do not live in a home in Ames, I do still see some homes with paint peeling/chipping and obvious repairs that should be made. I also still see some people with items that have clearly been tossed out just sitting in the yard. Of course, you never know what all is going on there, but from a different perspective, I think it would be beneficial to the overall neighborhood value to keep the yards/home itself looking well kept. o Any community that lets the property go downhill will invite crime and lower property values leading to a lower tax base, which leads to the death spiral of any community. It is just math. • Other Comments o I didn't realize there were ordinances for most of these and the only idea I have of how they're doing is I don't see cars on front lawns, but I also think most people don't want to park in their yard. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 91 Comments on Transportation / Street Maintenance • Positive Comments o Good o Streets are generally good with a few spots needing work! o Thanks for adding the light at State and Mortensen!!!! Specific areas that need attention are: • Bicycle and Pedestrian o Again, many street intersection lights do not detect bicyclists. The 9th and Grand intersection, the 6th and Grand intersection, and 9th and Duff intersections are very, very frustrating. Conversely, the 6th and University light is WONDERFULLY responsive, so I know the technology is available... o Bike paths and on-street lanes need continual maintenance. Street bike lanes often have rocks and branches that need to be avoided. Street sweeping on-street bike lanes need to occur more often. o Firstly, I feel that the bike system is very poor in Ames because bicyclists are often asked to bike on the same roads that cars are on. This makes bicyclists, especially beginners, feel too unsafe and uncomfortable to actually take up biking. And having inexperienced bicyclists on the same roads as motorists causes stress and anxiety for the motorists as well. Thus, I think Ames should have dedicated, protected bike lanes throughout the entire city, for the benefit of all involved. Secondly, I have noticed that sidewalks are maintained much more poorly than streets. Unlike streets, which are smooth and always clean, sidewalks are bumpy and blocky, and are rarely cleaned well after a snow. Plus, unlike roads which are sloped so that water will run off and not collect, sidewalks usually collect puddles which end up turning to ice. This makes sidewalks extremely dangerous for pedestrians, especially during the winter. It would be excellent if sidewalks were maintained to the same standard as streets are. o I am a little disappointed in bike paths on Duff Ave. recently installed. I live on 17th/Douglas Ave and use Duff often and have yet to cope the bike paths used. o I bike a lot –1100 miles in Ames in 2020. Remove the green bike squares downtown – a really dumb concept. Cars hate bikes in a car place and starts and stops of places are dangerous for both bikes and cars. Choose one and do it everywhere or nowhere! o I like having the bike lanes on the roads. However, they are oftentimes dangerous/unusable because the seam (crack) between the curb-section and the actual street is uneven and happens to be RIGHT down the center of the bike lane (see 30th street between Grand and Hoover for an example). It makes me either ride too close to the normal traffic lanes or just back on the sidewalk. o I wish there were more "greenway" bike paths to get around the city (such as the system that links University Village to Brookside and then kind of toward 4th street. But more paths! o Increasing biking infrastructure and safety would be very helpful environmentally and socially, especially for so many students in the Ames area. o Many bike paths have wide cracks, people don't use them. Also, I drive on N. Duff often, have never seen a by cycle rider (Waste of paint)!! o Many traffic signals are not responsive to bicyclists. 13th to Northwestern, 9th to Duff Avenue and 9th to Grand are intersections I've had issues at. o More bike paths would be good o My complaint is that vehicles can left turn while I legally cross after getting the walk signal. I expect I'll be killed eventually. I feel sorry for any blind person or someone handicapped or in a wheelchair who tries to find or use the walk button by Lebeda 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 92 Mattress. The one across Lincoln Way from Lebeda Mattress could be hard for a blind person to find. o One bizarre feature of the Ames bike path system is the fact that many of the "bike paths" are simply glorified shared-use sidewalks that are not marked. I have not seen this in any other city where I have lived. This is highly problematic for bicyclists because motorists are simply not expecting cyclists on these separate paths when crossing at intersections; cyclists are much more visible when they are able to use paths that are integral parts of the streets (not the sidewalks) o Street maintenance: the bike path space on 6th is abysmal. I believe the space is extremely dangerous. o The surface of most bike paths is not in good condition and should be fixed. o They are not coordinated for bikes o Too many bike paths; roads are for cars. All the money spent on North Duff for bike paths was a total waste. It isn't used. o Traffic flow in Ames needs much improvement. If you dedicate bike lanes on the streets, you need to regulate and enforce bike registration and laws, just like Ames used to do. o The streetlights around Somerset are on red for bikers and pedestrians too long. o There needs to be sidewalk on Ross Road; street is narrow and sides where you walk or bike are in poor, very rough condition. o This is from a pedestrian's perspective and not really a driver's perspective. It's clear to me when I cross the street at Lincoln Way that the traffic signals effectively handle traffic in waves and provide opportunities for pedestrians to cross. • Landscaping o No idea who thought those rectangular holes w/a single tree in Campustown was attractive. o The boulevard area on Bloomington Rd. (east of Grand Ave.) has not been as well kept in the landscaped sections in the last few years. • Other o New stop light by vet school is going to back up traffic onto University o My parkway has been dug up 15,000 times. Full of weeds and construction debris that destroys the lawn mower. o I’m in the minority, but I think traffic circles are a good idea. I think they save gas and when people learn to understand them, they’ll keep traffic moving more smoothly. I find that the street lines fade so quickly that sometimes it’s hard to tell where the lanes are especially the bike lanes. • Repair Roads o Ames streets are a disgrace! o Top O Hollow is pretty rough on the west and Grand is pretty rough by the mall; much worse that Bloomington when it was repaved. o If you are stopped by one light, it seems we are stopped by a lot. Prioritizing road maintenance would seem to be a good idea with repaving and not just patching areas. o Mortensen Rd is really bad. There are hundreds of cars using that road every day. But this road is full of potholes. It's very bumpy. I also hope someone can fix or rebuild Mortensen Rd. o There are terrible potholes EVERYWHERE in Ames and it's a serious problem. There are some that I swear are over a foot wide. Whenever there is snow there is not adequate salt put down, snow is not plowed in a timely manner and the snow is often packed down to ice on the roads • Sensors o Ames needs to install automatic stoplight sensors. Too many times, especially on Lincoln Way, the street will be very backed up for a road light with nobody coming. o There are a number of intersections that do not register motorcycles!!!! 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 93 • Snow and Ice removal/Slippery Pavement o After freezing rain, the pavements get too much slippery to walk. It becomes very risky and dangerous to walk on such slippery paths. Many people fell down and there have been many cases of accidents and injuries due to that reason. I request the Street Maintenance authority to look after and solve this issue. o I wish that more care was given to removing snow and ice from bus stops and from the pavement where the sidewalk meets the street. o I clean my front walk. The snow plough comes by driving too fast and throws snow all over my clean walk! o I have lived in the Midwest for 20+ years and Ames is THE WORST when it comes to snow removal. o I have never experienced such poor snow removal until I moved to Ames. I don’t know if they need to purchase more plows, employ more people to do the plowing or what the solution needs to be, but something needs to be done. I work at 5 am and sometimes I have to walk in very deep snow for about a mile because I cannot drive on the roads. It seems that they plow once, put one layer of salt down and call it a day. o I would like to see the city invest in residential snow removal equipment (to scoop up and melt or haul away roadway snow). It is frustrating when I have cleaned my 3-car garage driveway with scoop shovel and snow pusher and then the city snowplow comes by and pushed a deep bank of snow from the street into my driveway again. o Ice control at intersections. Ontario and Minnesota: Often we get a pile that limits visibility and lane width o If you live in a cul-de-sac the road maintenance is the worst. Snow is pushed back into the driveways and sometimes snow piles are lumped in the middle and then never take out making it difficult during heavy snow to enter driveways. People living in a cul-de-sac should have the same road sweep when the other side roads are done. Cul-de-sacs are last and that is problem. o In the winter the residential streets are very dangerous with the amount of snow and ice o It would be nice to have some sort of schedule as to what neighborhoods are getting plowed when, as someone who has to park on the street, I don't have anywhere to move my car so it's frustrating when I'm not able to move it out of the way and it gets piled in, and the snowplows never come around again o Last year (2020), my son watched the person who was plowing our neighborhood take out 3 mailboxes in a row. This year (2021) the person plowing our neighborhood has been wonderful. We didn't have huge piles of snow at the front driveway, and he even piled the snow in the middle of our circle just right for the kids to build snow forts. Thank you. o Piles of snow left by snowplows make it very difficult for us walkers to get from the sidewalk into the street at intersections. o Snow plowing of my (admittedly very low traffic) side street seemed slow, but intersections and curves nearby were handled well. o The current system of snow removal needs to be seriously evaluated. Some contractors take snow removal more seriously than others or their zones do not overlap well enough. I have gotten stuck in my neighborhood from plows leaving snow piled at the entrances onto main roads. I have lived in other Midwestern cities and never experienced such poor snow removal until I moved to Ames. o There is just not a lot of space to put snow. But I frequently have issues with ice in the winter. o There needs to be more plows who come out when it is snowing and ice/sand and plow. It always just gets compacted into ice and then it’s impossible to drive. Lights on University are always timed off and you hit every single red (Duff as well). The light on Mortensen is dumb and is always red for every direction you come at it from, slowing everything down. o We have parking on one side only and they keep piling the snow against the cars. Why? 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 94 o Would love to see increased plowing after snowstorms, especially on side streets. There are some intersections that could be improved, as it relates to light changing efficacy, but overall, pretty good! • Traffic Light Coordination o A lot of trip lights so not coordinated. o Ames traffic lights are INCREDIBLY FRUSTRATING o Grand Ave.: If you hit just wrong, you will have almost all red lights o How do I know what light oncoming traffic has? I can't look at oncoming traffic and my light at the same time. o I always struggle at Lincoln Way (east to west) from HyVee to HyVee. o I purposely avoid streets with traffic lights in favor of those with stop signs when going across town because of how bad some of the traffic signals are. For example, cars turning left from 13th onto Grand must either take dangerous chances or wait multiple whole light cycles to get a single car across, causing lots of backup. Another bad one is turning left onto Grand after exiting the mall or Walmart via 30th St. This also requires dangerous chances or long waits, again causing backup at this busy intersection leaving these major shopping areas. o I travel from far west Ames to Duff Ave. via Lincoln Way multiple times per day. It is very common that I stop at 90% of the traffic signals. Too many times I am stopped by a light with nobody triggering the light to change. This is probably my biggest complaint about Ames. o I try to avoid Lincoln Way because the lights are not timed well (I go the speed limit). I should not be stopping as often as I do on Lincoln Way even when I go the speed limit. o I understand that there are cross walks that would interfere with the traffic lights heading west on Lincoln Way around campus, but from a personal opinion, it can be displeasing to have a light turn green on Union and Lincoln Way and the light at Ash and Lincoln Way turn red. o If you hit a green on Lincoln Way, shouldn't you technically hit more greens? There needs to be more overlap so that people can drive more efficiently on Lincoln Way o It happens soooo often when it turns green after waiting for a red light. I drive to the next red stop light, just on Lincoln Way. I have to wait many, many red lights. Hope the traffic lights could be consistent –all the green lights – not to waste time on waiting for one after another. o Lights are the worst thing in this town! Dead horses move better than traffic in this town. o Lights on Lincoln Way seems uncoordinated o Lincoln Way – if you get red, they are all red after that. Get green, haven't long way on many green. o Lincoln Way is a nightmare. As is Duff. Rest seems fine, but please make Lincoln Way's timing make any sense at all. o Lincoln Way sucks o Lincoln Way traffic lights are very poorly timed. The light turns green only for the next one to turn red as I pull up to it. This will happen for up to 5 or 6 lights in a row. o Many lights especially in Campustown turn red when there is no traffic going the other way. The icon gets bogged down, oftentimes stopped at the green light because the signal block is red. o Needs better timing to allow better flow to traffic on the south side. o Sequencing on Lincoln and Duff roads both need to be improved. o Sometimes it seems that you are sitting at an intersection for a very long period of time while other directions get a lot more time for green lights. o The light at 6th and Grand is extremely slow in the morning (going east/west). The light at 20th and Grand (going east/west) barely allows one car through. o The traffic signals on Mortensen and State are always red no matter what direction you are going. Stop signs or roundabout would be much more efficient here. Also, the stop 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 95 lights on 13th and Stange are always red and very crowded. o There is a very high need to coordinate traffic signals in the city of Ames. It will sometimes take me 15-20 minutes or more to drive across the city of Ames, say from an apartment in west Ames to the Duff Walmart. I have also seen lights that are too sensitive to cars such as the intersection of Dotson Dr and Mortensen Rd. If a person taking a right on Dotson Drive waits for more than 2 seconds (literally!), the light will turn for them. This is great for the Dotson Drive folks; however, this holds up traffic on Mortensen. I understand this is a school zone, but I think better coordination needs to be present here. Traffic signals late at night may need to be better coordinated as well. I would use the intersection of Lincoln and South Duff as an example of how to coordinate lights late at night. A car comes, the traffic light senses the car, and changes quickly to adjust to the current situation, resulting in a short wait time for the red-light-facing car. It's very nice! Other lights seem to be on a timer and make cars stop at 2 AM for absolutely no reason. Unfortunately, no examples pop into my head at this very moment of specific intersections that do this. Nevertheless, I recall being frustrated, so I think they are out there! o They're good if you consider having to stop at every empty intersection back-to-back an effective coordination. Then disregard my answer. Having to stop at back-to-back intersections on Lincoln Way is a good way of having consistently long travel times and reduce overall speed of traffic, but it seems people still like to accelerate through these short spurts of traffic stops. o This could be improved, especially when driving by campus on Lincoln Way. Stop and go traffic also wastes gas. o This is a problem! Seems are set up on purpose to force stop and go traffic. o Too long at some intersections o Traffic signals on Lincoln Way are infuriating! Why do I have to stop five times to drive a half mile? o Westbound 13th and Grand intersection needs turn signal, and the light at 13th and Stange takes too long if you're coming from East or West. o Traffic signals. There are some streets that are particularly bad for it. In 2 years of living on the west end of Lincoln Way my Prius managed to lose 8 mpg due to the frequent starting and stopping caused by all the traffic lights o Traffic Control Signage o Small neighborhoods need more stop signs or yield signs at 4-way intersections. Multiple accidents have occurred in my neighborhood due to people going straight through intersections and assuming they have the right-away. PUT UP MORE STOP SIGNS. o Does this mean stop signs? o Stop signs on residential areas, markings on roads are very poor. Specific intersections that need attention: • 13th and Duff o Lack the left turn arrow and traffic is constantly congested at such places. Several other intersections in Ames lack the left turn arrow option and have the same problem. • 13th and Grand o 13 St and Grand needs a turning arrow going east/west! Backs up traffic without it! o For the love of God, PLEASE fix the intersection @ 13th and Grand so you can turn South from Westbound 13th street without holding up traffic for the whole light. Also please change the right hand only turning lane northbound at South Dakota and Lincoln Way so you can go straight (north). o Can become very backed up for east and west traffic due to lack of left-turn arrows/lane. o The traffic signal at the intersection of Grand and 13th needs to be improved. It's hard to turn north from the west side in rush hours. We need a left turn signal there. o Traffic lights at 13th of Grand should change individually. Going east or west and needing 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 96 to turn with oncoming traffic is a HUGE pain. • 13th and Ontario o 13th/Ontario and Hyland stoplight should change quicker at night. I had to wait 40 seconds for light cycle at 11 p.m. should cycle faster IMO. • 13th and Stange o Stange and 13th intersection is way too slow on the light. South Duff is a disaster. Too many lights and poor design. I avoid it at all costs. North Duff bike path and parking is not a good idea; needs to be 4 lanes. o Problems at Stange at 13th St (esp. southbound) • S 16th and S Duff o On the corner of South Duff and 16th street: the east and westbound lanes need to be on separate lights. If headed west, you can only get 3 cars to turn left before light changes. This is a TERRIBLE traffic light. • S 16th and University o Problems at Univ. Blvd and 16th St • 24th and Grand o Specific intersections have issues, e.g., 24th and Grand • 28th and Grand o 28th and Grand often have icy patches when turning right • 6th and Grand o 6th street crossing Grand is the worst example of automated traffic lights ever. • 6th and University o 6th street and University over-prioritizes 6th St. Going north on University, I almost always have to stop. • 9th and Duff o 9th Street isn't very responsive at Duff • Adams Street o Travel on east end of Adams St • Duff and Grand o Really poor on Duff and Grand • Duff and Lincoln o Taking and getting off of Lincoln Way is good, the lights onto it are sometimes a challenge especially from Duff. • Fletcher and Bloomington o Fletcher Blvd off Bloomington Road into the Stone Brooke neighborhood could use a "facelift" • Franklin and Lincoln Way o Franklin and Lincoln Way light has a hard time sometimes • Grand and 13th o I find the intersection of Grand and 13th to be somewhat unsafe when cars are trying to make a left onto Grand Avenue, as the 13th Street traffic light does not have a turn arrow or a dedicated left turn lane. Can be difficult to see oncoming traffic. • Hyland and Lincoln o There's a light at the corner of Lincoln Way and Hyland Ave that doesn't have enough time after the Lincoln Way light turns red and the Hyland Ave light turns green. Location of a lot of accidents and isn't the most pleasant to drive through • Marshal Avenue and Lincoln o The Marshal Ave. and Lincoln Way light stays too long on red. • Pammel and Stange o Pammel/Stange intersection always stops westward traffic. Lights seem strangely programmed. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 97 Comments on CyRide • Better understanding of schedule/routes o Have a better understanding of the schedule and connecting routes. o If I knew how to use it easily o Making it easier for people to use, the mobile app or website • COVID-19 o COVID has kept us working from home, so there has been less call to use CyRide. When I go into campus I usually bike. I may use CyRide this winter to get to campus when it's too cold or icy. o COVID 19 o COVID-19 going away. Again, consider current events in your survey. Your results are going to be wildly skewed and inaccurate. o End of COVID and return to work on campus (ISU) o If bars were open again (No COVID) o No COVID-19 restrictions o Once COVID reduces in volume/vaccinations increase, riding becomes an option again (as a higher risk individual) o Pandemic o Stopped using due to COVID, as mother lives with me. Likely start again with pass in the fall. o Stopped utilizing CyRide due to COVID-19 pandemic since work has moved remotely. Used to use the bus service daily and always enjoyed it! o Trying to avoid public transportation due to the pandemic o We used CyRide pre-pandemic and will probably do so again when we feel the pandemic is more under control. o We used to use CyRide before COVID, but now most things are remote o Worried about COVID-19 • Frequent Stops o Bus stops too frequently. It takes too long to go from one end of the route to the other end of the route. POV allows better mobility. o Less stops actually • Prefer Car Transport o I drive my vehicle (2x) o I need to use my car • If I needed it o If I needed the service o Only in an emergency o If I could not drive anymore o Inability to drive o When I get too old to drive. o If I had no other transportation. o If my vehicle broke down o Quick travel o if I go on campus, I do use it • No Need o No need to use (2x) o Not needed but would take if necessary o Work out of town, no need • Prefer Walking/Biking o I live too close to campus. Walking is faster o Right now, I am able to walk or bike and only use my car 1-2 times per week. In the future, I may use CyRide 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 98 o We walk or bike when able, use car when weather is bad • Route Times o I work but get off @ 1:45 in the morning. o if more bus routes went longer hours (into the night instead of ending at ~5 pm) • Stop Location o Bus stop too far away for a 56-year-old o Have service available without walking 2 miles o No service on our road o There is no stop accessible to where I live. It's about a mile away and walking that at night is too risky o Too far to walk to bus stop. Use HIRTA • Other o I already considered it o Make it part of ISU parking fees o Complimentary snack and beverage o The use of electric vehicles would make me consider using CyRide • Other responses to consider using CyRide o Better transfers o Service to campus from routes near me without having to transfer, now that transfers are not guaranteed. o The routes from my house involve several transfers. I can bike faster than taking CyRide to work. When I was going to ISU, I used CyRide often. Additional Comments on CyRide • Bus Stop Locations o Closer to bus stop would make me consider using these services o I would need to walk 4-5 blocks for a stop o Too far to walk to bus stop. They stopped the close by bus stops. o Travel time and distance to bus stop are primary issues. o CyRide doesn't service my area, Scene Valley Northridge Heights. • COVID-19 o Haven't ridden this year because pandemic and work from home but did so regularly before. o I have not ridden CyRide since the pandemic and concerns about safety protocols adhering to CDC guidelines. However, I and my household generally ride CyRide at least five days a week. o Prior to COVID my husband rode 3-5 days a week o Used frequently before pandemic and plan to return to normal use once vaccinated. o Used it more before COVID will probably use again in future o We used to use it, but COVID-19 forced us to have classes online, so I didn't need to go anywhere after that, and I have my own car to get me places. o The number I put was pre-COVID. During COVID none of us have taken CyRide. However, as soon as I am immunized, I'd love to take CyRide again. It's a really amazing service and I love it. • Does not fit my schedule/timing o CyRide just does not fit our schedule. We need flexible transport times. o I have three kids, so being on time and getting them is just easier with a van. o I live in South Ames and there are not many routes near my home. Despite this, my work schedule makes it difficult to rely on CyRide consistently and I prefer using my personal car for the flexibility it offers. o So glad the service is available, just don't use it for time's sake. o The routes are not quick enough by me to accommodate work and transporting a child to and from school. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 99 o When I was in undergrad, CyRide was super helpful and convenient. However, I park on campus now that I'm in graduate school and have to be on farms so frequently. o Have stopped riding during pandemic but routes do not operate early enough to my office • Don’t Use I Drive/Walk/Bike o CyRide is great, I drive everywhere though. o CyRide is great, I just like the convenience of my own car. o I prefer to drive myself o We drive everywhere. We are glad it is available. o We drive, walk or bike – we're just too independent! o I ride my bike everywhere o I'm impressed with the service but live downtown where most places I go are easily accessible. If a place is too far to walk, it is easier and faster to drive. • Driver Comments o I have seen one driver become rude to a student that ran to catch the bus, so she tried lecturing him even though the bus was early. o Some drivers are very sharp when turning and sudden stops that causes students to have to brace themselves o Some drivers speed up very fast and then slam on the breaks – make the ride jerky. A “rate your driver” option or additional training would be appreciated. o The drivers need to be more conscientious of people around them. I have had drivers drive off as I was about to cross the road to get on & nearly hit me & not once slow down. o Friendly drivers! Love them. • Empty Buses o Too many buses for the number of riders. I see 1 or 2 people on a lot of buses in the summer. It is a joke then they ask for more money every year. o Watch them go by empty majority of time. Real money loser. o When the bus goes past our house, no one is riding in it. • Nice Option o Although I don't use CyRide I am very happy we have it as an option. o I am unlikely to use CyRide but appreciate that is there, particularly for our friends, who do not have cars. • Non-student Outreach o I think a lot of the routes are hard to figure out and often students want to use it when they aren't able to drive to save money, but it is inconvenient for non-students and the buses need to run later into the night o Add services for non-university citizens! o Need to do more advertising if CyRide available to non-students. We thought it was a student bus. • No Need o Don't need it o My husband works from home and I walk to the vet school o I frequently travel outside of Ames for work so just not there much to use it. o I have a car and live near campus, I have no need to drive unless getting groceries, which a car is much more convenient for. o I have a vehicle, so these services have not been needed. o I have my own vehicle and where I have to go to work, it is more convenient for me to provide my own transportation. o I live 4 blocks from my daughter's school, so I walk. And I can't bring 10 bags of groceries on CyRide so I drive for those. o I live in a retirement community, so have no need to use. o I live near downtown and work @ hospital so I don't rely on bus transport for anything • Other Comments 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 100 o Not convenient o We live on-campus, so everything we need is pretty much walking distance. o I like independence o CyRide is great. We just don't use it. o Make children ride free. I hate paying $1 for multiple rides and I don’t have enough money for the pass o It would be nice to have 2 meters. Once as your inside and one on the outside. o CyRide automatic doors broke my glasses o I use CyRide when I have to leave my car for service and go to pick my car up. o Kids use CyRide. I use CyRide when extreme cold moves in. o My grandkids like to ride it o Not a bus person o Not sure how CyRide is funded. But I think ISU should bear most of the burden, as it is primarily used by students. o Not this year though o In non-pandemic years, CyRide is very crowded and dirty. Since the pandemic this has changed but makes me nervous for the condition and experience to return to the same crowded and dirty condition. • Positive Comments o Convenient o Awesome, well-used service. o CyRide is awesome! Nearly everything about it is absolutely amazing! o CyRide is fantastic as a student, and I think it's something worth putting more funding into o CyRide is great o CyRide service is great o Effective and essential. The app is very nice. o Excellent service o Fantastic service. Keep doing what you're doing. o Good o Great service o I am happy for those who use CyRide – for ISU students and others who need it for transportation to and from work, classes or for other reasons. It's a great and needed service. o I am satisfied with CyRide o I believe it's very important to have the CyRide. I have students @ ISU who use it. o I do ride CyRide but only occasionally, not once a week. o I love CyRide and would be really upset if this service was no longer available o I've always loved CyRide!!! One of the best bus systems I've seen in a college town!! o It’s very reliable and good o Keep up the great work. o Love CyRide o Love CyRide! Ames has wonderful public transportation o One of the best services in the USA! I am very much satisfied. o The best bus ride, very satisfied. o Very good public transportation service • Revise Routes o Please increase bus frequency on the weekends and run route 25 o Bus lines 1 and 11 need to be revised. o CyRide is doing a great job. I really wish they would service the Applied Sciences Complex and have a little more overlap in the stops between routes. o Dayton road needs a route 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 101 o I have a car, but when I didn’t, I loved CyRide. I think having more times for things other than Lincoln Way is a good idea, but I think it runs efficiently and covers the whole of Ames. o It will be a good idea to increase the frequency of CyRide in the University Village. Also, at least one Bus going North (25 Gold North) should be re-routed to go via University Village, like 25 Gold South o There needs to be better route management and some drivers need more/continued training • Should be free o CyRide should be free o Tax the whole city so that anyone can use the buses at any time • Suggestions o some people are not wearing masks properly in buses. CyRide should enforced proper wearing more. o By adding parking fees subsidy with CyRide annual pass fee o CyRide is an excellent service and I greatly appreciate the commitment Ames has made to public transit. I would very much like to see a CyRide collaboration with DART to provide a shuttle to and from Des Moines, but I understand that this isn't necessarily in the City's control. o Some buses have gotten digital screens inside that display upcoming stops/transfer points. Those are really nice and I'd like to see them in all buses. It increases the accessibility especially for deaf/hard of hearing folks. o Being handicapped, getting on and off the bus is not possible o Please consider heated bus stops for winter. o I would like to see more support for low-emissions vehicles. o We need more transfer hubs o The route schedules have been removed from most (if not all) bus shelters. I think they should be reinstated. o Improve following the schedule and updating live maps. • Transfers o I ride my bicycle to places nearby, and the # of changes needed to get to other places makes it a long bus ride to another place, so I just drive. o I used to ride the bus every day to and from ISU campus. After CyRide 2.0, the route near me became less frequent and no longer goes to north campus without transferring to another line. Now that transfers are not guaranteed, this is a problem. Because of these factors, CyRide is no longer a practical route to campus for me, so now I drive every day instead of bus every day. o If the yellow route went to campus directly instead of having to transfer. o Not convenient for multiple stops all over the town without transferring multiple times. Bus stops are too far from house. • Use for events with poor parking o We ride CyRide during ISU football Games o I work full-time now so CyRide isn't a part of my daily life, but it was essential for my time as a student and I appreciated the service VERY MUCH. I'd like to take advantage of it sometimes for events that have poor parking (particularly football or basketball games, but also some shows/performances). I understand that keeping the buses away from the hustle and bustle of the games is a safety issue, but I would really, really like to be able to rely on that as a mode of transportation for in-city travel for events like that. I also think the city/school could benefit by setting up a parking lot away from the game area and allow shuttle services (maybe for a small fee) to keep the neighborhoods clearer and traffic safer. • Used in the past o I used CyRide for several years when I was working. Now retired and where I live would have to walk several blocks to ride. Besides, not convenient for running errands. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 102 o I used to ride CyRide a lot but now it only goes south to Garden Rd on Duff (south). I live 1 more street (Ken Maril Rd) so now I can't ride it anymore. I still have 2 books of tickets to use up. o I used to use it a lot before I had a car o Used to use, seemed to work well. No longer use ever but not for any negative reason 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 103 Comments on Parks and Recreation services • Positive Experiences o Thanks for Emma McCarthy Lee bridge replacement!!! o All excellent! o Also, good water features, and a big fan of the disc golfing areas. o Best in Iowa, from Ankeny and Ames has way better parks o Enjoy visiting Ames parks and happy with upkeep. o Excellent parks and playgrounds. They will be sorely missed after we move. o Excellent parks! o Good o I have been at several parks and think they look nice and the facilities I have used (tables/grills) are always clean. o I love the neighborhood parks. Play equipment for the grandkids was great and nice places for sitting. o I run around most of the parks and I'd say you guys are doing a stellar job especially with Ada Hayden. o I think parks are great! o Love all the parks in the city. And the trails. Our neighborhood, Sunset Ridge, worked with the city to get a park built in our neighborhood. It took a number of years but so glad to have one here so kids don’t have to cross Lincoln Way to get to a park. o Love our parks! o Most of my experience is with Brookside, as I live nearby and walk through several times a week. Thanks for the new bathrooms! o Parks and Rec areas are great! I usually use them to run or grill out at. o The new Miracle Park is amazing. o There’re so many great outdoor areas in Ames, I normally run through the parks around here o We generally like the parks and liked that they are maintained. Ames should be proud of its parks. o We have lived in our current home for 9 years. In the last year we have found two more wooded areas with awesome trails. We use our neighborhood parks on a weekly basis all year long! Thank you! o We love Ames parks – definitely a part of living here. o We love the new miracle playground! o We moved to IA this last year and we're very impressed by the park facilities! • Additional Amenities/Upgrades o Ames could use one or more than one enclosed shelter. Ames has a lot of out-of-town visitors because of the university. Often, they have nowhere close to go and if it is raining it isn't very pleasant. o Can we have a public pickleball court in Ames? We have one back home in Cedar Falls and I miss it! o Could use mountain bike park o Currently there are a lack of water fountains o Emma McCarthy Lee Park was without a working bridge for too long with no progress made until very recently. Also, when will the access to the trail off Phoenix Street open again? West Ames is lacking in safe wooded trails. o Hard to find where a trail map is. I see trails all over town and know nothing about them. o I would like if the tennis courts (near Brookside Park) had lights for people to play at night, especially in the summer when it is hot during the day o Please upgrade the playground in Christopher Gartner Park 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 104 o Shelters need to be maintained better as far as wasp nest removal. Some playground equipment needs updates. o The play equipment at Daly Park. Park on S. Dakota is very limited and not conducive to allowing many kids. One time to play on it, the equipment. Only park was much better before it was replaced. Trails and parks are still used long after restrooms are closed, port-a-potty might be good for use during off months. o There is no sidewalk access to Teagarden Park in the Southdale neighborhood. Difficult and dangerous to go to the park with young children. o Basketball courts could be updated (Brookside and 24th street) • Bathrooms o Bathrooms are apparently never open anymore which is exceptionally inconvenient with small children. o Bathrooms need soap/hand sanitizer and hand dryers or towels and cleaned more frequently o Many parks don't have restrooms o Restrooms closed because of COVID o Restrooms not applicable as they were locked still due to pandemic o The public toilets in the parks need to be kept clean and hygienic. There are too many bad odors and the toilet seats are also not that much clean. It's a concern of public health. We expect the authority will take proper care of that. o The restrooms, picnic tables, and grills are always dirty, grungy and full of holes in Brookside, Ada Hayden etc. o Wish bathrooms open earlier in the season. Unsure if the closure was COVID-19 related or normal. Loved getting outside on nice Feb/March days but bathroom situation was stressful. • Dogs o The dog park is amazing! It was a really great feature that we enjoy! o Dogs not on a leash is a problem. Particularly with the owner who feels they can use an "electric leash." I hate signage but having it posted in parking areas may help. o Too much dog waste. I would highly recommend a surveillance system. The fear of being caught in the act will motivate owners to clean up after their dogs. The city of Ames does not have to designate personnel to monitor the cameras all the time but can encourage residents to complain as soon as they see the dog waste, then visit the surveillance camera and try to figure out who did what. • Don’t Use Parks o Unfortunately, I do not have time in my schedule to utilize a lot of these resources. • More Parks o Trails are very nice. Only complaint is that there are not enough. All parks are quite crowded due to insufficient public park space. • Park Maintenance o Cleanliness is sometimes an issue. o Need better mosquito control and mowing at Carr Park and South River Valley. In past years it has been inadequate. o Some of these parks appear run down or not well cared for o There should be a general and a bit strict rule of "clean up after yourself" for grills. o Stop cutting the underbrush o You guys need to step up the parks and recs game. I lived all over the Midwest and Ames needs some renovations • Park Priorities o I sense a shift of priority from green space to infrastructure growth. While it is important to support a growing population, it's incredibly frustrating and disappointing to see green spaces disappear. o I think the citizens of Ames need more parkland. Our existing parks are so heavily used that 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 105 they feel crowded. And we are continually adding new facilities to them. o Overbuilding destroying habitat. Need permanent restrooms. Maintenance of wooded areas are poor for waterways o Should use more money to make them better. • Recycling and Trash Cans o Recycling bins in the picnic areas would be nice o Could use a more trash cans o I frequent Franklin Park and it seems like once a week me and my friends have to pick up trash. Some of the trash seems to blow in from businesses in the area, but the majority is from park users. I think placing another trashcan in the center of the park (between basketball court and playground) may encourage more patrons to clean up after themselves. • Too Many Parks o Difficult with so many public parks to maintain. o We have too many parks. Maintenance costs continue to rise and our property taxes are already way to high. • Tree/Natural Area Maintenance o Avoid cutting down native shrubs while removing invasives like honeysuckle and buckthorn o Brookside Park "forest" needs a controlled burn to clear dead trees and spur new growth o Brush has really built up in wooded areas o Damage from derecho still evident in some wooded areas. Takes time to get to all of it; understandable. o Fallen trees need to be removed. Hanging limbs are a concern for safety. o In the Bertha Mare Park (?) – there is still a need to get rid of downed trees and bunches on the park near the creek. o Lots of dead or down trees around River Valley Park. Need to open the bike path, it's been over 2 years. o More care should be taken for the woodlands and creeks. Culverts are jammed with debris, which can cause more problems in floods. o Wooded areas have been badly damaged by the derecho o I love trees, I like that big sycamore on N.E corner of Lincoln and Univ Blvd. and the many beautiful trees on the ISU campus. • Trails and Paths o The paths are too bumpy for longboards. We end up going in the street because it’s to bumpy. o A friend and I frequently enjoy going on walks around Ames on the weekends. I appreciate all the paths. o Ada Hayden can be very crowded and sometimes walkers and dog walkers cannot hear bicycles coming up behind. Maybe separate lanes? o I absolutely adore walking my dog at Ada Hayden and Moore Memorial Parks. I love that they are paved and big enough for a decent walk. o I especially love the wooded area around Carr Park. I run there almost every day and enjoy the feeling of near seclusion from civilization. o I frequently use the trails in Ames and I think they are great! o I love all the trails Ames has to offer and they are very well maintained. In addition, I feel safe running on the trails alone. I would appreciate if there was more information about all the trails Ames has to offer, such as condition (paved, gravel, mix), distance, etc. o I love that there are trails throughout Ames to walk on without having to walk along the street, but not so far away from people that it makes you feel unsafe o I love the paths through wooded areas, such as by Brookside Park. I love to go walking with friends there. o I wish I could travel by trail for functional aspects of my life (e.g., to the grocery store). The 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 106 trails are nice but most lead to nothing, and don't pass by businesses. o I wish that the city of Ames just had one trail that was at least 10 miles long and didn't cross streets a lot. There are some trails in Ames now that I have been on, but they don't go for very long at all. I am saying this as a cyclist. I would rather ride on a trail than on the streets. o I would have rated the hard surface trails as "very good" except the trail between Carr and Inis Grove parks has been very treacherous the past couple of years, with lots of mud and rocks washed down the hill onto it. Otherwise, I love Ames' trails and wooded areas and walk in them multiple times every week. o Love having so many parks available, and the wooded areas with hiking trails (Munn Woods in particular is close to me). o More bike trails are always welcome o More walking trails needed. Safe walking areas with benches available on flowers! o Most of the walking trails are very uneven and have big potholes/gaps in them. Parks for the most part look good; maybe a bit rundown and I don't think many college students know about parks and recreation features/areas available to them since there isn't much advertisement/signage/etc. o Please keep an eye on paved bike trails so that cracks and whatnot do not create safety issues. o The progress on a few bike trails (River Valley) has been very slow. o The sidewalks are very dangerous. Recently was running and tripped over sidewalk that was broken and sticking up. Got pretty bad road rash on my hip, leg, and hand, and a few scars and urgent care bill later, I'm still upset they're in the shape they are in. o there is a lot of cracks on the hard surface trails making it hard on ankles when running. o Trail behind Gateway Park apartments is poorly maintained o Warnings if a bike trail is about to end would be good o Wider bike paths would be nice, e.g., city of Bettendorf has bike paths through entire city. o Would like to see more bike paths throughout Ames without sacrificing roadways for usage. • Other Comments o I miss the old wooden [structures]. The plastic playgrounds don't have weird stuff like the secret room at Moore Memorial or the tunnels under the old Fellows playground. o My wife Jeanne and I came to work and live in Ames in 1951. Jeanne passed away and left Ames in 2008. I became 92 years old in Nov 2020. o Since I moved here in September, I am looking forward to using these in the summer o 1) All parks’ appearances are good. 2) Maintenance could be improved. 3) Playground equipment could be more and land into natural colors instead of strong colors. o Carr Woods picnic tables need help. Ada Hayden is great. Keep McFarland Park and all the bike trails! We love the green space. o City has spent plenty on all these o We have lovely natural area (Clear the polluted water and wood trail to enjoy them) o I guess it all depends on the specific place. Ada Hayden is great, and it always seems prepared to receive people. However, McFarland is not as good sometimes of the year when it's lacking maintenance. o I went to many parks in Ames, almost all are in good feature. However, I often saw some people in the Georgie Tsushima skateboard park smoking. I hope there is a clear sign saying no smoking in the park. o Please remove the multiple speed bumps in Peterson Pits. I believe one speed bump is sufficient to slow vehicles. Three speed bumps are complete over kill. The bumps dislodged my exhaust on my truck. I used to go to this park regularly, but now I am hesitant because I drive an older vehicle. I am a very slow driver when in public areas and I have maybe only seen one vehicle ever speed through that park and I used to run there 2-3 times a week. You should save the community some money and relocate the other two speed bumps to somewhere they can be used for the betterment of the community. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 107 o Sometimes it takes a little time to get used to the layout of parks and find my way around. o The North River Valley Park has no official traffic light or the sign that shows the driver could get into the park entrance when I drive from north to south. I want to let you know that parents need any kind of signal that the car can make a left to show to the following cars. I had seen an accident. A parent (for the soccer class with her kids) was trying to make left on her lane. It seems the following car didn't give a much attention to her car that she was making a stop to turn left since the following car didn't expect that her car could turn to left from the lane. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 108 Comments on Public Library • Book Delivery o Use library materials (book) delivered to Windsor Oaks • Children’s Area o Super children's area • COVID-19/Library Restrictions o After opening from COVID restrictions. o Can't wait for it to be fully open again. My family loves going to the library on evenings and weekends to read, study, check out books. o Except it's been awful to have the library closed our last year! o Great library – loved the Bookmobile (before the pandemic...) o Have not used the library since 2019 o I appreciated the willingness of library staff to bring checked out books to patrons’ cars when the library was closed to the public o I haven't done much outside my home for more than a year – maybe this year will be difficult. o I love the library! With COVID, it has limited what you can do and where you can go. I hope things can get back to "normal" soon. o I would go more if I wasn't asked (very rudely) to wear a mask. o Look, I loved the library. But I can't bring my kids anymore and they went way overboard with the COVID restrictions. So for 2019, the library was great. o Love the children’s play area, can't wait until it is able to be opened again! o Many times, I wait weeks to months to check out digital content, which is frustrating. Now that the library is open again, I just kind of forget about it since it wasn't open for so long due to COVID. o Most of the meeting rooms not available during past year o People are there without masks and stand close to me. o The Ames library staff are amazing!! They went above and beyond during COVID to help people. o The library has been exceptional this year, especially in dealing with the pandemic. My only gripe is that it can sometimes take several days for holds to be made available. o Used a lot during COVID with requirements – excellent! o I love the Ames Public Library! The selection is generally very good (occasionally there will be a book I want that they do not have) and wait times are not long. The staff is super friendly, and they were rockstars bringing holds out in the cold during winter curbside service. o Pre-COVID I was at the library several times a week. Now I am used to buying books and have not been there except for the pop-up sale during the Music Walk. o Their staff and meeting facilities are great, but with COVID-19, Story County Genealogical Society (I am a member) has used Zoom due to lack of meeting space at APL • Design o It's a great space designed for many things - studying, getting resources and more. o Love how much natural light gets in there • Digital Archive o A more comprehensive digital archive would be welcome, especially in light of the pandemic. • Diverse Services 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 109 o Love the library – great programming and support for a diverse community • Do Not Use o I do not use this service often o I don't go to the library. If I had more time to read I likely would. o I don't use the library o I have no idea about it o I have not used the library since the past year o I never use this library • Family Uses o My husband uses it o My kids use the library. No problems that I know of. The parking may be a bit tight there. o Family uses or used it more than me • Feels Cramped o The library is fine but feels sometimes cramped • Have Not Been o Haven't been there since new addition/renovation o I have never been to the Ames Public Library, but on multiple occasions I have thought about going but haven't had the time. o Never been • Housebound o I am housebound • ISU Student o As a graduate student, most of the material I get from the library is available to me at the Iowa State Library. o As a student I used Iowa State's library o Do not use as I get material from ISU Parks Library. o Generally use Parks Library. o Have not used Ames Public Library. Iowa State student so only go to ISU parks library. o I don't think it is used often by Iowa State students since we have the campus library available to us o I love the public library, but as an ISU student, I normally go to library in the campus o I use ISU's library for most things o I use the school library a lot more than the public library o I’ve been there twice and it’s seemed very nice. It’s just a way from campus • LGBT Relationship o I adore their relationship with the LGBT community. • Library Reno Too Expense o The city spent too much money on the last library renovation • Literary Grounds (used books for sale) o We like the used bookstore! o Overall, I love the Ames Library, but mostly enjoy it for being in the building and accessing books and information directly. I do especially enjoy the selection of used books for sale. • Need Help o Unable to get materials online. Have a library card and PIN; doesn't work. Called several times for assistance – no one answered the phone. • Need Wider Spectrum of Perspectives o Overall library experience is okay. Staff is friendly and welcoming. I do sense the library is a very liberal establishment. It would be nice if books, displays etc. could show a wider range of perspectives. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 110 o There are some books that push agendas too quickly for very young peoples. We love the library in general when we would go pre-COVID. But there are some social issues. We do not want to expose our kids at very young ages, when they intellectually can't comprehend a very complex issue. • Not Enough Time o We love the library! My husband works a lot and I'm a vet student so there’s just not enough hours in the day • Parking o I wish there was more parking near the library that was free. o It is a very nice library. If parking wasn't so expensive, I would spend more time there. • Plan To Go o My goal is to start going there more often!! o Very well organized, I look forward to seeing how they handle the return from the dark times. o We're new to town and COVID had largely shut down the library. But we love the library and feel like the library has done a great job navigating the pandemic. We're very excited to be able to go into the library now! o Prior to COVID, library use was at least weekly. Plan to return to use soon. o I love the library. I hope to spend a lot more time there next year. o I plan to use the library more • Positive Comments o Absolutely love our library! One of the best and I am a library junkie o Ames has a splendid resource here! o Ames Public Library provides great books and audiobooks. I'm very satisfied with the services. o Feel very fortunate to have such a great library. o Great asset of our community. o Great facility! o Great resource for the community! o Great service and friendly staff. Very helpful o Great services o I love the library. It is a gem of Ames. o I really like the Ames Public Library o I'm very happy with the resources available and the staff is above and beyond. o It is an amazing facility! o It's super awesome! o Overall great looking facility. o The Ames Public Library is one of the best parts of Ames! o The Ames Public Library is the best library I have ever had the opportunity to use. I love that I can hold books online to pick up later, dropping off books is easy, and the Libby app connection has allowed me so much more access to audiobooks. I will dearly miss the Ames Library when I eventually graduate and move from Ames. o The city is lucky to have such a great library. o The heart of downtown Ames, beloved by all. Truly an underappreciated resource. I wish there were more volunteer opportunities. o The library has been a favorite of my family since we moved here in 1980. o Very nice facility o LOVE the library! Great staff and variety. Really love the option to borrow books for Kindle too! 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 111 o The library is a fantastic resource. I worked as a librarian at another library in the past, and I know Ames has a VERY good library. o The library is a wonderful resource in downtown Ames. We love it! o The movie DVD collection is great there. My wife loves to visit the Ames Public Library, reading books and passing her time there fruitfully. Sometimes she gets some resources of visual art from the library. The atmosphere of the library is great and ideal to concentrate. o This is one of the nicest public libraries I have ever seen. I wish I had more time to go there. o We check out 100+ books a month and the library staff are so knowledgeable and engaging. Always helping my 4 kids discover books they love at their reading level. The online stuff is so easy to use! • Public Computer Time Restrictions o I have for over 2 years been trying to write one difficult letter and keep getting dumped off. Why is there a time limit when NO ONE is using computers? o I wish the computer times weren’t so short. 30 minutes just isn’t enough for people who don’t have laptops at home • Range of Services and Books o I am impressed with the range of services that offers much for infants through the elderly. The staff is always available and always very helpful. o I liked the book recommendations they are sending for my kids every week. They are very helpful. The pick-up and drop-off schedules are very accessible. There is a wide variety of books available for all ages. o I love all the resources the Ames Library and their plethora of books available in physical form, digital, and audio. • Study Space o Great place to study! • Suggested Additions for the Library o The audiobook selection is not as big as other sources. o I would love to see more study rooms and library computers o I love APL! I wish their website was more user-friendly (there is always a lot of text describing the item I want to check out, but sometimes it's hard to tell if it's an eBook or a physical book). I also still don't know if they can use an interlibrary loan to find a book that they don't have, but that would be a nice feature to put on the website! o More western books • Voting Location o I've only voted here. I'm not much of a reader. • Wish to use More o The times I have used the library have been to attend a program. I would like to use the library more. It is a very nice facility. • Other Comments o I really enjoy using the red privacy chairs on 3rd floor o I was a huge APL user when my kids were at home. Now I stream or download most reading materials/films. o Love our library, would like it if the library added the person check out option where you set up to talk with someone of a different race, religion, political view, lifestyle, etc. o We had used the public library services in the last 14 months o When the addition was done, I no longer had young children and it is generally intimidating. o They have a nice movie collection. My friends and I have had several movie nights made possible by this library. I've gone to/participated in several Iowa State Theater events at the library and those were always good spaces and well put-together. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 112 Comments on what would make you Feel Welcome and Sense of Belonging • Other Comments o Stop this nonsense o A commitment to providing healthcare to all city employees o 24-hour grocery stores o A coupon book to a variety of businesses. • Affordability o More affordable housing o If things were more affordable, like fees for parks and rec stuff • Already Belong o I have felt I belong in Ames right from the time I moved here from out-of-state 15 years ago. o Already enjoy my time o I already feel that I belong o I already feel welcomed o I am fine as is o I am happy on my own o Not real sure. I am pretty happy as I am. o The presence of other international students and Ames natives are very welcoming and accepting of all people. o This is my hometown, and I do feel I belong here o We feel great and feel welcomed. o We feel really proud to live in Ames and be a part of our community. o I feel very connected o I feel welcome, except when I am biking. o I've lived here for over 30 years, so I feel welcome. I would just say that there are a lot of people in Ames who aren't ISU support enthusiasts, but we get along. • Being Embraced as a Person o Being embraced as a person • Better Information About Ames Events o More letters communication o Being informed about events occurring in Ames whether it’s town days, events on Main Street or local concerts. o Having more availability to what is out there for me o Having more information on organizations I could join. o More community events. Or better outreach to inform the community of opportunities to come together and have fun. o More opportunities to get to know people in the community! Especially my age, outside of college friends o More promotion to know what events are happening. • Better Relations with City Residents and Students o A better outlook by residents of Ames on college students. o I feel like college students aren’t welcomed unless they are on campus. o Perhaps reaching out to more clubs on campus, more campus-wide activities • Block Parties o Block parties o More community inclusion events, block parties (family friendly) o Organized neighborhood block party weekend 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 113 o Unsure, but I think knowing more of my neighbors might help. Some sort of neighborhood associations/"block parties" could be beneficial. o Smaller neighborhood activities – Ames is expanding too much • City Communication and Transparency o The mayor needs a setting where he is held accountable for micro invalidation, micro insults. o Council people who are not condescending and on a power trip. Less focus on the college and move on Ames. o More public relations o The communication and transparency from the city • Club Participation o I get that belonging from the clubs and activities I participate in • Community Events o City fair o Community events, meeting people outside work. o More bandshell concerts? Shopping and dining district – Main St to Lincoln Way w/bridge over RR track(s)? o More community events but we're in a pandemic o More things to do. It’s a decent sized city but there is not a whole lot to do o More events to be able to meet more community members. o More group activities where I can get to know other community members. o More opportunities to get to know people outside of my neighborhood. More chances to support my neighbors as well. o Have more things to do to interact with each other in the wintertime! o When we can have more concerts and festivals will be great. o More things like the Roosevelt Sunday concerts. Local neighborhood gatherings. Anything that gets neighbors out and meeting each other. o A variety of events and activities o Activities and opportunities o Diversity opportunities (City festivals for holidays and appreciation.) • Community focused on sustainability and the environment o More ecological sense of place, such as a real commitment by the City to have ecologically-focused development and full walkability. o Having a community focused on sustainability and the environment. • Community Gardens o Community gardens and SoCal events for non-ISU Students o More community garden spaces o More community gardens or activities • Community Welcoming Organization o When I first moved to Ames it would have been nice if there was a community organization which reaches out and contacts you (with a personal visit). Not to push you into joining a nonprofit, but just to make you feel welcome. o Hospitality in the community • COVID o Ditch the mask mandate o It’s just been difficult moving to a new town in the middle of a pandemic. I’ve struggled to become part of the community because I want to follow the COVID guidelines and have been staying home a lot o More things open up from COVID o Not COVID? I've barely left my house in the last year. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 114 o The city should make a Real commitment to marching all from this COVID – mask, social distance, etc. You are not protecting us at all. o Honestly, with COVID and being new in town I have not had much sense of belonging so far. • Defund Police o Defund the Police • Diverse Businesses o More diverse shops, culture events o More black-owned business • Diverse Cultural Celebrations o More celebrations of other cultures. So many other cities take the time to celebrate their diversity, but Ames doesn't do that. o Introducing more cultural diversity whether it is bringing in more people of different culture to Ames or inviting guests or visitors o More culturally diverse events o More diverse shops, culture events o Inclusive events and exposure for communities o More diversity, events promoting inclusion and diversity o More events that represent the Indian and Hindu community so that people would exhibit fewer microaggressions. • Educate All Students o An education system with redefined priorities committed to educating all children. Stop penalizing kinds for not having issues. Educate them. • Education On Implicit Bias o Education and outreach on implicit bias • Events for Underrepresented Groups o More events targeted for underrepresented groups o More activities for foster parents o More activities that fit my interest and age o Unsure of anything else. I wish the center for adults would have passed in the voting a couple of years ago. That is needed for more inclusion/activities for adults. • Expression Of Views o The city of Ames feels very segregated, not on racial grounds, but between people with differing backgrounds and political views. o Stop worrying about Diversity and Equity o More radical views of race, gender preference, and generally non-conservative ideals o Less college kids o Less liberals o Living in the Midwest when you're in academia ... many places you never feel you belong. If the community at large had a respect for education, it might be different. o Not being forced to accept liberal views, being able to make my own choice in wearing a mask o Policies that don't exclude faith-based organizations and churches. It's important that churches will be able to continue to serve the community. o Strong spiritual and service organizations. Opportunities for improvement. • Family And Friends o Family being here. o My church family and friends • Fewer Political Agendas o Fewer political agendas 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 115 o Leave a politics out of City business and services. The city needs to be 100% apolitical. Just do your JOB! • Find Ways to Connect ISU students With Greater Ames Community o Find ways to connect ISU grad students with the greater Ames community. o More connection between the college and the general population would be great to make students feel less like outsiders coming in for bits of the year and instead make them feel as though they are part of the community. o More events for students and residential citizens!!! • Fishing Locations o More fishing locations • Friendly People o Friendly people o It's friendly people o My neighbors and other residents of Ames have been very polite to me and my family. Their behavior has made us feel that we are one of them, not outsiders. Whenever we need any help, we know that everyone is there to help. We have seen the kind heartedness of the Americans and we are very much thankful and grateful to them. o People that want to get to know their neighbors and not ignore them • Future Planning o More emphasis on anticipating future changes and prepare them in advance • Green Space o More green space • Homeownership o To own a home but there is a high demand right now o If I owned a house here and there were more high-skilled software jobs • Improved Community Engagement o More community building activities o More community engagement o If people had a voice earlier in development decisions- we get to comment late in the game. People should be treated at council and school buildings with respect. Revive the "Dinky" (Even if it's just for summers) o Improved community engagement practices that bring city issues to residents of Ames to ensure that everyone, regardless of time, financial, or accessibility constraints, is able to contribute • Informal Recreational Opportunities o If more people wanted to toss a frisbee with me. • ISU Community Events o Iowa State Community Events work well • Job Opportunities o If I owned a house here and there were more high-skilled software jobs o More career opportunities o Opportunities to grow in my career. • LGBTQ+ o If there were no homophobic people o A gay bar/club! • Library Programming o The library has great programming and works to be inclusive. • Lower Property Taxes o Have property taxes lower • Maintain Residential Neighborhoods 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 116 o City council would be more supportive of maintaining residential neighborhoods with single family housing instead of building more apartments. Ames is overbuilt. • Make More friends o Having/making more friends. o Make more friends • Mental Health Support o Mental health programming increases o People experiencing difficulties and accepting them • More Commitment Action Toward Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion o Larger Asian American community. o Communities of BIPOC in this town o Larger, diverse population o More diversity o Supporting diversity o More inclusivity o A louder commitment (backed with action) towards diversity and inclusion, both in and out of the university o Acceptance of diversity of thought and opinion, not just diversity as it relates to skin color. o Continued focus on diversity, equity and inclusion o Diversity, equity and inclusion – I regret these false standards of the left. o Increased support for racial equity and support for Black residents in Ames (even though I do not identify as a Black resident). • More Events for Young People Without Kids (Young Professionals) o I have aged out of most organization that are available now. o As a transient member of the community (graduate student) I would like to see more events geared toward young people without kids. o As an ISU grad student, I feel separated from the city as a whole because I am not a permanent resident. Yet, as a married adult in my mid-twenties living several miles from campus, I feel separated from the traditional ISU students. I would like to feel more integrated in the Ames community as a whole, but right now, it feels like being a student means you are treated as only temporary and probably too immature to be really involved. What would make me feel more involved: young adults or young professionals’ groups that are actually for young adults (I joined one through St. Thomas in Ames, but most members were 40+ so my husband and I didn't feel we belonged and stopped attending). o Being able to connect more with community members our age (early 30s). o Honestly, ISU has its own community and I am not involved in anything outside of it. Maybe more rec/sports teams to connect me with 20/30 somethings that aren't in grad school with me. o More activities for people my age to do, and for grown adults to act more courteous. o More events tailored to an age demographic of 25 - 35. Feels that Ames is broken up into college students, families, or elderly. o Non-ISU related groups for young working professionals; something like a way to meet other community members. o Organization for younger people. Ames has organizations that are mainly for elderly population. • Neighborhood Improvement o My neighborhood is sketchy • Neighbors o I have two young couples in our neighborhood that are truly "good" neighbors in the biblical sense. They are both starting their families with newborns this year. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 117 • None/Not Applicable o I don't know (x5) o N/A (x4) o Unsure (x2) o I cannot think of anything to add to this. This is a great community, but I think the job I am looking for in my field has different plans for me! Ames is full of opportunities. I am so happy I am here to experience them! o I don't know. I'm kind of a loner, like nature the best (but not dangerous) o I don’t know, as a student I’m not focusing on making Ames my forever home o It's not Ames fault I'm antisocial. o N/A – I think the City of Ames is doing a good job! o None o Not sure. • No Harassment or Racism o If I didn’t experience racist remarks on an almost daily basis and was treated like part of the community. o Not getting racial comments from strangers. o If I wasn't sexually harassed while walking by myself • Not City’s Responsibility o It's not something the city can do; it’s just how individual people act that make myself and others feel uncertain or disrespected • Not Friendly o Only been here for 2 years; came from NW Iowa. The environment here is not as friendly or caring. The fact Ames is not connected to farming community as the one we came from. • Opportunity o Opportunity • Opportunity For Arts Community o Ames is small and lacks diversity and a strong arts scene. I am in the arts and feel like there isn't a lot of opportunity for me here and there are not a lot of resources for me to access. • Opportunity For Volunteering o If I were more involved in the community through volunteering • Political o If the city of Ames stood up to Govt. Kim Reynolds and her B.S. o If Trump signs were removed • Positive Comment o The city is doing a great job. I just know my time in Ames is short and have not wanted to get too attached • Ready to Leave Iowa o I wanted to stay here but I can't wait to leave Iowa; doesn't care about sustainable agriculture, cop insulting Jim Crow and laws contributes to Gulf dead zone. Too many CAFOs. • Roller Derby Site o Ames has a roller derby team that cannot practice in Ames due to lack of event/practice space and must travel outside the city to another location. I'm sure the team would be willing to provide their business to a local rink, but nothing is available. It’s a great organization that gets people active and get to know others in their community • Senior Activities o Being a senior, more senior activities and opportunities, more neighborhood activities. o More retiree entertainment • Smaller Communities o Smaller communities 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 118 • Was Welcomed by Yard Signs o I love all of the yard signs saying how I am welcome. It would be nice to see those kinds of signs around campus as well. • Welcoming Newcomers o community groups are filled with much older people it seems like, always feel like they're judging me and don't want me around 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 119 Comments on Other Issues City should focus on • Climate o Climate action planning and how it interacts with all other sectors of city government and planning o Climate action planning and how it interacts with all other sectors of city government and planning; re-evaluating our law enforcement system based on recommendations from leaders of BIPOC community organizations o I believe the city is undertaking some climate action planning, which I look forward to learning more about and am very glad the city is taking this step. On another note, as a renter, I have wondered about how affordable this city is for low-income residents since rent prices are so high. I hope Ames is addressing affordable housing, as the city is reliant on many workers in service industries. o Recycling and climate change o Climate change o Community involvement, climate change preparation • Community Engagement o Community engagement opportunities among all racial groups o Creating an inclusive environment for people who identify in groups that have been marginalized in the past. • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion o Black Lives Matter o Diversity and inclusion o Diversity, justice issues o Action steps toward improving racial and social equity (i.e., paying reparations, etc.) o Definitely focus on ensuring that equity is integrated into city services and planning. o Equitable access to public resources o Social equity o Inclusion with services o Allow residents who are foreign to vote on local matters. Most criticized towns and cities allow that. Otherwise you have taxation without representation! • COVID-19 o Better enforcement of pandemic measures, more programming to encourage vaccination, mask wearing. etc. o Keeping bars from getting overcrowded and help stop the spread of COVID-19 o Pandemic o Cancel the mask mandate. They do more harm than good o Getting rid of non-enforceable ordinances and mandates. They just cause confusion and division. Mask mandate says masks are required. Police and council say it is voluntary. Nobody knows the truth. Who does it? o Got rid of the mask mandate. Promote freedom over rules and virtue signaling gestures. o Make it easier to build, not more apartments!! Remove the mask mandate. • Economic Development o Support growth in retail, small business, etc. o Bringing more clothing stores downtown o Between City Hall and 1st National Bank park: make it happen. New splash pads for families. More concerts in downtown. o Further investments in improving downtown o Improvement in the downtown district and bring more business and industry to town. Increase population with taxpaying residents. o Limited downtown parking, we need more 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 120 o Make Duff Avenue look better and be safer. This is a gateway to our community, and it is a virus in every way, not attractive. o Economic development. The pandemic highlighted the over-dependence of the economy on the university. It would be great for the innovation that comes out of the colleges to stay here in Ames with business incentives from the city. If there are incentives, it would be great to educate the population regularly on them. o Getting more retail locations and more industry. I would think both would help our tax base o Keeping young people in the area! Employment o Update appearance of businesses along Lincoln Way to Duff o Rec center, defund the law enforcement, add more neighborhood commercial zones, offer alterations to Duff Ave o More restaurants. More leisure activities. Renovating the mall and getting more tenants. o Better training in racial equality for Ames Police. Clean up trashy yards and areas. Support growth in retail, small business, etc. o On-street parking areas o Being pro-business o City Beautification (along major roads). Road replacement. Business development in WEST Ames. If the land is priced too high for a business to start, then do something about it. Find other sources of income aside from property taxes. Is there a biproduct of city operations that can be sold? Can the city own a business? City needs a destination attraction other than the university. • Decrease Police Budget o Decreasing police budget o Defunding the police!!! o Less money to police and more to infrastructure o Rec center, defund the law enforcement. Add more neighborhood commercial zones, offer alterations to Duff Ave o Shift some budget from the police department to human services to allow mental health crises to have professional counselor contact before armed police. o Police overreach when apprehending students. • Support Police o Promote support for law enforcement • Law Enforcement Reform o re-evaluating our law enforcement system based on recommendations from leaders of BIPOC community organizations o Better training in racial equality for Ames Police • Tree Care o Please don't cut trees, plant more, and prevent birds. Many birds have stopped visiting my bird feeders after more than 15 trees were cut in my area last year. The cut trees should certainly be replaced with new trees. o Tree care and removal • Sidewalks o Repair (at city expense) sidewalks, especially in Old Town, where tree roots on city property have caused very uneven places. o Sidewalks • Mental Health o Alcohol problems on Main Street and Campustown o Ames should focus on educating mental health issues and ensuring schools focus on educating all students based on the equity the schools preach. o Early intervention services for youth, mental health services, more mental health services o Homelessness AKA mental health outreach. These people don't need or trust cops with guns! We need more unarmed trained in violence de-escalation. o Mental health interventions for those who are in crisis from trained counselors. A hotline 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 121 that you could call 24/7 for a counselor instead of the police. o Mental health outreach o Mental health professionals taking some calls instead of police. o More funding toward social services – DHS, YSS, foster care, affordable therapy. Get the city more involved in advocating for the needs of these organizations! Also, low-income housing. o Promotion of all the programs and services available o Stocking local ponds and lakes with more fish to improve recreational and mental health activities for students. • None/Unsure o Don't know. I think you guys are doing fine o None (x7) o Unsure (x2) • Not Applicable (x6) • Planning o Balance of owner-occupied and rental properties. Balance of single family and multi-family properties. o Fewer apartments, more single-family affordable houses o Rental properties vis a vis owner/residential (upkeep, parking, etc.) o Purchasing Rose Prairie. Don't let them develop it. o Housing laws overly strict o Anticipate future change and prepare in advance. o Reducing sprawl o West Ames is growing but there are limited resources in that area especially for food –groceries and restaurants. While there are a lot of college students in living there, I have noticed many young, large families also interested in the housing opportunities as they are affordable with a high bedroom count. It is problematic because I noticed many of these families did not have cars and would walk with 4+ kids to HyVee (over a mile away). They never seemed to take CyRide – I'm not sure why. The kids also would play in the parking lots of the apartments – there are not many parks in West Ames. The development has been so dense with housing that it's now lacking in amenities, and while it is mostly temporary college students living in West Ames at the moment, that demographic could easily change over time and it would be nice if the area served other populations. It seems that the planning and development of areas like this would be more sustainable from the city's standpoint if there were resources for food, parks & rec, health/hygiene/pharmacy stores, etc., built into the process of housing development when it becomes this expansive so that the area can be broken up with some amenities. • Property Taxes o Lowering property taxes. o Lower property taxes o Minimize the tax burden of Ames residents. • Other Comments o Public Health o City is tearing up and building where there used to be beautiful trees and green areas. o Connecting more with ISU senior design projects to serve the city of Ames. Lots of room for innovative solutions for the city and for young folks to build their resumes I think! I hear a lot of grumbling about the lack of childcare facilities in Ames from co-workers (demand is much higher than Ames can handle). Consider adding this as an attention item. o Do not get into debt trap! Do not spread money by borrowing too much! o Helping immigrants o More bus routes post-COVID o Fixing issue on city of Ames.org Utility Bill Account sign up problem. o Make payment online for electricity bills w/o extra charge. o Don't like Ames turbulence change to USA 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 122 o Reallocation of resources to invest in the community (rent relief, education, food security) and less on police o The ditches on George Washington Carver Ave., east side!! When you come from the east, it is hard to see. • Recreational Opportunities o Safety and cleanliness of parks, specifically bathrooms, lighting, and increase office patrols o Cleanliness and hygiene of the public toilets in the parks needs to be maintained. o Build indoor pool. But don't add all the stuff the last one got defeated for. o As a dog owner, I would appreciate more dog waste disposal containers. Perhaps one at every bus stop? And at every park entrance? o We need a 2nd sheet of ICE. The current arena was approved by a wide margin to take care of the issue. Then the old one was closed. False news about closing. o Stocking local ponds and lakes with more fish to improve recreational and mental health activities for students. o More outdoor recreation opportunities o More parks, more attractive walking areas, reduction of speed in residential areas o Preserving nature, creating more natural places o Adding pickleball courts o Better and more outdoor pickleball courts o They should focus on recreational activities such as skate and bike parks • Safety o Making walks home at night safer o Nighttime patrol and noise enforcement o Police patrols in residential and business areas – their presence may be a deterrent to crime o Public safety reform o RR crossing safety on Duff Ave. The last four fatalities at that location have involved pedestrians o Safety of residents o Security in the university houses. There have been many cases of theft of recent. o Better lighting on streets o Localized populations in specific parts of town and finding targeted areas of needing more law enforcement and safety measures. o People texting while driving o Sexual assault on campus. o Sexual assault/crime rates • Snow Removal o Keeping sidewalks clear of snow and forcing residents to shovel. Walking during the winter is dangerous in many parts of Ames. People shouldn't have to crawl over snowbanks to cross streets at intersections either. As an able-bodied person, this is a problem for me. I can't imagine how much people with disabilities struggle to walk/wheelchair around Ames during the winter. o Residential snow removal o Snow and ice removal o Snow removal! It is slow and poorly done. The current strategy does not work. o Street repair and snow removal • Social o Downtown entertainment for young people o Public schools, city parks o Childcare accessibility o Connecting more with ISU senior design projects to serve the city of Ames. Lots of room for innovative solutions for the city and for young folks to build their resumes I think! I hear a lot of grumbling about the lack of childcare facilities in Ames from co-workers (demand is much higher than Ames can handle). Consider adding this as an attention item. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 123 o Housing prices and childcare o Improving schools in the city and education o Public schools, city parks o Schools early start up and bus transit o Add more restaurants, kid places o Family entertainment o More things for middle aged people to do o Another finer dining restaurant. Plenty of fast and drive through. Continuing special evening events in downtown Ames. o Creation of more gathering spaces (multi-use, rec, shopping, dining), creation of more bike paths, green belts o Get more restaurants o More restaurants. More leisure activities. Renovating the mall and getting more tenants. o Services and support for homeless population. Promoting services to ISU students (will help Ames' retention of student residents post-graduation). o People, not animals o More topics related to students o Providing summer learning, volunteer and employment opportunities for youth. • Sustainability o Allow the city residents to choose the electric service. o Work on making Ames more environmentally cautious o Making the city more bird and wildlife friendly by implementing a "lights out" program during spring and fall migration o Limiting the discharge of firearms at the Izaac Walton League Shooting Range. Or, conversely, allow me to use fireworks all year long and at dawn on Sundays and holidays. o I like the attention to renewable power. I'd like to see a more accessible municipal recycling service. o Is the resource recovery plant safe or polluting? Answer definitively – do we need to recycle instead? o Make recycling more readily available. o More available trash cans around Ames, recycling o Recycling services. Free tree project. o We should have a recycling program. Internet access including a radius around the city. That includes residences with an Ames address. o Wind farm? o Sustainability – transitioning to 100% carbon neutrality, improving walkability, and changing zoning laws for the 21st century (dense but beautiful mixed-use development that has no need for cars) o Walkability. New buildings should NOT be allowed to have gas hookups, fight climate change and should be held to high energy efficiency standards o Finding a suitable replacement for the IDNR's IOWATER program. o Road maintenance and water quality • Traffic Control o Better speed control on Hyde Ave in Bloomington Heights – speed bumps, stop signs – just DO SOMETHING! o Finding a better way to control all the traffic on South Duff o Hard, but traffic flow on Duff and Lincoln Way o I think traffic flow and parking availability in areas such as Campustown should be an important focus. The current infrastructure cannot support the number of people driving on the roads and backups are frequent on South Duff, particularly around 16th St. Additionally, street parking along Welch was removed in favor of a bike lane, a decision I believe to be misguided. o Improve the traffic on Duff 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 124 o Mainly focus on the road crowding. Traffic is becoming quite a problem, especially around Duff intersecting HWY 30 and Downtown Ames. o Make Summit Avenue one way going North. We have a parking shortage and speeding students after school. Put a cop here every day after school. o More parks, more attractive walking areas, reduction of speed in residential areas o More traffic lights and left turn lanes on really busy streets like Duff Ave. o Not restricting traffic on major streets. Help keep traffic moving. o Putting more turn arrows on intersections (especially 13th and Grand intersection) o The homeless population. Ames is a bottleneck town, with a handful of routes in and out, one way to get to North Ames and 2-3 ways to get to east-west Ames. It is a problem. o Traffic flow o Traffic flow. Duff Ave is so congested. Turning off or on to S. 16th is impossible. I sat thru 3 red lights by Reiman Gardens and the stadium. Changing same roads from 4 lanes to 3 lanes to add bike lanes has made issues worse o Traffic flow especially around campus and conditions of roads o Traffic flow through and around the city needs to be improved for East to West and North to South corridors. Many of the roads that were previously 4 lanes have been moved down to 2 lanes with a turn lane/bike lane and it takes considerably longer to go from one side of town to the other. So much so that I often delay my travels to area businesses and visit stores in Ankeny or West Des Moines when travel takes me there instead. o Traffic flow. South Grand Ave. extension should help. A major city beltway could be looked at in the future. o Traffic issues on Duff, 13th and Stange are the biggest issues. Increasing off-street commuter options (like biking) would also really help with clearing up traffic o Traffic on Duff o Traffic on Duff, and proper drainage by Sunset Drive/Greek triangle o Traffic on Duff – very congested! o Transportation/traffic flow continues to need attention. Arterial streets are slow and inefficient – lots of stop lights cause constant stops and waste fuel. o Work on Duff Avenue – traffic flow and improve the road • Affordable Housing o Affordable housing and space for homeless people to keep w/inequity. o Affordable housing with a more modest income limit ($45,000) o Affordable housing, meaning $75,000 to $150,000 price range. And Lincoln Way looks like a deserted town with the businesses gone. I would not patronize a walking business area on the busy Lincoln Way. o Affordable housing and increasing space in shelters for the homeless. o Housing is too expensive, and I’ll move after I graduate o Housing prices and childcare o I believe the city is undertaking some climate action planning, which I look forward to learning more about and am very glad the city is taking this step. On another note, as a renter, I have wondered about how affordable this city is for low-income residents since rent prices are so high. I hope Ames is addressing affordable housing, as the city is reliant on many workers in service industries. o More affordable housing o More funding toward social services - DHS, YSS, Foster care, affordable therapy. Get the city more involved in advocating for the needs of these organizations! Also, low-income housing. o Rent in Ames is very high for the quality of housing when you factor in its population and the recreational activities available. It is over-valued. There is also an unfair restriction on student housing, as undergraduates are excluded/discriminated against due to stereotypes of partying, excessive drinking, and noise problems. o Rental housing increases are insane. I had to call and ask, "Is this even legal?" Nut apparently when they break the new fees up this way, it is. Are rent increases tracked? It's extortion. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 125 • Better Broadband o Broadband seems a bit uneven o Getting better internet services. Mediacom is a joke and puts a negative view on this city o Internet speeds and connection o It would be great if the city could transition internet access to be a public utility o Mediacom (internet) service is very intermittent in West Ames, cuts out regularly. Overpriced housing construction costs. Des Moines/Ankeny is less expensive. • Bike and Pedestrian Issues o Creating a walkable community in the new developments and making sure those new developments are accessible by bicycle. Somerset is terrible to bike through, for example. o Improving the walkability of Ames and increasing streets since there are so many cars it gets congested on Duff and South Duff especially. o The on-road bike lanes are dangerous, and I would not feel safe using it, but I think bike transportation should be heavily invested in and realistic safety concerns should be focused on o Cyclist safety o Laws for bike on the street o Making pedestrian and bicycle traffic safer o Provide bike-sharing platforms so that residents can get/rent a bike. o Again, I just wish there was a decent bike trail o Bike path safety. o Bike trails and maintaining wooded areas for recreation. o Both expanding and improving bike lanes on roads o Connect bike trail system between Hunziker Soccer Complex and Lincoln Way. Also, connect bike trail system between Carr Park and Inis Grove Park. o Continue expansion of bike paths – make destinations for family (Ada Hayden/park/playground) recreation. Perhaps public transit to events outside Ames (DSM and MSP) o Creation of more gathering spaces (multi-use, rec, shopping, dining), Creation of more bike paths, green belts o It was hard to train for RAGBRAI in Ames! Bike paths! o Off street bike trails! Make it safer for bikers and families to ride. • Homelessness o Homelessness o Homelessness – I've heard the city forces them out instead of helping them with their basic needs. Drug addictions. o Possibly focus more attention on assistance for the homeless population (shelters, soup kitchens, etc.) o Services and support for homeless population. Promoting services to ISU students (will help Ames' retention of student residents post-graduation). o The homeless population. • Road Improvements o Ames is a bottleneck town, with a handful of rates in and out, one way to get to north Ames and 2-3 ways to get to east-west Ames. It is a problem. o Fix the roads. So many people blow tires on the craters on Mortensen. o Fixing up roads/potholes. o Flow of traffic on Duff – drive/curb maintenance o Repair existing streets, keeping a safe environment, and be more inclusive. o Road maintenance and water quality o Road quality o Roads are terrible o Street repair and snow removal • Littering 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 126 o Littering o More garbage cans around the city. o Recycling and trash clean up, but I know it’s more of the college students' faults for being responsible. o Street sweeping on main college traffic streets every week – Welch, Chamberlain looks very dirty after a weekend. o There is a lot of trash blowing around west Ames o There's so much litter in the new cement walls along reconstructed Welch Ave. Maybe these features should have another purpose. o trash cleanup and stop burning trash, I mean its 2021 come on o Clean up trashy yards and areas. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 127 “What is the best thing about living in Ames?” comments • Accessibility o Accessible, comfortable community with a strong sense of place. Main Street Ames is one of my favorite places to be. o Living in the Old Town area. Accessible to many stores/events. The green spaces around Ames (Ada Hayden) o Location of everything, walkability, green space o The potential for walkability and other modes of transport besides car o Very walking and bike-friendly, very walkable • Active Citizens o Proactive city with unified community feeling • Activities o There are a lot of different activities you can do and great parks! • Affordability o Perfect balance of cost of living with great amenities (great parks, library, utilities, community). o The overall cost of living is comparatively lower than most of the other cities in the US. The crime rate is very low here in Ames. It is a very peaceful place that makes me and my family feel home far away from home. o Affordability (x2) o Affordable housing (x2) o Low expenses, nice, quiet, friendly community, safe neighborhood o Affordable, nice parks o Low living cost, safe community o Taxes are lower than Illinois • Amenities o Lots of amenities, low personal tax rate, lots of things to do locally o High level of options and amenities for the town size. o Ames feels quite safe, very calm, free of traffic, and with minimal pollution. All the necessities are very close with no need to travel far. • Atmosphere o The community atmosphere. Mostly clean. College adds a lot of extras to a city of its size. o Atmosphere o I’ve always liked it here – plenty to do, and a quiet atmosphere. o The atmosphere. o The atmosphere/general environment • Beautiful o Beautiful o It’s a nice-looking town o It’s quiet and beautiful, homes and parks are well kept. o The upkeep is pretty good. There are some aesthetically pleasing sites. • City Services o Always visible City of Ames vehicles helping to keep the city as best as they can. o I feel the city works really hard to keep services up to date and everything they do is very well-thought-out and maintained. I don't know a better town that does this so well. • Clean o Clean, not much traffic, cheap o It's very clean and bike friendly o It is a beautiful, friendly and clean city. It feels like small town. o Clean, well maintained, Midwest feeling town o Pretty clean o Clean air and water 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 128 • Clean and Safe o Clean, safe, self-contained and low traffic o Clean, safe neighborhood, parks are great! o Clean and safe city. o Clean, small amount of crime. o Clean, safe, and happy place to live. o Wood, clean and safe • College Town o University town (x2) o Small college town o It’s a great college town. I love living in the dorms around peers while having activities to do. o Great social life, welcoming community, and it is primarily a college town which gives it a small-town feel. o Moderate sized, college town • Comfortable o Comfortable, safe, opportunities • Community o It's a very place to live o City o The community (x4) o Great community (x2) o The community! I love the people here and campus is beautiful o Communities, services, nice neighbors, woods o The community and resources available, water quality, parks o Nice community, good employment options, variety of people and cultures. o The community, business, and relationship between the university and the city. o the community, law enforcement, it’s safe o Great community with tons of parks and trails to explore, plenty of dining options, and great water! o A friendly community, with many options for enriching life and helping others – a beautiful and well-kept city. o The community and scenery o Community and access to wide variety of businesses o Community o Nice community. o Organized town o The community mindset o Lively community • Compact o City is very compact o Small, consolidated, lots of diverse businesses that can fit your needs. The City of Ames employees are also very kind and responsive. • Convenience o Ease o Quick efficient travel from one side of town to the other. Also, recreational areas like parks, courts, and courses. o For me personally, I moved to Ames 3+ years ago from a rural acreage in N. Central Iowa where I had lived 40 years. The best thing about living in Ames for me is the convenience of community and the variety of things to do and entertainment opportunities. o Convenience o Everything I need to live comfortably is within walking distance, or a short car or bus ride. o Everything is close. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 129 o Everything is relatively close and the University campus environment o Everything you need is here in this town – that's why we live here! o Has all the amenities that I need. Doesn't take forever to get from one side of town to the other. o I do not have to drive, walk or bike far for my needs o It is a quiet and convenient lifestyle o It is really easy to get around and I like the parks. o It's a nice, quiet, fun place to live with lots of great amenities, services, and activities. o It's an easy, convenient place to live o Overall quiet. Easy to navigate. Has most of everything you need without going out of town. For the most part friendly atmosphere. o Availability of services and needs within close proximity to home. o Being able to find an apartment close to campus and having a short commute to everything. o Being around my friends and how Ames has everything close together, don't have to travel far to find something new. • Diversity/Inclusion o Ames is a very diverse city to live in. You can go downtown, go out to the bars, or even out to visit nearby parks/trails or local farms o Diversity, convenience to get retail/ grocery needs in a short drive, decent farmer's market, and appreciate the multiple free yard waste days. o Diversity and options of things to do. School district and child serve. o Diversity of community, small-town feel with all amenities needed, variety of stores and shopping. o Diversity of residents (Iowa State) o diversity o The mix of our population – young, old, international and local. o The inclusion! The culture o Ames is an inclusive city. • Easy Commute o Calm and relatively easy to get around. o Ease of getting around, parks, opportunities provided by university, cultural activities. o I don't have to commute far • Educational Environment o Excellent learning environment, quality services o Living in an education environment is so beneficial. But the growth patterns in Ames are dictated by developers and have been closed elementary. o The energy of ISU. The ongoing improvements the city is continually making in our parks, neighborhoods, business. Farmers Market, Run for the Roses, Park and Rec activities for youth, our church – everything!! • El Azteca o El Azteca • Employment o Jobs, sports, clean, the people • Events o There's a lot of city events (pre COVID health restrictions) like music events in parks, farmers market, art markets, etc. Those were all really great and made living here better than other places I've lived. o All the activities available throughout the city or ISU • Everything o Everything o Everything; a nice community o Everything; great community 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 130 • Friends and Family o My wife and dog o Friends and neighbors o Friends and family here • Friendly People o Very friendly city with lots of opportunities for mobility and recreation within parks. I personally enjoy skating on the winter ice rinks off of 13th street! o There are many: friendly people, responsive leaders, cleanliness, safety o Friendly people, awesome city services. o Friendly people, many opportunities o Friendly and welcoming o People are friendly o The friendly people • Farmer’s Market o Parks and farmers’ market. • Geography/Location o Geographical layout o The location and cleanliness of the city o The city environment and location. • Green Space o Town green ally o Green space and bike trails. Minimal traffic. o Very green and many parks o Green spaces o Much more green space than surrounding towns! • Home o It's my hometown. Our family have lived here for 3 generations. The schools are exceptional. o It is home. I've lived here since I was a small child • Independence o My independence • Iowa State University o ISU (x7) o Great campus and good water, great business/residential zones for easy access and compact trips o CY Stephens, Reiman Gardens, great police o The university, diversity, lots of area and activities for families to participate in. o Wonderful people and clean city. ISU. o The university, football, Cornerstone Church o Community and ISU o It is really kind. I like Iowa State University o I enjoy Ames due to the presence of Iowa State – the city has cultivated a bit of a "small-town" feel while still having quality programming and events for residents. o The campus and good upkeep of the area o Being a Cyclone o Being a student and the university resources o Nicely maintained campus o the university o The Iowa State community. o Iowa State University and Parks and Rec • ISU Events o Access to the events – e.g., Stephens Auditorium. o Family close and ISU athletic 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 131 o Access to ISU events o All the activities ISU brings to the community o ISU sporting events • Large City with Small Town Feel o Small town living with large town amenities, ISU, low crime, etc. o Small town with big city facilities and amenities o Small town feel with big town amenities. I also love the trails o Having all the amenities of a "big" city (60k+ people) without having that many people all the time o Having the same amenities available as you would in a large city like Des Moines for example, w/o having all the issues with crowdedness, crime, etc. o It is a large city with a small-town feel o It's the perfect mix between city and rural. o Lots of activities available for a relatively medium sized town o The small-town atmosphere but still has benefits like large towns (shopping, restaurants) o The small-town feel with everything you need from a big town. o Small community feeling in a bigger city o Small-town appeal with larger city amenities o Small-town communities with big-city services and facilities. o Small-town feel in a larger city (at least for me, as a college student coming from a smaller farming town) o Small-town feel but lots of things to do. Good quality of life with great parks, library, schools. o Small-town feels with lots of opportunities – Iowa State Athletics and the energy students bring, educational opportunities o Small-town, friendly people o Small-town atmosphere, low traffic o Small-town feels with excellent medical services and facilities. Fairly low crime rate but that has changed in the past 5 years. I no longer feel safe walking after dark in my neighborhood, even in the early evening hours. o Small-town feel & nearby Des Moines o Small-town feel and feels safe for the most part o Small-town atmosphere o The small-town feeling. Sense of community o There is a bounty of things to do, eat, and explore despite the cozy close-knit and small-town feel of Ames. o the small-town feel o The feeling of a smaller town is still there & I think that should be highlighted • Library o Library, the birds at Lake Laverne o All the parks and the library o Library and parks o The library and downtown area's walkability • Light Traffic o Clean, safe, self-contained and low traffic o There's no traffic and the main street is nice. o Traffic is never an issue. Safe neighborhood. o Clean, not much traffic, cheap o Low traffic • Local Business o The local businesses • Main Street/Downtown o Downtown 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 132 o Love the vibrant downtown, Farmers Market. Safe and friendly. o Small businesses on Main Street and bikeability o The downtown area and the library o I enjoy being in a community that makes me feel welcome. I enjoy offerings on Main Street! o I like the downtown activities during the summer and fall. o I love the downtown area and the closeness that everything is to campus. o The Downtown community • Medical Facilities o Good medical services o Excellent hospital medical care, ISU, small city, but offers so much. • Nature o Nature • Neighborhood o Enjoy our neighborhood and friendship of the people o Nice neighborhood, friendly residents, good environment o Good neighborhood • Nothing o I wish I could put something, but I really can’t wait to move away. o Knowing I get to leave in one semester • Opportunities o Opportunities and a nice environment. Meeting new people as well. o The appearance of engaging opportunities. • Options o I like that it has a lot of different things available, but still feels like a small town • Peaceful o Peaceful community (x3) o Peaceful and safe. Good community o Peaceful friendly community. o Peaceful with many opportunities to be outdoors • People o The people (x6) o Good people (x2) o The people, the size, Wheatsfield, all the engaging green areas (park) o The people, the variety of activities and services available, quality of life. o The people, the accessibility and the features o Great people in the community, safe and fun environment o The people and how clean and safe it is o The people and the sense of community. Plus the water is great! o Mostly clean, well-kept town. Friendly people o The people living here and the ISU opportunities it provides o The community of people and restaurants o Feeling safe/friendly people o Investments in people and the environment. o It is clean, low crime, friendly people and comfortable, and the water tastes good. o Majority great people o The community of people who live here makes Ames great. o People are nice, has everything someone needs to live (grocery stores, great parks, etc.), a great university, I feel safe, and it doesn't smell bad. o The people are nice and it feels upbeat, positive, and creative. o The people are very nice. CyRide is a very good way to commute. o The people are so helpful. It's obvious the south side is a college town and the north side is more residential, but everyone feels a sense of community. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 133 • Proximity o Proximity of everything o Proximity of necessities and recreation o Proximity to campus • Proximity to DSM o Close to Des Moines (x2) o Not too far from the resources of Des Moines, but cheaper and safer. o Good size, close to Des Moines, good parks. o Close to Ankeny and Des Moines where there are plenty of good things to do. • Public Transportation o Cheap rent, good bus systems, and close-knit downtown (Main St.) community o Close to campus, easy to get around, great bus system. o Buses and having everything nearby. o Public transport and access to bike/pedestrian paths in North Ames (less convenient when I lived in West Ames) o Availability of public transport o Bus services o CyRide o CyRide goes everywhere and is accessible to all. o Ease of access to transportation (bus routes) • Quality of Life o High quality of life o Overall quality of life. o Quality of life o Quality of life – care at people • Quiet o Quiet (x2) o Pretty quiet in our neighborhood, close to the stores we want, overall people are friendly. The parks are what help us decide to move here. o Quiet, friendly, and affordable o Quiet, size (not too big), outdoor opportunities o Quiet and cheap town o Quiet, most everything is nearby o Quiet and safe o Quiet and safe place o Quiet, safe • Parks/Recreation/Trails o The parks (x4) o Great parks and public spaces. I love Main Street, the farmers market, the library, etc. I rarely worry about safety on any given day in my neighborhood. o Great parks, fabulous library, responsive city employees, and I hope our city officials don’t try to tamp down public discourse like some cities are doing o The parks. I frequently go on long walks. The summer's farmers market is very close o Parks, trails, ISU o All the parks! There are so many, and such a variety. They are easily accessible and most have good trails. A close second is the library, which is a really fantastic resource for so many different uses. o The parks and trails and people o The parks! So many of them, so much green space and trees in the city. CyRide is also great o Love the parks, community. o All the parks and the library o All the parks! There are so many, and such a variety. They are easily accessible and most 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 134 have good trails. A close second is the library, which is a really fantastic resource for so many different uses. o Parks, library o Parks! Library! o Clean, safe neighborhood, Parks are great! o The parks and the people. o there are a lot of parks and there are a lot of outdoor spaces o Parks, local owned restaurants rather than just franchised pool o The parks and that it feels small o Parks like no other town. Trails for hiking o There are so many parks with great trails all over town! o Abundant parks o Ada Hayden Heritage Park o All of the parks o Lots of parks to choose from o Bike/walking paths o I like the trails to run on o I love the attention to outdoor recreation here. I frequently walk on trails and use parks, so it’s important that I feel safe doing so. Additionally, there are always places to park. I think about the facilities in Iowa City when I visit and there is nowhere for vehicles to go. o Parks and trails; CyRide; active resident participation in local decision-making; pursuit of climate action plan and sustainability initiatives o Parks and recreation, CyRide service. o Nice parks and bike trails o Access to recreation o My favorite thing about living in Ames is all the opportunities to do things outside. Daily, I use public trails, paths, and sidewalks to walk, run, bike, and rollerblade. o Parks and rec services o Recreational sports – softball and volleyball o The outdoor activities o The recreation activities – the pools, the classes, the community events. • Safety o Safety (x4) o Safe, good schools, Iowa state, size of community o Safety, diverse culture, accepting people o Relatively safe, comfortable place to live. Lots going on, there are things to do if you look. o Safe, clean, affordable o Safe, clean and friendly residents o Safety and friendliness – strangers and police stop to offer help to anyone they think might need it. o Safe and quiet city, good services but a little expensive. o The safety and general upkeep of the recreational trails, sidewalks, and bike/walking lanes o I love the Ames community and the town is clean with a safe and welcoming feeling. The quiet summers when students are mostly gone are my favorite time in Ames. o It feels safe/peaceful and welcoming o It is a peaceful, safe and well-maintained city o Safe and a lot to do. o Much safer than big cities, I feel safe, affordable. o Safe and clean environment o safety and cleanliness o Low crime, connection to Iowa State. o Feeling safe in the community and having so many areas to walk in through nature 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 135 o It's safe and parks are close and usable. Cultured and sophisticated compared to rural Iowa without the messes of a city. o Everywhere is safe to go and the people are warm and welcoming. o Safe community with lots of beautiful outdoor spaces o Security and it is very welcoming to international students. I have never experienced racism or felt excluded. o Being able to feel safe o I feel safe living alone in Ames o It is safe and it is a great place to grow up o it's safe, problems get fixed very quickly. o Great place to raise a family. So many zoning rules all over the city – they don't qualify to Duff! Continue to partner with Ames Economic Development! o Safe community o Somewhat safe • School District o Well, we thought it was the diversity and quality schools. Until [redacted] turned it into an arm of the BLM agenda. o Schools • Sense of Community o Sense of community • Services o The abundance of helpful services and facilities. o the availability of services all over the city o The range of services and stores is quite good for the size of the city • Size o Small and quiet place to live, study and grow old. o Small but lots of parks o Small town o Small town community with opportunities for growth o Small size, light traffic, interesting things to do, educated people. o Small size, pleasant residents, good variety of services and entertainment o the size and people o I enjoy the small size but plenty of services o The size is nice – does not feel like a city but there is a diversity of restaurant, shopping, recreation, etc., options. o size of the city • Stores o Good stores o Many stores nearby • Summer In Ames o Summer, when students are gone and traffic is not congested everywhere. o That students leave Iowa for the summer • Used to be better o Used to be better when there was a lot of trees and "green" areas and less traffic. • Variety o availability of retail, services, restaurants, parks and recreational, police and fire protection. o Variety of events and parks o I love the variety and inclusivity of the community. There is a lot to do for people of all interests and in general, everyone is very nice. We also have a huge variety of excellent family-owned local restaurants and businesses. o Many things to do o Multiple options for restaurants/stores/etc. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 136 o There's so much to do and it's all different. It can be indoor, outdoor, food, or anything else. o It's got a little bit of everything!! • Various o Accessibility, library, education, medical services, park and recreation, bike and walkability, community action o Downtown musical events, Wheatfield Coop, farmers market, liberal community, ISU events, parks (wish there were masks), Lockwood Cafe o People know and care about their neighbors. Main Street, the library, Ada Hayden Park, the Farmer's Market, the schools. • Water o Cleanest water in Iowa o The water (x4) o The water and all the food/activity options. Love the events that take place at Main St. o Good water, clean streets and the upkeep and pride most take in their property. o The water quality is very good and it is an easy to navigate town. I also love that there is a food waste diversion project so I can compost even though I rent an apartment. o Water quality, tight knot community, everything within a reasonable distance o The water, low cost of living, and abundance of parks. o Delicious water – best anywhere! Clean city and healthy residents who are aware about quality of life o The water! I think the community programs for kids are great. I'm very satisfied w/the upkeep of streets, parks, etc. o The water and small events for the community o Water and the college. o Water! Iowa State adds so much to the desirability of living in Ames o The water. Cyclone game days. o Tap water and CyRide o Water is great, recreation trails for exercising are well maintained o Drinking water quality o Good quality water o Just drinking from the tap. Ames water is seriously high quality. o The tap water o The tap water is great. • Weather o Weather and small city (no traffic, but enough resources). o The weather • Welcoming o The welcoming community, mostly within the university, towards diversity o The college community is very welcoming and open • Young People o A lot of young people. o Around other people my age o Large percentage of the population is my age – college student. • Other o The gay sidewalks o The progressive attitude o Tranquility o Uncrowded, friendly atmosphere 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 137 “What would make Ames a fun, vibrant community?” comments: • Music o More live music events o Outdoor concerts and festivals o A town festival. The town I grew up in had a cherry festival and it had some great flair. The high school jazz band did an open dance night, there were carnival rides, cherry pie eating contests, fireworks, etc. It was a great community event we all looked forward to. • Arts o More artwork and interactive activities o Fun/colorful displays of art, particularly outdoor paintings on business walls in high walking traffic areas (near campus and downtown areas) o More community art projects. A way to get residents out and participating while learning and creating together. • Events o More events to bring people of diverse backgrounds or different age groups together. o A city festival. VEISHEA in a more family environment. o More community gatherings, parades, festivals, arts, shows, lecture series etc. items/ gathering of cultural value. o Community interaction for adults. Trivia nights, scavenger hunts, painting classes. o Having a city festival near campus or Main Street/Campustown in Ames. o More community events, like stuff on main street. The farmers’ market is nice, an art fair or outdoor event of some kind would be fun. Small towns in Iowa do local festivals, like the fall festival or strawberry festival, which would be fun. The Des Moines Christmas Market was cool, but it was not worth the drive. Doing it in Ames would be better. o More summer Main Street activities that encourage youth to get involved in the community. • Economic (business) activities o A greater focus on small business opportunities for bars, restaurants, coffee shops, etc. Too many national brands coming in, and lease rates are a huge barrier to entry for smaller operations. o Free parking downtown, more national chain business o A more vibrant downtown o Families Market o Old Navy, Aldi on the west side o Brewery, more districts with restaurants/bars that aren't so close to campus o More non-chain restaurant options, new mall with open stores, drive-in theatre. o More retail stores – greater variety (including restaurants) • Infrastructural development o Better connection to downtown and improve Welch Avenue. o Improving off-road bike paths/connectivity o Lower taxes • Parks o Activities, nice park, green city and services o More activities in Bandshell Park o Trampoline Park i.e., Skyzone/GetAir o More dog parks o Continued programs and activities, upkeep of parks/greenspaces, and welcoming atmosphere. o More infrastructure on parks (restrooms for instance) o More natural areas like Ada Hayden Park 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 138 • More outdoor activities, especially walking trails and hiking sports. • More outdoor areas for walking, running, biking, etc. • More recreational activities, green trails, and gardens. • A skate park in that empty lot on Mortensen and South Dakota over by Perfect Games • Some sort of community center for activities, lunch, events, a relaxing workspace etc. • The game parlors, beautiful parks, golf courses, restaurants, movie theatres, lakes, picnic spots and many more. • A drive-in movie theatre. • More disc golf courses. • More fishing locations. • Fun lighting on paved trails for cool and safe later evening walks. • Bike trail out of town like High Trestle Trail or Raccoon Valley Trail. Indoor recreations and wellness mentioned were: • Warm water indoor pool • An indoor/outdoor recreation center. A place for families to utilize and bond. There are very few activities around Ames you can do as a family especially in the cooler and cold months. • More indoor activities for winter – ax throwing, indoor golf league, etc. • A nightclub, a gay bar, outdoor sculpture garden, art museum!!, nature center. • More indoor activities during winter or bad weather days. • Children’s museum. • Indoor pool for winter, rock climbing and swing. More events citywide that celebrate culture – the library does a great job. • More entertainment for handicap access and for elderly, retired citizens. Some of the other suggested measures were: • The more people in Ames, the more interesting and vibrant the city becomes. When students leave for summer break, the city can get kind of lonely, so adding incentives like more employment opportunities and affordable housing to increase the population of the city would do a lot for the community. • A school focused on educating students would bring rational-minded families to town expanding the base of taxpayers in the community. • Defunding the police. • Get rid of racism, xenophobia, homophobia, and hate. • More community garden space and drinking fountain with dog bowl on Main Street. • It's an old town and the buildings look that way. So maybe nicer looking buildings, better recycling system, trash clean up. • Fewer lawns and parking lots. MORE GARDENS (especially if we could encourage homeowners to replace lawn space with gardens somehow), more mixed-use dense development (kind of like Greenwich Village in NYC), and more opportunities to socialize just in the neighborhoods. • The college atmosphere. • Major road upkeep. • Better traffic flow – lights suck. • More concerts and shows in our stadiums. Take advantage of the university’s facilities’ size. • More off campus things for non-students. • More interactions with law enforcement and fire department • More ethnic communities. • improved commitment to climate action; continued and increased investment in the arts. • Getting rid of mask mandate and govt. trying to govern health and morality with useless mandates. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 139 • Getting rid of the excessive speed bumps in Peterson Pits. • Stop spending on "Green" issues. • Do not let the city of Ames become an arm of the BLM "woke" agenda. Leave politics out. Just deliver the services for a good value. • Diversity of people and less lawyers/chiropractors on Main Street and more business that I would want to spend money. 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 140 General/Additional Comments • Ames has been a great place to live, mainly includes families or college students. I would like events/opportunities for young individuals without children, but are not part of the usual college activities. Also, really work on snow removal. • Ames is a beautiful community. My one suggestion is to take college students seriously! • Ames is a good and highly educated town. Iowa – not like the environmental ethics. • Ames is a great place to live! We love it here! • Ames is a nice place but homelessness and traffic in roads are huge problems • Ames is great, but please add more sidewalks in southeast Ames. • Ames is great. I hope the city takes climate change seriously. • Ames is the place I've lived longest in my life – 33 years. I love Ames! • An “anything goes days” would be cool to put things you don't need on the curb so the city's people can reuse it. • City of Ames did AMAZING job after the derecho. Thanks! • Clean up Campustown! Have some pride. • Continue to make Ames a great place to live. Thank you! • Densification is touted while developers keep sprawling. And developers keep building outside of the Ames school system. • Divert funds from law enforcement to social and drug prevention programs. • Don't over-engineer the new road south of Grand to S. 16th thru Coldwater. Make it wide and no lights or medians. Less stoplights!!! • For the most part, I feel I am heard in Ames. Officers are accessible. • Good work overall! • Great survey, looking forward to hearing more regarding the results. • Happy that I live in Ames! Keep up the good work. • Here is a very good scenery and hope it served its purpose. • Housing prices are much too high in Ames. What childcare is available is also too expensive, although there is very little available childcare. Both of these things contribute to deter young couples from staying here long-term. • I am a 66-year-old, widower who lives alone. Because I own a fairly large home for a person and my health can be challenging at times, it might be difficult to become involved in community organizations on a regular basis. I am however thankful to be a member of this community because rural living had become too isolating and difficult. Thank you for the opportunity to complete this survey. • I am concerned about some of the programs being promoted in our schools. I am very thankful for living in a community like Ames, coming from a small town with a very few ordinances. It is beautiful here. • I am grateful the mayor has mandated the use of masks, etc. during the COVID-19 crisis/pandemic. From what I can see and hear, we don't have an issue in Ames of our police department and officers being prejudiced in any act. That is wonderful. I do between feel less safe living in Ames than when I moved here. • I am very much pleased to take part in the survey. I am feeling myself an important resident of Ames that I have been selected to present my opinion. As a resident it is my responsibility too to keep Ames clean, to spread love around me and prove myself a part of this beautiful city. • I appreciate Ames, you try harder than some places. Thanks for all you've done for me. • I believe Ames has done a good job. I am satisfied. • I believe I have commented and responded conscientiously. This is a very thorough and time- 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 141 consuming survey. I am pleased to have been able to participate in it. • I can't stand the politically correct attitude in this town. I avoid it every chance I get. It is a national plague. • I don't have any • I don't know why the southern half of ISU campus roads get torn up and redone every other year. • I hate driving in Ames. Traffic is funneled to one of very few main roads due to the train tracks and rivers. I know there's not much we can do about it, but it makes getting from one side of town to the other just plain too long. When looking for where to buy, it has limited my search area to less than half of Ames because north and east Ames has all the businesses that I would want to frequent while west Ames has virtually nothing to offer (aside from HyVee, there isn't really any "general" retail) and I dislike driving across town so much that it has eliminated the entire west side of town from my search region. • I haven't been here very long – the parks, streets/trees/flowers, etc. are beautiful. The Campustown traffic lanes is a serious problem to Ames. • I live in Four Seasons Park (mobile home park east of Dayton Ave). Park has a pool and clubhouse for Four Season residents. • I prefer to see fewer rental properties being built. Ames has most definitely overbuilt apartments and rental housing which has caused several other homes and apartments to become run down and shabby in appearance or to become unoccupied. • I really appreciated the mayor’s statements affirming and supporting social justice as a priority for Ames • I really like living in Ames. I have still not figured out what social activities are going on but have friends that tell me from time to time. I haven't found a lot of activities for the older citizen. • I spent a lot of time exploring Ames this summer and I wish I did it sooner! • I think the city is doing a great job • I thought the questions asked were very good and concerning the community benefits • I went to work here in Ames in 1950 and my wife moved here in 1951. Lived in Ames and commuted to DM to work on the Dept. HUD–Arch and Eng. Dept. • I would like to know why the utility bills increase so much, and what does the sewer charge include? Utilities are becoming unaffordable. • I’m a freshman in the dorms so I don’t know if this is gonna be helpful at all. • If there's anything I would like City administrators to take from my responses to the survey, it would be this: 1) Better bike and pedestrian accessibility 2) More gardens, fewer lawns and parking lots 3) Commitment to 100% carbon neutrality by 2030. Thank YOU very much! • If you put money into arts, make it to bigger arts – concerts. New waterpark with family splash pads – free to the public or real cheap. (p.6, Q.A, section – Program and service: Art downtown is fine; start spreading art in neighborhoods and it gets vandalized. I've seen the cost of some of the art and I wonder who okayed (approved) it.) • It is distressing that Ames dumped all of its investment in rec services for the disabled into Inis Grove Park instead of spreading them around. They have created a "Disney Land" that is so crowded and busy that it's impossible for the use of many of the disabled, such as people with autism. • I've loved living in Ames prior to 2020, even though there is a strong progressive wing because I am generally a believer in live-and-let-live. This past year has made me want to move to any other town in Iowa because almost none have been so traffic restrictive as Ames and its impositions on freedom and the judgmental discrimination when I don't comply. • Just please renovate Mortensen Road! Thank you so much! I love Ames! • Keep up the good work overall! 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 142 • Make city website a go-to site! Really like the updates that come with the electricity. Good progress on bike paths so far. Improvement of the internet as Metronet came. • Make paying electricity more accessible via online (find $4 fee to be a bit much) with an option to just receive statements via email instead of it being mailed out. • Maybe incentivize learning about diversity. Participate in one of several options to broaden perspectives to pay a parking ticket or get a pass to the pool, etc. • More community garden space! • Need streets upward. Better snow removal/timely. • Need to grow community outside college. Attract 25–35-year-old people. • Need to help residential families on Ash with parking. Offer street parking passes? • Nice Job!!! City of Ames!!! Thanks! • Nighttime streets are dark. More lighting at city streets. • Not sure if this falls under your purview but my apartment doesn't have a mail slot. I've lived in other apartments where there is the one. I would love a mail drop box in NW Ames, west of Hyland. • Overall, we love living here! Parks and ASSET are great! • Please reconsider the adult center again in the future • Please see my comments on the question on spending more/same/less on services. I think this is very important to address my concerns if you want the best feedback possible. Thank you for doing this survey, and I hope it brings you insight to make Ames an even better place to live! • Pretty nice place to live. Nice parks, affordable • Quit forcing things on us and school racism/sexual orientation curriculum, mask mandate needs to go. • Remove the bike lanes from the roads • Temper the left-wing bias in the city government. Open up the traffic flow on our major streets –Lincoln Way, Grand Ave, Duff Ave, 24th St., So. 16th St. • Thank you, City of Ames, for having me for three years. Love you all • Thank you for all you do. • Thank you for asking me to complete a survey! • Thank you for asking! • Thank you for considering us • Thank you for letting me participate in your study! I hope I helped you guys collect some data! • Thank you for reaching out to me! • Thank you for the opportunity to have a vote • Thank you to the City of Ames for including citizens in this survey to provide feedback! Thanks for all you do! • Thank you! • Thank you! I love Ames :) • Thanks for considering my opinions! • Thanks for this comprehensive document. • The "Green Turn Arrows" on 13th and Grand Work well for N. and S. traffic. If you are going e. or w. and someone turns left in front of you, you are stuck. Not having a green "left turn" arrow for E. and W. traffic is "Ridiculous"!! "Fix it"!!! • The city of Ames did an amazing job with debris clean up after the derecho. My husband and I had a tree trunk in our driveway and were unable to get it to the curb for pick up. I called the city and they sent someone to help us. Thank you so much. • The city of Ames is pushing older homeowners out of their homes with high taxes. • The divisions of "parts of Ames" should be more than 4 sections. The diversity within each part is so 2021 Ames Resident Satisfaction Survey 143 vast that they currently aren't accurately dividing anything. • The pedestrian bridge in Emma McCarthy Park needs to get fixed. • The Zoom function doesn't work well for the public with regard to City Council meetings. Way too many items not discussed in public but decided by "the powers that be." The city needs to fund charging stations for electric cars! Immediately the city needs community gardens in all neighborhoods. The city needs housing infill. Redo the damaged homes not build-out in farmland. • There is a lack of communication of what is going on in Ames. Maybe think about a monthly newsletter – not everyone has access to a computer – or other advanced technology. Have business help advertise what is happening. Everyone assumes everyone knows what is going on. Maybe have the realtors provide welcome to Ames baskets – free products that are produced here and guides + maps of the wonderful things Ames has to provide forever. • There seems to be a lot of trash in rental areas near ISU. Would like a cleaner community. Love the Rummage Rampage; would like more encouragement to avoid "throwing usable things away" • Time for some common sense, too much focus on Green + animal, time to focus on homeless + hungry. • Very complete survey. You also can tell when I changed course. Nothing to add. • We are pleased with our city government. Many sidewalks in Old Town neighborhood are in rough shape. Ames is a great place to live and work and raise a family!!! Sooooo thankful for our local churches. • We only used the Fire dept. We have only 2 real fires in so many years. • 1. We really like the 2 days/year for yard clean up. 2. Again, the streets need repair 3. Do not let the developers run all over the planning. This is why the traffic flow in Ames is such a mess today. Previous city councils were too highly influenced by developers, and now we are paying the price for it. • We should step away from prioritizing cars in our city planning. Design for PEOPLE, not vehicles. • Whoever runs the Facebook page is great. Especially during the derecho, it was easy to stay updated. • Why don't you ask about schools? So many terrible things happened in the Ames K-12 schools: closures, move to 4-day a week schedule, lower grades, rankings of the high school dining. This requires immediate action. Thank you. • You might want to use different words or phrases in your next survey. Why does the scale go from "good" to "poor" on some of the items? There should be another option in the middle of those. 1 ITEM # __21__ DATE: 10-12-21 COUNCIL ACTION FORM SUBJECT: REQUEST FROM HEARTLAND SENIOR SERVICES TO ENTER INTO LAND LEASE FOR NEW BUILDING AT 205 S. WALNUT BACKGROUND: On August 24, 2021, the City Council directed staff to place on a future Council agenda a letter from Nancy Carroll requesting that the City consider entering into a land lease with Heartland Senior Services for the property at 205 S. Walnut Avenue. Heartland is proposing to construct a new facility on that site, which is owned by the City. The 205 S. Walnut Avenue property was purchased by the City with CDBG funds from the Ames Community School District to house the senior day-care program administered by Heartland Senior Services. The City has leased the building and land to Heartland over many decades for $1.00. The building has exceeded its useful life and, therefore, a new facility providing Heartland’s much-needed services is warranted. Previously, Heartland had hoped to meet its facility needs by requesting that the City sell the property and donate the revenue to Heartland to help pay for the construction cost of a new building at the Healthy Life Center. With the failure of the bond issue, Heartland has now redirected its attention to building a state-of-art facility at the current site. The building features will support those 60 years of age and older in their journey to age well, by seamlessly providing programs, activities, and services in the areas of physical activity, social networks, health and nutrition. In consideration for continuing its senior services, Heartland is requesting that the City: 1) Accept the deeding of a small parcel to the south of the building currently owned by Heartland adjacent to the City’s property and consolidate the two properties into a single lot of approximately one acre, and 2) Lease the newly consolidated property to Heartland for 50 years in exchange for $1, with options to renew. Under the lease terms, Heartland would own the building and be responsible for the total cost of its construction as well as for the exterior improvements to the site. In addition, Heartland would be responsible to maintain the building and site for the duration of the lease agreement. 2 ALTERNATIVES: 1. Direct staff to prepare a long-term land lease with Heartland Senior Services as requested for approximately 1 acre at 205 S. Walnut. With the assurance that the land can be used for the site of its new facility, Heartland can complete its fundraising effort and begin design of the project. Under this alternative, no rezoning will be necessary, so the property can remain zoned S-GA. The ongoing ability for Heartland to lease this property will be contingent on the facility continuing to be used to provide senior service-related activities. 2. Decline Heartland’s request and direct staff to solicit bids for the property at 205 S. Walnut so that the property can be sold at the highest price. This alternative most likely will result in the need to rezone the property accommodate a proposed private sector use. 3. Decline Heartland’s request and seek proposals from other non-profit agencies for a long-term land lease in return for a guarantee of a needed service. This alternative would allow Heartland to utilize the property for its new building, but only after competing for the right with other worthy agencies. CITY MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION: For many years Heartland has provided the community with much-needed daycare and support services for our senior citizens. The City has supported this operation by providing Heartland its building and site at a nominal cost. The opportunity now exists to secure a state-of-art facility that will be able to offer expanded services for our ever- growing elderly population. There is no request for financial support from the City for the capital expenses. The City Attorney has advised that state law will not allow the City to give this property to Heartland at no cost. However, by leasing the land at nominal cost, the City will be able to provide a significant incentive that assures this important service continues. Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council adopt Alternative #1, as described above. If the City Council desires to proceed with this arrangement, the initial step will be for Heartland to transfer the adjacent lot to the City at no cost. The City will then accomplish the necessary work to consolidate the two lots. Finally, the new land lease, if approved by the City Council, will take effect. 3 Heartland Senior Services 1 ITEM:__22__ Staff Report ARTISTIC FIRE HYDRANT PAINTING October 12, 2021 BACKGROUND: On June 8, 2021, the City Council directed staff to explore the possibility of painting fire hydrants in artistic ways as part of the community arts efforts, and to contact the Fire Department, Public Works, and the Public Art Commission (PAC) to identify potential challenges with the project. The City’s Supplemental Specifications to the Statewide Urban Design and Specifications (SUDAS) prescribe that “Public hydrants shall be green in color: #2033 Hydrant Dark Green, silicone enamel, Klinger Paint Company, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.” ISSUES RELATED TO FIRE HYDRANT PAINTING: 1. HYDRANT OPERABILITY There are a number of issues to consider when evaluating the concept of a fire hydrant painting initiative. Foremost among these is the safety and operability of hydrants in an emergency. It is critical that painting not interfere with the hydrant threads or the nut, or somehow cause interference with the operation of the hydrant. To address this, any hydrant painted by community members would need to be inspected by City staff upon completion. 2. HYDRANT VISIBILITY Hydrants must be highly visible as fire crews approach them in an emergency, to avoid any delay that could result in increasing harm to life or property. Currently, with all public hydrants colored green (and ISU hydrants painted in a different, but uniform paint scheme), fire crews have a consistent color to look out for on arrival at a fire scene. This makes training new firefighters easier and reduces the identification time on scene (other fire-related equipment is painted in standard colors for quick identification, such as red sprinkler components or gray natural gas services). Additionally, certain colors could cause a fire hydrant to be less visible depending on the conditions (large white painted areas in winter, blue or black paint at night, etc.). 3. PROGRAM SCALE AND POTENTIAL FOR UNAUTHORIZED PAINTING There are approximately 2,990 public fire hydrants in the City of Ames. One method to mitigate the issues described above (operability and visibility) would be to implement a small program, which would allow staff to closely monitor the 2 uniquely painted hydrants. However, staff is concerned that a small, closely monitored painting program could inspire individuals to paint hydrants in other locations without staff’s knowledge. This would make it difficult for City staff to inspect hydrants for compliance and avoid the issues identified above. 4. ARTISTIC PAINT MAINTENANCE The City has an aggressive program of annual flushing and data collection to ensure the operability of the hydrants in our system. This is due in part because hydrants are costly component of the water infrastructure to replace (approximately $2,700 each plus labor costs). The City’s Utility Maintenance staff replaces approximately 10 hydrants per year due to damage and component failure. In addition to annual operation of the hydrants for flushing, Utility Maintenance staff also operates hydrants during water main breaks, during construction projects that include new water main work, and while checking hydrant drains prior to winter. This routine maintenance work is likely to mar any artistic painting with hydrant wrenches, necessitating touch-ups from the artist. Currently, touch-up painting can be easily accomplished due to the uniform color used throughout Ames. Failure to adequately maintain the paint could lead to corrosion and premature failure of hydrant components, particularly as hydrants tend to be placed in the right-of-way where road salt and grit can accumulate. The road salt and grit are also likely to cause artistic paints to deteriorate more quickly. The standard green paint specified for the City’s hydrants is formulated for harsh conditions such as these. Given the susceptibility of artistically painted hydrants to deterioration from the conditions described above, expectations would need to be determined regarding the maintenance of the art; touch-ups would need to be made by either the City or the artist, and conditions would need to be set to determine when the hydrants are to be returned to the standard green color. PUBLIC ART COMMISSION COMMENTS: The Public Art Commission (PAC) discussed what might be required to facilitate an artistic fire hydrant painting program. Currently, PAC is administering two special community infrastructure painting initiatives in addition to its annual programs: the electric transformer cabinet wrapping project downtown, and the storm sewer intake educational painting initiative. Both projects involve taking artist proposals over the winter and conducting the painting in the spring. Due to these obligations, PAC indicated that it preferred not to undertake management of a hydrant painting program at this time. 3 NEXT STEPS: In September, City staff became aware that the original requestor had proceeded to paint a hydrant adjacent his house prior to receiving a response from the City Council regarding the request for a formal painting program (see photo at right). Staff has had several discussions with the requestor about the hydrant and the concerns described above. Crews from the Fire Department inspected the hydrant to verify its operability. The Fire Chief discussed these concerns with the requestor, who acknowledged them and indicated that he was willing to see the hydrant painted back to its standard green color. OPTIONS: 1. Do not implement a fire hydrant painting program at this time. If the City Council chooses this option, then City staff will proceed with repainting the hydrant to the standard dark green, assuming that enough warm weather days remain in the fall to complete the painting. 2. Direct the Public Art Commission to work with City staff to develop a formal fire hydrant painting program. If this option is selected, City staff would work with PAC to create program criteria, identify suitable locations, and determine the level of funding necessary to implement a fire hydrant painting program. A program would not be launched until spring 2022, when the weather is warm enough to provide a suitable window for painters to work. The hydrant that is already painted would remain as-is until PAC could determine the lifespan of hydrant art painted under the program. PAC may need to re-prioritize some of its other initiatives to free up enough administrative capacity to administer the hydrant painting program. STAFF COMMENTS: Due to the workload of the Public Art Commission and the issues identified by City staff that would need to be resolved prior to implementing a hydrant program, it is staff’s recommendation that the City Council not pursue a hydrant painting program at this time. Caring People Quality Programs Exceptional Service 515.239.5146 main fax Legal Department To: From: Date: Subject: BACKGROUND: Sometime soon, the Council will have to fulfill its responsibilities of drawing new wards and precincts within the City of Ames. The U.S. Constitution requires that a census be taken by the federal government every ten years. The 2020 census experienced delays due to COVID, and the State of Iowa didn’t receive the census numbers until September of this year. Usually, the Census numbers are released in the Spring. After the State of Iowa, and the cities and counties in Iowa, receive their census numbers, the Code of Iowa requires that the new census data be used by the Legislature to redistrict the state. This state redistricting is done to draw new lines defining U.S. Congressional districts, and Iowa House and Iowa Senate legislative districts. After the Legislature has finalized its work, counties and cities in Iowa must draw new lines for wards and precincts, using the U.S. Census data. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that Congressional and Legislative Districts should be drawn to assure as much as possible that the districts for each type of office are equal in population under the principle of “one person, one vote.” The same principle holds true for the wards that Council members represent. After the Legislature approves the new district maps, the Governor has to sign it into law for it to become effective, just like other legislation. Item No. 23 Under Iowa law, after the Legislature and Governor have approved the state redistricting, cities then have 60 days to create new wards and precincts (called “reprecincting” in the Iowa Code). Counties have a total of 90 days to create new wards and precincts. For both the City of Ames and Story County, this will take the form of an ordinance defining the new districts. The State of Iowa has a system that has been in place since 1980 of drawing new districts for Iowa’s members of Congress and the state legislature. The nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency (LSA) produces the first set of maps. It’s a two-option decision -- the Legislature can only vote “yes” or “no” on these maps, simply approving them or rejecting them. There is no amending the map at this point in the process. If the first set of maps is rejected, a second set is created. Once again, the Legislature can only approve or reject the second set of maps. After that, a third set of maps is produced by the LSA. The third set of maps can be amended by the Legislature, i.e., they can redraw the lines produced by LSA, but any districts they draw have to fit within the parameters spelled out in the Iowa Code (e.g., the districts must contain roughly the same number of residents). According to media reports, in the forty years this system has been in place, either the first or second set of maps have been adopted most of the time. On one occasion, the third set of maps were considered, and were adopted without amendment. The Iowa Code states that the new wards and precincts become effective for the City on January 15 two years after the decennial census, which would be January 15, 2022. On October 5, 2021, the Legislature considered and rejected the first set of maps produced by the LSA. Media have reported that LSA expects to have the second set of maps ready by October 21, 2021. If the Legislature rejects the second set of maps, it is likely that by mid-November at the earliest the Legislature will approve the third/final set of maps. According to the Iowa Constitution, the Iowa Supreme Court has jurisdiction over redistricting after September 15. The Court has issued an order allowing the Legislature to do the redistricting but set a December 1, 2021 deadline for the Legislature to complete its work. REQUIREMENTS FOR CITIES: The Iowa Code sets out specific requirements for cities creating new wards and precincts: • The population in a precinct cannot exceed 3,500 people. • Precincts must be contiguous. • A precinct must lie within one state legislative district. • Precincts must follow “census blocks boundaries.” (For more information about Census blocks, see: https://transition.fcc.gov/form477/Geo/more_about_census_blocks.pdf ) • Precinct boundaries must be drawn to best serve the convenience of voters while promoting electoral efficiency. “Convenience of voters” means the precinct boundaries are easy to describe and identify and provide voters with relatively direct routes of travel to polling places. “Electoral efficiency” means reducing election costs by only creating as many precincts as necessary. • Annexed territory must be included. • Precinct boundaries must be defined by ordinance. • Wards shall follow precinct boundaries. • In determining wards, consideration shall not be given to the addresses of incumbent officeholders, political affiliations of registered voters, previous election results, or demographic information other than population head counts, except as required by the Constitution and the laws of the United States. • Wards shall be composed of contiguous territory as compact as practicable. • Wards shall be as nearly equal as practicable to the ideal population determined by dividing the number of wards to be established into the population of the city. The maximum allowable variation in size between wards is ten percent. It is noted that the new precincts will include all territories annexed within the last 10 years. The Iowa Code provides that the County Auditor must have the opportunity to review the City Council’s plan and provide written comments on the plan. Council must allow the Auditor 7-to-10 days for providing written feedback. If Council rejects the Auditor’s suggestions, the Council must provide reasons why the Auditor’s suggestions were rejected in the ordinance adopting the precinct boundaries. Public hearing: Council must hold a public hearing before final action is taken to adopt a new ward/precinct boundaries. The public hearing has to be noticed per Iowa Code Chapter 21, the same as the notice requirement for a City Council meeting, 24 hours prior to the meeting. GOING FORWARD: Whenever the Legislature and Governor adopt the new maps, the City will have 60 days to adopt an ordinance. The County will adopt an ordinance, incorporating the City’s ordinance into its ward/precinct ordinance for the entire county. Even if the second set of maps are adopted, it will be a very short time frame for the City to respond. It seems extremely unlikely we will have the full 60 days to adopt the City’s ordinance, and we must move quickly enough to allow Story County time to adopt its ordinance. The Story County Auditor’s Office has said that, as soon as the state maps are adopted, they will proceed to reprecinct the entire county. This is done for ease and efficiency, as well as to helpful to the City of Ames. They will provide the City with the wards and precincts they come up with. The City can adopt those, or the City can draw its own lines and can adopt a different set of wards and precincts. The Story County Auditor told me that the City will still have four wards, but it seems likely we will have 24 precincts, instead of the current 20. That would be one additional precinct per ward. The Iowa Secretary of State’s office has purchased reprecincting software and is making it available free to all Iowa counties and cities. AFTER REPRECINCTING: Even if the redistricting and reprecincting had occurred in the spring and summer per the usual schedule, the new wards are precincts would not apply to this Fall’s election. In the current situation, the adoption of the new wards/precincts won’t take place until after this Fall’s election. The new wards/precincts become effective July 15, 2022. The Iowa Code states: “If more than once incumbent officeholder resides in a district redrawn during reprecincting, their terms of office shall expire after the next election in the political subdivision.” [Iowa Code section 49.8(5)(a)]. This means the terms of both Council members would expire December 31, 2023. For the Council members who represent a ward, there is a possibility that two incumbents can reside in the same new ward. If that happens, it would trigger an election for the Council seat in that ward in the next regular city election in November 2023. DECISION POINT: The only decision point right now is whether the Council wants to first see the county’s map for the wards and precincts only, or whether the Council would prefer the City staff prepare a second map and bring both to Council for consideration. The Council could also wait and see the county map and then decide whether to ask the City staff to produce an alternative. One word of warning: the City has only so much territory and so many residents, so unlike the State of Iowa with an entire state to work with, it may be difficult to develop a second map. And, again, we are going to be on a very tight timeframe to accomplish this, and we may need a special Council meeting, and/or suspension of the rules to consider it in one night, to meet that short timeline. ALTERNATIVES: 1. Wait until the Council sees the map produced by the Story County Auditor, and then decide whether to adopt that map or request City Staff to develop an alternative map. 2. Decide now to have City staff prepare a second map so that more than one map can be considered. 3. Decide now that the Council plans to proceed with adopting the Story County Auditor’s map. RECOMMENDED ACTION: Because it seems that it would be best to see the County’s map before investing the staff time in developing an alternative map, it seems prudent to wait until the County has produced a map before deciding whether the Council wants to see an alternative map. Therefore, the City Attorney recommends Option #1. 1 ITEM: 24 Staff Report AMES PLAN 2040 PUBLIC COMMENT October 12, 2021 BACKGROUND: On August 24th, City Council directed staff to finalize the public draft of Ames Plan 2040 and seek public feedback during the month of September. The Plan was made available online at www.cityofames.org/amesplan2040 and promoted through social media channels, press releases, city newsletter, and email notification to the interested parties list of approximately 335 emails addresses. Staff held on online overview presentation via ZOOM and an in person drop-in open house at the Library. Approximately 30 individual correspondences were received. All comments received through October 5th are attached to this report as Attachment A. In addition to public comments, the Planning and Zoning Commission discussed the Plan at their September 15th meeting and a summary of their discussion is included as Attachment B. Ames Plan 2040 is designed around the City Council’s evaluation of growth scenarios that addressed housing, commercial, and employment growth related to a population increase of 15,000 people over the next 20 years. The Plan includes Vision Statements concerning Growth; Land Use; Environment; Open Space; Transportation; Neighborhoods, Housing, and Sub Areas; and Community Character to address not only the planned growth but also continued investment for the existing areas of the City. 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. While the Plan includes defined growth areas for the expansion of the City, it also includes a policy framework for infill options and redevelopment areas. Not all 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. 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. FEEDBACK: Staff received a mix of feedback ranging from detailed multi-issue responses to comments that are specific to one area or policy. We received positive comments about the Plan vision and policies as well as comments concerned about the vision for growth and the perceived limited commitment of the policies to the vision of the plan. Notably, the introductory vision statement was not directly questioned, but the policies for implementing the plan as they related to the introductory vision were a subject of comments. Some of the issues that came up more than once included: • Property owners in the southwest area south of Highway 30 concerned about how the area is represented in the Fringe Map as Urban Reserve. • Statements concerning the need to conserve natural resource areas and the labeling/mapping of these designations. • The amount of projected growth, patterns of growth • Balance of housing types, areas for future multi-family • Infill housing and compatibility policies, applicability of the compatibility matrix • Relationship of the Plan to the Climate Action Plan With City Council’s receipt of the comments, staff is asking for direction on any specific policy adjustments or clarifications that should be considered at this time. Note that Staff will be incorporating edits to the draft plan related to known typographical errors, formatting, and adjustments for clarity back to RDG as well. Map specific comments were also provided to staff at the open house and per some individual correspondences. (Attachment C) Staff intends to bring proposed map changes (staff initiated changes based upon further assessment of the Plan and comments from the public) to the City Council on October 26th. STAFF COMMENTS: To move forward with completing this Plan there are a few important components left to complete. 1. Changes to the Plan text based upon public comments. 2. Changes to the Maps based upon public comments and staff edits. 3. Implementation Chapter The final chapter to be added to the Plan is for Implementation. Many of the policies and actions in the Plan are designed to guide future decisions, but in and of themselves they do not directly cause change or improvements. Implementation chapters can catalogue each policy and action and provide a matrix for implementation or applicability over the life of the Plan. Another option is for the Chapter to focus on the priority implementation projects. Staff believes that with the style of Ames Plan 2040 it would be beneficial to use the priority project approach. Staff anticipates identifying 10-15 priorities related to implementing the Visions of the Plan Elements. This will include topics ranging from capital improvement planning to selective ordinance updates to zoning and the subdivision codes. Additional Plan updates for City Departments, and sub-area plans will also be needed to guide more specific decision making as described in the Plan. Staff will provide suggested priorities at the October 26th meeting. RDG will then incorporate all of the changes suggested from October 12th and 26th into the final draft to proceed with public hearings on the final draft in November. From:Kurt Friedrich To:Sahlstrom, Eloise Cc:Diekmann, Kelly Subject:Re: Feedback Sought on Draft Ames Plan 2040 Date:Tuesday, September 7, 2021 7:03:34 PM [External Email] Hi Kelly and Eloise; Just starting to review the map…noticed that there must be a major oversight in the omission of the Dankbar/Muench properties not being included in the Draft LUPP Map?! These properties have been included in the plan under the Urban Services designation since late 2017. Please advise and amend to include these properties. Kurt W. Friedrich President, R. Friedrich & Sons, Inc. 100 6th Street, Ames, IA 50010 (O) 515-232-6175; (C) 515-231-2554 FriedrichRealty.com "Our priority is to move you. Delivering value and enriching lives through better real estate solutions. That’s the Friedrich Way." On Sep 7, 2021, at 2:49 PM, Sahlstrom, Eloise <eloise.sahlstrom@cityofames.org> wrote: Good afternoon. As you may recall, you provided your email contact, as an interested party in the preparation of the City’s 20-year comprehensive plan, known as “Ames Plan 2040.” We are contacting you to let you know that the draft plan is now complete! Just as the preparation of the Ames Plan 2040 began with public workshops and community surveys intended to identify interests of residents, businesses, and the City Council, the City is again inviting public input- this time, prior to the Plan’s adoption. Once approved by the Ames City Council, Ames Plan 2040 will provide policy guidance addressing growth challenges and opportunities ahead. Access to the draft Ames Plan 2040 is available on the City’s website:www.CityOfAmes.org/AmesPlan2040 and includes a feedback form. The comment period is during the month of September. Ames Plan 2040 Written comments from Drop-In Open House – 09-27-21 Kaleb Stevens- I feel multi-family zoning should be expanded to counteract single-family sprawl and retain dense neighborhoods. Arts & Culture will have greater freedom to activate in spaces where more dense populations. Jim Schreitmueller- I think zoning should be made more denser along major roads like Duff/Hwy 69, Grand, Lincoln Way for new development. Either RN-5 or a much denser RN-4 (less detached single-family). Also, new NC zones should be NC-MU since it feels like if one has the opportunity to build housing (a major goal of Ames Plan 2040), you shouldn’t limit your opportunities for growth/ take land off of the table. More Options! Reduce/relax parking minimums Relax Zoning requirements. Rezone ‘single-family only’ to be more flexible (ex: The Habitat home on Grand & 12th (?) could/should be a duplex/triplex instead). Jeff White- The water in the quarry @ Hwy 35 & 30 is part of our future water supply. Protect it with parks & open spaces! More and better bicycle trails & parks! Kathy Svec- I have followed the process over time and approve of and appreciate the direction that the plan has taken – it seems to touch important bases and showed to be a solid basis for the future of Ames – BRAVO – RE: Comm. Character- would like to know more about how the Heritage aspect will unfold = what can those who care about this do to ensure the historic fabri=c stays as intact as possible? RE: Arts & culture – the presentation last year by Jenifer Drinkwater and the hopes for a City arts coordinator needs to be revisited and considered for some sort of action. What can those who care about this bring to the table to make this happen? Steve Libbey- Ames Comprehensive Plan 2040 https://publicinput.com/Customer/File/Full/136f9a5c-aa29-4b91-aa24-6c3dbd194f2d Vision: “An evolving city that will not only grow outwardly, but also invest in existing areas and support change within the community that ensures Ames is an inclusive, thriving, and vital community with a diverse economy, environmentally sustainable practices, and a high quality of living that meets the needs of both current and future residents.” Comments (9/21): The Ames 2040 Comprehensive Plan (the Plan) is a fine plan with all the bells and whistles that one would expect of such at this point in time. That is to say, the Plan doesn’t simply say here’s what we think the future population and land use is going to be but tries to wrap in serious consideration of the many variables that play into growth and development patterns and the implications thereof on overall quality of life. That is highly laudable, but it is also nothing more than it should be. In point of fact, I would have to suggest, that is where the Plan comes up short - by being northing more than it should be. Repeatedly throughout the Plan the assumption appears to be that growth and development is going to take place by and large along the patterns that have existed over past decades; i.e., “A rate of 1.5% is carried forward to project land use needs. This annual growth rate is just above the historical growth in Ames between 1990 and 2010” (pg 17). This population projection – slightly higher than the past 20 years which themselves included some of the highest growth Ames has seen in a long time - then drives the amount of land needed, particularly for housing. The demand for residential land appears modified by modeling a medium and a high intensity scenario. Nevertheless, the Guiding Principles of Growth in the Discover Chapter quickly bring into question the commitment of the Plan (much less the City) to actually striving toward more innovative approaches to growth and development. The blanket statement in the second Principle (G2) Contiguous Greenfield Development that “Ames will accommodate much of its projected population growth in areas contiguous to the existing built-up city” does not indicate much commitment to anything other than status quo patterns. Moreover, the Principles seem to be in conflict with each other right out of the gate. Sustainable growth (G1) and Greenfield development (G2) are not easily companionable. Additionally, placing Infill (G3) after G2 implies a higher priority on Greenfield development. This apparent assumption that not only will population growth follow historical patterns but also land use, continues to present itself throughout the Plan. Getting into the weeds of some of the land use categories and the Future Land Use Map further seems to suggest that the Plan does little to actually move the City off the decades-long assumptions that growth and development simply follow past patterns. Residential Neighborhood 4 (RN-4), Neighborhood Core – Mixed Use (NC-MU), Redirection (Redir) seem to offer the most hope in terms of doing things somewhat differently. However, when looking at the Future Land Use Map there is precious little in these categories to be found whereas standard Residential Expansion (RN-3) – “largely single family at low and medium densities” - is given loads of space. Moving into Project Review - this leads almost directly to probable conflicts wherein the lowest density, least connected, least transit friendly is almost guaranteed to carry the day. To cite just Mixed Use, you find “Density/intensity. Differences in the amount or density of proposed development and its relationship to neighboring properties. A potential example could be a proposed townhome project in a low-density single-family neighborhood”. Obviously, appropriate review processes are needed, but the blunt instrument of, essentially, stating that a higher density is a conflict with existing uses (as opposed to suggesting that, in fact, low density is in conflict with the larger, long term goals and objectives of the Plan overall) is little different than not bothering with a plan at all. Yes, step-downs, buffers, landscaping all play a role in making these things work, but the assumption should be in favor of the mixed use, higher density not the other way around. Another example from the same section: “Traffic. Potential conflicts generated by differences in the amount, timing, and routing of traffic generated by a proposed project and existing uses. Examples might include a child care business in a residential area”. Again, a valid concern, but when is the perspective turned around to recognize development which makes it more difficult to foster active transportation, such as wide, straight roads with no bike lanes or distances beyond the typical 1/3 mile that people will walk to transit are in conflict with the Plan’s objectives? Alternately, how do we give credit to the reduction in traffic that biking, walking, and transit provide when, for example, a child care business is proposed adjacent to mixed transportation options even if it is also in a residential neighborhood? The vision stated at the outset of the Plan is a “community that ensures Ames is an inclusive, thriving, and vital community with a diverse economy, environmentally sustainable practices, and a high quality of living that meets the needs of both current and future residents”. You will not achieve that vision by relying upon perspectives that assume low-density, auto centric development as the standard against which all else must compete. The presumptive outlook must be turned around to strongly support that higher-density, mixed-use, multi-modal is the direction of the future toward a “vital community” and that patterns which run contrary to that are the ones in conflict. If the Plan was actually driven from that assumption (that higher density is the normative form for future development), one would expect to see more land identified as Mixed Use in its various forms and descriptions. As but one example, one should think that the North Grand Mall area would be considered an Infill or Redirect and/or evolution into RN-MU or RN-4 since it already has an over-abundance of parking, existing connections to transit and bike lanes and other commercial and varied residential density surrounding it. This would seem a likely block also due to the continually changing viability of brick and mortar retail. Other examples like this are not that difficult to find, even in Ames. But to even identify these possibilities, much less support shifting development patterns in that direction, requires actual commitment to the vision of the Plan which, simply stated, is not the impression one gets once you read beyond the stated vision. From: webnotification@cityofames.org <webnotification@cityofames.org> Sent: Monday, September 27, 2021 5:03 PM To: WebMaster <webmaster@cityofames.org> Subject: Feedback for City of Ames, IA [External Email] You have received this feedback from Erv Klaas < eklaas@iastate.edu > for the following page: https://www.cityofames.org/government/departments-divisions-i-z/planning/comprehensive-plan Whom ever developed this plan did an inadequate job of identifying critical environmental areas. The most glaring example of this was in allowing for housing development on the property adjoining Ada Hayden Heritage Park formerly known as Rose Prairie. When it up for sale late in 2020, the Friends of Ada Hayden Heritage Park proposed several alternatives to protect this property. Our proposal was turned down with very little explanation except that housing the owner was working on a housing development plan. So, why did the city delay actively working to make our proposal active. This was a huge mistake for the future of the Park. I do not have the time to evaluate all the other land areas in the plan but the Skunk River Greenbelt is very important. Also consideration should have been given to limiting growth. I would welcome a no growth policy. We have reached out limit with respect to land area, drinking water, and the use of fossil fuels. ABC Comments on Ames Comprehensive Plan 2040 The Vision stated at the outset of the Plan is laudable: “An evolving city that will not only grow outwardly, but also invest in existing areas and support change within the community that ensures Ames is an inclusive, thriving, and vital community with a diverse economy, environmentally sustainable practices, and a high quality of living that meets the needs of both current and future residents.” Unfortunately, based on the contents of the Plan, it appears highly unlikely that this Vision will be achieved. As one of the only advocates for active transportation in Ames, the Ames Bicycle Coalition finds the 2040 Plan decidedly disappointing. Throughout the Plan is evidenced that the standard assumptions about growth and development will continue to hold sway in Ames for at least the next 20 years. The primary assumption in this plan appears to be that growth will primarily be accommodated through development on the edge(s) of Ames and specifically in the land use form identified as “Residential Expansion (RN-3)” which is defined as “largely single family at low and medium densities”. That is basically the type of development that has given us a community that is already behind the times in terms of fostering the efficiencies needed to minimize costs as well as to support transit, bicycling, walking and other forms of transportation. Alternative transportation requires change from the status quo and could actually move us toward a future that does achieve the stated vision of this Plan – one that is diverse, environmentally sustainable, and offers a high quality of life. ABC does not question whether good and serious thought has been given to the proposals in this Plan. However, we do question the commitment of the Plan (and the City) to actually make the changes necessary to move toward the stated Vision. When the Guiding Principles use the blanket statement already in the second Principle that “Ames will accommodate much of its projected population growth in areas contiguous to the existing built-up city” it does not evoke much confidence in a willingness to anything other than status quo patterns. This very principle, in turn, essentially guarantees that Ames will not be fostering any significant increase in the efficiencies needed for other modes of travel than single use automobile. Sections pertaining to the Review Process further support the impression that the Plan relies very heavily on the assumption of status quo. To cite just one example from this section: “Traffic. Potential conflicts generated by differences in the amount, timing, and routing of traffic generated by a proposed project and existing uses. Examples might include a child care business in a residential area”. Obviously, a valid concern, but it clearly indicates the status quo assumptions of the Plan. Rather than relying on the perspective here that the traffic caused by a child care business is necessarily to be avoided, the Plan should be exploring how to foster development that facilitates child care businesses in residential neighborhoods – since that is precisely where they logically should be – by developing with residential patterns and densities that encourage transit, biking, walking, and other micro-mobility. A child care business that doesn’t require auto traffic increases and allows parents to not have to make extra trips beyond their neighborhood to child care is the type of development that fosters the vision of the Plan. As long as the Plan relies upon perspectives that assume low-density, auto centric development as the standard against which all else must compete, it will not achieve the stated vision. The presumptive outlook must be turned around to support patterns of higher-density, mixed-use, and multi-modal. That is the direction of the future toward a “vital community” and patterns which run contrary to that are the ones in conflict. Readjusting the Plan with to truly support the goals of sustainability, diversity, and efficiency does not require major changes in what the Plan contains, but it does require real commitment to the vision the Plan claims to support – we hope the City is ready to demonstrate that commitment. Sincerely, Ames Bicycle Coalition Steve Libbey, Carol Williams From:grantridge@aol.com To:Sahlstrom, Eloise Subject:Question and Comment about Draft Ames Plan 2040 Date:Wednesday, September 29, 2021 11:27:39 AM [External Email] Hi Eloise Sahlstrom, Thank you for sending a reminder earlier this month that the comment period for the Draft Ames Plan 2040 lasts through September. I have attended several public meetings about the plan over the past few years and have made previous comments. The Plan seems to me to reflect serious efforts to consider the importance of protecting natural resources and also consider environmental impacts. Those issues are especially important to me, so I appreciate those efforts. I have one question about the Plan and one comment. My question is in regard to the map on page 78 called "Urban Fringe: Annexation and Fringe Area." I need to look at that map more carefully because it's hard for me to read. My question is whether, if I see any corrections to that map that seem to be needed, I need to submit that correction information by the end of the day on September 30th. Is that map considered permanent, or is that map considered somewhat fluid because, I presume, new development may take place in a few places in the fringe area in future years? If I see any land that is labeled as "Story County Urban Reserve" but should be labeled as "Natural Areas," does that information need to reach you by tomorrow afternoon? My comment is in regard to the proposed East Expansion Area as shown on Page 36. I think I've seen a couple of small-map versions of how that area might be developed, but neither version showed the existence of a significant 36-acre high- quality wetland and prairie area that should be protected, rather than developed into a residential area as shown on the current small map. The property ID number of the wetland/prairie is 06-29-200-410. The small East Expansion Area map shows a proposed green corridor of open space, but that corridor does not include the wetland/prairie. I tried to determine whether the Urban Fringe map on page 78 shows the wetland/prairie as a natural area. But in spite of much squinting and attempts to use my limited computer skills:-), I was unable to tell. As noted in the Plan, it is very important to protect existing natural areas as well as create new parks and open spaces. I think all maps of the East Expansion Area and the Urban Fringe Area should show the wetland/prairie, and it should be considered an area to protect. Thank you very much for your work on the Plan. Best wishes -- Cindy Cindy Hildebrand grantridge@aol.com 57439 250th St. Ames, IA 50010 "I hear the heart-stirring whistle of an upland plover; time was when his forebears followed the buffalo as they trudged shoulder-deep through an illimitable garden of forgotten blooms." (Aldo Leopold) From:grantridge@aol.com To:Sahlstrom, Eloise Subject:Re: Question and Comment about Draft Ames Plan 2040 Date:Wednesday, September 29, 2021 5:11:01 PM Attachments:image001.png [External Email] Eloise, thank you very much! I'm glad you can read the map better than I could. I contacted the owner of that 36-acre parcel today (Mike Meetz), and was told that the entire parcel is now protected by a permanent conservation easement. That means future development of that parcel is legally prohibited. I can't remember if the Plan has a designation for land protected from development by permanent conservation easements. Perhaps if nothing else, such parcels, when known, could/should be designated on Plan maps as natural areas(?) Thanks again! Cindy Cindy Hildebrand grantridge@aol.com 57439 250th St. Ames, IA 50010 515-232-3807 "I hear the heart-stirring whistle of an upland plover; time was when his forebears followed the buffalo as they trudged shoulder-deep through an illimitable garden of forgotten blooms." (Aldo Leopold) In a message dated 9/29/2021 1:31:42 PM Central Standard Time, eloise.sahlstrom@cityofames.org writes: Cindy, I looked at the map and the area marked by the blue arrow is the same area- at least the wetlands portion, that you are mentioning. See attachments. Kind regards, Eloise Sahlstrom Planner Planning & Housing From:KATHERINE A SVEC To:Sahlstrom, Eloise Subject:Re: Feedback Sought on Draft Ames Plan 2040 Date:Wednesday, September 29, 2021 8:49:03 PM Attachments:image001.png image004.png [External Email] Eloise, I attended the drop-in session at the Library on Monday and enjoyed seeing the maps and talking to staff. I think The Plan has been well-thought out and includes things of importance to me personally and to the community. It has been a huge effort - but a successful one and I want to offer my Bravos to all who took part. I wanted to mention one thing. I noticed the gap in the bike path on Grand from Murray Drive to Lincoln Way and asked about it. There is apparently no plan at this time. I was actually very glad to hear that! We live at 6th and Grand and over time, have lost a lot of property to public transportation and would not like to lose any more. That stretch of Grand Ave just doesn't have much space to offer, and if a plan does develop, I hope that it will be very minimal and would not encroach on residents' lawns and landscaping. We have plantings that provide privacy from a busy street as well as important shade for our house. To strip those away would be a great loss that would affect the value of our property. Thanks for letting me comment. Kathy Svec, 603 Grand Ave. From: Sahlstrom, Eloise <eloise.sahlstrom@cityofames.org> Sent: Tuesday, September 7, 2021 2:49 PM To: Sahlstrom, Eloise <eloise.sahlstrom@cityofames.org> Cc: Diekmann, Kelly <kelly.diekmann@cityofames.org> Subject: Feedback Sought on Draft Ames Plan 2040 Good afternoon. As you may recall, you provided your email contact, as an interested party in the preparation of the City’s 20-year comprehensive plan, known as “Ames Plan 2040.” We are contacting you to let you know that the draft plan is now complete! From:Sahlstrom, Eloise To:Sahlstrom, Eloise Subject:FW: Feedback for City of Ames, IA Date:Thursday, September 30, 2021 12:06:58 PM From: webnotification@cityofames.org <webnotification@cityofames.org> Sent: Wednesday, September 29, 2021 9:10 PM To: WebMaster <webmaster@cityofames.org> Subject: Feedback for City of Ames, IA [External Email] You have received this feedback from Erv Klaas < eklaas@iastate.edu > for the following page: https://www.cityofames.org/government/departments-divisions-i-z/planning/comprehensive-plan I have read the 2040 plan several times. As I expected, this is "business as usual." Grow, grow, grow. Have any of you who constructed this plan read "The Limits to Growth" by Donella Meadows, et al.? Published in 1972, a team of MIT scientists completed a study of the future if present growth continues. Their inescapable conclusions are beyond anyone's grimmest fears. Despite making headlines the world over, policymakers continue to advocate for GROWTH. The Ames 2040 plan is a perfect example. The plan ignores the following: Ames was built on a swamp and we have exceeded the available land needed for growth without taking valuable productive land that is needed to grow food. Our soils are some of the richest in the world. We have nearly exceeded our drinking water aquifers. Millions of gallons of water are now being diverted to produce ethanol to burn in cars. Millions of bushels of corn are being grown for the same purpose. We have exceeded our capacity to treat human waste and safely dispose of it in our rivers. We have exceeded our capacity to dispose of solid waste, especially plastics. We tear down old buildings and build new ones at a terrific cost of adding more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The atmosphere is fast losing its ability to absorb this pollutant. Where are the jobs to employ these new people. Climate change is going to cause a huge migration of people into the Midwest; we should be discouraging people from moving here, but the message from our Chamber of Commerce is to entice more people. We need a major paradigm shift to a "no-growth" mentality. The collapse will not come gradually, but with awesome suddenness with no way of stopping it. The 2040 Comprehensive Plan is a blueprint for disaster. Scrap it and start over. From:Tam Lorenz To:Sahlstrom, Eloise Subject:Comments: Ames Plan 2040 Date:Thursday, September 30, 2021 1:11:21 PM [External Email] Dear Eloise, Thank you for taking the time to explain various terms and concepts used in the Plan, when I visited the open house at the Library on Monday, 9/27. As I mentioned when we spoke, I think I’ve attended most 2040 input events and listened to most discussions of the Plan during City Council meetings. Even so, trying to make coherent comments or ask questions about such a massive document is daunting. I admit, there were sections I only skimmed. Despite some of my more critical remarks below, I do realize and appreciate all of the time City Staff, the Council and consultants have put into the Plan and the goal of directing and humanizing growth policy. Page 33: The term “scale” is defined by using the undefined term “step-down”. I did not know what it meant until you drew an illustration. Although it may be a term of art, well-known to planners, I’m not sure its meaning is clear to the general public from whom you are soliciting comments. Maybe a diagram/graphic or definition of step-down would help understanding. Page 53: Land Use: Categories: RN-1: Development Guidelines section: bullet 3: ADU > I know the idea of accessory dwelling units (ADU) in traditional neighborhoods seems to have taken hold of the planning imagination in Ames. I think this concept is just one more way to crowd more people into already compact neighborhoods. Ames went through such a painful process to try to limit rental density in campus overlay neighborhoods, only to be thwarted by the state legislature. Building ADUs within traditional neighborhoods seems to be at odds with the goal Ames was trying to accomplish with the failed rental density control regulation. I really don’t see a significant difference between cramming more people into one house on a property versus increasing the population density on the same property via an ADU. The result is the same: more resident and automobile activity in a limited neighborhood space. I hope the City can relinquish the ADU concept as a housing solution and realize the concept can simply make existing neighborhood life more congested and loud. Page 118: Housing Choice and Attainability: ADU Please assume I have the same objection to ADUs as stated in H1-3 and implied in H2-1 and the Lincoln Way Corridor Plan for the Oak to Riverside neighborhood. Page 53: Land Use: Categories: RN-1: Development Guidelines section: bullet 5: office and commercial uses Please delete this concept! While the stated goal is to preserve residential scale, it does not address heavier traffic patterns within a compact neighborhood. The placement of such business is projected to be along “avenues, mixed use avenues and thoroughfares”. These roadways through or adjacent to neighborhoods are busy by design and practice. Adding businesses along an avenue, for example within an RN-1 neighborhood, will push traffic through the neighborhood on side streets, because driver egress through less busy side streets will be “faster” than exiting onto a busy avenue. My RN-1 neighborhood is already adjacent to the currently, relatively quiet Redirection land use category (p. 64) that the Plan’s Characteristics section describes as “opportunities for major redevelopment” and recognizes the area is “currently low intensity of use areas”. Therefore, the Plan allows increased commercial use (p. 53)on Lincoln Way and in the Redirection (p. 64) area immediately east of N. Oak. Along with the proposed aquatic center at Lway and N. Oak, the Plan could easily facilitate a huge jump in traffic volume on Lincoln Way and through my neighborhood. Page 66: Land Use: Categories: Near Campus Overlay: Goals bullet number 3: “Developing clear edges and transitional standards to moderate near off campus-related densities to protect adjacent traditional neighborhoods.” Please re-write as follows: Developing clear edges and transitional standards to moderate near off campus-related DENSITY OF DWELLING UNITS to protect NEIGHBORHOODS WITHIN THE OVERLAY. If the “neighborhoods within the overlay” language is not acceptable, please remove the word “adjacent” from the current phrase, “ to protect adjacent traditional neighborhoods”. The land use category being discussed IS the near campus overlay. I think bullet 3 is attempting to communicate the goal of standards that moderate near off campus-related dwelling unit densities to protect the overlay neighborhoods themselves. The word adjacent communicates the protection is focused not on the overlay neighborhoods, but on neighborhoods that are “adjacent” to the overlay neighborhoods. Note: Some of the neighborhoods covered by the overlay are not strictly “adjacent” to campus. Page 119: Policy Framework: H4-3: The text on the page ends with the word “to”. Do you mean “too” or is is the last part of that sentence missing? Page 121: Mislabeled drawing? The category addressed is the Near-south downtown subarea, but the adjacent drawing is labeled Near-south campustown subarea. The plan to greatly increase housing density in my neighborhood (south of the RR tracks) again puts more traffic pressure on the area, especially because the City also plans to build the aquatic center across the street from the southern border of the area illustrated. Also, I find it amazing (and not in a good way) that a “rail side park” is envisioned. It would encourage play immediately next to one of the most dangerous features of Ames and it is not under the control of the City. Page 126: Conditions: Character of Ames The colors on the key/legend for the map does not match the corridor colors: the green on the map is not represented in the key. “[S]treets feature a … extensive tree canopy” As I mentioned at the beginning of this long email, reading and commenting is daunting. If I missed the part of the plan that addresses the importance of tree planting, I apologize in advance: One of the omissions of this plans seems to be the importance of restoring the dwindling tree canopy in Ames. Over the last 50 years, I’ve watched Dutch elm disease and the emerald ash borer, plus the 2020 derecho, devastate the number of mature trees. It seems that only recently has there been a refocusing on the trimming and care of the City’s trees. I am thankful for this effort, but much more needs to be done to regularly PLANT trees on City-owned land. To accomplish this, we need a stated goal and dedicated funding. Therefore: 1. Please add a tree-planting goal to the 2040 Plan. 2. Add the planting of conifers to landscape requirements for new, large commercial or residential construction. Remember, we live in Iowa and deciduous trees and ornamental grasses do little to screen such constructions during at least half of the year. 3. Recognize the role of trees in improving the air quality of the City and include a similar goal in the City’s Climate Action Plan. Thank you for reading this long email. Again, I appreciate all of the time the City has put into this Plan. Tam Lorenz 311 S Maple Ave Dear Eloise, We appreciate the efforts of RDG and the city to develop the new comprehensive 2040 Plan for Ames and to encourage public input throughout the process. It isn’t feasible for us to study every detail of the plan so we focused on the area we are most familiar with - our rural Southwest Ames neighborhood. Reading through fine print, we came upon a specific area of concern. On the Tier map our neighborhood south of Highway 30 in the Southwest is shown as a Tier 2. In the plan’s descriptions of the four tiers on page 40, we noted that the Tier 2 criteria specifies that “infrastructure is available with extensions of existing lines under ½ mile”. In fact, the chart on page 42 states that the wastewater trunkline would actually need to be extended approximately 1.5 miles to service the Southwest. Therefore, classifying the Southwest area (south of Highway 30) as a Tier 2 was incorrect. Most of the other Tier 2 criteria listed seem vague, but another states that Tier 2 can be developed in the short run when adjacent to the developed city. It would be a stretch to label the Southwest area (south of Highway 30) as adjacent to the city as it is separated from the city by Highway 30, which obviously creates a natural barrier. On page 41, there is more language suggesting that the Southwest Tier 2 area could be developed during the planning period. We aren’t sure what that means, but it appears this would be contrary to the priority vote of the city council, which does not include the area south of Highway 30. The city planner has told us that this tier issue is irrelevant because the council has voted for specific priority areas that do not include the area south of Highway 30. However, we believe, for the sake of clarity and to avoid confusion in the future, it is important for the planning document to be correct. Referring to the Tier definitions, it is clear that the Southwest area (south of Highway 30) does not qualify as a Tier 2 and would more accurately be defined as a Tier 3 or 4. We respectively urge you to make this change. Another area of concern is the inclusion of the former Champlin Farm and its surroundings as a development area in the 2040 Draft Plan map when it should be in the fringe. This area is part of the Worle Creek corridor. We can find no record of this area being included in the earlier working documents. Yet, it somehow made it into the current draft plan with a designation of RN-3, an unfortunate high density expansion area for the beautiful and environmentally sensitive Worle Creek corridor. Using the definition of “Open Space” as written on page 47 of the plan, the entire Worle Creek corridor that runs from our Southwest neighborhood and east to Meadow Glen fits the “Open Space” description well. Yet, it is not designated as such in the 2040 Draft Plan. The Worle Creek corridor is unique, special and must be preserved. It’s one of the few natural ecological areas left in this community. There are mature trees, rolling hills, steep ravines and abundant and rare wildlife. The pristine creek should never be used for storm water runoff. Given the community’s important emphasis on green space, we believe Worle Creek is an area that must be protected. We’ve been told that “Open Space” refers to a floodplain, but that isn’t mentioned in the definition. It’s a mistake to designate the Worle Creek corridor as anything other than “Open Space” per the city’s definition. Please take our concerns under consideration. Thank you for the opportunity to express our views. Sincerely, Kim & Becky Christiansen 2985 South Dakota Ave Ames, IA. 5001 From:grantridge@aol.com To:Sahlstrom, Eloise Subject:Corrected Final Comment on the Ames Plan 2040 (please use this instead of the version I just sent, thank you) Date:Thursday, September 30, 2021 5:04:32 PM [External Email] To help ensure the accuracy of the Plan maps, I want to point out that a 145-acre parcel in Grant Township in the Ames Plan 2040 Urban Fringe area is mostly a combination of four wetlands, prairie, creeks, and riparian trees and other vegetation. Some of the land is enrolled in USDA conservation programs. The ID numbers for the land are below. The land is owned by my husband and myself, and we would like to keep it in its current natural condition forever. Thank you for considering this comment. 10-17-400-100 10-17-300-455 10-17-400-300 10-17-300-200 Cindy Hildebrand grantridge@aol.com 57439 250th St. Ames, IA 50010 515-232-3807 "I hear the heart-stirring whistle of an upland plover; time was when his forebears followed the buffalo as they trudged shoulder-deep through an illimitable garden of forgotten blooms." (Aldo Leopold) Christine Hausner To Council: This letter is concerning the 2040 plan with regards to SW Ames and specifically the Champlin Farm. I’m sure you are well aware of who I am by this point that I won’t reintroduce myself. This will be thorough because it needs to be. I am speaking on behalf of my family, my parents, and neighbors. I am a bit confused, as at the last city council meeting I attended last year, the council voted to NOT have south of Highway 30 as part of the growth prospectus and now I see it is back on with tier 1 and/or tier 2 classification. The definition of those tiers, unless I am mistaken, is that utilities have to be within ½- mile of the proposed area. The utilities are actually 1.5 miles away so I’m not sure how that makes sense. Another issue I see is the change in designation of the Champlin Farm (which is no longer on the market) from rural residential/ag to an RN-3 which is medium to high-density housing but it isn’t a tier anything and not even in the growth prospectus so I am questioning why that would be as well. Cory with RDG said himself that, during their consulting, they found that SW Ames was unique in that it was a rural community, his exact words being “rural community.” They advised staying out of this area I would assume mostly due to the close proximity to ISU property...yet here we still are. The last I knew, SW Ames wasn’t a tier anything and was not in the growth plan...yet here we still are. Kelly himself said that looking south of Worle/Worrell Creek would not be beneficial...yet here we still are. So, I am once again going to go over the reasons why all of us in this area are fighting this. I would like to direct you once again to the ecological/archaeological study commissioned by the city that was done in 2005. You may find that here. https://www.cityofames.org/government/departments-divisions-i-z/public-works/engineering/worle- creek I have taken some statements from that study that highlight the general summary of these findings. In the fauna report by Dr. Keith Summerville from Drake he states in his summary he recommends: "Because of time constraints associated with this work , additional data on faunal species likely to occur within Worle Creek area" " the entire Worle Creek area functions as a moderate to high quality greenbelt." "to pursue additional and more intensive field surveys of the area of the area for both bull and smooth green snakes both which are of special concern in Iowa, to conduct a more temporally extensive butterfly survey that fly in spring and mid to late summer and pursue sewer engineering options that significantly reduce fragmentation of existing woodland habitat in the Worle Creek area." In the Floristic Quality Assessment by Cathy Mabry McMullin and Don Farr both of Iowa State "The Norris study conducted in 1994 used the rapid assessment method which was highly sensitive to the presence of exotic shrub species of brush honeysuckle and multiflora rose. his study did NOT include tree size (a factor recommended for subsequent studies). The Norris method was not designed to include herbaceous vegetation. Our inclusive study of the understory species revealed a surprising floristic richness, reflected in higher quality ratings than those based only of woody species." "Spring inventory was conducted April 28 to May 12 and summer inventory conducted June 2 to July 7, 2004." "Because our inventory ended on July 7, roughly halfway through the growing season, and carried out relatively quickly by two researchers, the number of species in each parcel and for the corridor as a whole should be considered a minimum. Therefore, because the FQI (Floristic Quality Index) is in part determined by native species diversity, additional botanical work would undoubtedly result in a higher parcel and overall FQIs." State Archaeologist Cynthia L. Peterson Given that the potential for surficial and subsurface archaeological sites exists, Phase I archaeological investigation is recommended with 55-ha (54.6 percent ) of the 100.7 ha project area to locate potential archaeological sites prior to any planned ground disturbing activities." The following are rare and infrequent plant species that were inventoried for the Journal of Iowa Academy of Science in 2001. I have attached a copy of this study. In my efforts with conservation regarding the Champlin Farm and Worle Creek corridor, I reached out to many people and organizations. The USDA commissioners had this to say via email... My recommendation would be to recommend that she works with Story County Conservation and Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation. Because of studies proving the presence of rare species on the land, I think Christine has a case to work with those two organizations to purchase the land from the current owner and pursue permanent protection in the hands of Story County Conservation. She should also get in contact with the DNR. Several of the amphibian, reptile, and bird species observed in the 2005 report have since been listed as Species of Greatest Conservation Concern under the updated Iowa Wildlife Action Plan. The wildlife and forestry divisions would probably be the most helpful. I reached out to our local chapter of The Audubon Society, Big Bluestem Audubon. This was their response... The board members all agreed that BBAS is willing to send an official letter of opposition to the City of Ames, based upon likely destruction of bird and other wildlife habitat, native plant life, and the natural stream, all occurring if the City's proposed project is to proceed. Unfortunately, this was right when the pandemic was getting bad so I don’t know if that actually happened. I reached out to my contact again but haven’t heard back but I haven’t been given much time to prepare before public comment is closed. I reached out to several of the professors that were involved in the study to see what their thoughts were. These are some responses... It has been a long time, probably the 1990's, since I walked Worle Creek. In my view Worle Creek is valuable given its rich cultural/archaeological history and the rare plant and animal records that Jimmie summarizes. Ultimately, it comes down to quality of life for Ames citizens: do they value these increasingly scarce semi-natural areas as a place to retreat from busy professional and personal lives? Or are people so busy with what is going on in their work cubicles and on their computer screens that they have lost touch with such areas? As someone who over the past 30 years has spent hundreds of hours exploring these scraps of semi- natural areas within the Ames city limits, I sincerely hope that the decision makers find reason not to proceed. Bill (Dr. William Norris) My only involvement with the area was as Chair of the ISU Outdoor Teaching Labs Committee, I insisted that the City (in preparing their future development plans in the 2-mile area surrounding the then-existing city limits) install a lift station rather than use a gravity fed system for their sanitary sewer. The latter system would have simply destroyed the creek and the woods along it as the sewer was installed. This was in the section through Curtiss Farm, which we had an interest in (both the constructed prairies and the woods along the stream). They dislike lift stations because they are expensive and require more maintenance. Cathy Brown agreed and, as I recall, the City put that in their speculative plans at the time. I have not seen what they intend to do now with the latest 2040 plan. I would think the University would still have interest in the area. Bill's reference to Cathy's report and his thesis are appropriate and good. James Pease, Ph.D. Emeritus Assoc. Professor, Natural Resource Ecology and Management, ISU Environmental, Interpretive, and Wildlife Consulting I am also including again a copy of the email that Lara Noldner, Bioarchaeology Director of the State Archaeologists, that she emailed to council on 04/22/2019... Dear Ames City Council Members, I understand that Christine Hausner has been in contact with you regarding her concerns for sensitive areas, including one recorded prehistoric burial site, on her family’s property that could possibly be proposed for annexation in your Comprehensive Plan. Per the Iowa Code (Ch263B.7-9) the University of Iowa Office of the State Archaeologist is responsible for the protection of ancient human remains and burial sites (defined as over 150 years old) in the state, so we often consult on projects like this to assist planners and developers in the avoidance of unwanted impacts to known burial sites and areas where undocumented burial sites are possible. I made some calls to City Council members today to get more details on the project you all are working on and spoke with Bronwyn. She let me know that your discussion at the City Council’s meeting tomorrow will involve your Comprehensive Plan which you are developing in part to determine areas for future annexations around Ames. Given Christine’s concerns I have attached a report that our office produced in 2004 after archaeological survey for the Worle Creek Sanitary Sewer Extension. Please note that this report, especially archaeological site locations, are confidential and not for public disclosure. You will see that documented on Linn Lloyd’s property (Sections 17-18 T83N- R24W) are archaeological sites 13SR82 and 13SR73, as well as areas with high to moderate potential for additional cultural deposits (Figure 6 on pg 13) in the area surveyed. 13SR82 is a known prehistoric burial site, which per the Iowa Code (sections 523I.316.6 and 716.5) is protected from intentional disturbance, and was indicated for avoidance; basically, no ground disturbing activity can occur there. The report also recommends additional archaeological testing for future development in areas of high to moderate site potential prior to any further development. We are happy to consult further on your planning project and please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns you might have. I will also mention that our office maintains the database of all known archaeological sites in Iowa and can provide site searches for any City projects that would help identify similar culturally sensitive areas as needed. Lara K. Noldner, PhD Bioarchaeology Director Office of the State Archaeologist University of Iowa Since it is hard for you to see exactly what it would be that you are destroying by urban development by looking at it from the road, over a year ago, I strapped a GoPro to my forehead and went on a hike so I could show you exactly what we are talking about. One video is taken right from where the sewer line ends. It would have to be taken another 1/2-mile up to the Munson property in order to service the entire Champlin Farm area. In this video, I walked for about an hour and I only made it halfway so the video is only showing half of the way the sewer line would need to be taken. That is a 100-foot wide swath of habitat destroyed, including 100+-year-old oak trees, and unnaturally straightening the creek. The other video is showing you Worle Creek proper. This shows what habitat and creek you would destroy making it the sole storm sewer drainage system. So, destroying habitat to get the pipes in and then every piece of garbage, every chemical on someone’s lawn, every oil patch in someone’s driveway, all the salt from the streets would go directly in this creek. This creek is just NOW starting to recover from farm runoff. I have 1000-year-old artifacts from the end of my parents’ driveway from Native Americans that would come from Mesquaki on the weekends in the summer to fish out of this creek. This is why we have a Native American burial site because someone passed away while camping here. This information was gathered from the Ames Historical Society. There are frogs, toads, turtles, and minnows, etc. I just had two herons fly over my head the other day that were down at the creek so it has life in it and it does provide. Imagine what this will do after making this a storm sewer. Please keep in mind that this was early spring so the videos do not do the tree canopy justice. Those videos can be found here.... https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIBycfHHXNPhrcJ651-VJUA With regards to endangered and protected species, the bull snake is an endangered species. Neighbors have seen them within the last year and my parents had a 6-foot-long one on their patio within the last six years. Wood ducks are on a protected list. If you go down to the creek in the spring, you will always kick one up. My dad had five of them sitting in his oak tree this past spring. We have several migratory birds that stop here and nest here. We also have a specific plant here that has never been found anywhere else in Story County. I would like to revisit the fact that we are almost completely enveloped by over 4100 acres of ISU property...and counting. I am not sure if you are aware but the Bentley farm just south of us was purchased last year by ISU so that adds another roughly 100 acres to their total. We are by every definition a rural community. We have crop dust, tractors running, cows mooing, manure smells, and fertilizer and pesticides being sprayed. And now, because of the feed mill, we will have several trucks running daily with feed from the feed mill to the teaching farms on ISU property down State. At last count, I believe I had eight teaching farms within ¼ to ½-mile from the Champlin Farm and 15 total within a mile. The consulting firm advised the city to stay away from this area...yet here we still are. Every expert that worked on this study, plant, animal, and archaeological, advised that you protect this area and to go elsewhere...yet here we still are. ISU only continues to grow and isn’t going anywhere...yet here we still are. Kelly tells you that the utilities are “right there” but you need to be made aware of what that actually means because it isn’t that simple. This study was done AFTER that sewer line was put in. I’m not a betting woman, but I would bet my house that if this study had been done PRIOR to that proposal, it never would have happened. In this political climate that focuses so much on global warming, carbon footprinting, climate change, and environmental protection, why would you move forward with this when the city even voted AGAINST it 15 years ago. Fifteen years ago, the city thought SW Ames would be prime for development. They rolled the dice and put in an interchange on the highway, changed our designation from rural residential/ag to urban service area with regards to the fringe plan (without advising any homeowners in the area, by the way), and put in a sewer line off of State without doing any investigation into how it would impact the environment...and they guessed wrong. In 15 years, nothing has changed. The Champlin Farm sat on the market for five years and no developer was interested because it doesn’t make sense. If you developed south of Highway 30 and spent millions upon millions for infrastructure and utilities, where else would you service? If you developed the Champlin Farm and spent millions upon millions to pave two roads that go nowhere and destroy the environment to get the utilities in, where else are you going to go because everything to the south and north is ISU property. At the last city council meeting, Mr. Haila was kind enough to allow me to speak with extra time so I could go over all of my facts. The last thing that I said was that, if you develop the Champlin Farm, you still have ZERO possibility to expand anywhere else. Tim asked Kelly if I was wrong, and he said, no, she isn’t wrong...yet here we still are. In order to become part of the city, per your own guidelines, the area has to check off certain boxes. It has to have continuity with the city, feasibility, marketability, and be cost effective. Nothing south of Highway 30, in my opinion, fills any of those boxes, and the Champlin Farm certainly does not, specifically with regards to the environmental concerns. There are rural subdivisions built inside the county all over Ames within the 2-mile fringe. Having county utilities and acreages would vastly decrease the impact on the environment. So why is it okay for other places to be able to build in that way that have ZERO environmental impact and a place like this that has experts telling you that there IS environmental impact isn’t considered? In my conservation efforts, I built somewhat of a rapport with Erin Brockovich and I have emailed her several times. She is completely supportive of our efforts. I am not just a girl whose heart is in it because I grew up here and my family has been here for 100 years. I’m still smart enough to know that none of this makes sense, not environmentally and not logistically. Unless you consider getting rid of ISU and their teaching farms and ag land, where will you go? They aren’t going anywhere and that will never change. My dad’s whole life it has always been, this is ISU’s corner and we are just living in it and that is the absolute truth. I met with one of the professors that was part of the study and I asked if they would give me a quote that I could include in my letter and they said that they didn’t feel comfortable because of their position with ISU which I completely respect. But what they said was, a quote from me isn’t going to make any difference because the study should stand on its own merit. You would think that, right? Yet here we still here. If you don’t follow the recommendations of every expert involved with this study, as well as others that weren’t, to protect this area and not destroy it with urban development, then at the very least go with their second recommendation which is to have further studies done on the property, and even the entire Worle Creek corridor, at different times of the year to get the full extent of what this ecosystem has before making a decision such as these, especially since many of these plant and animal species in all likelihood have become listed as higher priority since this study was done. That is the very least you can do to make an educated decision. The city rolled the dice on several things and they guessed wrong. The people that live here and this environment shouldn’t be punished because of that. The city made a mistake. And once again, that sewer line isn’t just “right there” and it never would have happened if that study had been done first. Kelly was quoted in the paper saying that he could put 300 houses on roughly 80 acres of the Champlin Farm and still be environmentally conscious. I can say with absolute certainty that that is not only an IMPROBABILITY, but it is an IMPOSSIBILITY. Not often are we given the opportunity to right a wrong and you have that opportunity to do that now. The Champlin Farm should be designated as open space and environmentally sensitive and it should be left under the county’s jurisdiction. And as to SW Ames and south of Highway 30, you really want to spend all of that money to go...where? Because in the end, we are still all going to be surrounded by 4100+ acres of ISU property and that will never change. If the city has a table for the Champlin Farm entitled Amenable for Urban Development and I have a table for the Champlin Farm entitled Not Amenable for Urban Development, the fact remains that I can check off a whole lot more boxes on my table than you can. We only get one Earth. We can’t trade it in for a new one and start all over again. Please do the right thing. Thank you for your time and consideration. Christine Hausner 3505 245th Street Ames, IA 50014 Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIA S Volume 108 |Number Article 4 2001 Lessons From an Inventor y of the Ames, Iowa, Flora (1859-2000) William R . Norris Western New Mexico University Deborah Q. Lewis Iowa State Universtiy, dlewis@iastate.edu Mark P. Widrlechner Iowa State University, isumw@iastate.edu Jimmie D. Thompson Richard O. Pope Iowa State University Copyright © Copyright 2001 by the Iowa Academy of Science, Inc. Follow this and additional works at:https://scholar works.uni.edu/jias Part of the Anthropology Commons,Life Sciences Commons,Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons, and the Science and Mathematics Education Commons This Research is brought to you for free and open access by UNI ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS by an authorized editor of UNI ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact scholarworks@uni.edu. Recommended Citation Norris, William R .; Lewis, Deborah Q.; Widrlechner, Mark P.; Thompson, Jimmie D.; and Pope, Richard O. (2001) "Lessons From an Inventory of the Ames, Iowa, Flora (1859-2000),"Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS, 108(2),34-63. Available at:https://scholar works.uni.edu/jias/vol108/iss2/4 Jour. Iowa Acad. Sci. 108(2):34--63, 2001 Lessons From an Inventory of the Ames, Iowa, Flora (1859-2000) WILLIAM R. NORRISl, DEBORAH Q. LEWIS2*, MARK P. WIDRLECHNER3, JIMMIE D. THOMPSON4 and RICHARD 0. POPE5 lDepartment of Natural Sciences, Western New Mexico University, Silver City, New Mexico 88061 2Department of Botany, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011-1020 3U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, North Central Regional Plant Introduction Station, Department of Agronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011-1170 4 19516 515 Ave., Ames, Iowa 50014 5Department of Entomology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011-3140 A botanical survey of the vascular flora of the "planning and zoning jurisdiction" of the city of Ames, Iowa (i.e., the area within a boundary 3.2 km beyond the current city limits) was compiled from 1990 to 2000. During this survey, 916 taxa (71 % native) were encountered within chis boundary. Literature reviews and a survey of Iowa Seate University's Ada Hayden Herbarium for specimens that had been collected in Ames since 1859 add 204 taxa to the flora. This total of 1,120 caxa exceeds the number of taxa known from any comparable area (including counties) in Iowa. We produced a checklist including date of first record, origin, abundance and habitat codes for all species that were noted during the current survey. Information for historic records includes source and, if based on a herbarium voucher, daces of first and most recent collections. This study reports 58 taxa that are not included in Eilers and Roosa's (1994) checklist of the Iowa vascular flora; 28 species currently or historically known from Ames are included in the 1994 Iowa Department of Natural Resources list of endangered, threatened or special concern species. Two species on the federal list of threatened plant species, Lespedeza leptostachya (native) and Boltonia decurrens (naturalized), are also found within the study area. An outline of previous studies of the Ames flora is presented. Sites containing notable plant assemblages in the survey area are mapped and described. The results of the survey provide both an enhanced general knowledge of the state's flora and an example of local analysis of floristic change. These results are also relevant co conservation efforts, such as habitat restoration and reconstruction, and in evaluating the conservation status of the vascular plant species in the state. This inventory highlights the need for similar, intensive srudies of the flora elsewhere in Iowa. The compilation of the historical data for such studies could be greatly aided by the development of computerized catalogs of the state's herbaria. INDEX DESCRIPTORS: Iowa flora, plant communities, floriscic survey, urban flora, Story County, conservation, threatened and endangered species. The vascular flora of Ames, Iowa, has received considerable atten tion from professional and amateur botanists since the middle of the nineteenth century. One period of extensive study occurred prior to 1900 and culminated with several published reports describing the flora in and around this city (Bessey 1871, Hitchcock 1890, Pammel 1898). The past vegetation of Ames (1859-1989) has also been doc umented by more than 4000 voucher specimens deposited in the Ada Hayden Herbarium (ISC) at Iowa State University. More re cently (1990-2000), we conducted a second major inventory of the Ames flora, which resulted in the addition of many new plant species to the checklist. We suspect that the flora of no other comparable area in Iowa (i.e., county, state preserve, state park, etc.) has been as thoroughly studied as this one. In this paper, we begin with a review of past botanical studies of the Ames flora. Then, we present a checklist of this flora as docu mented by past researchers and ourselves. Although the natural veg etation of Ames has been drastically altered by human pressures since the time of European settlement, we discovered 916 vascular plant taxa in or near Ames during our recent (1990-2000) inventory. Ad dition of hisrorical records to this checklist elevates this total to * Author to whom correspondence should be directed. 1,120 plant taxa, more taxa than are known from any Iowa county. These findings suggest that we still have much to learn about the Iowa flora. THE STUDY AREA Ames (1995 population: 48,691) is located in Story County in central Iowa. The boundary of the current plant inventory (Fig. 1) represents a 3.2 km (=2 mi) extension of the Ames city limits, which corresponds to the city's planning and zoning jurisdiction. The area lies within the following coordinates: 41°5 7 '40"N to 42°05'30"N latitude and 93°31'40"W to 93°43'30"W longitude. Most of the area thus circumscribed (23,700 ha = 58,560 ac) lies within Story County; however, a very small portion to the west ex tends into Boone County. Formerly, most of Story County was covered by prairie vegetation (Anderson 1996), but today the majority of this land area has been converted to crop fields. Nevertheless, several remnants of prairie vegetation still exist in the study area. Significant tracts of forest vegetation also occur in Ames, most in association with streams and rivers. Ames forests belong to the Central Hardwoods Forest Region (Braun 1964) and are dominated primarily by oak (Quercus) species. Wetland habitats, which were more common in Ames at the time FLORISTIC INVENTORY OF AMES, IOWA 35 8 1 0 Ql I U Cl i::' 81.9 al I Cl) 18oth St 220th St N A I I I 0 3 8 Kilometers ~"'liiiiiiiii~""""""iii--~""iiiiiiiii~~iiiiiiiiilO 7 2 4 5 6 Fig. 1. Map of the current survey area-Ames, Iowa. of settlement by Europeans (Anderson 1996), are currently restricted to only a few tracts within the boundary of this inventory. Detailed descriptions of many of these natural habitats in Ames are given by Norris and Farrar (1999). Many vascular plants in Ames commonly occur in areas subject to frequent human disturbance. These include construction sites, railroad and road rights-of-way, old fields, crop fields, sidewalks, res idential lawns and waste treatment areas. A large number, but by no means all, of the plant species typical of these sites have been introduced from outside of Iowa. Although these anthropogenic hab itats are not usually the focus of floristic studies in the Midwest (but see Swink and Wilhelm 1994), they comprise a majority of the land area in Ames. Therefore, we thoroughly surveyed a large variety of disturbed sites in Ames for plant species during this inventory. PAST STUDIES OF THE AMES FLORA (to 1989) Although a few herbarium specimens collected in Ames prior to 1870 have been preserved, concerted study of the flora was initiated that year with the arrival of Charles Bessey. Bessey founded the Iowa Agricultural College Herbarium soon after his arrival and began col lecting specimens of the local flora. His annual report of the Botany Department to the college administration for 1871 included an ap pendix entitled "Contributions to the Flora of Iowa" (Bessey 1871). It listed 588 taxa, most (452, 77%) of which were cited as occurring in Ames. According to unpublished reports (Parks Library Special Collections Department, Iowa State University), the students in Bes sey's first-year botany course were required to collect and identify a minimum of 100 species. Some students chose to mount their spec imens in bound volumes (exsiccatae) and personally retained their collections, but others were mounted and added to the herbarium. This resulted in rapid growth of the herbarium, so that within Bes sey's first year at the college, the herbarium had grown to ca. 2,500 specimens, most from the Ames vicinity. The rate of collecting and adding specimens to the herbarium grew during the 1870s and 1880s (see Fig. 2). The species list re sulting from the 132 Ames collections of Vene Gambell, one of Bessey's students in the early 1880s, was posthumously reported by Lindly (1911). But Albert Hitchcock, another of Bessey's students and subsequently a staff member of the college in the 1880s (Isely 1994), developed an even more active interest in the Ames flora. He prepared a checklist of the flora of the Ames area, comprising ca. 700 taxa (Hitchcock 1890). The Ames specimens still in the her- 36 JOUR. IOWA ACAD. SCI. 108(2001) 0 ., ., ., ·"' ., ., ., ., ~ ., ., ., ., $ = = = 8 = ~ ~ = = ~ = SC QC =" ... Ill ~ QC QC QC QC =" =" =" =" =" =" ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .... Decade Fig. 2. Graph indicating the number of plant specimens collected in Ames, Iowa, 1860--1989 (by decade). barium and Hitchcock's (1890) publication have provided us with an excellent opportunity to compare the current flora with that of the past. In 1889, Louis Pammel was named to head the College's Botany Department, at about the same time as Hitchcock's departure from the state. Pammel's own collecting and that of his students would add greatly to the herbarium during the next 40 years. In our 1999 survey of the herbarium, we found approximately 4,200 specimens from Ames. Of that total, approximately one-third had been added by 1900, and 607 specimens, far more than from any other collector, had been made by Pammel. Pammel's active collecting and his re search interests resulted in publications on the flora of Story County (Pammel 1898) and a survey of the weeds of Story County (Pammel and King 1914). Pohl's (1985) biography of Pammel detailed his work and interests. Three of the next four highest numbers of specimens collected in Ames were made by his students: Ada Hayden (1901-1943; 476 specimens), Jacob Anderson (1913, 1942-43; 232 specimens), and George Washington Carver (1892-1897; 171 specimens). Hayden was curator of the herbarium from 1934 to 1950 and was one of the founders of Iowa's state preserve system (Isely 1989). Anderson is primarily known for his floristic studies of the Alaskan flora; how ever, following his return to Ames, he collected plants in the vicinity of the college campus (Isely 1954). Carver received his bachelor's and master's degrees at Iowa Agricultural College (now Iowa State Uni versity) and was on the college staff before his appointment at Tus kegee University (McMurry 1981). Hitchcock's known collections ranked fourth on the list at 188. However, Hitchcock (1890) stated that all of the nearly 700 names on his published list were based on specimens in his personal her barium, with only a few having been deposited in the college her barium. Figure 2 clearly shows the increase of activity in collecting herbarium specimens during Pammel's tenure, the maintenance of fairly high numbers until 1950 (the year of Hayden's death), and the subsequent decline in more recent decades. Ames collections from 1950 to 1989 were sporadic, comprising barely 15% of the more than 4,200 specimens found in our herbar ium survey. We hypothesize that this decline in local collecting was due to several factors, including changing floristic and taxonomic interests, with a decreased emphasis on the local flora, and a general shift from field-to laboratory-oriented studies (Lewis 1998). Duane Isely and Richard Pohl both joined the Iowa State College Botany Department faculty in the 1940s. Each had a primary focus on a single plant family: Isely's research was on the Fabaceae (s.l.) of the United States, and Pohl's research was on the Poaceae of the United States and eventually the Neotropics. Generally, the research projects of their graduate students followed suit, with the exception of Paul Monson's (1959) floristic study of the area encompassing Iowa's Des Moines Lobe of the Wisconsinan glaciation (Prior 1991). Occasion ally, local projects also captured the secondary research interests of these students, e.g., Robert Freckmann's (1968) study of the prairies in the Ames area. Although providing a baseline for general comparisons, it would be misleading to imply that the 1999 herbarium survey provides a comprehensive record of past collections made in Ames. Catastrophic events, including a tornado (1882) and fire (1900), damaged the buildings that were home to the herbarium and damaged or de stroyed part of the holdings. Some collections were also damaged by insects, water, and other environmental problems due to the early use of wooden cabinets that could not be adequately sealed. It is unknown whether such factors resulted in actual destruction or deac cession of specimens, and if so, to what degree. Loss of specimens in loan shipments may also have occurred. Misidentification of speci mens, illegibility of label data, scant locality information, and mis interpretation of the information are other factors that may affect the accuracy of data compiled in our survey. The published accounts (Bessey 1871, Hitchcock 1890) and herbarium specimens (ISC) that document the historic Ames flora offered the additional challenges of changes in taxonomic and nomenclatural concepts during the in tervening years, of relocation of cited localities, and of an incomplete set of specimens to document Hitchcock's study. Despite these prob lems, the efforts of Hitchcock and other early researchers of the Ames flora have given us a fascinating glimpse of the dynamics of the Ames flora during the past 141 years. METHODS Field Work An inventory and evaluation of Ames, Iowa, natural areas were initiated in 1991 by the Ames City Planning Office (Norris 1994, Norris 1995, Norris and Farrar 1999). The purpose of this inventory was to identify and rate the natural quality of all forests, prairies and wetlands in the study area. The boundary of this inventory was es tablished in 1991 as a two-mile (3.2 km) extension of the Ames corporate limits (Fig. 1), which encloses an area corresponding to the zoning jurisdiction of the Ames City Planning Office. W.R. Nor ris conducted field work for this inventory between 1991 and 1995, primarily in forest, prairie and wetland habitats. He summarized his findings in a report submitted to the City of Ames in 1994 (Norris 1994). This report consisted of maps and written descriptions of all surveyed areas. Although not a goal of the initial inventory, Norris compiled lists of all vascular plant taxa encountered during his surveys of Ames forests, prairies and wetlands (Norris 1995). This list of 493 taxa observed between 1991 and 1995 was based on sight observations of numerous common plant species as well as field collections of difficult-to-identify taxa (e.g., grasses, sedges, rushes, smartweeds, asters, goldenrods, sunflowers, etc.). Norris and D.Q. Lewis (curator, ISC) conducted additional field work in 1996 and 1997 to further document the Ames flora. They expanded the realm of the initial survey (i.e., forests, prairies and wetlands) to include open and disturbed habitats including riparian FLORISTIC INVENTORY OF AMES, IOWA 37 Table 1. Codes used to describe preferred habitats of vascular plants in Ames, Iowa. 1) T (tree-dominated habitats) df mf wf wd dry forest-typically on ridgetops and on south-and west-facing slopes moist forest-typically on north-and east-facing slopes wet forest-typically in bottomlands es ed woodland-tree-dominated habitats with incomplete canopy closure escarpment-due to erosion or soil slumping edge 2) P (prairie habitats) dr dry prairie ms moist prairie wt wet prairie-includes 'wet meadow' vegetation from some wetland classification systems 3) W (wetland habitats) ez emergent zone-typically dominated by bulrush, bur-reed and several deep-to shallow-water sedge spe- cies sz submergent zone-typically dominated by pondweeds and duckweeds rp riparian-includes grassy stream edges and sandbars md mudflat-not associated with running water sp seep 4) 0 (open habitats-primarily anthropogenic) urban-sidewalks, lawns, etc. cropfields, gardens, flowerbeds ur er rw re of ps rights-of-way, including fencerows, railroad embankments and powerlines rocky habitats, including railroad ballast, gravel pits and sand old field, hayfield pasture areas, seeps, mudflats, roadsides, old fields, agricultural fields, con struction sites and railroad rights-of-way. R.O. Pope and M. P. Widr lechner joined the project in late 1997 and contributed additional plant records based on their observations of the Ames flora since 1990. A final collaborator, J.D. Thompson, joined this effort in June 1998. Extensive field work by all of us resulted in the discovery of an additional ca. 400 plant taxa between 1996 and 2000. Our field work resulted in the collection of over 1,500 voucher specimens to document the Ames flora in the past decade. These have been submitted for deposit in the Ada Hayden Herbarium (ISC) at Iowa Srate University. Species Historically Reported from Ames In early 1998, Norris and Lewis conducted an exhaustive inven rory of the Iowa collections in the Ada Hayden Herbarium and de veloped a computer database of all (approximately 4,200) Ames voucher specimens deposited there. We analyzed this database to develop a list of "historic species" not observed by us during the current inventory but documented to have occurred in Ames between 1859 and 1989. We supplemented this list with additional plant species reported by C. E. Bessey (1871) and A. S. Hitchcock (1890). These efforts provided a valuable target list of taxa to help focus our field work during the last two years of this inventory. Compilation of the Checklist We compiled a comprehensive checklist of all vascular plant taxa documented to have occurred in Ames between 1859 and 2000. Nomenclature for all plant taxa previously reported in Iowa follows Eilers and Roosa (1994) except for Rubus L., which follows Widrlech ner (1998). Nomenclature for plant species previously unreported in Iowa follows Gleason and Cronquist (1991), the Great Plains Flora Association (1986), and/or Swink and Wilhelm (1994), with a few exceptions (e.g., Digitaria bicornis (Lam.) R.& S., Poa pratensis subsp. angustifolia (L.) Lej.) in which "expert determinations" were followed. Modern species. To compile a checklist of Ames plants (1859 to mid-2000), we first listed all native or naturalized plane taxa en countered by us during our field work in the past decade. Crop species with no tendency to persist (e.g., Zea mays L.) and ornamental species not demonstrated to spread from their point of introduction (e.g., Syringa vulgaris L.) were excluded from the checklist. We indicated the status of both modern and historic taxa as either native (no symbol), exotic (*) or native to Iowa but probably intro duced in Ames ( + ). The latter category contains species that have spread from their point of introduction in lawns (e.g., Buchloe dac tyloides (Nutt.) Engelm.), gardens and prairie restorations/reconstruc tions (e.g., Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench, Gaillardia pulchella Fouq., Ratibida columnifera (Nutt.) Wooten & Standley), woodland under story restorations (e.g., Trillium nivale Riddell), and wildlife or wind break plantings (e.g., Physocarpus opulifolius (L.) Maxim.). This cate gory also encompasses two raxa (Erythronium americanum Ker-Gaw!, Napaea dioica L.) encountered by us during the current inventory whose occurrences in central Iowa are disjunct from known eastern Iowa populations (Eilers and Roosa 1994) and are thus difficult to explain. In the checklist, we also provided information about the habitat preferences in the Ames area of each plant observed by us during the current inventory. We established habitat codes within four main categories: tree-dominated (T), prairie (P), wetland (W) and open (0); the latter category represents sites primarily associated with human activity. Within each of these main categories, we recognized several subcategories (Table 1). The habitat codes in the checklist represent a consensus of results after we had independently assigned codes to each taxon. We also assigned an abundance code (common, frequent, infre- 38 )OUR. IOWA ACAD. SCI. 108(2001) quent, rare) in the Ames area to each plant species found by us. in the current survey. Definitions for these codes were borrowed (with slight modifications) from Eilers and Roosa (1994): Common: widely distributed and often found growing in large quantities in several different habitats. . Frequent: widespread but not abundant and usually found m only one type of habitat. Infrequent: not widespread and often not found in places where it might be expected to occur. Rare: found in only one or a few places. As with assignment of habitat codes, the abundance codes presented in the checklist represent a consensus of results after we indepen dently assigned codes to the taxa. Historic species. We supplemented the list of our own findings with historic species documented from herbarium specimens (ISC). Before including such taxa, we reexamined at least two specimens (when available) of each species to verify the identification. When we could not verify the identification of a particular species (e.g., Cuscuta corylii Engelm.) due to the fragmentary nature of the voucher specimen, we assigned that species to a separate list of "excluded records and observations." Likewise, crop and ornamental species (e.g., Syringa vulgaris L., Zea mays L.) collected in Ames prior to 1990 were ex cluded unless label information on voucher specimens provided com pelling evidence that the species had in fact escaped cultivation and persisted for a number of years. A problem with inclusion of historic species from herbarium voucher specimens is uncertain knowledge of collection sites in re lation to our inventory boundaries. For example, of the approxi mately 4,200 voucher specimens collected in Ames prior to 1990, well over half state the place of collection as "Ames" with no further information. We included species reported to be collected in "Ames" on the checklist unless their occurrence in central Iowa is implausible (e.g., Arabis lyrata L.) based on current knowledge of plant species distributions (Eilers and Roosa 1994). We also included historic species reported from two published floras (Bessey 1871, Hitchcock 1890) on the checklist. Here, a daunting task was to uncover synonymies between nomenclature used by Bessey and Hitchcock and modern plant names. We resolved many synonymies by consulting older editions of standard botanical reference books (e.g., Gray et al. 1890, Britton 1901, Robinson and Fernald 1908, Fernald 1950), regional floras and state checklists (Gleason and Cronquist 1991, Eilers and Roosa 1994, Steyermark 1963, Voss 1972, 1985, 1996), taxonomic treatments of specific plant families and genera (Gilly 1946, Hitchcock 1971) and the "Tropicos" database of the Missouri Botanical Garden (W3Tropicos 2000). Very rarely, we associated a published name with several mod ern taxa (e.g., "Ampelopsis quinquefolia (L.) Michx." = Parthenocissus quinquefolia (L.) Planchon and P. vitacea (Knerr) A.S. Hitchcock). A number of plant names (e.g., Rubus villosa Ait.) remained unresolved to the end; we assigned such species to the excluded list. At least once we assigned a current name, Polygonum amphibium L. of Hitch cock (1890), to the excluded list because we could not determine which modern variety (i.e., P. amphibium L. var. emersum Michx. or P. amphibium L. var. stipulaceum (Coleman) Fern.) the author intended. We were also careful to exclude species listed by Bessey and Hitch cock when they left doubt that a particular taxon actually occurred in Ames. Bessey (1871) did not formally define the boundaries of his inventory of the Ames flora, giving "Ames" as the location for most plants with no further description. In a few instances (e.g., "Camptosorus rhizophyllus Link.", "Polypodium vulgare L.") he reported plants as occurring in Ames in the vicinity of the Des Moines River. We assigned Bessey's reports of such plants to the excluded list be cause this river is situated more than 16 km west of Ames. Hitchcock (1890), on the other hand, carefully defined the bound aries of his own inventory work as: ". . . region [in} the vicinity of the Agricultural College at Ames. Quite thorough explorations have been made within a radius of three to four miles about this point. From four to nine miles they have been confined to certain directions; viz., along the railroad from Ames to Gilbert, and from Ames to Nevada; southwest to the 'Big prairie,' and southeast to a small 'lake' about ten miles from the College. A few plants have been in cluded from the Des Moines river west of Boone, eighteen miles distant; several have also been included from Cairo lake and vicinity, about twenty-two miles away. But in all cases it is so stated if the plant has been found only beyond the three-mile circle." Thus, we assigned all species (e.g., Aesculus glabra Willd., Rumex maritimus L.) reported by Hitchcock to occur only at Cairo Lake, Big Prairie, etc., to the list of excluded records and observations. RESULTS We discovered 916 plant taxa in the study area during the 1990s to mid-2000 (Table 2, Appendix A). The occurrences of almost all (908) of the above taxa in Ames are documented by at least one herbarium voucher specimen collected in Ames since 1859 (ISC). We observed that these taxa occur in a variety of generalized habitat types (Table 3) and also vary in their abundance in the study area (Table 4); the more specific habitat and abundance codes for each of these taxa are found in Appendix A. We also report 151 historic taxa documented by herbarium vouch er specimens and 53 from the two published floras (Bessey 1871, Hitchcock 1890) which occurred in Ames prior to 1990. The grand total, then, is 1,120 taxa; these data from the currently known and historic taxa are summarized in Table 2. Table 2 also contains the listings of numbers of taxa in the largest families and genera found in the survey area. For reasons mentioned in our Methods, we ex cluded over 100 historic records and current observations (Appendix B) from the official checklist of Ames vascular plants. [Note: We observed five additional species just outside the inven tory boundary in the last decade: Cephalanthus occidentalis L., Cyperus schweinitzii Torrey, Elodea canadensis Michx., Lobelia cardinalis L. and Polygonum hydropiperoides Michx.} Significant plant assemblages in Ames are described and mapped in Appendix C and Figure 3. DISCUSSION A major result of this study is our discovery that about 1,120 plant taxa have probably resided (at least temporarily) in Ames since 1859. This total exceeds the number of plant taxa reported from the 17 Iowa counties inventoried since 1950 (Table 5). How was it pos sible to discover so many plant species in Ames? This result is due in large part to the intense study this flora has received from bora nists who have worked and/or studied at Iowa State University in Ames (described previously). These findings are also due in large part to our "team" approach, which permitted us to draw upon the individual expertise of each team member. In particular, our study benefited from expertise in Scrophulariaceae (Lewis), graminoids (Norris), agricultural weed species (Pope) and woody plants (Wi drlechner). Another contributing factor to our success in finding plant taxa was the long duration (ten years) of this inventory. In contrast, pri mary field work for many recent counry inventories (e.g., Peck et al. 1978, 1980, 1981, 1984) was conducted over one or two field sea sons. During the last two full years of the current inventory (1998 FLORISTIC INVENTORY OF AMES, IOWA 39 Table 2. Floristic composition of the Ames, Iowa, survey area. A. Species, genera and families in the Ames flora Species (+Hybrids/ Subspecific Major Groups Taxa) Genera Families Pteridophytes 14 (2) 11 6 Gymnosperms 2 2 2 Dicotyledons 772 (17) 357 82 Monocotyledons 303 (10) 115 19 Total 1,091 (29) 485 109 B. Current and historic taxa Origin Current Historic Total % Native to Ames 652 158 810 72.3 Elsewhere in IA 15 0 15 1.3 Non-native 249 46 295 26.4 Tora! 916 204 1,120 100 C. Ten largest families Else- where Non-Total Family Native in Iowa Native (Hybrid) Poaceae 95 1 53 149 (2) Asteraceae 110 3 35 148 (2) Cyperaceae 78 0 0 78 (1) Fabaceae 33 1 16 50 (0) Brassicaceae 16 0 33 49 (0) Rosaceae 35 1 11 47 (0) lamiaceae 25 0 8 33 (1) Ranunculaceae 25 0 3 28 (0) liliaceae 17 2 6 25 (0) Scrophulariaceae 17 1 7 25 (0) D. Ten largest genera Else- where Non-Total Family Native in Iowa Native (Hybrid) Carex 54 0 0 54 (1) Aster 19 0 0 19 (2) Polygonum 11 0 5 16 (0) Viola 10 1 2 13 (1) Chenopodium 7 0 5 12 (0) Euphorbia 9 0 3 12 (0) Verbena 11 0 0 11 (5) Cyperus 10 0 0 10 (0) Dichanthelium 10 0 0 10 (0) Muhlenbergia 10 0 0 10 (0) Table 3. Habitats of the Ames, Iowa, flora. Habitat Type No. of Taxa % Tree-dominated 385 42 Prairie 270 29 Wetland 171 19 Open 440 48 More than one type 289 32 Table 4. Abundance of the Ames, Iowa, flora. Abundance Rare Infrequent Frequent Common No. of Taxa 323 196 194 203 % 35 21 21 22 and 1999), Thompson devoted approximately 40 hours per week to field work for this inventory during the growing season and person ally discovered more than 200 new plant species in Ames through his intense survey efforts. We conclude that plant inventories con ducted over a 1-2 year period in regions as large or larger than Ames are probably not complete. Finally, several facilities in Ames associated with Iowa State Uni versity have probably served as special sources of introduced, now naturalized, plant species, which expanded our total species count. These include the North Central Regional Plant Introduction Sta tion, the ISU Horticulture Farm and the ISU Campus. Furthermore, the Hillculture Research Station (SCS) may also have contributed additional exotic plant species during the 1930s and 1940s (Wi drlechner and Rabeler 1991 ). The checklist includes 204 species documented by herbarium specimens and/or reported in past studies of the Ames flora that were not found in our current inventory. Although we feel we were con servative in including these species, our level of confidence in these additions is not as high as for those encountered in the current survey. The species documented by herbarium vouchers are more definitive than those in literature reports. However, especially for 19rh century collections, the locality was often cited only as "Ames"; thus we had to assume that the collection was from within the pro ject boundary. Confirmation of the accuracy of the identification of species listed in Bessey's (1871) and Hitchcock's (1890) lists that are not vouchered at ISC is also problematic. However, these species, if not excluded through objective criteria presented in the Methods, help provide insights into the Ames flora of more than a century ago. Applications of Floristics There is a general perception that research focused on floristics is no longer in vogue (lewis 1998, Weber and Wittmann 1992). This paper presents results and analyses in support of an opposing view point; namely, that field-based boranical research remains relevant. Although the Ames flora per se is probably not of interest to all botanists, we offer this study as a model to demonstrate how floristic studies can be the focus of interesting academic discussions as well as the foundation of sound conservation practices. Below, we provide some examples to illustrate several analyses of the Ames flora, as well as applications of this study in natural resource management. Phytogeographic Origins of the Ames Flora. Eilers and Roosa (1994) stated that the Iowa flora has affinities with eastern deciduous forests, boreal forests, Great Plains prairies and Ozarkian (oak-hickory) for ests due to its mid-continental location. To illustrate this point, they provided lists of plant species found in Iowa that are representative of these vegetation assemblages. We conclude that the Ames flora has a strong Ozarkian component because 68 of the 76 Iowa plant species considered to be representative of oak-hickory forests occur in Ames. In contrast, only three (Coeloglossum viride (1.) Hartman var. virescens (Muhl. ex Willd.) Luer, Liparis loeselii (1.) LC. Rich., Ory zopsis racemosa (Smith) Ricker) of 44 Iowa taxa listed as having boreal affinities are known from Ames. likewise, we documented the oc- FLORISTIC INVENTORY OF AMES, IOWA 41 Table 5. Number of taxa in published floras and checklists of Iowa counties completed since 1950 and the Ames checklist (current). Location (County unless specified) Ames (city zoning jurisdiction) Allamakee Emmet Johnson Lee Author & Year Current study Peck et al. 1980 Wolden 1956 Thorne 1955 Peck et al. 1981 Lammers 1983 Grant 1950, 1953 Total Taxa 1,120 1,040 1,013 Based ona Field, herb. (ISC), lit. Field, herb., lit. (Hartley 1966) Field, lit. Field, herb., lit. as verified Field, herb., lit. as verified Field, herb. Des Moines Dickinson Cedar Guthrie Page Poweshiek Iowa Washington Lyon Fremont Sioux Cherokee Fay 1951, Fay and Thorne 1953 Roosa et al. 1991 966 876 809 800 775 748 746 699 679 677 561 550 506 401 Lit., herb. (ILH), some field Mainly field, some herb. Field, herb., lit. Wilson 1992 Russell 1956 Easterly 1951 Wagenknecht 1954 Peck et al. 1984 Peck et al. 1978 Peck et al. 1984 Carter 1962 Mainly field Mainly herb. (GRI) Mainly field, some herb., lit. Mainly field Field, herb., lit. as verified Field, lit., some herb. Field, herb., lit. as verified Field a Source of information used to compile checklist as stated or implied in paper. Field = field work; herb. = herbarium voucher specimens (with herbarium acronym if primarily from one herbarium); lit. = literature sources; as verified = only including records from literature if verified by voucher specimens. Herbarium acronyms cited: ISC = Ada Hayden Herbarium, Iowa State University; ILH = Iowa Lakeside Laboratory Herbarium; GRI = Grinnell College Herbarium. attempts to update the Iowa threatened, endangered and special con cern lists of vascular plants (i.e., the Iowa "T&E" list; Iowa Admin istrative Code 1994) were hampered by a general lack of knowledge among botanists about many species in the state (Pearson 1999). Our checklist provides habitat and abundance information for 916 vascular plant taxa (more than 40% of the state's known vascular flora) in central Iowa and will thus be a valuable resource to indi viduals attempting future revisions of the Iowa T&E list. In addition to the potential uses of the data, the findings of this study have already contributed to the conservation efforts within the survey area. It was noted during the survey that the Raymond-Roll ing Prairie (Appendix C), containing a population of Lespedeza lep tostachya (prairie bush-clover, federally listed as threatened), was be ing encroached upon by Juniperus virginiana L. (red cedar) and Gle ditsia triacanthos L. (honey-locust) trees. More than 50 local volun teers soon became involved in active management of the site. The prairie and the bush-clover population have responded well to this intervention. CONCLUSIONS We do not contend that the flora of Ames, Iowa, is especially remarkable; in fact, we suspect that the floras of many Iowa counties are more diverse than this one. Therefore, a major lesson of this investigation is that additional field botanical work is needed to more thoroughly document the Iowa flora. Such efforts would undoubtedly result in the discovery of hundreds of new county records throughout the state. Furthermore, these efforts would probably reveal many plant taxa new to the Iowa checklist of vascular plants (Eilers and Roosa 1994). This study also stresses the significance of an inventory occurring over an extended number of years in comparison to most surveys. This approach allows not only the accumulation of a large number of hours spent in field study, but also increases the likelihood for observing the impact of climatic fluctuations (such as the higher than average rainfall during the summer of 1993 or the lower than usual rainfall in the spring and early summer of 2000) on the vegetation. A less obvious but equally important lesson of this plant inventory is the need for a computer database to compile information about voucher specimens deposited in Iowa herbaria. Our search of the Iowa holdings in the Ada Hayden Herbarium (ISC) for plant specimens collected in Ames required more than 160 hours to complete. Nev ertheless, this database of Ames voucher specimens has already be come obsolete with the submission of new plant specimens to the herbarium. Researchers wishing to repeat this study a century from now would benefit greatly from a continuously maintained database of all Iowa voucher specimens deposited in herbaria throughout the state. Such a database would be especially valuable to organizations and government agencies (The Nature Conservancy, Iowa Depart ment of Natural Resources, etc.) whose mission is the management and preservation of rare plant habitat in Iowa. In summary, we hope that this study convinces Iowa botanists, conservationists and funding agencies that it is time to revive field botanical research in this state. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Journal Paper no. J-19033 of the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station, Ames, Iowa, Project No. 1018, and supported by Hatch Act and State of Iowa funds. Dave Brenner, Jim Colbert, Lloyd Crim, Matt Dornbush, Phil Dykema, Bob Dyas, De nise Friedrick, Cindy Hildebrand, Don Farrar, Mary Jane Hatfield, Rosanne Healy, Steve Lekwa, Nels Lersten, Roger Maddux, George Patrick, Trish Patrick, Tom Rosburg and Cecil Stewart all contrib uted to this project by alerting us to new plant species, accompa nying us in the field or encouraging our efforts. Susan Aiken, Julian Campbell, Nick Christians, Lynn Clark, Allison Cusick, Donald Far rar, Shirley Graham, Duane Isely, Paul Peterson, James Phipps, Ri chard Pohl, Donald Pratt, Richard Rabeler, Anton Reznicek, Thomas Rosburg, ]. Gabriel Sanchez-Ken, Rob Soreng, Edward Voss and 42 )OUR. IOWA ACAD. SCI. 108(2001) Table 6. Vascular plant species encountered during inventory of the Ames flora (1859-2000) that are listed as Endangered (E), Threatened (T) or of Special Concern (SC) by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (Iowa Administrative Code 1994). B = Bessey (1871); H = Hitchcock (1890); I = specimen collected prior to 1990 held in the Ada Hayden Herbarium (ISC); C = encountered during current study (1990-2000). Aster pubentior Cronq. [H, I} SC Carex aggregata Mack. [CJ SC Carex crawei Dewey [CJ SC Chenopodium foggii H.A. Wahl [I} SC Chenopodium missouriensis Aellen [I} SC Chenopodium rubrum L. [IJ SC Cirsium hillii (Canby) Fern. [I, CJ SC Cypripedium candidum Muhl. ex Willd. [H, I} SC Cypripedium reginae Walter [H, I} T Dalea villosa (Nutt.) Sprengel [HJ E Eriophorum angustifolium Honck. [B, HJ SC Erythronium americanum Ker Gawler [CJ T Euphorbia missurica Raf. [H, I} SC Lespedeza leptostachya Engelm. [H, CJ T Ma/axis unifolia Michx. [I} SC Muhlenbergia asperifolia (Nees & Meyer) L. Parodi [CJ SC Napaea dioica L. [CJ SC Penstemon tubaeflorus Nutt. [IJ SC Platanthera hookeri (Torr. ex Gray) Lindley [H, I} T Platanthera hyperborea (L.) R. Br. [H, I} T Platanthera praeclara Sheviak & Bowles [H, I} T Poa wolfii Scribn. [I, CJ SC Polygala incarnata L. [H, I} T Senecio pseudaureus Rydb. var. semicordatus (Mack. & Bush) T. Barkley [I, CJ SC Sibara virginica (L.) Rollins [CJ SC Spiranthes magnicamporum Sheviak [CJ SC Spiranthes ova/is Lindl. [CJ T Tomanthera auriculata (Michx.) Raf. [H, I, CJ SC Table 7. Vascular plant taxa encountered during inventory of the Ames flora (1859-2000) that are not listed in Eilers and Roosa (1994). B = Bessey (1871); H = Hitchcock (1890); I = specimen collected prior to 1990 held in the Ada Hayden Herbarium (ISC); C = encountered during current study (1990-2000). '*' = taxon not native to North America. * Ajuga reptans L. [CJ *Ampelopsis brevipedunculata (Maxim.) Trautv. [CJ * Anthemis nobilis L. [BJ *Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. [CJ Aster cordifolius L. X A. drummondii Lindley [I, CJ *Bassia hyssopifolia (Pallas) Kuntze [CJ Boltonia decurrens (T. & G.) A. Wood. [CJ *Bromus catharticus Vahl. [IJ Carex atherodes Sprengel X C. trichocarpa Schkuhr [CJ Carex mesochorea Mack. [CJ *Carthamus tinctorius L. [CJ *Centaurium pulchellum (Schwartz) Druce [CJ *Cleome hassleriana Chodat [CJ *Cotoneaster multiflora Bunge [CJ *Crepis capillaris (L.) Wallr. [I, CJ *Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. [I, CJ *Cynodon transvaalensis Burt.-Davy [IJ Datura wrightii Regel [CJ *Digitaria bicornis (Lam.) R. & S. [CJ *Duchesnea indica (Andrews) Focke [CJ * Epipactis helleborine (L.) Crantz [CJ *Erysimum diffusum Ehrh. [CJ *Erysimum hieraciifolium L. [CJ *Festuca myuros L. [CJ *Festuca trachyphylla (Hackel) Krajina [CJ *Geranium sibiricum L. [CJ *Hieracium piloselloides Villars. [CJ *Lapsana communis L. [I, CJ *Lathyrus latifolius L. [CJ Scott Zager helped us with several plant identification and nomen clature problems. Cathy Mabry and Jim Dinsmore alerted us to sev eral published studies that have helped us view our own study in a broader context. Robin McNeely prepared the maps illustrating the boundaries and site localities of this inventory. The Parks Library Special Collections Department, Iowa State University, made man- *Ligustrum obtusifolium Sieb. & Zucc. [CJ *Ligustrum vulgare L. [CJ *Lonicera X bella Zabel [CJ *Lonicera maackii (Rupr.) Herder. [CJ Lycopus X sherardii Steele [CJ *Metaplexis japonica (Thunb.) Makino [IJ *Parthenocissus tricuspidata (Sieb. & Zucc.) Planchon [CJ Physalis hispida (Waterfall) Cronq. [IJ *Poa pratensis subsp. angustifolia (L.) Lej. [CJ *Prunus tomentosa Thunb. [CJ *Rhamnus utilis Decne. [CJ Rosa X rudiuscula Greene [IJ Rubus ablatus Bailey [I, CJ *Rubus caesius L. [CJ Rubus frondosus Bigelow [CJ *Rubus parvifolius L. [I, CJ Rubus roribaccus (Bailey) Rydb. in Britton [IJ *Rumex stenophyllus Ledeb. [CJ Sagina procumbens L. [CJ Sagittaria australis (J.G. Smith) J.K. Small [I, CJ *Scilla siberica L. [CJ *Sedum kamtschaticum Fisch. & C. A. Meyer [CJ *Spergularia marina (L.) Griseb. [CJ *Ulmus pumila L. X U. americana L. [CJ *Ulmus pumila L. X U. rubra Muhl. [CJ Verbena X perriana Moldenke [I} *Veronica polita Fries [CJ *Viburnum lantana L. [CJ *Viola arvensis Murray [CJ uscripts, reports and other materials available for our use. Neil Bern stein, Donald Farrar, Thomas Lammers, and Nels Lersten provided helpful comments on drafts of this manuscript. We thank all of the above for their contributions to this project. We dedicate this paper to the memory of two renowned Iowa botanists: Dr. Lawrence]. Eilers (1927-2000) and Dr. Duane Isely FLORISTIC INVENTORY OF AMES, IOWA 43 (1918-2000). Dr. Eilers was a great supporter of floristic study in Iowa during the past half century. His efforts culminated in the publication of The Vascular Plants of Iowa: an Annotated Checklist and Natural History (1994, co-authored by Dean Roosa), which has pro vided the baseline for all subsequent floristic study in the state. 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Key * = Species not native to Iowa + = Species native to Iowa but probably not to Ames B = Species listed for Ames by Bessey (1871 ), followed by synonym used by Bessey in brackets H = Species included in Hitchcock (1890), followed by synonym used by Hitchcock in brackets = name as currently used was recognized by Bessey or Hitchcock in addition to synonym listed Dates are of the earliest and, if not encountered during current sur vey, the most recent collections n.d. = No date cited C = Encountered during the current survey, 1991-2000 Plant Habitat Codes-see Table 1 Abundance Codes-rare, infrequent, frequent, or common; see Meth ods for further discussion PTERIDOPHYTES ADIANTACEAE Adiantum pedatum L., B, H, 1869-C, Tmf-infrequent ASPLENIACEAE Asplenium platyneuron (L.) Oakes ex D.C. Eaton, 1999-C, Tmf,ed-rare Athyrium felix-femina (L.) Roth var. angustum (Willd.) Moore, H [Asplenium felix-foemina (L.) Bernh.}, 1869-C, Tmf,wf-infre quent Cystopteris protrusa (Weath.) Blasdell, B[C. fragilis Bernh.}, H[C. fragilis (L.) Bernh.}, 1870-C, Tmf-common Dryopteris carthusiana (Vill.) H.P. Fuchs, 1995-C, Tmf-rare Matteuccia struthiopteris (L.) Todaro, 1881-C, Wsp; Our-rare Onoclea sensibilis L., B, H, 1938-1938 DENNSTAEDTIACEAE Pteridium aquilinum (1.) Kuhn var. latiusculum (Desv.) Underw. ex Heller, H[Pteris aquilina L.], 1889-1895 EQUISETACEAE Equisetum arvense L., B, H, 1881-C, Twf; Our--common Equisetum X ferrissii Clute, 1998-C, Pwt; Orw-frequent Equisetum hyemale L. var. affine (Engelm.) A.A. Eaton, B, 1889-C, Orw-common Equisetum laevigatum A. Br., 1893-C, Pwt-frequent OPHIOGLOSSACEAE Botrychium dissectum Sprengel f. dissectum, 1998-C, Tmf,wd-rare Botrychium dissectum Sprengel f. obliquum (Muhl.) Clute, 1998-C, Tdf,mf,wd-rare Botrychium virginianum (1.) Sw., B[B. virginicum Swartz.}, H, 1881- C, T--common OSMUNDACEAE Osmunda claytoniana L., H, 1876-1901 GYMNOSPERMS CUPRESSACEAE ]uniperus virginiana L., H, 1901-C, Tdf,wd; Pdr; Orw,of,ps common PINACEAE +Pinus strobus L., 2000-C, Twd,ed-rare ACERACEAE ANGIOSPERMS (DICOTYLEDONS) *Acer ginnala Maxim., 1999-C, Orw-infrequent Acer negundo L., B[Negundo aceroides Moench}, H[Negundo aceroides Moench}, 1892-C, Tmf,ed; Orw-common Acer nigrum Michx., B[A. saccharinum Wang.}, H[A. saccharum Marsh. var. nigrum (Michx. f.) Britton}, 1892-C, Tmf,wf common Acer saccharinum Marsh., B[A. dasycarpum Ehrhart.}, H, 1895-C, Twf; Our,rw-common AIZOACEAE *Mollugo verticillata L., H, 1892-C, Wrp; Ger-frequent AMARANTHACEAE Amaranthus a/bus L., H, 1907-C, 0--common *Amaranthus graecizans L., H[A. blitoides Wats.}, 1897-C, Our- common * Amaranthus hybridus L., 2000-C, Wrp; Our-rare *Amaranthus powellii S. Watson, 2000-C, Wrp-rare *Amaranthus retroflexus L., B, H, 1887-C, 0-common Amaranthus rudis Sauer, 1877-C, 0--common Amaranthus tuberculatus (Moq.) Sauer, H[Acnida tuberculata Moq.}, 1907-C, 0--common FLORISTIC INVENTORY OF AMES, IOWA 45 ANACARDIACEAE +Rhus aromatica Aiton, 1938-C, Orw-rare Rhus glabra L., B, H, 1907-C, Twd,ed; Pms; Orw,of--common +Rhus typhina L., 1948-C, Our,rw-rare Toxicodendron radicans (1.) Kuntze ssp. negundo (Greene) Gillis, B[Rhus toxicodendron L.}, H[Rhus radicans L.J, 1893-C, T; Pdr; Orw--common APIACEAE Angelica atropurpurea L., B[Archangelica atropurpurea Hoffm.} Chaerophyllum procumbens (1.) Crantz, B, H, 1897-C, Twf-fre- quent Cicuta maculata L., H, 1907-C, Pwt-frequent *Conioselinum chinense (1.) BSP., H *Conium maculata L., 1926-C, Orw-frequent Cryptotaenia canadensis (1.) DC., B, H, 1896-C, Tmf,wf--com- mon *Daucus carota L., H, 1907-C, Orw,of--common Eryngium yuccifolium Michx., B, H, 1888-C, Pwt-infrequent Heracleum lanatum Michx., B, H, 1881-C, Twf-infrequent Osmorhiza claytonii (Michx.) C.B. Clarke, B[Qsmorrhiza brevistylis DC.}, H[Osmorrhiza claytoni (Michx.) BSP.}, 1896-C, Tmf,wf common Osmorhiza longistylis (Torrey) DC., B, H, 1887-C, Tmf,wf--com mon Oxypolis rigidior (L.) Raf., B[Archemora rigida DC.}, H[Tiedemannia rigida (1.) C. & R.}, 1896-C, Pwt-infrequent *Pastinaca sativa L., B, H, 1907-C, Orw,of--common Polytaenia nuttallii DC., H Sanicula canadenis L., H[=; S. canadensis L. var. marylandica (L.)}, 1942-C, Tdf,mf-frequent Sanicula gregaria Bickn., 1897-C, Tmf,wf-common Sium suave Walter, H[S. cicutaefolium Gmel.}, 1881-C, Twf; Pwt-rare Taenidia integerrima (1.) Drude, B[Zizia integerrima DC.}, H[T in tegerrima (1.) Benth. & Hook.}, 1897-C, Tdf,wd,ed-rare Thaspium barbinode (Michx.) Nutt., 1907-1907 Zizea aurea (1.) Koch, B[Thaspium aureum Nutt.}, H, 1893-C, Twd,ed; Pms,wt-frequent APOCYNACEAE Apocynum androsaemifolium L., B, H, 1895-C, Orw-rare Apocynum cannabinum L., B, H, 1895-C, Pms,wt; Orw--common Apocynum X medium Greene, 1907-1907 Apocynum sibiricum Jacq., 1895-C, Pms,wt; Orw--common *Vinca minor L., 2000-C, Twf-rare ARALIACEAE Aralia nudicaulis L., B, H, 1897-C, Tdf-rare Aralia racemosa L., B, H, 1999-C, Tmf,es-rare Panax quinquefolia L., H[Aralia quinquefolia (L.) Decaisne & Planch.}, photo, C, Twf-rare ARISTOLOCHIACEAE Asarum canadense L., B, H, 1881-C, Tmf,wf-frequent ASCLEPIADACEAE Asclepias amplexicaulis Smith, 1949-C, Pdr-rare Asclepias incarnata L., B, H, 1896-C, Pms,wt-frequent Asclepias ovalifolia Decne., H Asclepias purpurascens L., B, H, 1897-1897 Asclepias sullivantii Engelm., H, 1907-C, Pms,wt-rare Asclepias syriaca L., B[A. cornuti Decaisne.}, H, 1881-C, P; 0- common Asclepias tuberosa L. ssp. interior Woodson, B, H[ =; A. tuberosa L. var. decumbens (L.) Pursh}, 1881-C, Pdr,ms-rare Asclepias verticillata L., B, H, 1878-C, Pms-frequent Asclepias viridiflora Raf., B[Asclepias viridiflora Ell.}, H[Acerates vir idiflora (Raf.) Ell.; Acerates viridiflora (Raf.) Ell. var. lanceolata (Ives) Gray}, 1894-95-C, Pdr-rare Cynanchum laeve (Michx.) Pers., 1964-C, Our,rw-frequent * Metaplexis japonica (Thunb.) Makino, 1958-1958 ASTERACEAE Achillea millefolia L. ssp. lanulosa (Nurt.) Piper, B, H, 1881-C, Twd; Pdr; Oof,ps-frequent Ambrosia artemisiifolia L., B, H, 1881-C, Pdr; 0--common Ambrosia psilostachya DC., B, H, 1942-C, Pdr-infrequent Ambrosia trifida L., B[=; A. trifida L. var. integrifolia}, H[=; A. trifida L. var. integrifolia (Muhl.) Torr. & Gray}, 1888-C, P; 0- common Antennaria neglecta Greene, 1887-C, Tdr,wd; Pdr-infrequent Antennaria plantaginifolia (1.) Richardson, B[A. plantaginifolia Hook.}, H, 1902-C, Tdr,wd; Pdr-infrequent *Anthemis arvensis L., H *Anthemis cotula L., B[Maruta cotula DC.}, H, 1881-C, Orw,rc,ps-frequent *Anthemis nobilis L., B *Arctium minus Bernh., B[Lappa officinalis Allioni var. major}, H[A. lappa L.J, 1888-C, Ted; Wrp; 0-common *Artemisia annua L., 2000-C, Wrp-infrequent *Artemisia biennis Willd., B, H, 1898?-C, Twf-infrequent *Artemisia absinthium L., 1998-C, Orw-rare Artemisia dracunculus L., B[A. dracunculoides Pursh}, H[A. dracun- culoides Pursh}, 1928-1928 Artemisia ludoviciana Nutt., B, H, 1881-C, Pdr,ms-frequent Artemisia serrata Nutt., H, 1909-1917 *Artemisia vulgaris L., 1999-C, Orc,ur-rare Aster X amethystinus Nutt., H Aster azureus Lindley, H, 1876-C, P-infrequent Aster cordifolius L., B, H, 1876-C, T-common Aster cordifolius L. X A. drummondii Lindley, 1921-C, Twd,ed infrequent Aster ericoides L., B[A. multiflorus Ait.}, H[A. multiflorus Ait.}, 1876-C, Pdr,ms; Orw,of-frequent Aster laevis L., H, 1902-C, Pms,wt-frequent Aster lanceolatus Willd., B[A. simplex Willd.}, H[A. paniculatus L.}, 1909-C, Pwt-infrequent Aster lateriflorus (1.) Britton, B[A. miser L.}, H, 1876-C, T--com mon Aster novae-angliae L., B, H[=; A. novae-angliae L. var. roseus (Desf.) DC.}, 1876-C, Pms,wt-frequent Aster oblongifolius Nutt., H[A. oblongifolius Nutt. var. rigidulus Gray}, 1938-1938 Aster ontarionis Wieg., 1876-C, Twt-infrequent Aster pilosus Willd., 1974-C, P; Orw,of--common Aster praealtus Poirer, B[A. carneus Nees.}, 1999-C, Pwt-rare Aster prenanthoides Muhl. ex Willd., B, H, 1876-C, Wsp-rare Aster pubentior Cronq., H[A. umbellatus Mill. var. pubens Gray}, 1896-1920 Aster puniceus L., H[A. puniceus L. var. lucidulus (Wendr.) Gray}, 1889-1922 Aster sagittifolius Willd., 1993-C, Ted-infrequent Aster sericeus Vent., B, H, 1888-C, Pdr-rare Aster umbellatus Miller, H Bidens cernua L., B[B. chrysanthemoides Michx.}, H[=; B. chrysan themoides Michx.}, 1897-C, Wrp-frequent Bidens connata (L.) Britton, B, H, 1920-C, Wrp-frequent 46 )OUR. IOWA ACAD. SCI. 108(2001) Bidens frondosa L., B, H, 1888-C, Wrp-common Bidens polylepis Blake, 1917-C, Pms; Orw-infrequent Bidens tripartita L., B{B. connata L. var. comosa}, 1920-C, Wrp infrequent Bidens vulgata Greene, 1896-C, Pwt-infrequent Boltonia asteroides (1.) L'Her., B{B. glastifolia L'Her.}, H, 1876- 1876 *Boltonia decurrens (T. & G.) A. Wood, 2000-C, Pwt-rare Brickellia eupatorioides (1.) Shinners, B{Kuhnia eupatorioides L.}, H{Kuhnia eupatorioides L.; K. eupatorioides L. var. glutinosa (Ell.)], 1888-C, Twd,ed; Pdr-frequent Cacalia plantaginea (Raf.) Shinners, B{C. tuberosa Nutt.], H{C. tub- erosa Nutt.], 1894-C, Tes; Pdr,ms-infrequent *Carduus acanthoides L., 1999-C, Oof-rare *Carduus nutans L., 1894-C, Ops-infrequent *Carthamus tinctorius L., 2000-C, Wrp; Our-rare *Centaurea cyanus L., B, 1904-1924 *Cichorium intybus L., 2000-C, Orw-infrequent Cirsium altissimum (1.) Sprengel, B, H{Cnicus altissimus (1.) Willd.], 1888-C, P; 0-common *Cirsium arvense (1.) Scop., H{Cnicus arvensis (1.) Hoffm.}, 1898- C, P; 0-common Cirsium discolor (Muhl. ex Willd.) Sprengel, H[Cnicus altissimus (1.) Willd. var. discolor (Muhl.) Gray}, 1896-C, P; 0-common Cirsium flodmanii (Rydb.) Arthur, 1910-1910 Cirsium hillii (Canby) Fern., H[Cnicus odoratus Muhl.], 1897-C, Pdr-rare *Cirsium vulgare (Savi) Tenore, H[Cnicus lanceolatus (1.) Hoffm.}, 1896-C, P; 0-common Conyza canadensis (L.) Cronq., H[Erigeron canadensis L.], 1897-C, 0-common Conyza ramosissima Cronq., B[Erigeron divaricatus Michx.}, H[Erigeron divaricatus Michx.}, 1942-C, 0-infrequent Coreopsis palmata Nutt., B, H, 1893-C, Pros-frequent *Coreopsis tinctoria Nutt., 1892-C, Oof-rare C oreopsis tripteris L., H, 1912-C, Twd-rare *Crepis capillaris (1.) Wallr., 1948-C, Our-rare *Crepis tectorum L., 1999-C, Our-rare Dyssodia papposa (Vent.) A.S. Hitchc., B[Dysodia chrysanthemoides Lag.}, H, 1906-1906 Echinacea pallida Nutt., B[E. angustifolia DC.}, H[E. angustifolia DC.], 1891-C, Pdr,ms-infrequent +Echinacea purpurea (1.) Moench, 1998-C, Orw-rare Eclipta alba (1.) Hassk., 1998-C, Wmd-rare Erechtites hieracifolia (1.) Raf. ex DC., B, H, 1943-C, Our-infre quent Erigeron annuus (1.) Pers., B, H, 1880-C, Pms; 0-common Erigeron philadelphicus L., B, H, 1884-C, Tes,ed; Wrp; Our infrequent Erigeron strigosus Muhl. ex Willd., B, H[E. ramosus (Walt.) B.S.P.], 1888-C, Pdr,ms; Orw,of-common Eupatorium altissimum L., H, 1907-C, Orw-infrequent Eupatorium maculatum L., H[E. purpureum L. var. maculatum (1.) Dari.}, 1896-1942 Eupatorium perfoliatum L., B, H, 1907-C, Pwt-infrequent Eupatorium purpureum L., B, H, 1897-C, T-frequent Eupatorium rugosum Houtt., B[E. ageratoides L.}, H[E. ageratoides L.}, 1896-C, T-common Euthamia graminifolia (1.) Nutt. ex Cass, B[Solidago lanceolata L.], H[Solidago graminifolia (L.) Ell.], 1884-C, Pwt-infrequenr +Gaillardia pulchella Foug., 1998-C, Orw-rare *Galinsoga quadriradiata Ruiz & Pavon, 1970-C, Our,re,er-in frequent Gnaphalium obtusum L., 1942-C, Twd,ed; Oof-infrequent Grindelia squarrosa (Pursh) Dunal, 1904-C, Ore-rare Helenium autumnale L., B, H, 1909-C, Pwt-infrequent Helianthus annuus L., B, H, 2000-C, 0-frequent Helianthus decapetalus L., H[H. tracheliifolius Willd.] Helianthus grosseserratus Martens, B, H, 1888-C, Pms,wt; Orw common Helianthus maximiliani Schrader, 2000-C, Ore-infrequent Helianthus rigidus (Cass.) Desf., B[=; H. laetiflorus Pers.], H[H. diffusus Sims; H. laetiflorus Pers.], 1896-C, Pdr,ms; Orw-in frequenr Helianthus strumosus L., H, 1897-C, Twd-frequenr Helianthus tuberosus L., H, 1890-C, Twd,ed; Pms; Orw-frequent Heliopsis helianthoides (L.) Sweet, B[H. laevis Pers.], H[H. scabra Dunal}, 1888-C, Pdr,ms-frequent Hieracium longipilum Torrey, B, H, 1888-1898 *Hieracium piloselloides Villars., 2000-C, Wrp-rare Hieracium scabrum Michx., H, 1902-C, Tms-rare Iva xanthifolia Nutt., 1926-C, Twd,ed-rare Krigia biflora (Walter) Blake, 1907-1907 Lactuca biennis (Moench) Fern., H[L. spicata Lam.} Lactuca canadensis L., B, H, 1897-C, Pwt; Orw-common Lactuca floridana (1.) Gaertner, H, 1873-C, T-frequenr Lactuca ludoviciana (Nutt.) Riddell, H, 1888-C, Oof-rare *Lactuca serriola L., B[L. scariola L.}, H[L. scariola L.], 1913-C, 0-frequenr Lactuca tatarica (1.) C.A. Meyer ssp. puchella (Pursh) Stebbins, 1927-C, Pms,wt-rare *Lapsana communis L., 1966-C, Ore-rare *Leucanthemum vulgare Lam., B, H[Chrysanthemum Leucanthemum 1.), 1887-C, 0-infrequent Liatris aspera Michx., B[L. scariosa (1.) Willd.], H[L. scariosa (L.) Willd.], 1897-C, Pdr,ms-infrequent Liatris cylindracea Michx., B, H, 1888-1907 Liatris pycnostachya Michx., B, H, 1888-C, Pms,wt-infrequenr Liatris squarrosa (1.) Michx., 1906-1906 *Matricaria matricarioides (Less.) Porter, 1994-C, Our,re-com mon Nothocalais cuspidata (Pursh) Greene, B[Troximon cuspidatum Pursh.}, H[Troximon cuspidatum Pursh], 1869-C, Pdr,ms-rare Prenanthes alba L., B[Nabalus a/bus Hook.], H, 1869-C, T-com mon Prenanthes aspera Michx., B[Nabalus asper Torr. & Gray], H, 1877- 1906 Prenanthes racemosa Michx., H, 1885-C, Pwt-infrequenr + Ratibida columnifera (Nutt.) Wooton & Standley, 1998-C, Orw-rare Ratibida pinnata (Vent.) Barnh., H[Lepachys pinnata (Vent.) Torr. & Gray], 1888-C, Pdr,ms-frequenr Rudbeckia hirta L., B, H, 1897-C, Twd; Pdr,ms; Orw-frequenr Rudbeckia laciniata L., B, H, 1920-C, Twf-frequent Rudbeckia subtomentosa Pursh, H, 1897-C, Pms,wt-rare Rudbeckia triloba L., B, H, 1896-C, Twf,ed; Wrp-frequent Senecio aureus L., B, H Senecio pauperculus Michx., 1873-1907 Senecio plattensis Nutt., 1897-C, Ted; P-infrequenr Senecio pseudaureus Rydb. var. semicordatus (Mack. & Bush) T. Bar- kley, 1884-C, Pwt-rare *Senecio vulgaris L., 1998-C, Wrp; Our,er-infrequent Silphium integrifolium Michx., 2000-C, Pwt-rare Silphium laciniatum L., B, H, 1895-C, Pms,wt-frequent Silphium perfoliatum L., B, H, 1897-C, Pms,wt; Wrp-frequent Solidago canadensis L., B, H[=; S. canadensis L. var. procera (Air.) Torr. & Gray], 1874-C, P; 0-common FLORISTIC INVENTORY OF AMES, IOWA 47 Solidago flexicaulis L., B[S. latifolia L.], H[S. latifolia L.], 1876-C, Tdf,mf-infrequent Solidago gigantea Aiton, H[S. serotina Ait.; S. serotina Ait. var. gi- gantea (Air.) Gray], 1876-C, P; 0-common Solidago missouriensis Nutt., B, H, 1869-C, Pdr-rare Solidago nemoralis Aiton, H, 1895-C, Twd; Pdr-frequent Solidago riddellii Frank ex Riddell, B, H, 1896-C, Pwt-rare Solidago rigida L., B, H, 1876-C, Pdr,ms-frequent Solidago speciosa Nutt., H[S. speciosa Nutt. var. angustata Torr. & Gray], 1878-C, Pdr-rare Solidago ulmifol~a Muhl. ex Willd., B, H, 1869-C, Tmf-frequent *Sonchus arvenszs L., 1928-C, Orw-infrequent *Sonchus asper (L.) Hill, H, 1885-C, Our,rw-frequent *Sonchus oleraceus L., H, 1890-C, Our,rw-frequent *Tanacetum vulgare L., H, 1924-C, Our,rc-rare *Taraxacum laevigatum (Willd.) DC., 1918-C, Twd; Our,ps-in frequent *Taraxacum officinale Weber, B[T. dens-leonis Desf.], H, 1873-C, 0---common *Tragopogon dubius Scop., 1928-C, Our,rw-frequent *Tragopogon pratensis L., 1921-1921 Verbesina alternifolia (L.) Britton, B[Actinomeris squarrosa Nutt.], H[Actinomeris alternifolia (L.) DC.], 1896-C, Twf,wd-rare Vernonia baldwinii Torrey, 2000-C, Pdr-rare Vernonia fasciculata Michx., B, H, 1895-C, Pwt-infrequent *Xanthium strumarium L., B, H[X. canadense Mill.], 1871-C, Wrp; 0---common BALSAMINACEAE Impatiens capensis Meerb., B[l. fulva Nutt.], H[l. biflora Walt.}, 1896-C, Twf; Wrp,sp---common Impatiens pallida Nutt., H[l. aurea Muhl.}, 1907-C, Twf; Wrp,sp-frequent BERBERIDACEAE *Berberis thunbergii DC., 2000-C, Tdf,wd; Ops-frequent *Berberis vulgaris L., 1922-1923 Caulophyllum thalictroides (L.) Michx., B, H, 1890-C, Tmf-rare Podophyllum peltatum L., B, H, 1881-C, Tmf,wf-frequent BETULACEAE Cory/us americana Walter, B, H, 1893-C, Tdr,wd,ed; Orw-in frequent Ostrya virginiana (P. Miller) K. Koch, B[O. virginica Willd.}, H, 1891-C, T-common BIGNONIACEAE *Campsis radicans (L.) Seem. ex Bureau, 1968-C, Ted-rare *Catalpa speciosa Warder, 1905-C, Twf-infrequent BORAGINACEAE *Cynoglossum officinale L., B[C. morissoni DC.], 1897-C, Twd-rare Hackelia virginiana (L.) I.M. Johnston, H[Echinospermum virginian um (L.) Lehm.}, 1894-C, T---common * Lappula echinata Gilib., B[Echinospermum lappula Lehm.}, H[Echinospermum lappula (L.) Lehm.}, 1895-C, Orw,rc-infre quent Lithospermum canescens (Michx.) Lehm., B, H, 1881-C, Pdr,ms infrequent Lithospermum incisum Lehm., B[L. longiflorum Spreng.}, H[L. angus tifolium Michx.}, 1881-C, Twd; Pdr-rare Lithospermum latifolium Michx., B, H Mertensia virginica (L.) Pers. ex Link, B[M. virginica DC.], H, 1881-C, Tmf,wf-frequent Onosmodi~m molle Michx. var. hispidissimum (Mack.) Cronq., B[O. carolmtanum DC.], H[O. carolinianum (Lam.) DC.}, 1895-C, Pdr-infrequent BRASSICACEAE *Alliaria petiolata (Bieb.) Cavara & Grande, 1998-C, Tdf,mf,wf-infrequent *Alyssum alyssoides (L.) L., H[A. calycinum L.], 1999-C, Ore-rare *Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh., 2000-C, Our-rare Arabis canadensis L., H, 1998-C, Tdf,ed-infrequent Arabis glabra (L.) Bernh., 1999-C, Ops-rare Arabis hirsuta (L.) Scop., H, 1897-C, Tmf; Orc,ps-infrequent Arabzs laevzgata (Muhl. ex Willd.) Poirer, 1903-1903 A rabis shortii (Fern.) GI., H[A. dentata Torr. & Gray}, 1895-C, Tmf,wf-infrequent *Armoracia rusticana (Lam.) Gaertner, Meyer & Schreber, H[Nasturtium armoracia (L.) Fries}, 1897-C, Ted-rare *Barbarea vulgaris R. Br., H, 1890-C, Twf; Wrp; Orw,cr,of- common *Berteroa incana (L.) DC., 1927-C, Orw-infrequent *Brassica campestris L., 1924-C, 0-infrequent *Brassica juncea (L.) Czern., 1904-C, Orw-frequent *Brassica nigra (L.) W.D.J. Koch, B, H, 1891-C, 0---common *Camelina microcarpa Andrz. ex DC., 1962-C, Ore-rare *Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz, B, H *Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Medicus, B, H, 1892-C, 0-common Cardamine bulbosa (Schreber) BSP., B[C. rhomboidea DC.], H, 1887- C, Wrp,sp-infrequent *Cardamine flexuosa With., 1998-C, Our-rare Cardamine pensylvanica Muhl. ex Willd., H[C. flexuosa With.}, 1897-C, Wrp,sp-rare *Cardaria draba (L.) Desv., 1927-C, Our-rare *Chorispora tenella (Pallas) DC., 1975-C, Our-rare *Conringia orientalis (L.) Dum., 1911-1954 Dentaria laciniata Muhl. ex Willd., B, H, 1887-C, Tmf,wf frequent Descurainia pinnata (Walter) Britton var. brachycarpa (Richardson) Fern., H[Sisymbrium canescens Nutt.], 1897-C, Our,rc-fre quent *Descurainia sophia (L.) Webb ex Prantl, 1999-C, Ore-rare Draba reptans (Lam.) Fern., B[D. caroliniana Walt.}, H[D. caroli- niana Walt.}, 1892-1937 *Erysimum cheiranthoides L., B, H, 1897-C, Ore-infrequent *Erysimum diffusum Ehrh., 1999-C, Ore-rare *Erysimum hieraciifolium L., 1999-C, Orw,rc-rare *Erysimum repandum L., 1940-C, Our-frequent *Hesperis matronalis L., H, 1962-C, Twf,wd,ed; Orw-frequent Iodanthus pinnatifidus (Michx.) Steudel, H[Thelypodium pinnatifidum (Mich.) Wars.}, 1895-C, Twf-rare *Lepidium campestre (L.) R. Br., 1943-C, 0-infrequent Lepidium densiflorum Schrader, H[L. intermedium Gray], 1891-C, 0---common *Lepidium perfoliatum L., 1950-1958 Lepidium virginicum L., B, H, 1912-C, 0---common *Nasturtium officinale R. Br., H, 1998-C, Wrp-rare *Rorippa austriaca (Crantz) Besser, 1951-C, Twd-rare Rorippa palustris (L.) Besser, H[Nasturtium palustre (Leys.) DC.}, 1897-C, Pwt; Wrp,md-common Rorippa sessiliflora (Nutt.) A.S. Hitchc., H[Nasturtium sessiliflorum Nutt.], 2000-C, Wrp-rare *Rorippa sylvestris (L.) Besser, 1926-1926 *Sibara virginica (L.) Roll., 2000-C, Wrp-rare *Sinapis alba L., H[Brassica alba (L.) Boiss.} 48 JOUR. IOWA ACAD. SCI. 108(2001) *Sinapis arvensis L., B, H[Brassica sinapistrum Boiss.}, 1893-C, Our-rare *Sisymbrium altissimum L., 1898-C, Our,rw-frequent *Sisymbrium loeselii L., 1976-C, Our,rw-infrequent *Sisymbrium officinale (L.) Scop., B, H, 1897-C, Our,rw-frequent *Thlaspi arvensis L., 1909-C, Our,re,er---common CAMPANULACEAE Campanula americana L., B, H, 1888-C, T; Wrp---common Campanula aparinoides Pursh, B, H, 1896-C, Pwt; Wsp-rare *Campanula rapunculoides L., 1958-C, Ted; Our,rw-infrequent Lobelia cardinalis L., B, H, 1888-1913 Lobelia inflata L., H, 1896-C, Twd,ed-frequent Lobe!ia siphi!itica L., B, H, 1881-C, Twf,es,ed; Pwt; Wrp; Orw---common Lobelia spicata Lam., B, H[L. spicata Lam. var. hirtella Gray}, 1942- C, Twd; Pdr,ms-infrequent Triodanis perfoliata (L.) Nieuw., B[Specularia perfoliata A. DC.}, H[Specularia perfoliata (L.) A. DC.}, 1897-C, Ore,er,of-fre quent CAPPARIDACEAE *Cleome hassleriana Chodat, 2000-C, Wrp-rare Polanisia dodecandra (L.) DC., B[P graveolens Raf.}, H, 1892-1962 CAPRIFOLIACEAE *Lonicera X bella Zabel, 1998-C, Ted-infrequent Lonicera dioica L. var. glaucescens (Rydb.) Butters, B[L. parviflora Lam. var. douglasii], H[L. glauca Hill], 1881-C, Tmf,df,wd infrequent *Lonicera maackii (Rupr.) Herder, 1993-C, T; Our,rw---common *Lonicera tatarica L., 1891-C, T; Our,rw---common Sambucus canadensis L., B, H, 1897-C, Twf,ed; Orw---common Symphoricarpos occidentalis Moench, H, 1998-C, Pms; Orw-infre- quent Symphoricarpos orbiculatus Moench, H[S. vulgaris Michx.}, 1998-C, Tmf,wd; Oof-rare Triosteum perfoliatum L., B, H, 1881-C, Tdf,wd-infrequent *Viburnum lantana L., 1998-C, Tmf,wf; Our-rare Viburnum lentago L., B, H, 1881-C, Tdf,mf,ed; Our,rw-infre quent *Viburnum opulus L., 1993-C, Tmf,wf; Our-infrequent Viburnum rafinesquianum Schultes, B[V pubescens Pursh], H[V pu bescens Pursh}, 1895-C, Tmf-infrequent CARYOPHYLLACEAE *Agrostemma githago L., B[Lychnis githago Lam.}, H[Lychnis githago (L.) Lam.}, 1895-1895 *Arenaria serpyllifolia L., 2000-C, Wrp-rare *Cerastium glomeratum Thuill., B[Cerastium viscosum L.] Cerastium nutans Raf., 1897-C, Ore-rare *Cerastium vulgatum L., 1924-C, Our,rw,ps-common *Dianthus armeria L., 2000-C, Pdr-infrequent *Holosteum umbellatum L., 1999-C, Our-rare *Myosoton aquaticum (L.) Moench, 1998-C, Our-rare Paronychia canadensis (L.) Wood, H[Anychia canadensis (L.) B.S.P.}, 1892-C, Tdf-rare *Sagina procumbens L., 2000-C, Wrp-rare *Saponaria olficinalis L., H, 1961-C, Orw-common Silene antirrhina L., B, H, 1894-C, Ore-infrequent *Silene cserei Baumg., 1962-C, Orw,re-infrequent *Si!ene dichotoma Ehrh., 1907-1907 Silene nivea (Nutt.) Otth, H, 1897-C, Twf; Wsp-rare *Silene noctiflora L., 1890-C, Ore-infrequent *Silene pratensis (Raf.) Gren. & Godrun, 1892-C, 0---common Silene stellata (L.) Aiton, B, H, 1879-C, Tmf,wf,ed; Wrp-infre- quent *Silene vulgaris (Moench) Garcke, 1897-C, Oof-rare *Spergula arvensis L., B *Spergularia marina (L.) Griseb., 1999-C, Our-rare Stellaria longifolia Muhl. ex Willd., H *Stellaria media (L.) Vil!., H, 1895-C, Our-common *Vaccaria pyramidata Medicus, H[Saponaria vaccaria L.], 1895- 1928 CELASTRACEAE Celastrus scandens L., B, H, 1897-C, Tmf,wf,ed; Orw-frequent *Euonymus alatus (Thunb.) Sieb., 1999-C, Tmf,wd,ed-rare Euonymus atropurpureus Jacq., B, H, 1891-C, Twf,ed; Orw-in- frequent CERATOPHYLLACEAE Ceratophyllum demersum L., H, 1998-C, Wsz-frequent CHENOPODIACEAE Atriplex patula L., 1907-C, Wrp; Our,er-infrequent *Bassia hyssopifolia (Pallas) Kuntze, 1998-C, Ore-rare *Chenopodium album L., B, H, 1888-C, 0---common Chenopodium berlandieri Moq., 1897-C, Twf; Our-common *Chenopodium botrys L., H, 1892-1895 *Chenopodium bushianum Aellen, 1961-C, Twf-rare Chenopodium desiccatum A. Nelson, 1942-1942 Chenopodium foggii H.A. Wahl, 1897-1907 *Chenopodium glaucum L., 1999-C, Ore-rare Chenopodium hybridum L., B, H, 1895-C, Twf; Wrp-frequent Chenopodium missouriensis Aellen, 1898-1898 Chenopodium rubrum L., 1960-1960 Chenopodium standleyanum Aellen, B[C. album L. var. boscianum Gr.}, H[C. boscianum Moq.}, 1896-C, Twf,ed; Our-frequent *Chenopodium urbicum L., H, 1894-1894 Cycloloma atriplicifolium (Sprengel) Coulter, 1892-1942 *Kochia scoparia (L.) Schrader, 1927-C, Orw,re-infrequent * Monolepis nuttalliana (Roemer & Schultes) Greene, 1917-1917 *Salsola collina Pallas, 1959-C, Orw,re-frequent *Salsola iberica Sennen & Pau, 1904-C, Orw,re-rare CISTACEAE Helianthemum bicknellii Fern., H, 1897-C, Tmf,wd; Pdr-rare CONVOLVULACEAE Calystegia sepium (L.) R. Br., B, H[Convolvulus sepium L.}, 1881-C, Our,rw---common *Convolvulus arvensis L., H, 1895-C, Our,rw---common Cuscuta cephalanthii Engelm., H, 1999-C, Oof-rare Cuscuta coryli Engelm., H Cuscuta glomerata Choisy, B, H, 1888-1942 Cuscuta gronovii Willd., B, H Cuscuta pentagona Engelm., 1909-C, Twf-infrequent *lpomoea hederacea (L.) Jacq., 1998-C, Ted; Oof-rare CORNACEAE Cornus alternifolia L.f., H, 1896-C, Tmf,wf-frequent Cornus amomum P. Miller ssp. obliqua (Raf.) J.S. Wilson, B[C. sericea L.], H[C. sericea L.}, 1892-C, Ted; Wrp; Orw-frequent Cornus drummondii C.A. Meyer, H[C. asperifolia Michx.}, 1914-C, Ted; Orw,of-frequent Cornus foemina P. Miller ssp. racemosa (Lam.) J.S. Wilson, B[C. FLORISTIC INVENTORY OF AMES, IOWA 49 paniculata L'Her.}, H[C. candidisima Marsh.}, 1894-C, Ted frequent Cornus rugosa Lam., B[C. circinata L'Her.}, H[C. circinata L'Her.} +Cornus stolonifera Michx., 2000-C, Oof-rare CRASSULACEAE *Sedum kamtschaticum Fisch. & C.A. Meyer, 1999-C, Orw-rare CUCURBITACEAE Echinocystis lobata (Michx.) T. & G., B, H[E. echinata (Muhl.) B.S.P.}, 1885-C, Twf-rare Sicyos angulatus L., B, 1902-C, Twf-infrequent ELAEAGNACEAE * Elaeagnus angustifolia L., 1951-C, Our-rare *Elaeagnus umbellata Thunb., 1891-C, Twd,ed; Orw,of-fre quent ERICACEAE Monotropa uniflora L., B, H, 1889-C, Tdf,mf-infrequent EUPHORBIACEAE Acalypha rhomboidea Raf., 1884-C, Wrp; Our-common Acalypha virginica L., B, H, 1933-C, Twd-rare Croton glandulosus L. var. septentrionalis Mueller-Arg., 2000-C, Pdr-rare Euphorbia corollata L., B, H, 1880-C, P; Orw,re-frequent Euphorbia cyathophora Murray, H[E. heterophylla L.}, 1933-C, Ore,of-infrequent *Euphorbia cyparissias L., H, 1891-C, Ore-rare Euphorbia dentata Michx., 1928-C, 0-frequent *Euphorbia esula L., 1907-C, Pdr-rare Euphorbia glyptosperma Engelm., H, 1897-C, Twd; Our-infre quent Euphorbia maculata L., B[=; E. hypericifolia L.}, H[=; E. hyperici- folia L.}, 1907-C, Our,rw,er-common Euphorbia marginata Pursh, H, 1956-1956 Euphorbia missurica Raf., H[E. petaloidea Engel.}, n.d.-n.d. Euphorbia nutans Lag., 1888-C, Our,rw,er-common Euphorbia serpens HBK., 1998-C, Our,er-frequent *Euphorbia serpyllifolia Pers., B FABACEAE Amorpha canescens Pursh, B, H, 1897-C, Twd; Pdr,ms-infre quent Amorpha fruticosa L., B, H, 1881-C, Twf-infrequent Amphicarpaea bracteata (L.) Fern., H[A. comosa (L.) Riddell}, 1897- C, Twf-frequent Apios americana Medicus, B[A. tuberosa Moench}, H[A. tuberosa Moench}, 1896-C, Twf,ed-infrequent Astragalus canadensis L., B, H, 1913-C, Twf,ed-infrequent Astragalus crassicarpus Nutt., B[A. caryocarpus Ker.}, H[A. caryocar pus Ker.}, 1884-C, Pdr,ms-infrequent Baptisia bracteata Muhl. ex Ell. var. glabrescens (Larisey) Isely, B[B. leucophaea Nutt.}, H[B. leucophaea Nutt.}, 1881-C, Pdr,ms infrequent Baptisia lactea (Raf.) Thieret, B[B. leucantha Torr. & Gray}, H[B. leucantha Torr. & Gray}, 1897-C, Pdr,ms-infrequent Cassia marilandica L., 1998-C, Twf,ed-rare +Cercis canadensis L., 2000-C, Ted; Our-infrequent Chamaecrista fasciculata (Michx.) Greene, B[Cassia chaemaecrista L.}, H[Cassia chaemaecrista L.}, 1895-C, Twd,ed; Pdr; Orw-fre quent *Coronilla varia L., 1994-C, Pdr,ms; Orw-frequent Crotalaria sagittalis L., 1998-C, Ted-rare Dalea candida Willd., B[Petalostemon candidus Michx.}, H[Petalostemon candidus (Willd.) Michx.}, 1880-C, Pdr,ms infrequent Dalea leporina (Aiton) Bullock, H[D. alopecuroides Willd.}, 1890- 1890 Dalea purpurea Vent., B[Petalostemon violaceus Michx.}, H[Petalostemon violaceus (Willd.) Michx.}, 1880-C, Pdr,ms frequent Dalea villosa (Nutt.) Sprengel, H[Petalostemon villosus Nutt.} Desmodium canadense (L.) DC., B, H, 1888-C, Pdr-frequent Desmodium cuspidatum (Muhl. ex Willd.) Louden, 1881-1961 Desmodium glutinosum (Muhl. ex Willd.) Wood, B[D. acuminatum DC.}, H[D. grandiflorum (Walt.) DC.}, 1897-C, Tdf,mf,wd infrequent Desmodium illinoense Gray, H, 1907-C, Pdr,ms-infrequent Desmodium paniculatum (L.) DC., H[D. dillenii Dari.} Desmodium sessilifolium (Torr.) T. & G., B, H Gleditsia triacanthos L., B, H, 1914-C, Twf,wd,ed; Our,rw,of,ps-common Glycyrrhiza lepidota Pursh, H, 1898-C, Orw-rare Gymnocladus dioica (L.) K. Koch, B[G. canadensis Lam.}, H, 1906- C, Tmf,wf-infrequent * Lathyrus latifolius L., 1948-C, Twf-rare Lathyrus ochroleucus Hooker, 1949-1949 Lathyrus palustris L., B, H, 1897-C, Pwt; Orw-infrequent Lathyrus venosus Muhl. ex Willd., H, 1896-1907 Lespedeza capitata Michx., H[L. frutescens (Willd.) Ell.}, 1896-C, Twd; Pdr,ms-frequent Lespedeza leptostachya Engelm., H, photo, C, Pdr-rare *Lotus corniculatus L., 1876-C, Pdr,ms; 0-common Lotus purshianus Clem. & Clem., 1897-1897 *Medicago lupulina L., B, H, 1898-C, 0-common *Medicago sativa L., H, 1882-C, Oof,rw-frequent * Melilotus alba Medicus, H, 1904-C, Pdr; 0-common *Melilotus officinalis (L.) Pallas, H, 1895-C, Pdr; 0-common Pediomelum argophyllum (Pursh) Grimes, H[Psoralea argophy/!a Pursh}, 1894-C, Pdr,ms-rare *Robinia pseudo-acacia L., H, 1961-C, Twf,ed; Our,rw-infre quent Strophostyles helvula (L.) Ell., H[S. angulosa (Ort.) Ell.}, 1891-C, Ore-rare *Trifolium arvense L., B, H *Trifolium aureum L., H[T agrarium L.} *Trifolium campestre Schreber, B[T procumbens L.}, H[T procumbens L.}, 1880-C, Twd-infrequent *Trifolium hybridum L., 1895-C, Our-frequent *Trifolium pratense L., H, 1880-C, 0-common *Trifolium repens L., H, 1892-C, 0-common Vicia americana Muhl. ex Willd., B, H, 1881-C, Pwt; Orw frequent *Vicia sativa L. var. nigra L., 1963-1963 *Vicia villosa Roth, 1890-C, Ore,of-rare FAGACEAE Quercus alba L., B, H, 1873-C, Tdf,wd-common Quercus borealis Michx.f. var. maxima (Marsh.) Ashe, H[Q. rubra L.}, 1873-C, Tdf,mf-common Quercus macrocarpa Michx., B, H, 1873-C, T; Ops-common Quercus velutina Lam., H[Q. coccinea Wang.}, 2000-C, Tdf,ed infrequent 50 ]OUR. IOWA ACAD. SCI. 108(2001) GENTIANACEAE *Centaurium pulchellum (Schwartz) Druce, 1999-C, Our-rare Gentiana alba Muhl., B, H[G. flavida Gray}, 1899-C, Tdf,wd- infrequent Gentiana andrewsii Griseb., B, H, 1899-C, Tes; Pwt-infrequent Gentiana X billingtonii Farw., B[G. saponaria L.} Gentiana puberulenta J. Pringle, B[G. puberula Michx.}, H[G. pub erula Michx.}, 1898-C, Pdr,ms-rare Gentianopsis crinita (Froelich) Ma., B[Gentiana crinita Froel.}, H Gentianella quinquefolia (L.) Small ssp. occidentalis (A. Gray) J. Gil lett, B[Gentiana quinqueflora Lam.}, H[Gentiana quinquefolia L. var. occidentalis}, 1902-C, Tes; Pms,wt-rare GERANIACEAE *Erodium cicutarium (L.) L'Her. 1914-1914 Geranium carolinianum L., 1929-C, Our-rare Geranium maculatum L., B, H, 1881-C, Tmf,wf---common *Geranium pusillum L., 1929-1929 *Geranium sibiricum L., 1979-C, Twf; Our,rw-rare HALORAGIDACEAE Proserpinaca pa!ustris L., B, H HIPPOCASTANACEAE Aesculus glabra Willd., 2000-C, Twf-rare HYDROPHYLLACEAE Ellisia nyctelea L., B[E. ambigua Nutt.}, H, 1887-C, Twf; Our,rw-frequent Hydrophyllum virginianum L., B, H, 1881-C, Tmf,wf---common HYPERICACEAE Hypericum majus (Gray) Britron, H[H. canadense L. var. majus Gray}, 2000-C, Ted-rare *Hypericum perforatum L., 1942-C, Pwt; Orw,re,of-infrequent Hypericum prolificum (Spach) Steudel, 1989-C, Twd-rare Hypericum punctatum Lam., H[H. maculatum Walt.}, 1951-C, Tmf,wd-infrequent Hypericum pyramidatum Aiton, B, H[H. ascyron L.}, 1894-C, Ted; Pdr-infrequent JUGLANDACEAE Carya cordiformis (Wang.) K. Koch, B[C. amara Nutt.}, H[Hicoria minima (Marsh.) Britt.}, 1901-C, Tmf,wf---common Carya ovata (P. Miller) K. Koch, B[C. alba Nutt.}, H[Hicoria ovata (Mill.) Britt.}, 1897-C, Tdr,mf,wd---common ]uglans cinerea L., B, H, 1883-C, Tmf,wf-infrequent ]uglans nigra L., B, H, 1897-C, Tmf,wf; Our,rw-common LAMIACEAE Agastache foeniculum (Pursh) Kuntze, 1948-1948 Agastache nepetoides (L.) Kuntze, H[Lophanthus nepetoides (L.) Benth.}, 1897-C, Twf-frequent Agastache scrophulariifolia (Willd.) Kuntze, B[Lophanthus scrophular iaefolius Benth.}, H[Lophanthus scrophulariaefolius (Willd.) Benth.}, 1884-C, Twd,ed-rare *Ajuga reptans L., 1999-C, Twd-rare Blephilia hirsuta Benth., B Dracocephalum parviflorum Nutt., 1914-C, Ore-rare *Glechoma hederacea L., H[Nepeta hederacea (L.) B.S.P.}, 1919-C, Twf; Wrp; 0---common Hedeoma hispidum Pursh, H, 1907-C, Twd; Ore-frequent Hedeoma pulegioides (L.) Pers., H, 1889-C, Tdf,wd-rare *Lamium amplexicaule L., 1998-C, Our,rw-infrequent *Leonurus cardiaca L., H, 1895-C, Twf,ed; Wrp---common Lycopus americanus Muhl. ex Barton, B[L. europaeus L. var. sinuatus Gr.}, H[L. sinuatus Ell.}, 1889-C, Pwt; Wrp; Orw-frequent Lycopus X sherardii Steele, 1999-C, Wrp-rare Lycopus uniflorus Michx., 1889-C, Pwt-rare Lycopus virginicus L., H[ =; L. rubellus Moench (ISC specimen mis identified)}, 1907-C, Pwt-frequent Mentha arvensis L., B[M. canadensis L.}, H[M. canadensis L.; M. canadensis L. var. borealis (Michx.) Wood}, 1917-C, Pwt; Wrp-frequent Monarda fistulosa L., B, H, 1881-C, P-common *Nepeta cataria L., B, H, 1881-C, 0---common *Perilla frutescens (L.) Britton, C, Ops-rare Physostegia parviflora Nutt. ex Gray, 1907-C, Wrp,md-infre quent Physostegia virginiana (L.) Bentham, B, H, 1999-C, Wrp-rare *Prunella vulgaris L., B[Brunella vulgaris L.}, H[Brunella vulgaris L.}, 1888-C, T; 0-frequent Prunella vulgaris L. var. lanceolata (Bartram) Fern., 1897-C, Twf rare Pycnanthemum virginianum (L.) Dur. & Jackson, B[P. lanceolatum Pursh}, H, 1881-C, Pms,wt-frequent *Salvia nemorosa L., 1999-C, Oer-rare Salvia reflexa Hornem., H[S. lanceolata Willd.}, 1895-C, Ore- rare Scutellaria galericulata L., H, 1897-1942 Scutellaria lateriflora L., B, H, 1961-C, Pwt; Wrp-frequent Scutellaria leonardii Epling, B[S. parvula Michx.}, H[S. parvula Michx.}, 1895-C, Pdr,ms; Ops-infrequent Stachys palustris L., H, 1894-95-C, Pms,wt; Wrp-frequent Stachys tenuifolia Willd., H[S. aspera Michx.; S. aspera Michx. var. tenuiflora (Willd.)}, 1907-C, Twf-frequent Teucrium canadense L., B, H, 1896-C, Twd,ed-frequent Teucrium canadense L. var. boreale (Bickn.) Shinners, 1897-C, Twd,ed-frequent LENTIBULARIACEAE Utricularia vulgaris L., H, 1999-C, Wsz,md-infrequent LINACEAE Linum sulcatum Riddell, B, H, 1894-C, Pdr; Ops-rare LYTHRACEAE Ammania coccinea Rottb., H, 1999-C, Wmd; Oer-frequent Lythrum alatum Pursh, B, H, 1895-C, Pms,wt-frequent *Lythrum salicaria L., 1998-C, Pwt-rare MALVACEAE *Alcea rosea L., 1927-C, Our-rare *Abutilon theophrasti Medicus, B[A. avicennae Gaertn.}, H[A. avi- cennae Gaertn.}, 1881-C, 0-common Callirhoe involucrata (Nutt. ex T. & G.) Gray, 1890-1969 Hibiscus laevis All., 1940-C, Wmd-rare *Hibiscus trionum L., H, 1881-C, 0-frequent *Malva neglecta Wallr., 1895-C, Our,re,er-frequent *Malva rotundifolia L., B, H, 1907-C, Our-infrequent *Malva sylvestris L., B, H, 1881-1881 +Napaea dioica L., 1998-C, Twf-rare *Sida spinosa L., 1998-C, Our,er-rare MENISPERMACEAE Menispermum canadense L., B, H, 1907-C, Tmf,wf,ed-rare FLORISTIC INVENTORY OF AMES, IOWA 51 MORACEAE *Cannabis sativa L., B, H, 1881-C, 0-frequent *Humulus japonicus Sieb., 1944-C, Ted-rare Humulus lupulus L., B, H, 1881-C, Twd,ed-frequent *Madura pomifera (Raf. ex Sarg.) Schneider, 2000-C, Twf-rare *Morus alba L., 1960-C, Twf,ed; Our,rw,ps--common Morus rubra L., B, H, 1895-C, Tmf,wf-infrequent NYCTAGINACEAE Mirabilis albida (Walter) Heimerl, 1992-C, Ted; Pdr-rare Mirabilis hirsuta (Pursh) MacM., 1892-C, Ted; Pdr-rare Mirabilis nyctaginea (Michx.) MacM., H[Oxybaphus nyctagineus (Michx.) Sweet}, 1897-C, 0--common NYMPHAEACEAE Nymphaea tuberosa Paine, B[N. odorata Ait.} Nuphar luteum (1.) Smith, B[N. advena Ait.} OLEACEAE Fraxinus americana L., B, H, 1924-C, Tdf,mf-frequent Fraxinus nigra Marsh, H[F. sambucifolia Lam.}, 1914-C, Tmf,wf infrequent Fraxinus pensylvanica Marsh., H[F. viridis Michx.f. var. pubescens}, 2000-C, Twf-rare Fraxinus pensylvanica Marsh. var. lanceolata (Borkh.) Sarg., H[F. viridis Michx.f.}, 1896-C, Tmf,wf; Our,rw--common *Ligustrum obtusifolium Siebold & Zucc., 1999-C, Ted-rare *Ligustrum vulgare L., 1909-C, Wrp; Ops-rare ONAGRACEAE Calylophus serrulatus (Nutt.) Raven, B[Oenothera serrulata Nutt.}, H[Oenothera serrulata Nutt.}, 1895-C, Pdr-rare Circaea lutetiana L. ssp. canadensis (1.) Ascherson & Magnus, B[C. lutetiana L.}, H[C. lutetiana L.}, 1895-C, Tmf,wf--common Epilobium ciliatum Raf., H[E. adenocaulum Haussku.} Epilobium coloratum Biehler, B, H, 1897-C, Tes; Pwt; Wrp-fre- quent Epilobium leptophyllum Raf., H[E. lineare Muhl.} Gaura biennis L., 1923-C, Orw-rare Gaura parviflora Douglas, 1892-1988 Ludwigia polycarpa Short & Peter, B, H, 1897-1907 Oenothera laciniata Hill, 1963-1963 Oenothera parviflora L., 1999-C, Ore,of-infrequent Oenothera rhombipetala Nutt. ex T. & G., 1924-1924 Oenothera villosa Thunb., B[O. biennis L.}, H[O. biennis L.}, 1881- C, 0--common OROBANCHACEAE Orobanche uniflora L., H[Aphyllon uniflorum (1.) Gray}, n.d.[1800's} n.d. OXALIDACEAE Oxalis dillenii Jacq., 1897-C, Our-infrequent Oxalis stricta L., B, H[O. corniculata L.}, 1881-C, 0--common Oxalis violacea L., B, H, 1881-C, P-rare PAPAVERACEAE *Chelidonium majus L., 1958-C, Twf-rare Corydalis micrantha (Engelm.) Gray, 1890-C, Ore-infrequent Dicentra cucullaria (1.) Bernh., B, H[Dyclyptra cucullaria (1.) DC.}, 1881-C, Tmf-frequent *Fumaria officinalis L., 1999-C, Ore-rare Sanguinaria canadensis L., B, H, 1881-C, Tmf-frequent PHRYMACEAE Phryma leptostachya L., H, 1894-C, T--common PHYTOLACCACEAE Phytolacca americana L., 1907-C, Our-rare PLANTAGINACEAE Plantago aristata Michx., 1896-1968 *Plantago lanceolata L., B, H, 1890-C, Our,ps--common *Plantago major L., B, H, 1961-C, Our-frequent Plantago patagonica Jacq., 1998-C, Ore-rare Plantago rugelii Dene., H, 1909-C, Pdr,ms; 0--common Plantago virginica L., 1924-1955 PLATANACEAE Platanus occidentalis L., B, H, 1897-C, Twf-frequent POLEMONIACEAE Phlox divaricata L., B[P. procumbens Lehm.}, H, 1881-C, Tmf,wf- common Phlox maculata L., H, 1907-1907 *Phlox paniculata L., 1909-C, Our,rw-rare Phlox pilosa L., B, H, 1881-C, P-frequent Polemonium reptans L., H, 1890-C, Tmf; Ops-infrequent POLYGALACEAE Polygala incarnata L., B, H, 1907-1907 Polygala sanguinea L., B, H, 1907-1907 Polygala senega L., H, 1898-1898 Polygala verticillata L., B, H, 1896-C, Twd,es; Pms-rare POLYGONACEAE Polygonum achoreum Blake, 1998-C, Orw,er-frequent Polygonum amphibium L. var. emersum Michx., B[P. amphibium L. var. terrestre Willd.}, H[P. amphibium L.; P. muhlenbergii Wats.}, 1897-C, Pwt; Wez--common Polygonum amphibium L. var. stipulaceum (Coleman) Fern., H[P. hart- wrightii Gray}, 1947-1947 *Polygonum aviculare L., B, H, 1897-C, 0--common *Polygonum convolvulus L., B, H, 1892-C, Oer-frequent *Polygonum cuspidatum Sieb. & Zucc., 1947-C, Twf,ed; Our-rare Polygonum erectum L., H, 1895-C, 0--common Polygonum hydropiper L., B, H, 1888-C, Twf; Wrp,md-frequent Polygonum lapathifolium L., H[P. lapathifolium L. var. incarnatum (Ell.) Watson}, 1877-C, Pwt; Wez,rp; Oer-frequent *Polygonum orientate L., B, H, 1902-1928 Polygonum pensylvanicum L. var. laevigatum Fern., B[P. pennsylvanicum L.}, H[P. pennsylvanicum L.}, 1903-C, Pwt; Wez,rp; Oer common *Polygonum persicaria L., B, H, 1888-C, 0--common Polygonum punctatum Ell., H[P. acre HBK.}, 1907-C, Pwt; Wrp frequent Polygonum ramosissimum Michx., B, H, 1902-C, Ore-rare Polygonum scandens L., H[P. dumetorum L. var. scandens (1.) Gray}, 1890-C, Twf,ed; Our-common Polygonum virginianum L., B, H, 1897-C, Tmf,wf--common *Rumex acetosella L., B, H, 1897-C, Our-frequent Rumex altissimus Wood, H, 1897-C, Pwt; Wez,rp; 0--common *Rumex crispus L., B, H, 1888-C, Pms,wt; Wez,rp,md; 0--com- mon Rumex mexicanus Meisner, 1904-C, Twf; Pwt-rare *Rumex obtusifolius L., 1912-1912 Rumex orbiculatus Gray, B[Rumex brittanica L.} *Rumex patientia L., 1937-C, Ops-rare 52 JOUR. IOWA ACAD. SCI. 108(2001) *Rumex stenophyllus Ledeb., 1999-C, Pwt; Oof-infrequent Rumex vertici!!atus L., H, 1999-C, Twf-rare PORTULACACEAE Claytonia virginica L., B, H, 1893-C, Tmf,wf-common *Portulaca oleracea L., H, 1888-C, Our-common PRIMULACEAE Androsace occidentalis L., 1998-C, Our,rc-rare Lysimachia ciliata L., B, H[Steironema ciliatum (L.) Raf.}, 1988-C, Twd,ed; Pms; Wrp; Orw,of-frequent Lysimachia hybrida Michx., H[Steironema lanceolatum (Walt.) Gray var. hybridum (Michx.) Gray}, 1907-C, Oof-rare *Lysimachia nummularia L., 1892-C, Twf-rare Lysimachia quadriflora Sims, B[L. longifolia Pursh.}, H[Steironema quadriflorum (Sims)}, 1878-C, Pms,wt-infrequent Lysimachia terrestris (L.) BSP., 1907-1907 Lysimachia thyrsiflora L., B, H, 1998-C, Pwt; Wez-rare RANUNCULACEAE Actaea pachypoda Ell., B[A. alba Bigel.}, H[A. alba (L.) Bigel.}, 1881-1890 Actaea rubra (Aiton) Willd., H[A. spicata L. var. rubra Ait.}, 1907- C, Tmf-rare Anemone canadensis L., B[A. pennsylvanica L.}, H[A. pennsylvanica L.}, 1881-C, Ted; Pwt; Orw-common Anemone caroliniana Walter, B, H, 1894-1942 Anenome cylindrica Gray, B, H, 1897-C, Twd; Pdr-frequent Anenome quinquefolia L., B[A. nemorosa L.}, H[A. nemorosa L.}, 1881-C, Tdf,mf-frequent Anenome virginiana L., H, 1895-C, Tdf,mf,ed; Pdr-frequent Aqui!egia canadensis L., B, H, 1881-C, T; Our-common Ca!tha palustris L., B, H, 1887-C, Wsp-rare Clematis pitcheri T. & G., B[C. viorna L.}, H, 1902-C, Ted; Orc- infrequent Clematis virginiana L., B, H, 1881-C, Twf,ed; Orw-infrequent *Consolida ambigua (L.) Ball & Heywood, 1902-C, Wrp-rare Delphinium tricorne Michx., 1968-1968 Delphinium virescens Nutt., B[D. azureum Michx.}, H[D. azureum Michx.}, 1897-C, Pdr; Ops-infrequent Hepatica nobi!is P. Miller var. acuta (Pursh) Steyerm., B[H. acuti!oba DC.}, H[Anemone hepatica L. var. acuta (Pursh)}, 1881-C, Tmf-frequent lsopyrum biternatum (Raf.) T. & G., B, H, 1881-C, Tmf,wf-fre quent Pu!satilla patens (L.) P. Miller ssp. mu!tifida (Pritz.) Zemels, H[Anemone patens L. var. hirsutissima (Pursh)}, 1898-1919 Ranunculus abortivus L., H, 1892-C, Tmf,wf; Our-common Ranunculus cymbalaria Pursh, B, H, 1907-1907 Ranunculus flabe!laris Raf., B[R. mu!tifidus Pursh.}, H[R. lacustris Beck & Tracy}, 1881-C, Wsz-rare Ranuncu!us pensylvanicus L.f., 2000-C, Wrp-rare *Ranunculus repens L., B, 1994-C, Orw-rare Ranunculus sce!eratus L., B, 1998-C, Twf; Wrp-frequent Ranunculus septentrionalis Poiret, H, 1881-C, Tmf,wf-frequent *Ranuncu!us testiculatus Crantz, 1999-C, Ore-rare Thalictrum dasycarpum Fischer & Ave-Lall., B[T. purpurascens L.; T. cornuti L.}, H[T. purpurascens L.}, 1894-C, Twf; Pms,wt; Orw-frequent Thalictrum dioicum L., B, H, 1892-C, Tmf,wf-frequent Thalictrum thalictroides (L.) Eames & Boivin, B[T. anemonoides Michx.}, H[Anemone!!a thalictroides (L.) Spach}, 1887-C, Tdf,mf-frequent RHAMNACEAE Ceanothus americanus L. var. pitcheri T. & G., B, H, 1888-C, Twd; Pdr,ms-rare Ceanothus herbaceus Raf. var. pubescens (T. & G.) Shinners, B[C. ovatus Bigelow}, H[C. ovatus Desf. var. pubescens Torr. & Gray}, 1881- 1907 *Rhamnus cathartica L., 1961-C, T; Our,rw-common *Rhamnus utilis Decne., 1999-C, Tes, wf-frequent ROSACEAE *Agrimonia eupatoria L., B, H, 1907-1907 Agrimonia gryposepala Wallr., 1888-C, Tdf,wd,ed-frequent Agrimonia pubescens Wallr., 1881-C, Tdf-infrequent Agrimonia striata Michx., 1894-1907 Amelanchier arborea (Michx.) Fern., B[A. canadensis (L.) Torr. & Gray}, H[A. canadensis (L.) Torr. & Gray}, 1882-C, Tdf,mf,wd,ed-infrequent Amelanchier humilis Wieg., 1875-1914 *Cotoneaster mu!tiflora Bunge, 1999-C, Twd-rare Crataegus calpodendron (Ehrh.) Medicus, 1891-C, Twd,ed; Ops rare Crataegus mollis (T. & G.) Scheele, H[C. coccinea L. var. mo!!is Torr. & Gray}, 1884-C, Twf,wd,ed; Wrp; Ops-frequent Crataegus punctata Schrader ex Link, B[C. tomentosa L. var. punctata Gray}, H, 1893-C, Twd,ed-infrequent Crataegus succu!enta Schrader ex Link, 1999-C, Ops-rare *Duchesnea indica (Andrews) Focke, 1994-C, Tmf,wf; Our-in frequent Fragaria vesca L. var. americana Porter, 1929-C, Twd-rare Fragaria virginiana Duchesne, B, H[F. virginiana Duch. var. illi noensis (Prince) Gray}, 1881-C, T; P; 0-common Geum aleppicum Jacq. var. strictum (Aiton) Fern., 1998-C, P; Orc rare Geum canadense Jacq., B[G. album Gmel.}, H[G. album Gmel.}, 1883-C, Tmf,df,ed; Pms,wt-common Geum laciniatum Murray, H[G. virginianum L.}, 1889-1897 Ma/us ioensis (Wood) Britton, B[Pyrus coronaria L.}, H[Pirus coron- aria L.}, 1883-C, Twd,ed; Pdr; Ops-infrequent *Ma/us sylvestris (L.) P. Miller, 1899-C, Twd,ed; 0-frequent +Physocarpus opu!ifo!ius (L.) Maxim., 1998-C, Orw,of-rare *Potentilla argentea L., 1948-C, Our,ps-rare Potenti!la arguta Pursh, B, H, 1894-C, Pdr,ms-infrequent Potenti!!a norvegica L., B, H, 1888-C, Pdr,ms; Orw,rc,of-com- mon *Potenti!!a recta L., 1933-C, 0-frequent Potenti!!a rivalis Nutt., H[P. rivalis Nutt. var. pentandra (Engel.) Watson}, 1889-1889 Potentilla simplex Michx., B[P. canadensis L.}, H[P. canadensis L.}, 1897-C, Twd,ed; Pms,wt-frequent Prunus americana Marsh., B, H, 1887-C, Ted; Pwt; Orw,of- common Prunus pensylvanica L.f., B, H, 1887-1887 Prunus mexicana S. Watson, 1998-C, Ted; Wrp-frequent Prunus serotina Ehrh., B, H, 1881-C, Tdf,mf,ed; Orw-common * Prunus tomentosa Thunb., 1998-C, Twd,ed; Our-infrequent Prunus virginiana L., B, H, 1887-C, Tdf,mf,wd,ed; Orw-com- mon Rosa arkansana Porter var. suffulta (Greene) Cockerell, H[Rosa blan da Ait. var. arkansana (Porter) Best}, 1902-C, Pdr,ms; Orw frequent Rosa blanda Aiton, B, 1895-C, Ted; Pdr,ms; Orw-frequent Rosa carolina L., 2000-C, Ted; Pms; Orw-frequent *Rosa eglanteria L., 1926-C, Twd-rare - FLORISTIC INVENTORY OF AMES, IOWA 53 *Rosa multif!ora Thunb. ex Murray, 2000-C, Twd,ed; Orw,ps- common Rosa X rudiuscula Greene, 1928-1933 Rosa setigera Michx., 1999-C, Ted-rare Rubus ablatus Bailey, 1924-C, Ted; Orw-infrequent Rubus allegheniensis Porter ex Bailey, 1989-C, Ted; Wrp; Orw- infrequent *Rubus caesius L., 1998-C, T; Wrp; Oof-rare Rubus frondosus Bigel., 1993-C, Ted-rare Rubus idaeus L. var. strigosus (Michx.) Maxim., B[R. strigosus Michx.J, 1924-C, Tes-rare Rubus occidentalis L., B, H, 1904-C, T; P; 0---common *Rubus parvifolius L., 1888-C, Tmf,wf,ed; Orw-frequent Rubus roribaccus (L.H. Bailey) Rydb. in Britton, 1924-1931 RUBIACEAE Cephalanthus occidentalis L., B, H, 1870-1889 Galium aparine L., H, 1871-C, T---common Galium boreale L., 1998-C, Tdf,mf-rare Galium circaezans Michx., 2000-C, Tdf,wd-rare Galium concinnum T. & G., H, 1873-C, Tmf,wf---common Galium obtusum Bigelow, 1873-C, Pwt-frequent . Galium tinctorium L., H(G. trifidum L. var. latifolium Torr.] Galium trifidum L., B, H Galium triftorum Michx., H, 1887-C, Tmf,wf---common RUTACEAE Ptelea trifoliata L., 1998-C, Ted-rare Zanthoxylum americanum P. Miller, B, H, 1883-C, T---common SALICACEAE *Populus alba L., 1913-C, Our,rw-infrequent Populus deltoides Bartram ex Marsh., B(P. angulata Ait.; P. monilifera Ait.J, H(P. monilifera Ait.], 1878-C, Tmf,wf; Our,rw---com mon Populus grandidentata Michx., H, 1906-C, Tdf,wd,ed-infrequent Populus tremuloides Michx., B, H, 1906-1914 Salix amygdaloides Andersson, 1891-C, Twf; Wrp; Orw-fre- quent Salix bebbiana Sarg., 1874-C, Wsp-rare Salix discolor Muhl., H, 1874-C, Pwt; Wrp; Orw-infrequent Salix exigua Nutt. ssp. interior (Rowlee) Cronq., H(S. longifolia Muhl.}, 1872-C, Twf,ed; Pwt; Wrp,md; Orw---common *Salix fragilis L., 1913-C, Wrp; Orw-rare Salix humilis Marsh., H, 1874-1937 Salix nigra Marsh., H, 1901-C, Twf; Pwt; Wrp; Orw-frequent Salix petiolaris Smith, 1874-1938 Salix rigida Muhl., H[S. cordata Muhl.}, 1874-C, Twf,ed; Pwt,rp; Orw---common SANTALACEAE Comandra umbellata (L.) Nutt., B, H, 1882-C, Twd; Pdr,ms frequent SAXIFRAGACEAE Heuchera richardsonii L. var. hirsuticaulis (Wheelock) Rosend., But ters & Lak., B(H. hispida Pursh}, H(H. hispida Pursh.J, 1884- C, Tdf,ms,wd,es; Pms-infrequent Mite/la diphylla L., 1897-1897 Parnassia glauca Raf., B[P. caroliniana Michx.J Penthorum sedoides L., B, H, 1892-C, Twf; Wrp,md; Orw-infre quent Ribes americanum P. Miller, B[R. ftoridum L.], H[R. ftoridum L'Her.J, 1881-C, Pwt; Wrp,sp; Orw-rare Ribes cynosbati L., H, 1914-C, Tmf-rare Ribes missouriense Nutt. ex T. & G., H[R. gracile Michx.J, 1887-C, T; Ops---common SCROPHULARIACEAE Agalinis purpurea (L.) Pennell, B[Gerardia purpurea L.], 1907-1907 Agalinis tenuifolia (Vahl) Raf., B[Gerardia tenuifolia Vahl.J, H[Gerardia tenuifolia Vahl.J, 1897-C, Pwt-infrequent Castilleja sessilif!ora Pursh, B, H, 1886-1927 *Chaenorrhinum minus (L.) Lange, 1943-C, Ore-infrequent Che/one glabra L., 1998-C, Wsp-rare Dasistoma macrophylla (Nutt.) Raf., 1942-C, Ted-rare *Linaria vulgaris Hill, H, 1881-C, Our,rw-rare Lindernia anagallidea (Michx.) Pennell, 1999-C, Wmd-rare Lindernia dubia (L.) Pennell, H[llysanthes gratioloides (L.) Bentham}, 1883-C, Wrp,md; Oof-frequent Mimulus ringens L., B, H, 1884-C, Wrp,md-frequent Pedicularis canadensis L., B, H, 1881-C, Tmf,wd-infrequent Pedicularis lanceolata Michx., B, H, 1897-C, Pwt-rare +Penstemon digitalis Nutt., 1927-C, Ted; Oof-rare Penstemon tubif!orus Nutt., 1951-1951 Scrophularia lanceolata Pursh, 1927-1927 Scrophularia marilandica L., B(S. nodosa L.], H(S. nodosa L. var. marilandica (L.) Gray}, 1883-C, Tmf,wf,wd,ed-frequent Tomanthera auriculata (Michx.) Raf., B[Gerardia auriculata Michx.J, H[Gerardia auriculata Michx.J, 1883-C, Pwt-rare *Verbascum blattaria L., H, 1889-C, Twd,ed-rare *Verbascum thapsus L., B, H, 1888-C, 0---common *Veronica anagallis-aquatica L., B[V. anagallis L.}, H(V. anagallis L.J, 1999-C, Wsp,rp-rare *Veronica arvensis L., H, 1998-C, Our---common Veronica catenata Pennell, 1883-C, Wrp,sp-rare Veronica peregrina L., B, H, 1873-C, Twf; Wrp; Ocr---common *Veronica polita Fries, 1998-C, Orw-rare Veronicastrum virginicum (1.) Farw., B[Veronica virginica L.], H[Veronica virginica L.], 1888-C, Tmf,wd,ed; Pms,wt-fre quent SIMAROUBACEAE *Ailanthus altissima (P. Miller) Swingle, 2000-C, Our,rw-infre quent SOLANACEAE *Datura stramonium L., B, H(=; Datura tatula L.], 1881-C, Orc- rare *Datura wrightii Regel, 2000-C, Wrp-rare *Lycium halimifolium P. Miller, 1999-C, Our-rare *Nicandra physalodes (1.) Gaertner, 1906-1957 *Petunia axillaris (Lam.) BSP., 1932-C, Our-rare Physalis heterophylla Nees, 1889-C, P; Orw,rc,of-frequent *Physalis hispida (Waterfall) Cronq., H(P. lanceolata Michx.J, 1942-1942 *Physalis pubescens L. var. integrifolia (Dunal) Waterfall, H[P. pubes cens L.], 1932-1942 Physalis virginiana P. Miller, B[P. pennsylvanica L.], H(=; P. phi ladelphica Lam.], 1881-C, P; Orw---common Solanum americanum P. Miller, B(S. nigrum L.}, H(S. nigrum L.], 1881-C, 0---common Solanum carolinense L., H, 1890-C, 0-frequent *Solanum dulcamara L., 1914-C, Twf; Wrp; Our,rw-infrequent *Solanum rostratum Dunal, 1902-C, Wrp; Our,rw,rc,of-infre- quent 54 )OUR. IOWA ACAD. SCI. 108(2001) STAPHYLEACEAE Staphylea tri/olia L., B, H, 1881-C, Tmf-infrequent TILIACEAE Tilia americana L., B, H, 1897-C, Tmf,wf--common ULMACEAE Ce/tis occidentalis L., B, H, 1897-C, Twf-common Ulmus americana L., B, H, 1895-C, Tmf,wf; Our--common *Ulmus pumila L., 1973-C, Ted; Our,rw--common *Ulmus pumila L. X U. americana L., 2000-C, Ted-rare *Ulmus pumila L. X U. rubra Muhl., 2000-C, Ted; Our,rw infrequent Ulmus rubra Muhl., B[U. fulva Michx.}, H[U. /ulva Michx.}, 1895-C, Tmf,wf--common Ulmus thomasii Sarg., 1902-1911 URTICACEAE Boehmeria cylindrica (1.) Sw., 1999-C, Twf-rare Laportea canadensis (1.) Wedd., B[L. canadensis Gaudich.}, H, 1897-C, Twf--common Parietaria pensylvanica Muhl. ex Willd., H, 1897-C, Twd; Our,er-common Pi/ea pumila (1.) Gray, B, H, 1907-C, Twf; Wsp-frequent Urtica dioica L., H[U. gracilis Ait.}, 1942-C, Twf; Orw,of-fre quent VERBENACEAE Phyla lanceolata (Michx.) Greene, 1907-C, Twf; Wrp-infrequent Verbena bracteata Lag. & Rodr., B[V. bracteosa Michx.}, H[V. brac teosa Michx.}, 1882-C, Our--common Verbena canadensis (L.) Britton, H[V. aubletia L.f.}, 2000-C, Ore- rare Verbena X deamii Moldenke, 1999-C, Ore-rare Verbena X engelmannii Moldenke, 1909-C, Wrp; Ops-rare Verbena hastata L., B, H, 1882-C, Pwt; Wrp; Orw-frequent Verbena X moechina Moldenke, 1894-C, Ore-rare Verbena X perriana Moldenke, 1896-1896 Verbena X rydbergii Moldenke, 1902-C, Wrp; Ore-infrequent Verbena simplex Lehm., 1952-1952 Verbena stricta Vent., B, H, 1880-C, Pdr; Ore,ps--common Verbena urticifolia L., B, H, 1882-C, Pwt; Ore,of-frequent VIOLACEAE *Viola arvensis Murray, B, 1998-C, Orw-rare +Viola canadensis (L.) Britton, 1903-C, Our-rare Viola missouriensis Greene, H[V. palmata L. var. obliqua (Hill)}, 1932-C, Twf; Our-rare Viola nephrophylla Greene, 1907-1931 Viola pedata L., B, H, 1884-1947 Viola pedatifida G. Don, B[V delphinifolia Nutt.}, H[V. pinnatifida Don}, 1881-C, Pdr-infrequent Viola pratincola Greene, H[V. palmata L. var. obliqua (Hill)}, 1897- C, Our-rare Viola pubescens Aiton, B, H, 1881-C, Tmf,wf-frequent Viola rafinesquii Greene, 1999-C, Our-rare Viola sororia Willd., B[V. cucullata Ait.}, H[V. palmata L. var. ob liqua (Hill)}, 1891-C, Tmf,wf; Our--common Viola sororia Willd. X V. pedatifida G. Don, 1999-C, Pdr; Ops rare *Viola tricolor L., 1999-C, Our-rare Viola viarum Pollard, H[V. palmata L.}, 1897-C, Pdr-rare VITACEAE *Ampelopsis brevipedunculata (Maxim.) Trautv., 2000-C, Our-rare Parthenocissus quinquefolia (L.) Planchon, B[Ampelopm qumquefolta (1.) Michx.}, H[Ampelopsis quinquefolia (L.) Michx.}, 1897-C, T; Wrp; Orw-frequent *Parthenocissus tricuspidata (Sieb. & Zucc.) Planchon, 1999-C, Our-rare Parthenocissus vitacea (Knerr) A.S. Hitchc., B[Ampelopsis quinquefolia (1.) Michx.}, H[Ampelopsis quinquefolia (L.) Michx.}, 1897-C, T; Pros; Orw--common Vitis riparia Michx., H, 1881-C, T; Orw--common ZYGOPHYLLACEAE *Tribulus terrestris L., 1940-1962 (MONOCOTS) ALISMATACEAE Alisma plantago-aquatica L., B[A. plantago L. var. americanum}, H[A. plantago L.}, 1907-C, Wez,md-infrequent Echinodorus cordifolius (L.) Griseb., 1998-C, Wmd-rare Sagittaria australis (J.G. Smith) J.K. Small, 1907-C, Wez,sz; Orw-rare Sagittaria brevirostra Mack. & Bush, B[S. variabilis Engelm.}, H[S. variabilis Engelm.}, 1871-C, Wez,sz,rp; Orw-infrequent Sagittaria graminea Michx., B, H, 1883-1889 Sagittaria rigida Pursh, H[S. heterophylla Pursh} ARACEAE Acorus calamus L., H, 2000-C, Wez-rare Arisaema dracontium (L.) Schott, B, H, 1883-C, Tdf,mf,wf-in frequent Arisaema triphyllum (L.) Schott, B[A. triphyllum Torr.}, H, 1881- C, Tmf,wf--common COMMELINACEAE *Commelina communis L., 1925-C, Our,re-infrequent Tradescantia bracteata Small, B[T virginica L.}, H[T virginiana L.}, 1887-C, Pms,wt; Orw-infrequent CYPERACEAE Bulbostylis capillaris (L.) C.B. Clarke, 1959-1966 Carex aggregata Mack., 1999-C, Twd-rare Carex albursina Sheldon, H[C. laxiflora Lam. var. latifolia Boott.}, 1930-C, Tmf-rare Carex amphibola Steudel var. turgida Fern., B[C. grisea Wahl.}, H[C. grisea Wahl.}, 1898-C, Tmf,wf--common Carex annectens (Bickn.) Bickn. var. xanthocarpa (Bickn.) Wieg., C, Pwt-infrequent Carex atherodes Sprengel, H[C. trichocarpa Muhl. ex Willd. var. imberbis Gray; C. trichocarpa Muhl. ex Willd. var. aristata (R. Br.) Bailey}, 1938-C, Pwt; Wez-frequent Carex atherodes Sprengel X C. trichocarpa Schkuhr, 1999-C, Wez rare Carex bebbii (Bailey) Fern., 1998-C, Pwt-infrequent Carex bicknellii Britton, H[C. straminea Willd. var. alata (Torr.) Bailey}, 1898-C, P-frequent Carex blanda Dewey, 1897-C, T--common Carex brevior (Dewey) Mack. ex Lunell, H[C. straminea Willd. var. festucacea (Willd.)}, 1928-C, Ted; P--common Carex buxbaumii Wahl., H[Carex fusca All.}, 1923-C, Pwt-rare Carex cephalophora (Dewey) Dewey, B[C. cephalophora Muhl.}, H, 1898-C, Tdf,mf-frequent Carex conjuncta Boott, H, n.d.[1890's}-C, Twf-infrequent FLORISTIC INVENTORY OF AMES, IOWA 55 Carex convofuta Mack., B[C. rosea Schk.}, 1902-C, Tdf,mf-com- mon Carex crawei Dewey, 1999-C, Pms; Orw-rare Carex crawfordii Fern., 1999-C, Pwt-rare Carex cristatelfa Britton, H[C. tribuloides Wahl. var. cristata (Schwein.) Bailey}, n.d.[1880's}-C, Pwt; Orw-frequent Carex davisii Schwein. & Torrey, H, 1895-C, Twf,ed; Wrp-fre- quent Carex eburnea Boott, H, n.d.[1800's}-C, Tdf,es-rare Carex frankii Kunth, 1994-C, Pwt-rare Carex gravida Bailey, H[C. gravida Bailey var. laxifolia Bailey}, 1897-C, Ted; Orw-frequent Carex grayi Carey, B[C. folficufata L.}, H, 1897-C, Twf-common Carex haydenii Dewey, 1993-C, Pwt-infrequent Carex hirtifolia Mack., H[C. pubescens Muhl. in Willd.}, 1902-C, Tmf-infrequent Carex hitchcockiana Dewey, 1992-C, Tmf-infrequent Carex hystericina Muhl. ex Willd., B, H[C. lurida Wahl. (ISC spec imen misidentified)}, 1886-C, Wsp-rare Carex jamesii Schwein., 1930-C, Tdf,mf-frequent Carex lacustris Willd., H[C. riparia W. Curtis}, 1880-C, Pwt; Orw-common Carex laeviconica Dewey, H[C. trichocarpa Muhl. var. laeviconica (Dewey)}, 1878-C, Twf; Pwt; Orw-frequent Carex lanuginosa Michx., B, H, 1879-C, Pwt; Orw,of-common Carex lasiocarpa Ehrh. var. americana Fern., H[C. filiformis l.}, n.d. [l 880's}-n.d. Carex leavenworthii Dewey, 1999-C, Ted; Ops-rare Carex lupulina Muhl. ex Willd., H, 1880-C, Twf-rare Carex meadii Dewey, B[C. straminea Schk. var. meadii}, H[C. tetan ica Schkuhr var. meadii (Dewey) Bailey}, 1898-C, Pdr,ms frequent Carex mesochorea Mack., 1998-C, Ops-rare Carex molesta Mack., 1897-C, Pwt-frequent Carex muskingumensis Schwein., H, 1880-1887 Carex normalis Mack., 1877-C, Tmf-infrequent Carex oligocarpa Willd., 1896-C, Tmf-frequent Carex pensylvanica Lam., H, 1891-C, Tdf,mf-common Carex prairea Dewey, 1938-C, Pwt-rare Carex projecta Mack., 1890-C, Tmf-rare Carex sartwelfii Dewey, B[C. disticha Huds.}, H, 1994-C, Pwt infrequent Carex sparganioides Muhl. ex Willd., B, H, 1992-C, Tmf-infre quent Carex sprengelii Dewey, B[C. longirostris Torr.}, H[C. longirostris Torr.}, 1879-C, T-common Carex stipata Muhl. ex Willd., 1962-C, Wsp-rare Carex stricta Lam., B, H, 1998-C, Pwt; Wsp-infrequent Carex suberecta (Olney) Britton, n.d.-C, Pwt-infrequent Carex tenera Dewey, 1888-C, Twf-rare Carex tetanica Schkuhr, 1993-C, Pwt-rare Carex tribuloides Wahl, B[C. fagopodioides Schk.}, 1895-C, Pwt- infrequent Carex trichocarpa Schkuhr, H, 1999-C, Orw-rare Carex vesicaria L., C, Pwt; Wez-frequenr Carex vulpinoidea Michx., B, H, n.d.[1880's}-C, Pwt; Orw-com- mon Cyperus acuminatus Torrey & Hooker, 1998-C, Orw,rc-infrequent Cyperus aristatus Rottb., H, 1897-C, Wrp; Our,rc-frequent Cyperus diandrus Schrank, H Cyperus erythrorhizos Muhl., H, 1998-C, Wrp-rare Cyperus esculentus L., H, 1909-C, Wrp; Our,rc-common Cyperus filiculmis Vahl., H, 1993-C, Ted-rare Cyperus odoratus L. var. squarrosus (Britton) Gilly, B[C. michauxianus Schultes.}, 1920-C, Wrp-common Cyperus rivufaris Kunth, H[C. diandrus Torr. var. castaneus (Pursh) Torr.}, 1897-C, Wrp; Orw-frequent Cyperus schweinitzii Torrey, H, 1934-1934 Cyperus strigosus L., H[ =; C. strigosus L. var. robustior Kunth}, 1881-C, Wrp; Our,rw-frequent Eleocharis acicufaris (1.) R. & S., B[E. acicularis R. Br.}, H Eleocharis engelmannii Steudel, 1998-C, Oof-rare Eleocharis erythropoda Steudel, B[E. palustris R. Br.}, H[E. palustris (1.) R. Br.}, 1998-C, Pwt; Wez; Orw-common Eleocharis macrostachya Britton, 1998-C, Pwt; Wez; Orw-infre quent Eleocharis obtusa (Willd.) Schultes, 1998-C, Orw-infrequenr Eriophorum angustifolium Honck., B[Eleocharis pofystachyon l.}, H[Eleocharis pofystachyon L.J Hemicarpha micrantha (Vahl) Pax, H, 1951-C, Wrp-infrequent Scirpus acutus Muhl. ex Bigelow, 1974-C, Pwt-rare Scirpus americanus Pers., H[S. pungens Vahl.}, 1897-1897 Scirpus atrovirens Willd., B[S. atrovirens Muhl.}, H, 1873-C, Pwt; Orw,of-common Scirpus fluviatilis (Torrey) Gray, H, 2000-C, Wez-frequent Scirpus pendulus Muhl., H[Eriophorum fineatum (Michx.) Benth. & Hook.}, 1938-C, Pwt; Orw,of-frequent Scirpus validus Vahl var. creber Fern., B, H[S. lacustris l.}, 1881-C, Pwt; Wez-frequent DIOSCOREACEAE Dioscorea vilfosa L., B, H, 1898-C, Tmf-infrequent HYDROCHARITACEAE Elodea canadensis Michx., H Elodea nuttalfii (Planchon) St. John, 1886-C, Wsz-rare IRIDACEAE *Belamcanda chinensis (1.) DC., H, n.d.[1800's}-C, Tmf,wd-rare Iris shrevei Small, B[J. versicolor L.}, H[J. versicolor l.}, 1881-C, Pwt-frequent Sisyrinchium campestre Bickn., B[S. bermudiana L. var. anceps; S. ber mudiana L.var. albidum; S. bermudiana L. var. mucronatum}, H[S. angustifolium Mill.}, 1877-C, Pdr,ms; Oof-frequent JUNCACEAE juncus balticus Willd. var. littoralis Engelm., 1998-C, Pwt-rare juncus dudleyi Wieg., 1891-C, Pwt-frequent Juncus nodosus L., 1998-C, Pwt-rare Juncus tenuis Willd., B, H, 1929-C, Ted; Our,rw-common juncus torreyi Cov., HU. nodosus L. var. megacephalus Torr.}, 1891- C, Pwt-frequent Luzula muftiflora (Retz.) Lej., 1901-1901 JUNCAGINACEAE Triglochin maritimum L., H LEMNACEAE Lemna minor L., B, H, 1878-C, Wez,sz,md-common Lemna trisufca L., H, 1986-C, Wez,sz,md-frequent Spirodela polyrhiza (1.) Schleiden, B[Lemna polyrrhiza L.J, H, 1998- C, Wez,sz-rare Wolffia columbiana Karsten, 1998-C, Wsz-rare LILIACEAE Allium canadense L., B[A. canadense Kalm.}, H, 1895-C, Tmf,wf; Pms,wt-frequent 56 JOUR. IOWA ACAD. SCI. 108(2001) Allium tricoccum Aiton, B, H, n.d.[1800's}-C, Tmf-infrequent *Allium vineale L., 1998-C, Our,rw-rare *Asparagus officinalis L., H, 1892-C, Pdr,ms; Orw-infrequent *Convallaria olficinalis L., 1998-C, Ted; Our-rare Erythronium albidum Nutt., B, H, 1884-C, Tmf,wf-common +Erythronium americanum Ker-Gaw!., 1997-C, Tmf-rare *Hemerocallus fulva (L.) L., 1998-C, Orw-frequent Hypoxis hirsuta (L.) Cov., B[Hypoxys erecta L.}, H[H. erecta L.}, 1884-C, Pms,wt-rare Lilium michiganense Farw., B[L. superbum L.}, H[L. canadense L.; L. superbum L.}, 1885-C, Tmf; Pwt-rare Lilium philadelphicum L. var. andinum (Nutt.) Ker-Gaw!., B, H, 1909-1929 Maianthemum canadense Desf., H *Ornithogalum umbellatum L., 1999-C, Tmf-rare Polygonatum biflorum (Walter) Ell., B[P. giganteum Dietrich.}, H[P. commutatum (Schyult.) Dietr.}, 1881-C, Tmf,wf,wd,ed; Orw common *Scilla siberica Andr., 1969-C, Our-infrequent Smilacina racemosa (L.) Desf., B, H, 1881-C, Tmf,wf,wd-com mon Smilacina stellata (L.) Desf., B, H, 1878-C, Twf-frequent Smilax ecirrhata (Engelm. ex Kunth) S. Wats., 1895-C, Tmf, wf, wd-frequent Smilax herbacea L., B, H[=; S. herbacea var. pulverulenta (Michx.) Gray}, 1877-C, Tmf,wf,wd-infrequent Smilax hispida Muhl., B, H, 1892-C, T; Wrp--common Trillium cernuum L., H Trillium flexipes Raf., H[T erectum L.} +Trillium nivale Riddell, 2001-C, Tmf-rare Trillium recurvatum Beck, 1958-1958 Uvularia grandiflora Small, B[U. grandiflora Smith}, H, 1881-C, Tmf,wf-infrequent NAJADACEAE Najas flexilis (Willd.) Rostk. & Schmidt, H, 1886-C, Wsz-rare Najas guadalupensis (Sprengel) Magnus, 1999-C, W sz-rare ORCHIDACEAE Coeloglossum viride (L.) Hartman var. virescens (Muhl. ex Willd.) Luer, B[Habenaria viridis R. Br. var. bracteata Richenbach.}, H[Habenaria bracteata (Willd.) R. Br.}, 1886-C, Tmf,es,ed rare Corallorhiza odontorhiza (Willd.) Nutt., 1972-C, Tdf,mf-rare Cypripedium calceolus L. var. pubescens (Willd.) Correll, B[C. pubescens Willd.}, H[C. pubescens Willd.}, 1870-1907 Cypripedium candidum Muhl. ex Willd., B, H, 1881-1924 Cypripedium reginae Walter, B[C. spectabile Swartz.}, H, 1870-1883 *Epipactis helleborine (L.) Crantz, 2000-C, Our-rare Galearis spectabilis (L.) Raf., B[Orchis spectabilis L.}, H[Orchis spec- tabilis L.}, 1873-C, Tmf,wf-infrequent Liparis loeselii (L.) L.C. Rich., 2000-C, Twd-rare Malaxis unifolia Michx., n.d.-n.d. Platanthera hookeri (Torrey ex Gray) Lindley, n.d.-n.d. Platanthera hyperborea (L.) R. Br. var. huronensis (Nutt.) Luer, 1890- 1890 Platanthera praeclara Sheviak & Bowles, B[Habenaria leucophaea Gr.}, H[Habenaria leucophaea (Nutt.) Gray}, 1873-1907 Spiranthes cernua (L.) L.C. Rich. B, H, 1877-C, Pwt-rare Spiranthes magnicamporum Sheviak, 1993-C, Pwt-rare Spiranthes ovalis Lindley, 1993-C, Twd,ed; Ore-rare POACEAE XAgrohordeum macounii (Vasey) LePage, 1962-1964 * Agropyron cristatum (L.) Gaertner, 1966-1966 *Agropyron pectiniforme R. & S., 1961-1961 *Agropyron repens (L.) Beauv., B[Triticum repens L.}, H, 1871-C, Pros; Orw--common Agropyron smithii Rydb., 1874-C, Orw,of-infrequent Agropyron trachycaulum (Link) Malte, 1890-1962 *Agrostis gigantea Roth, B[A. vulgaris With.}, H[A. alba L.; A. alba L. var. vulgaris (With.) Thurb. in Watson}, 1890-C, Pms,wt; Oof-frequent Agrostis hyemalis (Walter) BSP., 1895-C, Tes-rare Agrostis hyemalis (Walter) BSP. var. tenuis (Tuckerman) GI., H[A. hyemal (Walt.) B.S.P.}, 1942-1942 Agrostis perennans (Walter) Tuckerman, H, 1878-C, Tdf,wd,ed frequent *Agrostis stolonifera L. var. palustris (Hudson) Farw., 2000-C, Twf; Wrp-infrequent Alopecurus aequalis Sobol., 2000-C, Wrp-rare Alopecurus carolinianus Walter, 1920-1920 *Alopecurus pratensis L., 1890-C, Wrp-rare Andropogon gerardii Vitman, B[A. furcatus Muhl.}, H[A. provincialis Lam.}, 1871-C, Twd,ed; P; Orw-common *Anthoxanthum odoratum L., B Aristida basiramea Engelm. ex Vasey, 1896-1896 Aristida longespica Poiret, H[A. gracilis Ell.} Aristida oligantha Michx., 1934-C, Orw,re-frequent *Arrhenatherum elatius (L.) Pres!, 1891-1900 *Avena fatua L., 1896-C, Ore-rare Bouteloua curtipendula (Michx.) Torrey, B[B. curtipendula Gray}, H, 1987-C, Ted; Pdr-infrequent Bouteloua hirsuta Lag., B, H, 1871-C, Pdr-rare Brachyeletrum erectum (Schreber) Beauv., H, 1896-C, Tmf-rare *Bromus catharticus Vahl, 1890-1890 *Bromus commutatus Schrader, 1859-1897 *Bromus japonicus Thunb. ex Murray, 1890-C, Ore,er,of-fre- quent *Bromus inermis Leysser, 1890-C, Ted,wd; P; 0-common Bromus kalmii Gray, B, H Bromus latiglumis (Shear) A.S. Hitchc., 1887-C, Tmf,wf-rare Bromus pubescens Muhl. ex Willd., B[B. ciliatus L. var. purgans}, H[B. ciliatus L. var. purgans (L.) Gray}, 1871-C, Tdf-rare *Bromus secalinus L., B, H, 1871-1898 *Bromus tectorum L., 1894-C, Orc,er,of-frequent + Buchloe dactyloides (Nutt.) Engelm., 1959-C, Our-infrequent Calamagrostis canadensis (Michx.) Beauv., H, 1894-C, Pwt-fre- quent Calamagrostis inexpansa Gray, 1999-C, Pwt-rare Calamovilfa longifolia (Hooker) Scribner, H, 1889-1889 Cenchrus longispinus (Hackel) Fern., H[C. tribuloides L.}, 1875-C, Orw,rc-infrequent *Chloris verticillata Nutt., 1947-C, Our,rw-rare Cinna arundinacea L., H, 1873-C, Twf-common *Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers., 1923-C, Wrp; Our-rare *Cynodon transvaalensis Burtt-Davy., 1934-1934 *Dactylis glomerata L., B, H, 1882-C, 0--common Diarrhena americana Beauv. var. obovata GI., H[D. diandra (Michx.)}, 1998-C, Tdf,mf,wf-infrequent Dichanthelium acuminatum (Sw.) Gould & Clark, 1999-C, Oof rare Dichanthelium acuminatum (Sw.) Gould & Clark var. implicatum (Scribner) Gould & Clark, B[Panicum dichotomum L.}, H[Panicum dichotomum L.}, 1871-C, Twd; P; Ore-frequent FLORISTIC INVENTORY OF AMES, IOWA 57 Dichanthelium acuminatum (Sw.) Gould & Clark var. villosum (Gray) Gould & Clark, 1871-C, Pwt-infrequent Dichanthelium depauperatum (Muhl.) Gould, 1877-1877 Dichanthelium latifolium (L.) Gould & Clark, B[Panicum latifolium L.), H[Panicum latifolium L.], 1871-C, Tdf,wd-rare Dichanthelium leibergii (Vasey) Freckm., 1870-C, Pwt-rare Dichanthelium oligosanthes (Schultes) Gould, 1999-C, Pdr-rare Dichanthelium oligosanthes (Schultes) Gould var. scribnerianum (Nash) Gould, H[Panicum scoparium Lam.), 1870-C, Twd; P; Orw,re,of-common Dichanthelium oligosanthes (Schultes) Gould var. wilcoxianum (Vasey) Gould & Clark, 1965-C, Pdr-rare Dichanthelium perlongum (Nash) Freckm., 1896-1907 *Digitaria bicornis (Lam.) R. & S., 1998-C, Oer-rare *Digitaria ischaemum (Schreber ex Schweigger) Schreber ex Muhl., B[Panicum glabrum Gaudin), H[Panicum glabrum (Schrad.) Gand.), 1887-C, Our---common *Digitaria sanguinalis (L.) Scop., B[Panicum sanguinale L.], H[Panicum sanguinale L.], 1875-C, Our,er-common *Echinochloa crusgalli (L.) Beauv., B[Panicum crus-galli L.], H[Panicum crus-galli L.], 1888-C, Pwt; Wrp; Orw,er,of common Echinochloa muricata (Beauv.) Fern., 1871-C, Pwt; Wrp; Orw,er,of-frequent *Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertner, 1890-C, Our,er,ps-rare XElyhordeum iowense Pohl, 1964-1965 Elymus canadensis L., B, H[=; E. canadensis L. var. glaucifolius (Muhl.) Gray), 1871-C, P; Orw-common Elymus riparius Wieg., 2000-C, Twf; Wrp-rare Elymus villosus Muhl. ex Willd., H[E. striatus Willd.), 1888-C, Tmf, wf---common Elymus virginicus L., H[=; E. canadensis L. var. glabrifolius Vasey), 1886-C, Tmf,wf; Pms; Ore---common *Eragrostis cilianensis (All.) Link ex E. Mosher, B{E. poaeoides Beauv. var. megastachya], H[E. major Host.], 1871-C, Our-frequent Eragrostis frankii C.A. Meyer ex Steudel, B, H, 1875-C, Wrp infrequent Eragrostis hypnoides (Lam.) BSP., B[E. reptans Nees], H, 1870-C, Wrp---common Eragrostis pectinacea (Michx.) Nees, H[=; E. purshii Schrad.), 1871- C, Wrp; Our---common *Eragrostis poaeoides Beauv. ex R. & S., B, 1875-C, Our-infre- quent Eragrostis spectabilis (Pursh) Steudel, 1942-C, Pdr-rare Eragrostis trichodes (Nutt.) Wood, 1951-C, Ore-rare * Eriochloa villosa (Thunb.) Kun th, 1998-C, Oer,of-infrequent *Festuca arundinacea Schreber, 1956-C, Orw-infrequent *Festuca myuros L., 2000-C, Wrp-rare Festuca obtusa Biehler, H[F. nutans Willd.), 1924-C, T-common Festuca octojlora Walter var. tenella (Willd.) Fern., B[F. tenella Willd.), H, 1888-1945 Festuca ovina L., 1900-C, Wrp-rare Festuca paradoxa Desv., H{F. shortii Kunth), 1871-1871 *Festuca pratensis Hudson, 1902-C, Wrp-rare *Festuca rubra L., 2000-C, Wrp-rare *Festuca trachyphylla (Hackel) Krajina, 2000-C, Wrp-rare Glyceria grandis S. Watson, 1900-C, Pwt; Wsp-infrequent Glyceria septentrionalis A.S. Hitchc., H[G. jluitans (L.) R. Br.), 1884-C, Wez-rare Glyceria striata (Lam.) A.S. Hitchc., B{G. nervata Trio.), H{G. ner vata (Willd.) Trio.), 1875-C, Twf; Pwt-frequent Hierochloe odorata (L.) Beauv., B[Hierochloa borealis Roem & Schul tes) *Holcus lanatus L., 1893-1893 Hordeum jubatum L., B, H, 1894-C, Our,rw,er---common *Hordeum pusillum Nutt., 1917-C, Ore-infrequent Hystrix patula Moench, B[Gymnostichum hystrix Schreb.), H[Asprella hystrix (1.) Willd.), 1895-C, Tmf-frequent Koeleria macrantha (Ledeb.) Schultes, H, 1895-C, Pdr-infrequent Leersia oryzoides (1.) Sw., H[Homalocenchrus oryzoides (1.) Poll.), 1884-C, Pwt; Wez,rp---common Leersia virginica Willd., H[Homalocenchrus virginica (Willd.) Britt.), 1875-C, Twf---common Leptochloa fascicularis (Lam.) Gray var. acuminata (Nash) GI., 1965- C, Ore-infrequent *Lolium perenne L., H, 1888-C, Our-infrequent *Lolium perenne L. var. italicum Pam., H[L. perenne L. var. italicum Vasey), 2000-C, Wrp-rare *Lolium temulentum L., 1880-1880 *Miscanthus sacchariflorus (Maxim.) Hackel, 2000-C, Orw-infre quent Muhlenbergia asperifolia (Nees & Meyer) Parodi, 1999-C, Pwt- rare Muhlenbergia bushii Pohl, 1960-C, Tdf,mf-infrequent Muhlenbergia cuspidata (Torrey) Rydb., 1889-C, Pdr-rare Muhlenbergia frondosa (Poiret) Fern., 1889-C, Ted; Pwt---common Muhlenbergia mexicana (1.) Trio., 1889-C, Tdf; Pdr-frequent Muhlenbergia racemosa (Michx.) BSP., B[M. glomerata Trio.), H, 1889-C, Pwt; Orw,re-frequent Muhlenbergia schreberi J.F. Gmelin, H{M. diffusa Schreb.), 1896-C, Ted; Our-frequent Muhlenbergia sobolifera (Muhl. ex Willd.) Trio., H Muhlenbergia sylvatica (Torrey) Torrey ex Gray, H Muhlenbergia tenuijlora (Willd.) BSP., H, 1889-C, Tmf-rare Oryzopsis racemosa (Smith) Ricker, H{O. melanocarpa Muhl.), 1889- C, Tdf-rare Panicum capillare L., B, H, 1934-C, Pwt; Wrp; Orw,er,of---com mon Panicum dichotomiflorum Michx., H[P. proliferum Lam.), 1875-C, Pwt; Wrp; Orw,er,of-common *Panicum miliaceum L., 1911-C, Wrp-rare Panicum virgatum L., H, 1934-C, Pmf,wf; Orw---common Paspalum setaceum Michx. var. ciliatifolium (Michx.) Vasey, 1964- C, Orw-rare Phalaris arundinacea L., H, 1907-C, Pwt; Wez,rp; Orw---com mon *Phleum pratense L., B, H, 1891-C, Our,rw-frequent Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trio. ex Steudel, B{P. communis Trio.), H[P. vulgaris (Lam.) B.S.P.), 1998-C, Pwt; Orw-infrequent *Poa annua L., 1932-C, Wrp; Our---common *Poa bulbosa L., 1929-1929 *Poa compressa L., H, 1907-C, Pdr,ms-frequent Poa languida A.S. Hitchc., 1897-1897 Poa palustris L., H[P. serotina Ehr.), 1871-C, Orw-rare *Poa pratensis L., B, H, 1880-C, P; 0---common *Poa pratensis L. ssp. angustifolia (L.) Lej., 2000-C, Wrp-rare Poa sylvestris Gray, 1871-C, Twf-rare *Poa trivia/is L., 1960-C, Orw-rare Poa wolfii Scribner, 1897-C, Wsp-rare *Puccinellia distans (1.) Par!., 2000-C, Wrp-rare Schizachyrium scoparium (Michx.) Nash, B[Andropogon scoparius Michx.), H, 1871-C, Ted,wd; Pdr-frequent *Sderochloa dura (L.) Beauv., 2000-C, Wrp-rare *Setariafaberi Herrm., 1949-C, 0-common *Setaria glauca (1.) Beauv., H, 1883-C, 0---common *Setaria italica (1.) Beauv., H, 1888-C, Pms; Ocr-infrequent *Setaria viridis (1.) Beauv., B, H, 1900-C, 0---common *Setaria verticillata (1.) Beauv., 1927-C, Our,er-rare 58 )OUR. IOWA ACAD. SCI. 108(2001) Sorghastrum nutans (L.) Nash, B[Sorghum nutans Gray}, H[Chrysopogon nutans (L.) Bench.}, 1883-C, Ted; P-common *Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench, 1890-C, Oof,cr; Wrp-rare *Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers., 1890-1890 Spartina pectinata Link, B[S. cynosuroides Willd.}, H[S. cynosuroides (L.) Willd.}, 1870-C, Pwt; Orw-frequent Sphenopholis obtusata (Michx.) Scribner, H{Eatonia obtusata (L.) Pers.}, 1962-C, Tes; Pwt-frequent Sphenopholis obtusata (Michx.) Scribner var. major (Torrey) K.S. Erd- man, 1871-C, Twf,wd; Ore-frequent Sporobolus asper (Michx.) Kunth, H, 1896-C, Pdr; 0-frequent Sporobolus cryptandrus (Torrey) Gray, H, 1972-C, Orw,rc-rare Sporobolus heterolepis (Gray) Gray, H, 1875-C, P-infrequent Sporobolus neglectus Nash, 1873-C, Our,rw,rc-rare Sporobolus vaginiflorus (Torrey ex Gray) Wood, H{S. vaginaeflorus (Torr.) Vasey}, 1896-C, Our,rw,rc-rare Stipa spartea Trin., B, H, 1875-C, Pdr; Orw-frequent Stipa viridula Trin., 1891-1976 Tridens flavus (L.) A.S. Hitchc., 1980-C, Twd; Oof-rare Zizania aquatica L., H, 1887-1892 PONTEDERIACEAE Heteranthera dubia (Jacq.) MacM., 1880-1889 Pontederia cordata L., H, n.d.{1880's}-n.d. POTAMOGETONACEAE Potamogeton foliosus Raf., 1889-C, Wsz-rare Potamogeton gramineus L., H{.P. heterophyllus Schreb.; P. obtusifolius Mertens and Koch (ISC specimen misidentified)}, n.d.{1800's} n.d. Potamogeton illinoensis Morang, H{=; P. lucens L.} Potamogeton nodosus Poirer, n.d.{1800's}-C, Wsz,md-frequent Potamogeton pectinatus L., 1998-C, Wsz-infrequent Potamogeton pusillus L., 1998-C, Wsz-rare Potamogeton zosteriformis Fern., H{.P. zosteraefolius Schum.}, 1999-C, Wsz-rare SPARGANIACEAE Sparganium chlorocarpum Rydb., H{S. simplex Huds. (ISC specimen misidentified)}, 1885-C, Wez-rare Sparganium eurycarpum Engelm., H, 1889-C, Wez-frequent TYPHACEAE Typha angustifolia L., 1998-C, W; Orw-frequent Typha X glauca Godron, 2000-C, W; Orw-frequent Typha latifolia L., B, H, 1889-C, W; Orw-common ZANNICHELLIACEAE Zannichellia palustris L., H, 1889-C, Wsz-rare FLORISTIC INVENTORY OF AMES, IOWA 59 Appendix B. Historic reports, ISC specimens and plant species observations excluded from official list of Ames vascular plant species. Names in brackets indicate nomenclature not in current usage. Reason for exclusion: 1 = unable to resolve synonymy; 2 = no evidence for naturalization; 3 = reported in Ames by Bessey (1871) or Hitchcock (1890) at a site outside our current (1990-2000) inventory boundary; 4 = known from Iowa but occurrence in central Iowa is unlikely; 5 = occurrence in Iowa is unlikely; 6 = unable to verify identification of species from herbarium material. A) Published reports in Bessey (1871) Asplenium rhizophyllum L. [Camptosorus rhizophyllus Link.) 3 Aster dumosus L. 4 Aster patens Aiton 5 Athyrium thelypterioides (Michx.) Desv. [Asplenium thelypteroides Michx.) 4 [A rabis hesperidoides Gray} 1 Carex adusta Boott. 5 Carex bromoides Willd. [Carex bromoides Schk.) 5 [Crataegus tomentosa L.] 1 Dichanthelium xanthophysum (Gray) Freckmann [Panicum xanthophysum Gray) 5 Equisetum palustre L. 5 Fagopyrum esculentum Moench. 2 Helianthus giganteus L. X mollis Lam. [Helianthus doronicoides Lam.) 5 Lepidium ruderale L. 5 Linum usitatissimum L. 2 B) Published reports in Hitchcock (1890) Agalinis nuttallii Shinners [Gerardia longifolia Benth.} 5 Asclepias engelmanniana Woodson [Acerates floridana (Lam.)) 5 Aesculus glabra Willd. 3 Artemisia campestris L. ssp. caudata (Michx.) Hall & Clem [Artemisia caudata Michx.) 3 Beckmannia syzigachne (Steudel) Fern. [Beckmannia erucaeformis (1.) Host var. uniflorus Scrib. in Vasey} 4 Blephilia hirsuta (Pursh) Bentham 3 Brasenia schreberi J.F. Gmelin [Brasenia nymphoides (Thunb.) Ball} 3 Bromus ciliatus L. 4 Carex intumescens Rudge 4 Crataegus tomentosa L. 1 Eleocharis cyperinum L. 1 Fagopyrum esculentum Moench 2 Foeniculum vulgare Hill [Foeniculum offeinale L.] 2 [Helianthus strumosus L. var. mollis (Willd.) Torr. & Gray) 1 [Heteranthera graminea (Michx.) Yahl.) 1 Hydrophyllum appendiculatum Michx. 3 lpomoea purpurea (1.) Roth 2 Lechea minor L. 5 Linum usitatissimum L. 2 Lycopus rubellus Moench. 5 Megalondonta beckii (Torrey ex Sprengel) Greene [Bidens beckii Torr. in Sprengel) 3 C) Herbarium Voucher Specimens (ISC) Amaranthus hybridus L. 2 Anaphalis margaritacea (1.) Bentham & Hooker 6 Anethum graveolens L. 2 Arabis lyrata L. 4 Berberis amurensis Rupr. 2 Berberis esculenta 2 Berberis fischeri 2 Berberis macrophylla 2 Carum carvi L. 2 Centaurea calcitrapa L. 1, 2 Cicer arietinum L. [Lappa offeinalis All. var. major] 1 Lobelia paludosa Nutt. 5 Panicum rigidulum Nees [Panicum agrostoides L.] 5 [Phaseolus diversifolius Pers.) 1 [Phaseolus perennis Walt.} 1 [Physalis viscosa L.] 1 Polypodium virginianum L. [Polypodium vulgare L.] 3 Prenanthes crepidinea Michx. [Nabalus crepidinus DC.] 5 [Ribes rotundifolium Michx.) 5 [Rosa lucida Ehrhart) 1 [Rubus villosus Ait.] 1 Sambucus racemosa L. ssp. pubens (Michx.) House [Sambucus pubens Michx.} 4 Sanicula marilandica L. 4 Vitis vulpina L. [Vitis cordifolia Michx.} 4 M yriophyllum spicatum L. 3 Nuphar luteum (1.) Sibth. and Smith ssp. variegatum (Engelm. ex Dur.) E. 0. Beal [Nymphaea advena Solander) 3 Nymphaea tuberosa Paine [Castalia tuberosa (Paine) Greene) 3 Oenothera rhombipetala Nutt. ex T. & G. 3 Parnassia glauca Raf. [Parnassia caroliniana Michx.) 3 Phalaris canariensis L. 2 [Polygonum amphibium L.] 1 Potamogeton nodosus Poiret [Potamogeton fluitans Roth.) 3 Potentilla anserina L. 3 Quercus muhlenbergii Engelm. 3 Ranunculus acris L. 2 Raphanus sativus L. 2 [Rubus villosus Ait.} 1 Rumex maritimus L. 3 Senecio obovatus Muhl. ex Willd. {Senecio aureus L. var. obovatus (Muhl.) Torr. & Gray} 5 Senecio pauperculus Michx. [Senecio aureus L. var. balsamitae (Muhl.) Torr. & Gray} 3 Silphium integrifolium Michx. 3 Sphenopholis nitida (Biehler) Scribn. [Eatonia pennsylvanica (Sprengel)) 5 Trillium nivale Riddell 3 Vallisneria americana Michx. [Vallisneria spiralis L.] 3 Cotinus obovatus Raf. 2 Crataegus monogyna Jacq. 2 Cucurbita maxima Duches. ex Lam. 2 Cucurbita pepo L. 2 Cuscuta coryli Engelm. 6 Elymus submuticus (Hook.) Smyth 6 Foeniculum vulgare Hill 2 Gentiana alba Muhl. X G. puberulenta ]. Pringle 6 Hordeum vulgare L. 2 Linum usitatissiumum L. 2 Lonicera prolifica (Kirchner) Rehder 2 60 Appendix B. Continued. Marus nigra L. 1, 6 Nothoscordum bivalve (L.) Britton 6 [Oenothera biennis L.} 1, 6 Phalaris canariensis L. 2 Raphanus sativus L. 2 Salix alba L. 2 Secale cereale L. 2 Shepherdea argentea (Pursh) Nutt. 2 Silene gallica L. 5, 6 Sisyrinchium angustifolium Miller 6 Smilax rotundifolia L. 5, 6 D) Observations (1990-2000) Avena sativa L. 2 Borago vulgaris L. 2 Brassica oleracea L. 2 Filipendula rubra (Hill) B.L. Robinson 2 Glycine max (L.) Merr. Lycopersicon esculentum P. Miller 2 Raphanus sativus L. 2 Syringa vulgaris L. 2 Taxus sp. 2 Triticum aestivum L. 2 Zea mays L. 2 )OUR. IOWA ACAD. SCI. 108(2001) Solanum jamesii Torr. 2 Sorghum sudanense (Piper) Stapf 2 Symphoricarpos a/bus (L.) Blake 2 Syringa persica L. 2 Syringa vulgaris L. 2 Tragopogon porrifolius L. 6 Trifolium medium L. 2 Trifolium striatum L. 2 Tripsacum dactyloides (L.) L. 2 Viburnum dentatum L. 4 Vicia cracca L. 2 Appendix C. Descriptions and map (fig. 3) of sites containing significant plant assemblages in Ames, Iowa. Sites 1-26 currently exist; the plant communities of sites B and H have largely been destroyed. All sites occur in Story County except for the west end of site 21. No. Site Name Cooper's Marsh 2 Ketelsen Marsh 3 Peterson Pits 4 Raymond-Rolling Prairie 5 Hallett's Quarry 6 Inis Grove Park 7 North River Valley Park 8 Holub Prairie 9 Interstate 35 East-Between Lincoln Way and Highway 30 10 Stargrass Prairie 11 Pohl Memorial State Preserve at Ames High School Location T84N R23W sec 21 sel/4 swl/4 swl/4; 42°03'50"N, 93°32'10"W T84N R23W sec 31 nel/4; 42°02'40"N, 93°34'00"W Habitat Types Pwt; Wsz, ez Pwt; Wsz, ez T84N R24W sec 13 wl/2 and Twf, wd; Pdr; Wez, sz, rp; nel/4; 42°05'10"N, Ore 93°35'40"W T84N R24W sec 14 el/2; 42°05'10"N, 93°36'10"W T84N R24W sec 22; 42°04 10011 N, 93°37'30"W T84N R24W sec 26 and 35; 42°03'00"N, 93°36'50"W T84N R24W sec 35 el/2 and 36 swl/4; 42°02'20"N, 93°36'00"W T83N R23W sec 5 nel/4; 42°01'50"N, 93°32'30"W T83N R23W sec 7 el/2; 42°01 '00"N, 93°34'00 11 W T83N R23W sec 17 swl/4; 41°59'40"N, 93°33'10 11 W T84N R24W sec 34 nwl/4 swl/4; 42°02'20"N, 93°38'20"W Pdr, ms Twd; Ore Tdf, mf, wf, es; Wsp Twf Twd; Pwt Twf, wd Prairie reconstruction with some natural prairie Pdr, ms Rare and Infrequent Plant Species Agalinis tenuifolia, Campanula aparinoides, Carex atherodes X tricho carpa, C. crawei, C. crawfordii, Potamogeton zosteriformis, Tomanth era auriculata, Utricularia vulgaris Bidens vulgata, Boltonia decurrens, Carex bebbii, C. stricta, C. suberec ta, Echinodorus cordifolius, Eleocharis macrostachya, Eupatorium per foliatum, Glyceria septentrionalis, Hibiscus laevis, Juncus nodosus, Lysimachia thyrsiflora, Pedicularis lanceolata, Scirpus fluviatilis, Solidago riddellii, Sparganium chlorocarpum, S. eurycarpum, Spiro dela polyrhiza Agastache scrophulariifolia, Androsace occidentalis, Arisaema dracon tium, Boehmeria cylindrica, Carex leavenworthii, Clematis pitcheri, Dracocephalum parviflorum, Echinocystis lobata, Eragrostis trichodes, Geum aleppicum var. strictum, Hemicarpha micrantha, Lilium mi chiganense, Najas guadalupensis, Plantago patagonica, Potamogeton foliosus, Sium suave, Spiranthes ovalis, Strophostyles helvula, Verbena X deamii, V X rydbergii, V X moechina, Zannichellia palustris Asclepias viridiflora, Asplenium rhizophyllum, Aster azureus, Astraga lus crassicarpus, Cirsium hillii, Croton glandulosa, Dalea candida, Eragrostis spectabilis, Gentiana puberulenta, Helianthemum bicknel lii, Lespedeza leptostachya, Linum sulcatum, Mirabilis albida, M. hirsuta, Nothocalais cuspidata, Viola pedatifida, V viarum Cuscuta cephalanthii, Dichanthelium acuminatum var. acuminatum, Eclipta alba, Eleocharis engelmannii, Helianthemum bicknellii, Lac tuca ludoviciana, Lysimachia hybrida, Verbena canadensis Arabis hirsuta, Aralia nudicaulis, Astragalus canadensis, Carex con juncta, C. normalis, Lilium michiganense, Lonicera dioica var. glau cescens, Polygala verticillata, Spiranthes ovalis Arabis shortii, Botrychium dissectum f. dissectum, Botrychium dissectum f. obliquum, Panax quinquefolius Agalinis tenuifolia, Carex frankii, Scirpus acutus, Spiranthes cernua, S. magnicamporum Asplenium rhizophyllum, Botrychium dissectum f. dissectum, Botrychium dissectum f. obliquum, Galearis spectabilis, Liparis loeselii Asclepias amplexicaulis, Cassia marilandica, Paspalum setaceum var. ciliatifolium, Prunus mexicana, Rudbeckia subtomentosa Asclepias tuberosa ssp. interior, A. viridiflora, Aster azureus, A. seri ceus, Astragalus crassicarpus, Baptisia bracteata var. glabrescens, B. lactea, Bouteloua hirsuta, Calylophus serrulata, Carex meadii, Cea nothus americanus var. pitcheri, Dichanthelium oligosanthes var. oli gosanthes, D. oligosanthes var. wilcoxianum, Echinacea pallida, Gentiana puberulenta, Hypoxis hirsuta, Koeleria macrantha, Linum sulcatum, Lithospermum incisum, Pediomelum argophyllum, Nothoca lais cuspidata, Tridens flavus, Vernonia baldwinii, Viola pedatifida, V pedatifida X sororia Appendix C. Continued. °' N No. Site Name Location Habitat Types Rare and Infrequent Plant Species 12 Brookside Park T83N R24W sec 3 nl/2; Twf Carex grayi, Cuscuta pentagona, Jug/ans cinerea 42°01'50"N, 93°37'50"W 13 Pammel Woods T83N R24W sec 4 nwl/4; Tdf, mf, wf Arisaema dracontium, Brachye!etrum erectum, Diarrhena americana 42°02'00"N, 93°39'10"W var. obovata 14 Emma McCarthy Lee Park T83N R24W sec 5 nel/4; Twf, mf, ed Arisaema dracontium 42°01'50"N, 93°39'40'W 15 Clear Creek Woods T83N R24W sec 5 nel/4; Tdf, mf, wf Arisaema dracontium, Napaea dioica 42°01'40"N, 93° 40'10"W 16 Munn Woods T83N R24W sec 5 swl/4; T df, mf, wf, es Agrostis hyemalis, Campanula aparinoides, Corallorhiza odontorhiza, 42°01'30"N, 93°40'30"W Gentiana quinquefolia var. occidentalis, Monotropa uniflora, Muhl- enbergia tenuiflora, Polygala verticillata 17 Reactor Woods T84N R24W sec 32; T df, mf, wf, es Actaea rubra, Arabis canadensis, Aralia racemosa, Asplenium platy- 42°02'40"N, 93°39'50"W neuron, Athyrium felix-femina var. angustum, Bromus pubescens, Carex albursina, C. conjuncta, C. hirtifolia, C. hitchcockiana, C. sparganioides, Coeloglossum viride var. virescens, Diarrhena ameri-._ cana var. obovatus, Dichanthelium latifolium, Dryopteris carthusi-0 ana, Galearis spectabilis, Gentiana alba, G. andrewsii, Hieracium c Po scabrum, J uglans cinerea, Lonicera dioica var. glaucescens, Oryzopsis 5 racemosa, Panax quinquefolius, Populus grandidentata, Taenidia in-~ tergerrima > 18 Union Pacific Railroad (North) T84N R24W sec 16, 21 and Pms, wt Carex sartwellii, Lilium michiganense, Oxypolis rigidior, Sium suave, > 28; 42°03'50"N, Symphoricarpos occidentalis (") > 93°38'50"W ~ 19 Northridge Seep T84N R24W sec 33 nwl/4 Wsp, rp Aster prenanthoides, Caltha palustris, Campanula aparinoides, Carex (fl nwl/4 nwl/4; 42°02'50"N, stipata, C. stricta, C. tenera var. echinoides, Che/one glabra, Poa p 93°39'20"W sylvestris, P. wolfii, Salix bebbiana, Silene nivea ...... 0 20 Squaw Creek T84N R24W sec 29 e 112 and Tdf, mf, wf, es, ed; Pdr; Wrp Asplenium rhizophyllum, Botrychium dissectum f. obliquum, Calylophus 00 'N sec 20 wl/2; 42°03'50"N, serrulata, Carex conjuncta, C. grayi, C. lupulina, Cuscuta pentago-0 0 93°40'10"W na, Elodea nuttallii, Gnaphalium obtusifolium, Hedeoma pulegioides, ...... ~ Hemicarpha micrantha, Iodanthus pinnatifidus, Lilium michiganense, Linum sulcatum, Mirabilis albida, M. hirsuta, Muhlenbergia bush- ii, Paronychia canadensis, Spiranthes ovalis, Veronica anagallis- aquatica, V catenata 21 Union Pacific Railroad (West) T84N R24W sec 31 swl/4; Pms, wt Agalinis tenuifolia, Aster praealtus, Calamagrostis inexpansa, Carex T84N R25W sec 36; lacustris, C. prairea, C. sartwellii, C. tetanica, C. trichocarpa, Di- 42°02'20"N, 93°42'00"W chanthelium leibergii, Eryngium yuccifolium, Gentiana andrewsii, Gentianella quinquefolia var. occidentalis, Geum aleppicum, Helen- ium autumnale, Lactuca tatarica ssp. pulchella, Lilium michiga- nense, Liatris pycnostachya, Oxypolis rigidior, Prenanthes racemosa, Senecio pseudaureus, Solidago missouriensis, Spiranthes magnicampo- rum, Symphoricarpos occidentalis, Tomanthera auriculata, Verbena X engelmannii 22 Worle Creek (West) T83N R24W sec 17 sel/4; Wrp; Ops Agastache scrophulariifolia, Carex aggregata, C. eburnea, C. leaven- 41°59'50"N, 93°39'50"W worthii, C. lupulina, Crataegus calpodendron, C. succulenta, Fra-. . garta vesca var. amertcana 23 Worle Creek (East) T83N R24W sec 16 wl/2; Tdf, mf, wf, wd, es; Pdr Actaea rubra, Arisaema dracontium, Brachyeletrum erectum, Coreopsis 42°00'00"N, 93°39'20"W tripteris, Dichanthelium latifolium, Oryzopsis racemosa, Ribes cynos- bati, Rubus idaeus var. strigosus Appendix C. Continued. No. Site Name 24 Zumwalt Station City Park 25 Black's Prairie 26 Adam's Prairie B Ames Peat Bog H Hayden Farm Location T83N R24W sec 16; 41°59' 40"N, 93°40'00"W T83N R24W sec 28 nwl/4 nwl/4 swl/4; 41°58'20"N, 93°39'30"W T83N R24W sec 21 nel/4 nel/4 nel/4; 41°59'40"N, 93°38'20"W T84N R24W sec 36 nl/2; 42°02'50"N, 93°35'10"W T84N R24W sec 27 el/2 nwl/4; 42°03'40"N, 93°37'50"W Habitat Types Tdf, mf, wd; Ops Pwt Pwt Tdf, mf, wf Pdr, ms, wt; Wsp; Ore Rare and Infrequent Plant Species Carex hirtifolia, Fragaria vesca var. americana, Hypericum prolificum, Monotropa uniflora, Ribes cynosbati Asclepias sullivantii, Carex tetanica, Dichanthelium leibergii, Eryngi um yuccifolium, Hypoxis hirsuta, Oxalis violacea, Oxypolis rigidior Carex annectens var. xanthocarpa, C. buxbaumii, C. haydenii, C. sar twellii, Eryngium yuccifolium, Gentiana puberulenta, Hypoxis hirsu ta Aster puniceus, A. umbellatus, Botrychium dissectum f. obliquum, Cor allorhiza odontorhiza, Epilobium coloratum, Eupatorium maculatum, Monotropa uniflora, Pedicularis lanceolata, Populus tremuloides Acorus calamus, Agalinis purpurea, Asclepias sullivantii, Astragalus crassicarpus, Bouteloua hirsuta, Caltha palustris, Cypripedium can didum, Dichanthelium perlongum, Glyceria septentrionalis, Koeleria macrantha, Liatris cylindracea, Lilium michiganense, L. philadelphi cum var. andinum, Lysimachia terrestris, Pediomelum argophylla, Polygala incarnata, Sagittaria australis, Sium suave Dear Ames City Council Members, I have attended various Ames 2040 meetings, zoom meeting, and open house events over the past months to stay updated and learn about the planning process. I have appreciated the time you and staff have committed to this planning process and asking for input on this. Thank you for all you work. After reviewing the material, I disagree with the classification for the area south of HWY 30, west of State Street (south of ISU Curtiss Farm) as “RN-3” in the “Ames Future Land Use Map”. I have reviewed the Ames 2040 Draft Plan section discussing “Open Space” and I think this area should be change to “Open Space” classification because of the Characteristics and Goals outline on Page 50 (attached to this letter). Several key items discussed on this page are: Characteristics » Large areas of public land intended to remain undeveloped and natural in character, including public greenways. » Privately or publicly-owned environmentally sensitive areas that should not be developed. » Agricultural uses are common. » Specific policy directions are included in the Urban Fringe Policy Goals » Set aside land intended to remain primarily undeveloped and natural in character as permanent open space. » Preserve natural areas as passive open space in accordance with planned greenways or in support of larger natural preservation areas. Development Guidelines » Agricultural or other similar low intensity development zoning districts would apply. During zoning and site plan review, evaluate proposals for separation distances adequate to minimize noise, glare, and hazards that would impair the quality of open space. » Retain natural areas, open space, and habitat in the City. See also Open Space Chapter. Permit development only when serving environmental, park, or agricultural purposes. » Allow minor encroachment of residential zoning for existing uses and limit allowances for new residential with a precise study of environmental constraints and plans to locate structures outside of sensitive areas to retain the natural, aesthetic, and environmental value of the area and property. Multiple developable sites would require a land use map designation amendment. Additionally the Ames 2040 draft plan addresses several environmental concerns starting on page 80 that would conflict the “RN-3” Future land use classification for this area. For example, the Natural Resources section on page 81 says: “Natural Resources Preserving the City’s existing natural resources is vital to the community. They provide habitat for wildlife, minimize stormwater run-off, stabilize soils, influence climactic effects, offer visual appeal and serve some recreational purposes. In recognizing their value, this plan identifies the natural features present in Ames and reviews some of the current initiatives for their preservation. When considering natural features, some lots are better for development than others from an environmental, developmental cost, and long-term maintenance standpoint (e.g., land containing steep slopes, floodplain). The following pages identify the natural features to be considered and are combined to create the Critical Natural Resource Areas map. The map identifies areas that are suitable for development or may influence how development proceeds within identified growth areas.” I would ask you to drive thru this area and notice the creek, 200 year old oak trees and terraces because the land slope are too steep to farm without negatively impacting the environment. Also the prior “Worle Creek Sanitary Sewer Extension Study” listed on the City of Ames Website here https://www.cityofames.org/government/departments-divisions-i-z/public-works/engineering/worle- creek list various environmental, wildlife species/habitat concerns and archaeological area of interest that I believe support this area being classified as “Open Space” In closing, I am asking the area south of Hwy 30, west of State Street (south of ISU Curtiss Farm) be changed from RN-3 to Open Space on the Ames Future Land Use Map (see included map below for reference). Thank you for your time and consideration Sincerely, Kent Vickre Attachments: Ames Plan 2040 Draft, Page 50—Land Use: Categories Ames Plan 2040 Draft, Page 52—Conditions CHARACTERISTICS P L A N E L E M E N T S G R O W T H & L A N D U S E 50 A M E S P L A N 2 0 4 0 LAND USE: CATEGORIES Open Space PUBLIC ACTIONS »Use greenways as corridors for pedestrian and bicycle transportation and recreation. »Acquire strategic open space areas when possible to maintain corridors or protect important environmental assets. »Use Greenways and Open Space as conservation development techniques in new growth areas. DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES »Agricultural or other similar low intensity development zoning districts would apply. During zoning and site plan review, evaluate proposals for separation distances adequate to minimize noise, glare, and hazards that would impair the quality of open space. »Retain natural areas, open space, and habitat in the City. See also Open Space Chapter. Permit development only when serving environmental, park, or agricultural purposes. »Allow minor encroachment of residential zoning for existing uses and limit allowances for new residential with a precise study of environmental constraints and plans to locate structures outside of sensitive areas to retain the natural, aesthetic, and environmental value of the area and property. Multiple developable sites would require a land use map designation amendment. »Areas within the Ames Urban Fringe are predominantly natural and agricultural uses and are subject to the policies of the Ames Urban Fringe Plan and associated 28E agreements unless addressed more specifically by other provisions. GOALS »Set aside land intended to remain primarily undeveloped and natural in character as permanent open space. »Limit public open space to passive activities and conservation efforts. »Preserve natural areas as passive open space in accordance with planned greenways or in support of larger natural preservation areas. APPLICABLE EXISTING ZONING CATEGORIES »Government »Agriculture »Potential conservation or fringe overlays in areas where residential uses might be existing or permitted. »Large areas of public land intended to remain undeveloped and natural in character, including public greenways. »Privately or publicly-owned environmentally sensitive areas that should not be developed. »Agricultural uses are common. »May include public recreation facilities. »Specific policy directions are included in the Urban Fringe Policy. Development Guidelines are applicable for consideration of changes to land use designations, zoning consistency, and in some cases specific project elements. Public Actions are intended to identify potential initiatives for the City that relate to broad City goals and the vision of the Plan. They do not apply to individual projects. 82 P L A N E L E M E N T S E N V I R O N M E N T A M E S P L A N 2 0 4 0 CONDITIONS Climate Ames has launched numerous initiatives for managing conditions that contribute to climate change and continues to establish programs and projects that can be demonstrations for the State of Iowa and beyond. The City encourages sustainability through the programs and services provided to the community. From hybrid public transit buses, to bike lanes, to electric vehicle charging stations, the City continues to look for ways to help its citizens make green decisions. Balancing the need to be fiscally responsible with a commitment to a cleaner, greener community, Ames is committed to being a steward for a better environment. Climate Action Initiatives. In 2019, the City completed a Greenhouse Gas Inventory, Vulnerability Assessment, and Renewable Energy Potentials Study. These projects provide a baseline metric to measure changing conditions. This plan identifies future initiatives to better understand the community’s influence on the climate. Work has continued and the City contracted with a consultant in 2021 to prepare a Climate Action Plan. EcoSmart. EcoSmart is the City of Ames’ comprehensive strategy to reduce energy consumption and decrease its carbon footprint. Many of the city’s efforts are new, while others have been around for decades. The programs and initiatives represent the City’s commitment to protecting and enhancing the community’s natural environment. Natural Resources Preserving the City’s existing natural resources is vital to the community. They provide habitat for wildlife, minimize stormwater run-off, stabilize soils, influence climactic effects, offer visual appeal and serve some recreational purposes. In recognizing their value, this plan identifies the natural features present in Ames and reviews some of the current initiatives for their preservation. When considering natural features, some lots are better for development than others from an environmental, developmental cost, and long-term maintenance standpoint (e.g., land containing steep slopes, floodplain). The following pages identify the natural features to be considered and are combined to create the Critical Natural Resource Areas map. The map identifies areas that are suitable for development or may influence how development proceeds within identified growth areas. Natural resource mapping for Plan 2040 relied upon geographic information system (GIS) data from multiple sources. This information is updated and relied upon by the City on a regular basis. Natural features shown in the upcoming maps include: i. Floodplains ii. Wetlands and Streams iii. Impaired Stream Segments iv. Hydric Soils v. Slopes and Topography vi. Watersheds vii. Species Richness viii. Sandy Soils and Green Infrastructure ix. Vegetation x. Critical Natural Resource Areas To: City Council, City of Ames CC: Kelly Diekmann, Planning and Housing Director From: Brent Haverkamp Date: October 6, 2021 RE: Request for Map Change to the Ames Plan 2040 I am the sole owner and Manager of West Towne Condos, L.C. (“West Towne”), an apartment and business community that resides in West Ames off Mortensen Rd. Currently this property resides in the Community Commercial/Residential (CCR) Zoning designation. The CCR Zoning has the following definitions, Sec.29.806: “Residential uses are permitted only in combination with a commercial building and only above the first floor, which shall be devoted to commercial space.” One of the permitted uses for the first floor is defined as “Short-Term Lodging.” When this property was developed, the first-floor spaces were finished with a mixture of commercial and “Short- Term Lodging.” You can see the designated area on the map below (red arrow). This is a unique zoning designation that is not widely used in the City of Ames. While the West Towne property that was developed starting in 2006 is included in this CCR Zoning, the three additional buildings that were developed in 2012 in the very same lot are zoned for medium density zoning (yellow arrow). In conversations with Kelly Diekmann from Planning and Housing we believe that a change to the Ames Plan 2040 would be the best solution possible. The Plan 2040 proposes a designation of Neighborhood Core which is much like the current CCR land use designation, meaning that it would continue to restrict the first floor to Short-Term Lodging. We believe that normal high-density zoning would help to best serve the community. There are multiple reasons that have led us to make this request to better serve the residents of Ames. • There is a certain amount of difficulty in attracting the type of resident who is looking for Short-Term Lodging as opposed to more permanent rental housing. They tend to be a person who is more transient in nature and not providing the long-term benefit to the community that we all would like to see. • In working with federal financing authorities such as Fannie, Freddie, and HUD, they view the transient nature of Short-Term Lodging in a negative light and will often not finance such a property. • Short-term lodging both in Ames and the greater region has been developing into it’s own sub-industry with the addition of businesses such as TownePlace, GrandStay, Staybridge Suites, to the point where it no longer makes sense to have Short-Term Lodging mixed in with residential. In addition, as you can see from the map above, the land immediately adjacent to the west is both currently, and proposed to be, zoned for high density zoning similar to much of the rest of Ames multi-family sites. We would like to see the Council change the Plan 2040 to carry the RN-5 zoning designation further to the east encompassing the West Towne property. Sincerely, Brent Haverkamp Planning & Zoning Commission Comments Sept 15, 2021 There was a general discussion of Ames Plan 2040 and this is a summary provided by staff of the meeting. •Protecting the Character of Existing Neighborhoods Concern that existing housing (that is able to serve lower income residents) be retained given that new construction is at a different price point. General interest in increasing housing options, including “affordable” starter homes. “” •Owner occupancy vs. renter occupancy Discussion of stabilizing character of home ownership within a neighborhood and large increase in rental units as a percentage of the City housing stock. as it impacts Ames’ Discussion of housing and job sector growth and the number of commuters that come into Ames to work. Need for housing that supports the City’s workforce. •Compatibility as an Implementation Strategy P&Z members were glad to see compatibility addressed as a component of the Plan and will look forward to seeing how it help shapes infill in the future. How would the matrix be utilized? was developed as a response to the question, “What does context sensitive mean?” Its utility is yet to be determined, but it will likely act as an educational piece or scale of the building as well as intensity of use will be analyzed on a case-by-case basis over the life of the Plan. This approach will be particularly useful in addressing potential impacts of infill development. It could feed into design guidelines and may rely on sub-area plans or corridor plans to address. • Flexibility of the Plan P&Z finds value in the flexibility of the Plan. Flexibility allows the plan to adapt to future needs and be resilient over the next 20 years, while providing the same expectations of density as the current LUPP. It seems to achieve the goal of describing our goals but includes more flexibility on reaching them. One comment noted that it seemed vague. Staff commented that the Plan provides guidance on where you can subdivide and annex and the location of commercial nodes with transition outward from the node. The transition between uses for infill projects will be analyzed on a case-by-case level and therefore is less predictable. The design of the Plan was in response to a perception that the current 1997 Plan was too rigid. Some P&Z members wondered how the development community would respond to this subjectivity; they were concerned about predictability in process. How would this Plan change approval processes? Staff commented that there has not been comments on that specifically, to date. Early input from developers is that the City needs more general locations to grow and that the past plan was viewed as too rigid. Staff explained that the Plan has expectations on growth areas but provides flexibility within the designations as to how the details are fleshed out. Staff indicated that no change to the permitting process is anticipated. • Character of City Gateways Ames needs to carefully consider land use around gateway entry points to the City- especially as the City expands to the west and to the north. Staff discussed how the City has approached gateways in the past- as a corridor gateway rather than specific gateway entry points. Staff emphasized that the new chapter on Community Character will rely upon subsequent implementation measures and City actions to achieve much of the vision. • Implementation Chapter Discussion of future review of Plan, perhaps every five years. Staff indicated that the Implementation chapter is still to be drafted. Staff anticipates a review period every five years to be included as part of the chapter. Additionally, the Plan highlights transparency and intentional involvement in the process of doing subsequent implementation measures. The City plans to do this by identifying interest groups, in order to promote public awareness and public involvement. The City values transparency and will continue its efforts in that regard. • Fringe Plan Staff discussed the existing Fringe Plan and development of a new Plan. The Fringe Plan Map identifies Urban Reserve areas, in response to growth scenarios. Staff noted the likelihood of working with Boone and Story County on a new Fringe Plan. Attachment C Open House Maps Comments Attachment C Open House Maps Comments 1 ITEM: 25 DATE: 10/12/21 STAFF REPORT REQUEST TO INITIATE ZONING TEXT AMENDMENT RELATING TO SETBACKS FOR ACCESSORY STRUCTURES AND DETACHED GARAGES ON SINGLE- AND TWO-FAMILY LOTS October 12, 2021 BACKGROUND: Grant Thompson of 407 Pearson Avenue in Country Club Estates contacted Council Member Betcher (Attachment A) and other City Council members regarding his inability, by Code, to demolish and rebuild an existing, nonconforming garage in the same location (Attachment B). The accessory structure is considered nonconforming with regard to the setbacks. Mr. Thompson has stated that the garage is deteriorating, and he would like to replace it in the same location. Remodeling and rehabilitation of the garage would be permitted by the Zoning Ordinance; however, replacement of a nonconforming structure is prohibited. According to County Assessor records, the house and the garage were constructed in 1927. The current garage is approximately 6 feet from the rear (west) property line and estimated to be several inches from the side (north) property line. The base zoning district, “RL” Residential Low Density, requires a minimum setback of 20 feet from the rear property line and 8 feet from the side property line (the side setback is determined by the number of stories in the primary structure: a two-story building has an 8-foot side setback). Although the Zoning Ordinance has exceptions for accessory buildings that allow reduced setbacks of as little as 3 feet, they do not apply in this situation. There is no allowance to rebuild or place a structure at a setback of less than 3 feet anywhere within single-family zoning (Attachment C- excerpt from the Zoning Ordinance pertaining to accessory structures and diagram of setbacks). The homeowner could build a new garage on the property by complying with the setbacks but doing so would significantly reduce the usable area of the rear yard. Alternatively, a nonconforming structure can be maintained and rehabilitated rather than removed and replaced. The nonconforming standards apply uniformly across the city for all types of structures. While having a garage is not a right guaranteed by the Zoning Ordinance, nor is it even required, it is generally recognized as desirable along with having usable yard space on a property. As such, the homeowner is requesting consideration of a text amendment. OPTIONS: Mr. Thompson is requesting that the City initiate a Text Amendment for accessory structures, specifically detached garages. A nonconforming garage is not a unique to Mr. Thompson’s property. Staff did a visual survey with aerial photography for areas north of Downtown and south of Campus that are known to have a significant number of detached garages and determined that over 500 properties are likely nonconforming for either a rear setback or side setback standard. (See Attachment D) There would be additional such structures in other neighborhoods. Changing either the garage setback standards and/or the nonconforming standards could affect all such properties, potentially in a beneficial way about having flexibility for siting accessory buildings. A corresponding negative impact could also be had on properties adjacent to those with nonconforming accessory structures. Staff also reviewed ordinances from other communities when considering how the current regulations apply. The current standards are similar to the other communities, some cities allow for uniform reduction of setbacks to three feet, while other still require larger setbacks of five feet. Clearly, the standards come down to local preferences about spacing and setbacks compared to flexibility for a property owner in siting accessory buildings. All of the comparable cities appear to allow for rear yard setback encroachment to a greater extent than Ames, but also have additional rear yard building size limitations that Ames does not have. See Attachment E for more information. Option 1: Modify Setbacks for All Accessory Structures (New and Existing) The intent is to amend the rules for setbacks for all accessory structures. There is a range of changes that could occur in this category for rear setbacks, side setbacks, or both. A) The simplest change, which would be partially beneficial to Mr. Thompson, is to adjust the rear yard exception to apply across the rear yard (from side lot line to side lot line, behind the primary structure) regardless of whether it is partially in a side yard. This would allow for a rear 3-foot setback for any structure located behind the home, but still require a 6- or 8-foot side yard setback that applies across the City. B) Council could also consider changes to side yard setbacks as well when the structure is located within a rear yard by allowing for side setbacks to also be reduced to 3 feet. These types of change might involve revising definitions, revising the setback exceptions, or both. Option 2: Create Reconstruction Standards for Nonconforming Accessory Structures The intent is to modify the rules to allow for existing, nonconforming structures to be rebuilt essentially as they exist today or in a similar manner that does not exacerbate a nonconformity. A rebuilt structure would still need to comply with current building code requirements. The nonconforming location would thus be “grandfathered” in perpetuity. Staff would recommend tailoring such a change to accessory structures only for a limited size. This option could meet Mr. Thompson’s interests, depending on the final language to allow for reconstruction. This option is beneficial to a property owner with a nonconforming structure, but does not overtime create conformity with spacing that is applied to all new buildings. Option 3: Amend the Zoning Ordinance to Address both Option 1 and 2 The City Council would choose this option in order to provide reduced setbacks for all garages, regardless of whether they are nonconforming, and allow for an extra exception for reconstructing nonconforming garages. This option would likely meet Mr. Thompson’s interest. The intent is to look at rewriting the code with a combination of Option 1 and Option 2. This would benefit people looking for reduced setbacks for new structures and also grandfather all existing structures. Option 4: Modify “Minor Area Modification” Exceptions to include Accessory Structures. The City allows for the Zoning Board of Adjustment to approve small encroachments into required Setbacks for existing principal structures, of up to 2 feet into a side yard and rear yards by up to 5 feet. These exceptions do not apply to detached accessory structures. Adding language for accessory structures would be a minor change and grant partial relief in nonconforming situations after a noticed hearing and approval by the ZBA. This would allow for case by case review with a public hearing. This option would possibly partially meet Mr. Thompson’s interest because it would allow for reduced setbacks but not necessarily rebuilding it in a zero lot line condition. Option 5: Decline the Request The City Council can decline to take any further action. This would result in no changes to current rear and side yard setback requirements. Over time, the encroaching structures would gradually be removed and replaced as they reached the end of their useful lives. If someone was able to demonstrate a hardship they could apply for a variance, but the threshold for a variance approval is a vary high bar. STAFF COMMENTS: The setback standards currently apply equally to new structures and replacement structures throughout the City. As written, the regulations for accessory structures and nonconformities are designed to allow current nonconforming structures to remain until such time as replacement is required. At that time, compliance with setbacks is necessary. Staff finds that Option 1A has the greatest overall applicability for residential properties and clarifies for all properties that a three-foot rear yard setback is allowed, even if it is not located directly behind a home. This would clean up a confusing section of Code and provide the intended flexibility for rear yard structures with minimal impact to adjacent properties. Additionally, the City Council could also consider including 1B to allow for three-foot side yard setback under the same rear yard circumstances. If we pursue this either Option 1A or Options 1A & B Combined, staff would also assess our current size limitations and coverage limitations to assure they align with any reduced setback allowance. Any version of Option 1 would be relatively straight forward as a change and not require substantial community outreach to implement. Staff would proceed with a zoning text amendment over the next few months if this option is selected by City Council. If City Council selects Options 2, 3, or 4, it would be important for City Council to define intended outreach for the change and its priority for the proceeding with the item if there is a significant outreach component. Attachment A Request to Council Attachment B Map Attachment C Zoning Code Requirements for Accessory Structures Sec. 29.408 Other General Development Standards ********** (7) Requirements for Private Garages and Other Accessory Buildings. (a) The following requirements apply to private garages and accessory buildings in Agricultural, Residential and Hospital/Medical districts: (i) Location Within Setbacks. a. No detached garage or accessory building is allowed in the front yard, or within the side yard setback adjacent to public right-of-way in the case of corner lots. b. A detached garage or accessory building wholly or partially within the side yard shall meet all the same side setbacks as required for the principal building except in the case of a corner lot. In the case of a corner lot a garage or accessory building may be placed within 3 feet of the side lot lines, provided the garage is set back a minimum of 25 feet from the abutting streets and provided the garage or accessory building is located in the side yard that does not abut the front yard where the principal building is addressed. c. A detached garage or accessory building wholly within the rear yard shall be a minimum of 3 feet from the abutting property line. d. In cases in which the rear yard of a lot abuts the front yard of an adjoining lot, a detached garage or accessory building in the rear yard shall be not less than 6 feet from the adjoining property line for the distance of the required front yard setback on the adjoining lot. e. In no case shall a detached garage or an accessory building in the rear yard be placed closer than 15 feet to any lot line that abuts a street. (ii) Height. a. A detached garage or accessory building on the same lot with a 1 story principal building shall not exceed the height of that principal building. b. Detached garages or accessory buildings on the same lot with a principal building that is taller than 1 story shall not exceed 80% of the height of the principal building or 20 feet, whichever is lower. (iii) Size. a. Detached garages and accessory buildings in the rear yard shall not occupy more than 25% of the rear yard. b. The maximum gross floor area shall not exceed 900 square feet for a detached garage or accessory building/structure to a Single Family Dwelling or 1,200 square feet for accessory uses to a Two Family Dwelling. c. In any Agricultural or Residential district the cumulative garage door opening width shall not exceed 30 feet for a Single Family Dwelling. Doors less than 8 feet in width, such as for lawn and garden equipment, are exempt. A cumulative width of all garage door openings exceeding 30 feet may be approved if (i) the cumulative garage door openings that are generally parallel to and visible from the street are 20 feet in width or less, and (ii) the additional garage door openings are located generally perpendicular to the street or are not visible from the street. d. Two Family Dwellings are limited to a garage door width of 20 feet per dwelling unit. Doors less than 8 feet in width, such as for lawn and garden equipment, are exempt. (iv) General Requirements. a. Driveways to streets. The driveway leading from a street to the entrance of a detached or attached garage shall be at least 20 feet long measured from the property line. b. Driveways to alleys. The garage door opening to a detached or attached garage that opens to an alley shall be located either 8 feet from the property line abutting the alley or a minimum of 20 feet from the property line abutting the alley. c. No detached garage or accessory building shall contain habitable space and/or a bathroom, except for recreational uses requiring plumbing such as a pool house. d. The construction of a detached garage or accessory building shall not precede the construction of the principal building on the same lot. (b) The following requirements apply to private garages and accessory buildings to legally nonconforming Single Family and Two Family Dwellings in Commercial and Industrial Districts: (i) No detached garage or accessory building is permitted in the front yard. (ii) A detached garage or accessory building is permitted in the side or rear yard on the same lot with a Single Family or Two Family Dwelling in Commercial Districts, provided it maintains the same side and rear yard setbacks that a principal building of a commercial nature would be required to maintain. (iii)A detached garage or accessory building is permitted in the side or rear yard on the same lot with a Single Family or Two Family Dwelling in an Industrial District, provided the same side and rear yard setbacks for a permitted structure in the district are maintained. (c) When a special use permit is required for an institutional use, garages and accessory buildings/structures shall be exempt from that requirement, if the accessory structure does not exceed 900 square feet. Garages and accessory structures for an institutional use exceeding 900 square feet require approval of a special use permit. (d) The following requirements apply to shared common lot line garages and accessory buildings in Agricultural, Residential and Hospital/Medical districts: (i) Location Within Setbacks. a. Shared common lot line garages shall be permitted only on lots where an existing common lot line garage exists, or on lots where substantial proof can be submitted indicating a shared common lot line garage had previously existed. b. No detached garage or accessory building is allowed in the front yard, or within the side yard setback adjacent to public right-of-way in the case of corner lots. (ii) Height. a. A detached garage or accessory building on the same lot with a one story principal building shall not exceed the height of that principal building. b. Detached garage or accessory buildings on the same lot with a principal building that is taller than one story shall not exceed 80% of the height of the principal building or 20 feet, whichever is lower. (iii) Size. a. Detached garages and accessory buildings in the rear yard shall not occupy more than 25% of the combined rear yard of the two subject lots. b. The structure should not exceed a maximum of 1,200 square feet shared between the two properties. c. In any Agricultural or Residential district the cumulative garage door width shall not exceed eighteen (18) feet per lot. Doors less than eight feet in width, such as for lawn and garden equipment, are exempted from this requirement. (iv) General Requirements. a. Driveways to streets. The driveway leading from a street to the entrance of a detached or attached garage shall be at least 20 feet long measured from the property line. b. Driveways to alleys. The driveway leading from an alley to the entrance of a detached or attached garage shall be at least 8 feet long. c. No detached garage or accessory building shall contain habitable space and/or a bathroom, except for recreational uses requiring plumbing such as a pool house. d. The construction of a detached garage or accessory building shall not precede the construction of the principal building on the same lot. (v) Special Setbacks. a. In cases in which the rear yard of a lot abuts the front yard of an adjoining lot, a detached garage or accessory building in the rear yard shall be not less than 6 feet from the adjoining property line for the distance of the required front yard setback on the adjoining lot. b. In no case shall a detached garage or an accessory building in the rear yard be placed closer than 15 feet to any lot line that abuts a street. (vi) Agreement. All shared driveways and shared common lot line garages shall be acknowledged as such and the respective owners of the affected lots shall have the right to use such driveways and shared common lot line garages jointly. Cross easements shall be granted over, across and under that portion of each owner’s lot where such shared driveway is located. In addition, the rights and responsibilities for the construction, maintenance, repair and rebuilding of such driveway and shared lot line garage shall be addressed in the cross easement documents and submitted to staff. Attachment C- continued Attachment D Neighborhoods with Potentially Nonconforming Accessory Structures Legally nonconforming accessory structures are found throughout older parts of Ames. Staff did a visual survey of aerials in the areas highlighted below to estimate how many accessory structures that are not wholly behind primary structures are encroaching into side and rear setbacks. The neighborhoods in and around Oldtown are zoned “UCRM” Urban Core Residential Medium Density and “RM” Residential Medium Density. The neighborhood south of the Iowa State campus is zoned mostly “RL” Residential Low Density with a few properties at the north end zoned “RH” Residential High Density. In all four zones (RL, RM, UCRM, and RH), the front setback is 25 feet, and the side setbacks are 6 feet for a one-story structure and 8 feet for a two-story structure. In RL and UCRM the rear setback is 20 feet; in RM and RH, the rear setback is 25 feet. In the Oldtown area, out of a total 845 residential properties, 477 had structures which were not wholly behind the primary structure, and which encroached into the rear or side setbacks. The map below includes non-residential properties, which are not included in the 845 figure. In the South Campus area, out of 263 residential properties, 139 had structures which were not wholly behind the primary structure, and which encroached into at least one of the setbacks. The old Crawford Elementary School on Stanton Avenue was excluded from the 263 figure. Attachment E Regulations for Accessory Structures of Selected Cities Ankeny Sec. 191.07(1) – One-family and two-family residence districts and use areas. No accessory building in one-family and two-family residential zone districts and use areas shall be erected in any yard other than a rear yard, except as provided herein. All accessory buildings including garages shall be set back a minimum of three feet (3) from side and rear lot lines of adjoining lots in any residential zone district and use area and accessory buildings except for garages which front an alley shall be setback a minimum of five-feet from alley right-of-way lines. Garages which front an alley in any residential zone district or use area shall be set back either seven feet (7) or a minimum of 18-feet from the alley right-of-way. Accessory buildings and structures on corner lots shall conform to front yard setback regulations on both streets. (See Section 191.05.) Accessory buildings on one and two-family residential lots shall not occupy more than ten- percent (10%) of the total square footage of the lot. No single accessory building for one-family and two-family lots shall exceed 1010 square feet in size, and all conforming one-family and two-family residential lots shall be permitted up to 720 square feet of detached accessory building use. Des Moines Sec. 135-2(C) - Outbuilding and Detached Garage. A fully enclosed building on a lot that is detached from the principal structure on the same lot. A principal structure is required, unless otherwise stated. Typical outbuildings include detached garages, pool houses, workshops, barns, or sheds. 1. Side and Rear Setback. Minimum side and rear setback of an outbuilding shall be five feet. 2. Alley. Where a garage is accessed off an alley with pavement narrower than 20 feet, the garage shall be set back from the alley lot line to allow 24 feet from the opposite edge of alley pavement to the garage door. 3. Height. The maximum height of the outbuilding may be generally no taller than one-half story less than the principal building; however, in the event that the principal building is one story in height, the outbuilding may not exceed the height of the principal building. 4. Residential Districts. The lot coverage of all accessory structures, including an outbuilding, shall not exceed 576 square feet or 25% of the rear yard, whichever is greater, on a lot zoned Neighborhood (N) or Neighborhood Mix (NX). 5. Character. The outbuilding shall be compatible in color and character with the primary structure on the lot. 6. Accessory Household Unit. If a permitted AHU is contained within an outbuilding, then the requirements of subsections 4, 5, and 8 of section 135- 2.22.2.F of this article shall also apply. West Des Moines Sec. 9-7-4(9) Bulk Regulations, Minimum Setbacks And Building Separations For Accessory Buildings And Structures In Residential Districts: a. See chapter 14, "Accessory Structures", of this title for additional standards and construction requirements for accessory buildings and structures. b. Accessory buildings and structures that meet the minimum separation distance from the principal building are considered detached accessory structures. In such case, the detached accessory structure must meet the setback requirements as noted in table 7.5 of this subsection C9. c. Accessory structures that do not meet the minimum separation from the principal structure are considered part of the principal structure, no matter if they are physically separate from the principal structure. In such case, the accessory structure must meet the setback requirements for a principal structure except as noted below. (1) Accessory structures (other than fences and walls) that do not exceed thirty inches (30") in height as measured from grade to the highest element and any railing or trellis designed to be open fifty percent (50%) or more may follow the detached accessory structure setbacks, no matter their proximity to the principal structure. (2) Accessory structures that are considered part of the principal structure and which exceed thirty inches (30") in height must be setback a minimum of twenty feet (20') from the rear property line(s) and must meet the pertinent side and front yard setback of the principal structure. d. Accessory structures cannot encroach into any buffer area or perimeter setback. e. In a footprint development, detached accessory structures and fences are not allowed within footprint lots and are only allowed for development use on common property. f. Accessory buildings over one thousand (1,000) square feet, which are only permitted in Residential Estate, Agricultural/Open Space zoning and for religious, institutional, or civic uses within residential districts, shall meet the minimum front yard setback of their respective zoning district and be set back a minimum of twenty feet (20') from the side and rear property lines. g. Accessory buildings over one thousand five hundred (1,500) square feet in multi-family Residential Districts must meet primary building setbacks and separations including setbacks adjusted for primary building height. TABLE 7.5 DETACHED ACCESSORY STRUCTURES Single Family Zoning Districts Required Standards OS RE R- 1 SF- CR SF- VJ MH 2 VJHB Setback from alleys where the structure accesses the alley 20' 20' 20' 20' 20' 20' 20' 20' 20' buildings or structures under 1,000 sq. 10' 10' 10' 10' 10' 10' 10' 10' 10' Sec. 9-14-6: ACCESSORY BUILDINGS: A. Accessory buildings shall be allowed only in conjunction with the principal structure, and primary use to which it relates under the same terms and conditions as the principal structure, and primary use in any zoning district unless otherwise noted in this chapter. B. Setbacks for accessory buildings, in all zoning districts, which are not specifically spelled out below, shall meet the requirements set elsewhere in this title under setback and bulk density regulations. 1. On corner lots unless noted otherwise, detached accessory buildings shall meet the front yard setback along each street frontage, as required for the principal structure. 2. On detached accessory buildings, when the exterior wall parallel to the property line exceeds eight and one-half feet (81/2') in height, including the foundation or retaining wall, or exceeds twenty four feet (24') in length, that wall shall be set back from the property line a distance equal to the total exterior wall height. This setback minimum shall not preclude other yard setback or easement requirements. 3. When the vehicle entrance for a garage faces a street or alley, the setback from the alley shall be a minimum of twenty feet (20'). C. Accessory buildings, constructed as part of the principal building, or connected to the principal building by a breezeway or similar structure, or constructed within ten feet (10') or less of the principal structure, shall be considered an attached accessory building. Attached accessory buildings that include a roof (such as a covered porch, screen room, sunroom, garage and carport) will be considered part of the primary building and unless noted otherwise, must meet the primary building setbacks. D. Accessory buildings in residential zoning districts may occupy up to ten percent (10%) of the total lot area in which it is located. Except, in RS, R-1, SF-VJ, and SF-CR Zoning Districts and for religious, institutional, or civic uses within residential districts, the square footage for an accessory building, or the combined square footage of all detached accessory buildings on the property, shall not exceed one thousand (1,000) square feet. E. In RS, R-1, SF-VJ, and SF-CR Zoning Districts, the maximum roof peak height of detached accessory buildings shall not exceed twenty feet (20'). The height of retaining walls or the foundation shall be included in the height measurement. F. In RS, R-1, SF-VJ, and SF-CR Zoning Districts, exterior walls of detached accessory buildings shall not exceed twelve feet (12') in height. The wall height shall be measured from existing grade, and the height of retaining walls or the foundation shall be included in the height measurement. G. Existing detached garages with a side or rear yard setback of at least three feet (3'), which meet all of the other provisions of this section, may be repaired or reconstructed with the same setback requirements. However any additions must meet the current setback requirements. H. The design of accessory buildings shall be in keeping with the character of the zoning district they are located in, with comparable architectural design, materials and details to the principal structure, including roof slope, overhangs, etc. Any metal cladding shall be prefinished and have the appearance of the materials used on the primary building. Galvanized metal is prohibited as the exterior finish material in residential zoning districts. I. A carport cannot exceed one story in height and must be entirely open on two (2) or more sides except for structural supports. There can be no enclosed use above a carport. No other items other than a motor vehicle may be kept in the carport unless those items are kept in an enclosed section of the carport and are not visible. A carport is considered an accessory building and shall meet the requirements for accessory structures set elsewhere in this title. Carports are not considered enclosed garage space for residential uses. The design of a carport shall be in keeping with the character of the zoning district they are located in, with comparable architectural design, materials and details to the principal structure, including roof slope, overhangs, etc. Exposed metal structure is prohibited. Any metal cladding shall be prefinished and have the appearance of the materials used on the primary building. Galvanized metal is prohibited as the exterior finish material in residential zoning districts. J. All light fixtures mounted on, or in proximity to, accessory buildings shall be downcast or shielded and located to eliminate glare and spillover lighting beyond the property line. K. Driveway and parking areas that lead to accessory buildings, which are utilized by motorized vehicles licensed for use on public roadways, shall be concrete, asphalt, or a similar paved surface. New gravel driveways and parking areas are prohibited. L. Dog runs, dog pens and housing, play sheds, play structures, swing sets, and similar, shall abide by the setback and height provisions for accessory buildings. Iowa City Sec. 14-4C-3(B)(2)(c)(1)(A): Along street-side lot lines, accessory buildings must comply with the front, principal building setback requirement. Along side or rear lot lines that are not street- side lot lines, accessory buildings must be set back at least five feet (5') from the side or rear lot line. This five foot (5') setback requirement may be reduced if an accessory building is set back at least sixty feet (60') from the edge of the street pavement. In such cases, the building may be located within three feet (3') of a side or rear property line. However, garages and carports entered directly from an alley must be set back at least five feet (5') from the alley right-of-way line, regardless of how far back the structure is from the street. ITEM # 26 DATE: 10-12-21 COUNCIL ACTION FORM SUBJECT: GRANT AGREEMENT WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING & URBAN DEVELOPMENT (HUD) FOR HOME AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDS (HOME-ARP). BACKGROUND: On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act into law, which provides over $1.9 trillion in relief to address the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. As of part of this Act, Congress appropriated $5 billion to provide housing, services, and shelter to individuals experiencing homeless and other vulnerable populations across the country. This supplemental funding is being allocated by formula to 651 jurisdictions, long with local governments that qualified for HOME Investment Partnerships Program (PJs) allocations for fiscal year 2021. On April 8, 2021, the City of Ames was notified that we would be receiving $1,269,248 of the HOME-ARP funding. This funding is in addition to the City’s regular 2021-22 HOME funding of $350,543. Six other entitlements in Iowa will received just over a combined $10,000,000 and the State of Iowa will receive just over $29,000,000. HOME-ARP funding gives jurisdictions significant new resources to address their homeless assistance needs by creating affordable housing or non-congregate shelter units and providing tenant-based rental assistance or supportive services. HOME-ARP funds must be used for individual or families from the following qualifying populations: homeless; at-risk of homelessness; fleeing or attempting to flee domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking; other populations where providing assistance would prevent the family’s homelessness or would serve those with the greatest risk of housing instability; and veterans and families that include a veteran family members that meet one of the preceding criteria. HOME-ARP funds can be used for four-eligible activities: • including the production or preservation of affordable housing. • tenant-based rental assistance; supportive services, • including homeless prevention services and housing counseling services; and • the purchase or development of non-congregate shelter for individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Additionally, HOME-ARP provides for up to 15 percent of the allocation for administrative and planning cost of the participating jurisdiction (PJ) and for subrecipients administering all or a portion of the grant. ARP can provide up to 5 percent of the grant for operating cost of Community Housing Development Organizations (CHDO’s) and other non-profit organizations, including homeless providers. Funds are also available to these organizations for administrative capacity building. At the time of this notification in April, HUD had not issued an implementation notice nor provided any detailed program guidelines and/or program training. On September 22, 2021, the City of Ames received its official notification along with the HOME-ARP Grant Agreement. As a Participating Jurisdiction (PJ), the City may use up to five percent of its total award, approximately $63,462, for administrative and planning costs once the grant agreement has been signed and returned to our designated field office. Once the City has completed a HOME-ARP Allocation Plan, that is approved by HUD, the additional administrative funds of the award will become available. During April to September time period, HUD has published very detailed and very restrictive program regulations, and requirements. To date staff has participated in four HOME-ARP Webinars to try and gain knowledge and expertise in the complexities of the program requirements. More is likely to be needed and required before implementing any new programs. In addition to these requirements, the City will be required to amend its 2021-2022 CDBG/HOME Annual Action Plan to include all activities to be implemented. Over the next several weeks staff will be meeting with our Legal, Finance, Purchasing, Inspections, Public Works, and other Departments to seek their support and assistance in the possible implementation of this program. Additionally, staff will contact the ASSET Team and other community partners (not eligible for funding) for their possible assistance in developing an Allocation Plan. Due the variety of potential eligible activities, it is very likely that staff will need to create a competitive grant application process for these funds. For your review is the HOME Investment Partnerships-American Rescue Plan (HOME- ARP) Grant Agreement (see Attachment A). HUD as outlined in the transmittal letter to the City of Ames, that the Grant Agreement does not constitute approval of the activities that will be described in the HOME-ARP Allocation Plan. With approval of the Grant Agreement, the City as the PJ is responsible for ensuring that all grant funds are used in accordance with all program requirements, and an executed Grant Agreement is a legally binding agreement between the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the City of Ames. PJs will have until September 30, 2030, to access these funds, any remaining funds will be returned to the US Treasury. ALTERNATIVES: 1. City Council can adopt a resolution authorizing the Mayor to sign the 2021 HOME Investment Partnerships-American Rescue Plan (HOME-ARP) Grant Agreement with HUD to receive $1,269,248 in funding to address homelessness and supportive services needs for the Ames community. And direct staff to proceed with next steps to create a HOME Allocation Plan and an amendment to the City 2021-22 CDBG/HOME Annual Action Plan. 2. City Council reject adoption of a resolution authorizing the Mayor to sign the 2021 HOME Investment Partnerships-American Rescue Plan (HOME-ARP) Grant Agreement with HUD to receive $1,269,248 in funding to address homelessness and supportive services needs for the Ames community. CITY MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION: This is another funding opportunity for the City of Ames to help address the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically for the homelessness, and other vulnerable populations in our community. Due the variety of potential eligible activities, it is very likely that staff will need to create a competitive grant application process for these funds. Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council adopt Alternative #1. ATTACHMENT A ITEM#: 27 DATE: 10-12-21 COUNCIL ACTION FORM SUBJECT: RELOCATION OF EXISTING HOOP BUILDING BACKGROUND: Two hoop buildings have been used by the City for utility activities over the past several years. These buildings were originally purchased to dry out lime sludge from the Water Plant. Most recently, they were used to cover bottom ash from the Power Plant and provide cold storage. Due to the conversion of the Power Plant to natural gas, these buildings are no longer necessary. Staff has, therefore made plans to relocate and repurpose the existing hoop building frames for road salt storage in the Public Works materials yard. An expansion of the salt storage area using these buildings will create storage for nearly two winter seasons worth of road salt. This greatly eases the City’s reliance on just-in-time delivery of road salt. The two existing hoop building frames are still in very good condition and will be reassembled into one building with a new cover and doors. Public Works staff worked with Purchasing staff to procure bids to move and erect the hoop building. On October 1, 2021 bids were received as follows: Bidder Amount Engineer’s Estimate $75,000.00 Funding in the amount of $75,000 was identified in savings in the Operating Budget and approved in the FY 2020/21 budget amendment process. The $75,000 has been carried over in the FY 2021/22 Operating Budget to support this building project. ALTERNATIVES: 1. Accept the report of bids and award the project to A & B Construction, LTD of Harper, IA in the amount of $63,662. 2. Direct staff to make changes to the project. CITY MANAGER’S RECOMMENDED ACTION: Awarding the project will allow construction to start as soon as possible. This will allow Public Works to begin stockpiling road salt for future use during winter maintenance activities. Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council adopt Alternative No. 1, as noted above. 1 ITEM #: ___28__ DATE: 10-12-21 COUNCIL ACTION FORM SUBJECT: REQUEST TO CONSIDER THE 80/20 ANNEXATION OF LANDS LOCATED ALONG NORTH 500TH AVENUE AND IMMEDIATELY WEST AND NORTH OF THE AMES CITY LIMITS BACKGROUND: On July 27th, 2021, the City Council voted to initiate an annexation of four parcels, totaling approximately 33.18 acres including rights-of-way easements, located immediately west of the Ames corporate limits and extending westward to the Boone County line along North 500th Avenue. State law permits a voluntary annexation to include up to 20% of the territory with non-consenting abutting properties for the purpose of eliminating islands or creating more uniform boundaries. There are three parcels considered non- consenting as part of the annexation that are included in order to make uniform boundaries along North 500th. (See Attachment A). The City Council’s action was in response to an annexation petition received from Justin Dodge for one parcel of land owned by two owners: Fen & Shu Huang Revocable Trust and Daisy Chuen Yuan Soong. The total area of the initial petition was for one parcel totaling 28.58 acres. This includes the right-of-way easement along North 500th Avenue totaling approximately 0.15 acres. The initial petition did not include the three non- consenting parcels. There are two separate non-consenting property owners impacted by the annexation. These property owners are David Junk ( one property of approximately 0.78 acres) and Richard Jr Hall & Rena S. Hall ( two properties totaling approximately 4 acres). The proposed 33.36 gross acre annexation territory includes 4.78 gross acres of non- consenting area. The non-consenting parcels represent 14.32% of the total annexation territory. The inclusion of these properties makes for a uniform boundary along North 500th Avenue so there are not gaps in jurisdiction along the roadway. The applicant has spoken with Xenia rural water regarding territory boundaries and has been informed that the boundary of Xenias water territory in this area is North 500th Avenue, which places the petitioner’s property outside of Xenia territory. The non- consenting properties are currently served by Xenia water and will continue to be Xenia customers upon annexation. Planning & Zoning Commission At the August 18th Planning & Zoning Commission meeting there was no public comment. The Commission discussed with staff the proposed 80/20 annexation. the Commission voted 3-1 to recommend that the City Council not approve the 80/20 annexation with nonconsenting property owners and approve only a 100% voluntary annexation. 2 If City Council approves the annexation as it was initiated by Council, the annexation is not final until it is also approved by the state City Development Board due to the 80/20 annexation process of including nonconsenting property owners. ALTERNATIVES: 1. The City Council can approve the 80/20 annexation of four parcels and abutting rights-of-way, totaling 33.36 acres (rights-of-way acreage included in calculation), for the properties located immediately west of the Ames corporate limits and extending westward to the Boone County line along North 500th Avenue, in Washington Township, Story County, Iowa, by finding that the proposed annexation is consistent with the Land Use Policy Plan and Urban Fringe Plan, and that the proposed annexation territory creates more uniform boundaries. 2. The City Council can approve the 100% voluntary annexation of only the petitioners parcel and abutting rights-of-way, totaling 28.58 acres, for the property located immediately west of the Ames corporate limits and extending westward to the Boone County line along North 500th Avenue, in Washington Township, Story County, Iowa, by finding that the proposed annexation is consistent with the Land Use Policy Plan and Urban Fringe Plan. 3. The City Council can deny of the request to annex land generally located immediately west of the Ames corporate limits and extending westward to the Boone County line along North 500th Avenue, in Washington Township, Story County, Iowa, by finding that the proposed annexation is not consistent with the Land Use Policy Plan and Urban Fringe Plan. CITY MANAGERS RECOMMENDED ACTION: The subject area is within the Southwest Growth Area of the City’s Land Use Policy Plan (LUPP). As a result of the Urban Service designation and Urban Residential classification the annexation is consistent with both the City’s LUPP and the Ames Urban Fringe Plan process for annexation. The proposed voluntary annexation includes three properties as non-consenting properties as part of the allowed 80/20 annexation process in order to create more uniform boundaries along N 500th Avenue. If the annexation were to proceed without the non- consenting properties, a small section of irregular boundaries along North 500th Avenue would result. The three parcels are approximately 14.32% of the total annexation area. Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council approve Alternative #1. Addendum Land Use Policy Plan (LUPP) and Zoning. 3 The City has a policy that annexations be consistent with the LUPP and the Ames Urban Fringe (AUF) Plan. The area proposed for annexation has the designation Urban Service Area and is specifically classified as Urban Residential within the Ames Urban Fringe Plan (AUFP) (See Attachment B). Having an “Urban Service Area" designation is required prior to annexation per the terms of the City’s 28E agreement with Story County. Land within the “Urban Residential” designation is planned for future annexation into the City with development of urban densities and design standards. If approved for annexation, the LUPP designation would be “Village/Suburban Residential”, allowing for a broad range of residential development types. The LUPP identifies the subject property as part of the “Southwest I Allowable Growth Area” identified in the LUPP as areas that have been determined by the City Council to be appropriate for future expansion of the municipal boundaries, based in part on the City’s ability to serve the areas with public services. In addition, this area is designated as a Tier 1 growth area in the Draft Ames Plan 2040. When a property is annexed into the City, it is automatically zoned as “Agricultural.” Zoning does not change unless a request is initiated by an individual property owner or by the City Council. Any proposed zoning must be consistent with the LUPP land use designation. Future development would require rezoning consistent with the Village/Suburban Residential land use designation. Current Land Use: The original consenting property included in the petition is vacant row crop land. The non-consenting properties include two residential structures: both single- family. There are also a few small scattered agricultural out-buildings on the two non- consenting sites. Development Plan: A conceptual development plan has not yet been received from the property owner, but in preliminary correspondence with the developer, their preference is to rezone and develop the land under single-family style zoning as a single-family home development very similar to that of Sunset Ridge currently inside the city to the south. Development of the site would include access from the south (Sunset Ridge) as well as out to North 500th Avenue. The annexation may proceed without a concept plan for the site as the rezoning and development is a subsequent step after annexation. If the site is annexed, City Council would consider a specific rezoning proposal in the future that could include FS-RL and FS-RM that are consistent with the Village/Suburban Residential land use designation of the area. Development Issues Staff reviewed the annexation submittal and notes that infrastructure improvements would be needed to serve the area as it develops. Water, sanitary sewer, storm sewer, street paving, sidewalk, and shared use path improvements are all needed to serve the 4 proposed development and connect it to existing infrastructure south of the site. Some of these details will be worked out at the time of rezoning and subdivision based upon an actual project plan. Xenia rural water territory begins at North 500th Avenue and then continuing westward. This places the consenting petitioner’s property outside of the Xenia water district according to the developer. Street Connectivity to/from Sunset Ridge: Sunset Ridge was platted to the south with stub streets abutting this property to eventually be connected into this site. Ellston Avenue was platted to connect to Westfield Drive and Allerton Drive. Wilder Avenue was platted to extend southward to Lincoln Way. It was also the intention that Ellston Avenue and Wilder Avenue would continue into this area with similar FS-RL development. An east- west street connection extending west to North 500th Avenue will likely be sought by the City during the subdivision review The developer has indicated that his first preference is to develop the land as single-family style development. A final decision on the circulation design would occur with a rezoning master plan and subdivision approval. Transportation Improvements: The development has frontage along North 500th Avenue, which is a paved county road between Boone and Story County. Development of the site requires frontage improvements and intersection improvements for full access and service to the site consistent with the subdivision ordinance for street improvements where necessary. Development of pedestrian walkways and shared use paths will be considered as part of the subdivision process once annexation is complete. Ellston Avenue and Wilder Avenue in the Sunset Ridge subdivision to the south are stubbed just south of the south property line of the property in this request in order to be extended northward upon future development. These streets will also provide sidewalk access southward into the Sunset Ridge subdivision and to Lincoln Way. Water Main Extension: Water mains have been constructed for Sunset Ridge Subdivision within the City boundaries, adjacent to the south boundary of the proposed annexation. Two 8” water main stubs along Ellston Avenue and Wilder Avenue will need to be extended northward. Sanitary Sewer Improvements: The sanitary sewer system may require an extension of 12” sewer main into this site to provide service. Extension of this sewer line will occur with subdivision approval. Currently Sewer lines exist to the immediate south of this site in Sunset Ridge subdivision. Electric Improvements: Electric service is currently provided to the west half of the petitioner’s parcel by Midland Power. The east half is within Ames Electric service territory. As the land is annexed, electric service will continue to be provided by Midland Power for the west half and Ames electric for the east half. Stormwater Improvements: The eastern edge of the property contains some floodplain and a portion of Onion Creek. Storm sewer currently abuts the site from Sunset Ridge Subdivision to the south. The property is located within the Boone County / Story County 5 Drainage District #4. Development of the property will need to follow all stormwater treatment and control requirements of Chapter 5B of the Municipal Code. A full review of the stormwater improvements will be part of the site plan review and subdivision review for the site. Outreach. As part of the state-mandated annexation process, City staff invited the Washington Township Trustees and the Story County Board of Supervisors for a Consultation Meeting on August 17, 2021 at City Hall. A public notice has been published in the Ames Tribune and both a certified and regular mailing has been sent to all abutting properties and non-consenting properties as well as affected utilities. Next Steps. Following the City Council’s approval of the annexation and adoption of a resolution to that effect, the annexation will go to the state City Development Board for a hearing due to the inclusion of non-consenting property owners as an 80/20 annexation. The state City Development Board will be the final approval authority. 6 ATTACHMENT A- LOCATION AND ALL PARCELS 7 ATTACHMENT B- LUPP DESIGNATION ATTACHMENT C- Annexation Plat 8