HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - March 10, 2020, Regular Meeting of the Ames City CouncilAGENDA
REGULAR MEETING OF THE AMES CITY COUNCIL
COUNCIL CHAMBERS - CITY HALL
MARCH 10, 2020
NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC: The Mayor and City Council welcome comments from the public
during discussion. If you wish to speak, please complete an orange card and hand it to the City
Clerk. When your name is called, please step to the microphone, state your name for the
record, and limit the time used to present your remarks in order that others may be given the
opportunity to speak. 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. In consideration of all, if you have a cell
phone, please turn it off or put it on silent ring.
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 Special Meetings of February 18, 2020, and Regular Meeting of
February 25, 2020
3. Motion approving certification of Civil Service applicants
4. Motion approving ownership change for Class E Liquor License - Wal-Mart Store #749, 3105
Grand Avenue
5. Motion approving renewal of the following Beer Permits, Wine Permits, and Liquor Licenses:
a. Class C Liquor License with Outdoor Service and Sunday Sales - Sips and Paddy's Irish Pub,
126 Welch Avenue - pending dram shop
b. Class E Liquor License with Class B Wine Permit, Class C Beer Permit (Carryout Beer), and
Sunday Sales - Wal-Mart Store #749, 3105 Grand Avenue
6. Resolution approving appointments to various Boards and Commissions
7. Resolution approving reallocation of an unfilled Coal Handler FTE to create a temporary 11th
Auxiliary Operator position
8. Resolution approving policy for external requests to use U. S. Hwy 30/S. Dayton Avenue light
towers
9. Resolution approving Conflict of Interest Waiver for Ahlers & Cooney Law Firm to represent
the Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities (IAMU)
10. Request for Spring Fest on Friday, April 3, 2020, with rain date of April 10, 2020:
a. Motion approving blanket Temporary Obstruction Permit and blanket Vending License for
the closed area
b. Resolution approving closure of Welch Avenue from 100 feet south of the intersection of
Chamberlain Street to Hunt Street from 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
c. Resolution approving closure of 14 metered parking spaces in the closed area from 1:00 p.m.
to 9:00 p.m.
11. Requests for Greek Week:
a. Greek Race on Sunday, March 29, 2020, with April 5, 2020, as rain date:
i. Motion approving blanket Temporary Obstruction Permit for the closed area from 9:00
a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on March 29
ii. Resolution approving closure of Ash Avenue from Sunset Drive to Gable Lane, Sunset
Drive from Ash Avenue to Gray Avenue, and the portion of Pearson Avenue adjacent the
Greek Triangle from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
b. Greek Week Olympics, Saturday, April 4, 2020, with April 5, 2020 as rain date:
i. Motion approving blanket Temporary Obstruction Permit for the closed area
ii. Resolution approving closure of Sunset Drive; Ash Avenue from Gable Lane to Knapp
Street; Gray Avenue from Gable Lane to Greeley Street; Greeley Street; Pearson Avenue
from Sunset to Greeley; and Lynn Avenue from Chamberlain to Knapp from 7:30 a.m. to
5:00 p.m.
12. Request from Campustown Action Association for Summerfest in Campustown on June 6:
a. Motion approving a 5-day Class B Beer License and Outdoor Service (June 5 - 9) for
Campustown Action Association, 304 Main Street
b. Motion approving blanket Temporary Obstruction Permit
c. Motion approving blanket Vending License
d. Resolution approving waiver of Vending License fee
e. Resolution approving closure of the 200 block of Welch Avenue and Chamberlain Street from
Welch Avenue to the exist of Chamberlain Lot Y from 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.
f. Resolution approving the closure of parking spaces in the 200 block of Welch Avenue on
Chamberlain Street between Welch Avenue and the Chamberlain Lot Y exit, Welch Lot T,
and Chamberlain Lot Y from 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.
g. Resolution approving waiver of parking meter fees for the closed area
h. Resolution authorizing access to City-owned electrical outlets and approving a waiver of fees
for electricity used
13. Resolution approving preliminary plans and specifications for Power Plant Maintenance Services
Contract; setting April 15, 2020, as bid due date and April 28, 2020, as date of public hearing
14. Resolution approving preliminary plans and specifications for CyRide 2020 Pavement
Improvements - Middle School Turnaround Project; setting April 2, 2020, as bid due date and
April 14, 2020, as date of public hearing
15. Resolution approving purchase of two Ford Escape SE Hybrid 4x4 vehicles for the
Administrative Division for CyRide from Ames Ford Lincoln of Ames, Iowa in the amount of
$53,840
16. Resolution approving contract and bond for South Grand Avenue Extension (0.1 miles North of
South 16th Street North 0.54 Miles to South 5th Street)
17. Resolution approving contract and bond for Homewood Golf Course Clubhouse Project
18. Resolution approving Plat of Survey for 2125 Greeley Street
19. Resolution approving Plat of Survey for 224 Ash Avenue
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
2
time is it appropriate to use profane, obscene, or slanderous language. The Mayor may limit each
speaker to three minutes.
ADMINISTRATION:
20. Staff Report regarding Micromobility (motorized scooters)
PLANNING & HOUSING:
21. Staff Report regarding Land Use Policy Plan request for property located at 802 Delaware
Avenue
22. Planning & Housing Department Work Plan update
HEARINGS:
23. Hearing on General Obligation Corporate Purpose and Refunding Bond Issues:
a. Resolution entering into Loan Agreement in a principal amount not to exceed $23,500,000
and authorizing Debt Service Levy
24. Hearing on Amendments to Fiscal Year 2019/20 Budget:
a. Resolution amending budget for current Fiscal Year ending June 30, 2020
25. Hearing on adoption of FY 2020/21 Budget:
a. Resolution approving 2020/21 Budget
26. Hearing on Iowa State University Research Park Phase IV Road and Utility Improvements
Project:
a. Resolution approving final plans and specifications and awarding contract to Con-Struct Inc.,
of Ames, Iowa, in the amount of $2,823,757.81
27. Hearing on Fuel Forwarding Pump House Fire Protection Upgrade at Power Plant:
a. Resolution approving final plans and specifications and awarding contract to The Waldinger
Corporation, West Des Moines, Iowa, in the amount of $129,071.00
28. Hearing on East Industrial Utility Extension:
a. Motion accepting the report of bids
29. Hearing on CyRide 2020 HVAC Improvements Project:
a. Resolution approving final plans and specifications and awarding contract to Mechanical
Comfort, Inc., of Ames, Iowa, in the amount of $539,500 for the base bid
ORDINANCES:
30. First reading of ordinance increasing water rates by 2% and sewer rates by 5%, effective July 1,
2020
DISPOSITION OF COMMUNICATIONS TO COUNCIL:
COUNCIL COMMENTS:
ADJOURNMENT:
3
MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE AMES CITY COUNCIL
AMES, IOWA FEBRUARY 18, 2020
The Special Meeting of the Ames City Council was called to order by Mayor John Haila at 6:00 p.m.
on the 18TH day of February, 2020, in the City Council Chambers in City Hall, 515 Clark Avenue.
Council Members Bronwyn Beatty-Hansen, Gloria Betcher, Tim Gartin, Rachel Junck, and David
Martin were present. Council Member Amber Corrieri and ex officio Member Devyn Leeson were
absent.
AMES PLAN 2040 UPDATE:
Planning and Housing Director Kelly Diekmann told Council that the draft presentation sent on Friday
included details needed to help focus this meeting on housing principles and land use classifications.
He said conversation among Council members will assist the Ames Plan 2040 team with next steps.
Housing Principles:
RDG Consultant Marty Shukert reviewed income ranges for households and the correlating
affordability ranges for housing. He said a very high percentage of residents earning under $25,000 per
year are students. Mr. Shukert showed Council the affordability ranges compared with the number of
units available for each range, noting the shortage of needed housing in some categories. It was noted
that any dwelling unit is considered a household. Mr. Shukert said there’s a non-household category
used by the census for group quarters like dormitories and nursing homes. He said households desire
to pay 30% or less for housing.
Mr. Shukert discussed the demand for units by affordability range. He said new construction is
estimated to be 55% owner-occupied and 45% renter-occupied. Mr. Shukert stated the largest need is
owner-occupied units for those with incomes between $125,000-$200,000. Council Member Martin
said it makes sense to take the housing needs at the lower-income levels more seriously. Mr. Diekmann
said census data shows that the majority of Ames residents don’t overextend themselves with house
payments. Council Member Beatty-Hansen asked about the availability of homes for those with
incomes less than $125,000. Mr. Shukert said it’s being assumed that existing housing meets that need.
City Manager Steve Schainker asked if land needs take into account the vacant land within the City.
Mr. Shukert said that land is considered green field and not new land. Council Member Betcher asked
about housing price ranges and how they depend on the cost of land. Mr. Shukert said the prices are
based on affordability by owners. Mr. Diekmann explained higher-density units have less land costs
but higher construction costs. Council Member Gartin suggested real estate agents and loan officers
in Ames have knowledge and feedback that could benefit the process. Mr. Diekmann said there was
a real estate stakeholder group who assisted in the process. Council Member Gartin said additional
feedback could assist Council in making policy decisions. Mr. Diekmann said the numbers provided
are based on census data. Mr. Shukert said real estate agents and developers also depend on the census
numbers. He said the team would welcome any feedback.
Mr. Diekmann told Council that staff needs policy direction on the presented draft housing policy
principles.
Expand housing choice and attainability for people of all income ranges.
Mayor Haila asked about the sub-bullet regarding inclusive housing opportunities within new
development. Mr. Diekmann said that means there will be different housing types and different
price points. Mr. Shukert said designating redevelopment areas goes beyond a box on the map
and implies public participation. Council Member Gartin asked to what degree Ames can
develop policy to compete with housing in smaller communities. Mr. Shukert said housing in
Ames will not necessarily be in direct competition with smaller towns in the County because
of the services Ames can offer, and because there are people who prefer the small town
lifestyle. Council Member Gartin said he would like to see housing provided in the East
Industrial Area. Council Member Betcher said she would like the focus to be on ensuring the
existing affordable housing does not go away. Mr. Shukert said new affordable housing will
depend on how much the community is willing to subsidize. Council Member Junck said
creating more affordable housing will be difficult, but is still worth investigating further.
Council members concurred with the top section of sub-bullets under this proposed housing
policy.
Maintain the quality of existing neighborhoods while also encouraging reinvestment and
enhancement of existing housing stock.
Council Member Beatty-Hansen said she hopes accessory dwelling units (ADUs) are
considered. Council Member Betcher said ADUs are a great idea, but difficult to accomplish
in college towns. Mr. Diekmann said standards and design components would need to be
considered. Council Member Martin said all members have emphasized infill and he is
comfortable looking into ADUs. Mr. Gartin asked why existing neighborhoods are being
looked at if there are other infill options. Mr. Shukert said conserving neighborhoods is critical,
and that policy should be identified for the situations where housing deteriorates and land uses
could change. Mr. Gartin said he doesn’t have the political courage to adopt a policy allowing
change to existing neighborhoods. He said if accommodating approximately 15,000 additional
people within the City can be accomplished through other infill methods, he would like to see
those explored before looking at existing neighborhoods. Mr. Shukert said a policy is needed
that states where density is acceptable. Ms. Betcher said she’s curious about how the
discussions Council had regarding near-Campus neighborhoods can be part of the policy.
Mayor Haila said he is concerned about neighborhood issues if ADUs are allowed and there’s
not a design component. He said there’s a certain expectation someone has when moving into
a neighborhood. Mr. Diekmann said many cities require owners to live in one unit. Mayor Haila
said that requirement could be viewed as a property rights issue and not be upheld. Mr. Martin
said he is advocating for investigating ADUs further. Ms. Beatty-Hansen said some existing
neighborhoods would allow for ADUs. Council members concurred with the sub-bullets under
this proposed housing policy, including looking into ADUs as a future issue.
Use of density and/or building types to define development areas.
Mr. Shukert said the village idea in the Land Use Policy Plan (LUPP) was well-intentioned but
is micro-managed. Mr. Shukert said they would like to see broad concepts of what makes the
village idea a good thing and something the private market can use. Mr. Diekmann said
incentives will need policies, such as for over-sizing streets. He said the current LUPP discusses
expectations by geographies instead of uses. Mayor Haila asked if the Council will have control
when a buyer of property wants to do something different with the property. Mr. Diekmann said
2
the City should start with an expectation to be sure the uses desired are being created. Mr.
Shukert said a center or node can be built in many ways. Mr. Diekmann said saying
“commercial is important” in an area, without stating exactly what is required, implies a long-
term view for planning for eventual needs. Mayor Haila said this could potentially give some
certainty to developers while details can be determined by staff. Mr. Diekmann concurred, and
said hopefully there will be more context for Council when a request comes to change
something. He said there’s very little context for amendments in the current LUPP. Council
members concurred with the sub-bullets under this proposed housing policy.
Advance identification and redevelopment of redirection areas.
Council members concurred with the sub-bullets under this proposed housing policy.
Land Use Classifications Example:
Mr. Shukert told Council that the team is suggesting some additions to the Complete Streets Plan (CSP)
to include some streets that have become more significant in the community. Future Land Use Map
categories were reviewed and intensity map categories were discussed. Director Diekmann explained
that the proposed category names reflect the context and makeup of a particular area rather than the
terminology of low-, medium-, or high-density. He said this way of categorizing would address growth
areas and the character of existing neighborhoods. Mr. Diekmann said the team wants to know if the
Council likes the proposed contextual descriptions over the traditional low-, medium-, and high-density
terms before RDG maps out the City.
Mayor Haila asked if there would be new guidelines for developing within areas. Mr. Diekmann said
he thinks this is considered more flexible from a designation perspective and will focus more on the
zoning side than the land use side. Council Member Martin said this could result in fewer requests for
amendments and has some appeal. Mr. Diekmann said the descriptions of the categories are the most
important. Mr. Martin said if the categorizations are a way to group things together, he is fine with that.
Mr Shukert said this is a trial and it will be brought back next to Council next month.
Council Member Gartin asked how these designations would be different than current designations. Mr.
Shukert said these classifications are separated from the zoning map and are intended to be more of a
holistic policy. Mayor Haila said the alternative names of low-, medium-, and high-density have no real
descriptors of what is in the area. He asked if this will streamline decision-making. Mr. Diekmann said
it depends on how permissive Council is on making zoning changes. RDG Consultant Cory Scott said
the proposed categories add context and character to the density factor, and that this would be a helpful
tool for Council. Mr. Diekmann said the designations help guide factors of change.
Council Member Betcher noted the conflict between low- and high-density in some areas such as the
near-Campus neighborhoods. Mr. Shukert said he’s not sure of the approach for those areas yet, but will
have more details next month. Council members supported the approach of the map shown. Mr. Martin
said it’s a concept and may not be exhaustive. Ms. Betcher said she wants to be certain the near-
Campus neighborhood designation does not get lost. Mr. Diekmann asked if an additional category is
desired to reflect the near-Campus neighborhood parking restrictions. Ms. Betcher concurred. Ms.
Beatty-Hansen said, other than the rental capacity and rental cap purpose, she doesn’t see the need for
the near-Campus neighborhood definition. Mr. Shukert said the near-Campus neighborhoods can be
3
addressed with a separate description to be more effective.
Director Diekmann asked if Council wants to move forward with the proposed terminology. Council
members concurred on proceeding with further development of the concept. Mr. Diekmann said a city-
wide map will be prepared.
Mr. Martin asked about next steps. Mr. Diekmann said mapping out the City with the new land use
terminology will be first, and then zoning categories will be looked at. Council decided the next
meeting on Ames Plan 2040 will be March 31, 2020.
Other:
None.
COUNCIL COMMENTS:
Ms. Junck said it is National Engineer Week and an event was held at the Research Park to celebrate
the work of engineers.
Mayor Haila said ISU Student Government and the City Council will have a joint meeting on March
4, 2020 at 5:30 p.m.
DISPOSITION OF COMMUNICATIONS TO COUNCIL:
Moved by Gartin, seconded by Junck, to request a memo from staff regarding the letter from Justin
Dodge requesting further direction on regional improvements at State Avenue and Zumwalt Station
Road.
Vote on Motion: 5-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
Moved by Martin, seconded by Betcher, to refer to staff the request from Clarke Pasley and request a
memo regarding how Council could proceed to allow parking on Westbrook Drive.
Vote on Motion: 5-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 9:20 p.m.
____________________________________ ____________________________________
Diane R. Voss, City Clerk John A. Haila, Mayor
____________________________________
Erin Thompson, Recording Secretary
4
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE
AMES CONFERENCE BOARD AND
REGULAR MEETING OF THE AMES CITY COUNCIL
AMES, IOWA FEBRUARY 25, 2020
REGULAR MEETING OF THE AMES CONFERENCE BOARD
The Regular Meeting of the Ames Conference Board was called to order by Chairman John Haila
at 6:01 p.m. on February 25, 2020. Present from the Ames City Council were Bronwyn Beatty-
Hansen, Gloria Betcher, Amber Corrieri, Rachel Junck, and David Martin. Linda Murken, Lisa
Heddens, and Lauris Olson represented the Story County Board of Supervisors. Other members in
attendance were as follows: Jamet Colton, Ames School Board of Directors; and Joe Anderson,
Nevada School Board of Directors. Gilbert School Board of Directors and United Community
School Board were not represented. Tim Gartin, City Council, was absent.
MINUTES OF JANUARY 28, 2020: Moved by Corrieri, seconded by Heddens, to approve the
Minutes of the January 28, 2020, meeting of the Ames Conference Board.
Vote on Motion: 3-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED FY 2020/21 BUDGET FOR CITY ASSESSOR’S
OFFICE: The public hearing was opened by Mayor Haila. After no one came forward to speak, the
Mayor closed the public hearing.
Moved by Betcher, seconded by Colton, to approve the FY 2019/20 Budget for the City Assessor’s
Office.
Vote on Motion: 3-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
CONFERENCE BOARD COMMENTS: Mayor Haila advised that the Assessor and City Clerk
were working on a written history on the Conference Mini Board as a follow up to the discussion
from the meeting held January 28, 2020.
ADJOURNMENT: Moved by Murken, seconded by Colton, to adjourn the Ames Conference Board
at 6:02 p.m.
REGULAR MEETING OF AMES CITY COUNCIL
The Regular Meeting of the Ames City Council was called to order by Mayor John Haila at 6:05 p.m.
on the 25th day of February 2020, in the City Council Chambers in City Hall, 515 Clark Avenue.
Council Members Bronwyn Beatty-Hansen, Gloria Betcher, Amber Corrieri, Tim Gartin, Rachel
Junck, and David Martin were present. Ex Officio Member Devyn Leeson was also in attendance.
CONSENT AGENDA: Council Member Betcher requested to pull, for separate discussion, Item
No. 17: preliminary plans and specifications for 2019/20 Asphalt Street Pavement Improvements
(14th Street and 15th Street). Mayor Haila requested to pull Item No. 2, Minutes of the Regular
Meeting held February 11, 2020, for some minor corrections.
Moved by Beatty-Hansen, seconded by Corrieri, to approve the following items on the Consent
agenda.
1. Motion approving payment of claims
2. Motion approving Report of Change Orders for February 1 - 15, 2020
3. RESOLUTION NO. 20-079 authorizing Police Department to apply for and participate in the
Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau Grant Program for traffic safety enforcement
4. Motion approving new 12-month Class E Liquor License with Class B Wine, Class C Beer, and
Sunday Sales - goPuff, 615 S Dayton Avenue - (pending final inspection)
5. Motion approving new 8-month Class B Beer with Outdoor Service and Sunday Sales -
Homewood Golf Course, 401 E 20th Street, (pending final inspection)
6. Motion approving transfer of El Azteca Class C Liquor License from 1520 S Dayton Avenue to
2120 Isaac Newton Drive - (pending final inspection)
7. Motion approving renewal of the following Beer Permits, Wine Permits, and Liquor Licenses:
a. Class C Liquor License with Outdoor Service and Sunday Sales - BN'C Fieldhouse, 206
Welch Avenue - Pending Dram Shop
b. Class C Liquor License with Outdoor Service and Sunday Sales - Coldwater Golf Links,
1400 S. Grand Avenue
c. Class E Liquor License with Class B Wine Permit, Class C Beer Permit (Carryout Beer), and
Sunday Sales - Kum & Go # 113, 2801 E 13th Street
d. Class E Liquor License with Class B Wine Permit, Class C Beer Permit (Carryout Beer), and
Sunday Sales - Kum & Go # 227, 2108 Isaac Newton Drive
e. Class A Liquor License with Outdoor Service and Sunday Sales - Elks Lodge, 522 Douglas
f. Special Class C Liquor License - The Spice Thai Cuisine, 402 Main Street
g. Class C Beer Permit with Class B Native Wine Permit and Sunday Sales - Swift Stop #4,
1118 S Duff
h. Class C Beer Permit with Class B Wine Permit and Sunday Sales - Swift Stop #5, 3218
Orion Street
i. Class E Liquor License with Class B Wine Permit, Class C Beer Permit (Carryout Beer), and
Sunday Sales - Casey’s General Store #2905, 3612 Stange Road
j. Class B Beer with Sunday Sales - Pizza Pit Extreme, 207 Welch Avenue - Pending Dram
Shop
k. Class E Liquor License with Class B Wine Permit, Class C Beer Permit (Carryout Beer), and
Sunday Sales - Sams Club #6568, 305 Airport Road
8. RESOLUTION NO. 20-080 naming Vanessa Baker-Latimer as City of Ames representatives to
Central Iowa Regional Housing Authority (CIRHA) to serve three-year term
9. RESOLUTION NO. 20-081 approving Small Cell Wireless Pole Attachment Agreement with
Verizon Wireless from January 1, 2020, until December 31, 2025
10. RESOLUTION NO. 20-082 approving request from Mary Greeley Home Health Services to
amend Unit Rate for In-Home Health Assistance in FY 2019/20 ASSET Contract
11. RESOLUTION NO. 20-083 approving request from Story County Auditor for parking waiver(s)
for election day related parking on March 3, June 2, and November 3, 2020
12. RESOLUTION NO. 20-084 authorizing the Police Department to request reimbursement per the
Agreement with Ames Foundation in the amount of $1,330 for the purchase of two portable
ballistic shields
13. Requests from Ames Chamber of Commerce for Ames Main Street Farmers’ Market on
Saturdays from May 9 to October 17, 2020:
2
a. Motion approving blanket Temporary Obstruction Permit and blanket Vending License for
Central Business District from 8:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
b. RESOLUTION NO. 20-085 approving closure of 300 and 400 blocks of Main Street,
Burnettt Avenue from Main Street to the U.S. Bank drive-through, and Tom Evans Plaza
from 5:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
c. RESOLUTION NO. 20-086 approving suspension of parking enforcement in CBD Lots X
and Y from 6:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
d. RESOLUTION NO. 20-087 approving waiver of parking meter fees and enforcement, usage
and waiver of electrical fees, and waiver of fee for blanket Vending License for event from
5:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
14. Requests from India Cultural Association:
a. RESOLUTION NO. 20-088 directing staff to amend FY 2020/21 COTA Annual Grant
allocation to deduct $5,000 in funding
b. RESOLUTION NO. 20-089 directing staff to amend FY 2019/20 COTA Annual Grant
allocation to add $5,000 in funding, and authorizing the funds to be used for activities
described in FY 2019/20 COTA Annual Grant Contract
15. RESOLUTION NO. 20-090 approving preliminary plans and specifications for 2019/20
Collector Street Pavement Improvements (Bloomington Road - Grand Avenue to Hoover
Avenue); setting March 18, 2020, as bid due date and March 24, 2020, as the date of public
hearing
16. RESOLUTION NO. 20-092 approving preliminary plans and specifications for Power Plant Unit
8 Steam Turbine Parts Procurement; setting March 25, 2020, as bid due date and April 14, 2020,
as date of public hearing
17. RESOLUTION NO. 20-093 approving Change Order No. 9 with HPI, Inc., of Ames, Iowa, for
Unit 7 Turbine Generator Major Overhaul
Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Resolutions/Motions declared adopted/approved unanimously, signed by the
Mayor, and hereby made a portion of these Minutes.
MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING HELD FEBRUARY 11, 2020: Mayor Haila advised
Council that he would like to amend Page 4 of the Minutes, regarding the City Improvement Plan:
that “Council Member Gartin inquired about the use of a public restroom in the downtown plaza”
should read “inclusion of” instead of “use of”. Also on Page 14, Paragraph 2, in the second line, it
said “asking to be annexed in south area of Highway 30", but the sentence should read, “area south
of Highway 30" for clarity.
Moved by Gartin, seconded by Corrieri, to approve the Minutes of the Regular Meeting held
February 11, 2020, as amended.
Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
PRELIMINARY PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS FOR 2019/20 ASPHALT STREET
PAVEMENT IMPROVEMENTS (14th STREET AND 15th STREET): Municipal Engineer Tracy
Warner said, due to the age of the neighborhoods, some people had been very adamant about the
removal of mature trees or specific species of trees that had been intentionally grown. She explained
that the City was trying to balance the infill of sidewalks throughout the area and had taken measures
to try to accommodate the concerns of the residents.
3
Council Member Betcher expressed concern that she didn’t see anything about ADA requirements
or how they were creating an accessible through-way because there were big gaps with no sidewalks
on either side of the street. She asked what kind of obligation the City had under ADA to ensure
there was at least one side of the street that had a connection.
Ms. Warner responded that the obligation was to install the handicapped ramps at the corners,
otherwise there was no other obligation unless they received a request to infill the sidewalk. The
ramps would be to a landing where someone could turn around if it did not connect to a sidewalk.
Ms. Betcher said there was a policy that required sidewalks on both sides of the street, but in this
neighborhood at least, it would be good if they had sidewalk continuity at least on one side of the
street so residents could traverse the area more successfully. She said she was more concerned about
individuals and the gaps in the streets than she was concerned about the trees.
Council Member Gartin asked if the City offered to plant replacement trees that were removed for
sidewalks. Ms. Warner said they could offer that as an option, but the new tree would be much
smaller than the mature tree they may be removing.
Mayor Haila opened public input.
Bob Folkmann, 1326 Burnett, Ames, said there was no street going west from Burnett and 14th Street
had never had a sidewalk on either side. He added that not many pedestrians walked that street as
there were no houses that faced the street on 14th. Because of the new water main from 16 th to 13th,
the ADA sidewalks were installed and they repositioned the fire hydrants. He said he felt the
sidewalk was not necessary because Duff Park was not much of a draw from where he lived. There
was a much bigger playground at Meeker, which was where the kids preferred to go. He explained
that he had a hedge as a privacy fence that he enjoyed, and he believed that spending money on
sidewalks that wouldn’t be used very much was a waste of money, plus it would quadruple the
amount of sidewalk he would have to shovel.
Merlin Pfannkuch, 1424 Kellogg Avenue, Ames, said if Council wanted to discuss this topic, it
should not have been on the Consent Agenda. He said property rights were fundamental rights, and
if Council were to mandate sidewalks, they would have to be very careful, especially in established
neighborhoods. He added that the intersection at 15 th and Kellogg was not controlled, so it was
obviously not much of a problem. He said he was very unhappy how this transpired on the Consent
Agenda.
Mayor Haila closed public input.
Mr. Gartin asked if there was a timing issue with this item. Ms. Warner said there were two projects
out for bid with the majority being asphalt work. Those were typically bid in the spring, and bids had
been coming in really high, so timing was important due to cost.
According to Ms. Betcher, this item showed up on the Consent Agenda on Friday and Council had
followed the process of pulling the item after staff did outreach with the neighbors. She added that
the City Code mandates that they were supposed to have sidewalks and that Council had allowed
large gaps in the sidewalk system in Old Town and this area north of Old Town for a long time.
Council supported having sidewalks mandated on both sides of the street. She said it was not
4
unreasonable to ask the City to save money by providing infill on one side of the street when there
were people who cannot get around in the community. She explained that she had tried to go on the
sidewalks in this area in a wheelchair and it was difficult for non-able-bodied citizens to walk
continuously on a sidewalk, especially if there was no sidewalk on either side of the street. She
commented that there was nothing underhanded about how this was handled.
Council Member Corrieri agreed with Ms. Betcher and added that many of the Council Members did
walk the area and did get a feel for the lack of connectivity and accessibility in this area. A few years
ago, Council made a conscious effort to prioritize accessibility; this was a perfect example of City
staff leveraging another project in order to achieve some of their goals. There was a point made that
there were not a lot of children in the area, but that didn’t mean there won’t be in five years.
Mr. Gartin commented that Mr. Pfannkuch’s point about the general principal regarding notifying
people about matters that might affect them should resonate with Council. He added that if there
wasn’t a timing issue, he wanted to put this on a future agenda, even though Council would in all
likelihood approve it.
Moved by Gartin to place this item on a future agenda to provide opportunities for affected neighbors
to be notified. Motion died due to lack of a second.
It was suggested by Mayor Haila that Council take action on the resolution to approve the plans and
specifications for the project, as proposed, which was absent sidewalks on both sides so it could go
out to bid. He clarified that they were not adding anything that residents were not agreeing to at that
time.
Council Member Martin asked if the ADA ramps would be installed without the infill connectivity
if the plan on the map was executed. Ms. Warner explained that some areas have some infill and
some have already existing sidewalks, but Council could direct staff to fill in the rest of it.
Moved by Betcher, seconded by Martin, to adopt RESOLUTION NO. 20-091 approving preliminary
plans and specifications for 2019/20 Asphalt Street Pavement Improvements (14th Street and 15th
Street); setting March 18, 2020, as bid due date and March 24, 2020, as the date of public hearing.
Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Resolution declared adopted, signed by the Mayor, and hereby made a part of
these Minutes.
Ms. Warner explained that if Council directed staff to achieve connectivity, staff would work on the
design and either create an addendum or a change order to incorporate the changes. It wouldn’t
necessarily come back to Council for approval.
Moved by Betcher, seconded by Corrieri, to direct staff to complete an addendum to achieve
connectivity on at least one side of 14th and one side of 15th Streets within the project area.
Mr. Gartin added for clarification that if someone objected to the plan, they could contact City
Council to express their concern, but that there was no mechanism for Council to vote it up or down.
Vote on Motion: 5-1. Voting aye: Beatty-Hansen, Betcher, Corrieri, Junck, Martin. Voting nay:
Gartin. Motion declared carried.
5
PUBLIC FORUM: Mayor Haila opened Public Forum.
Brant Lemer, 5333 Tabor Drive, Ames, and property owner of 5615 West Lincoln Way, Ames, said
he was confused after meeting yesterday with City staff on a possible voluntary annexation with
possible involuntary annexation as well in the 5500-5800 block of Lincoln Way, west of Sunset
Ridge Subdivision to the Boone and Story County line. Over 30 acres of this area had recently
changed ownership, and the process to request annexation of that property, until recently, was put
on hold. He stated that when this subject did eventually reach Council, he would like them to
consider not exercising involuntary annex proceedings just because of the majority property of one
party who requested it. He said that he would also like the opportunity to entertain any early
discussions with staff, if possible.
Brian Adams, 5507 Lincoln Way, Ames, said he was approached by Chuck Winkleblack who
offered to buy his property as Mr. Winkleblack purchased the property around him. He claimed that
Mr. Winkleblack informed him of the 80/20 annex rules that his property would probably be forcibly
annexed, but the City utilities would be too far away, so they would not provide City utilities to his
property. He said Mr. Winkleblack would not explain forced City annexation or what terms he would
have to pay for if he were to be forcibly annexed into the City. He was concerned that no other
neighbors knew about this because there had been no communication.
Mr. Gartin asked Mayor Haila to clarify who the people would contact if they would like to be
notified about future annexation. Mayor Haila said they can contact the Planning & Housing Director
Kelly Diekmann, and he can keep them informed.
Chuck Winkleblack, 105 S 16th Street, Ames, explained that when they acquire properties, they like
to contact the people in the neighborhood and let them know what’s going on, but they are very
careful not to speak on behalf of the City. He said when he talked about near future plans before,
staff had asked if there was any idea what the neighbors would want, so he reached out to the
neighbors. He said it was coming and asked if they were interested in the annexation or not, but that
they would not be speaking on their behalf.
Mayor Haila closed Public Forum and asked Planning & Housing Director Kelly Diekmann to
explain the normal process with the annexations.
Mr. Diekmann stated that Council was not informed of what was going on because there was not a
complete application for an annexation. Once the application was complete and they knew who was
voluntarily annexing, the request would be brought to Council for approval and then reviewed if
there was other territory that would be required to be included or may reasonably need to be included
per Iowa Code. Calculations and notifications had not been done yet as the application was
incomplete. Once the territory was determined, that prompts the process to begin and that’s when
staff would send out the notices.
321 STATE AVENUE SUBDIVISION CONCEPTS: Planner Diekmann said Council needed to
pick a preferred concept for single-family layout. In addition to reviewing the subdivision concepts,
staff needed direction from City Council on its preference for percentage of affordable single-family
housing units developed on the site. It was understood that the minimum requirement was for 51%
of the housing units developed on the total site to be targeted to households earning less than 80%
6
of the average median income (AMI). Staff presented scenarios without lot layouts for either placing
multi-family or single-family housing units on either the north or south side of the parcel.
Mr. Diekmann reviewed the concept options and advised Council that there were four points to
consider when determining the preferred concept:
1. Housing location, including housing flexibility for multi-family buildings versus single-family
buildings, location of multi-family buildings
2. Salability of market rate lots
3. Estimated cost to construct improvements, including total cost and cost per-dwelling unit
4. Lot layout & integration, desirability of lots, compliance with City standards
Council Member Betcher recalled that, in December, Mr. Diekmann thought that it would not be
possible to do multi-family on either side of Tripp Street if they also did single-family along
Wilmoth. It was also unlikely that they could do multi-family on the south side, but more likely that
they could accomplish that on the north side. Mr. Diekmann said if single-family lots were built on
Wilmoth, there would be enough land for a medium-density or less level of apartment project.
Concerns were brought up from neighbors regarding potential flooding of lots on the south side that
back up to the creek, according to Ms. Betcher. Mr. Diekmann explained that there would be a
separate lot for flood land other than the planned home sites.
Mr. Martin asked what staff would do if Council were to move forward and choose an alternative
that had a blank space option for other uses going forward. Mr. Diekmann responded that they would
want to be in front of the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) schedule for plans with March
2021 as the deadline. He said they would need to have a discussion this summer (June at the earliest)
about expectations so staff can put a Request for Proposals (RFP) together and have time for
developers to respond back to Council with plenty of time to work with the developer and ideas.
Civil Design Advantage (CDA) will prepare the preliminary plans, the final plat, and the
improvement plans. He clarified that they would have 60 days from tonight to go out to bid. Then
they can start to focus on the other part of the site.
In response to Mr. Gartin’s request for further information on the rental housing needs, Housing
Coordinator Vanessa Baker-Latimer explained that when staff prepared the Consolidated Plan last
year, one requirement of HUD was that they look at housing needs assessments. Data provided by
HUD and others in 2017 showed a definite housing gap for extremely low income renters. There
were 223 HUD subsidized housing units and 497 tax credits. In the community, there were 221
Section 8 units, and through analysis, they anticipated that there were just over 5,000 units that were
not available to low-income, including students, and were not affordable for households with 50%
or less of the median income. The Laverne Apartment building was built in 2010 and that was last
subsidized housing built in Ames.
After further discussion was had regarding subsidies, Mr. Gartin commented that he felt there was
great value in asking the market to buy and develop these lots. He recommended asking developers
and realtors for feedback among these designs to see which would be more attractive to the market.
Ms. Betcher reviewed traffic flow patterns with Mr. Diekmann regarding spacing between
intersections and curb cuts. Ms. Beatty-Hansen asked how many lots were planned to be developed
each year. Ms. Baker-Latimer said they planned on starting the development with building two or
three homes and then listing the other lots for sale.
7
Council Member Corrieri asked if the single-family percentage of 51% could be adjusted to help
with potential challenges with selling the affordable single-family homes. Ms. Baker-Latimer
confirmed they could adjust it as long as they still met the 51% requirement, which included rental
housing and owner-occupied per unit and they could set the market rate lots at any rate from 81 - 100
AMI to meet the goals of their intended market.
Marketability was debated regarding parking and garage expectations on the narrow lots. Mr.
Diekmann advised Council that these lots were not going to sell for $75,000. If they were concerned
about the aesthetics with home proportion to the lot size, staff needed direction to address that
tonight. Ms. Beatty-Hansen commented that the goal was to have something that looked different
and the smaller lots would make it more affordable.
Mr. Martin asked if they should consider apartments at all due to the complex history with years of
fighting to prevent rentals on this site in cooperation with the neighbors. In January, Council changed
direction, and this was the first meeting that the public had been able to address Council on this
topic. He said he felt that communication had not been going well from Council to the neighborhood.
Mr. Martin suggested a Council workshop about the need in the community and how different modes
of living might be different than what Council was fighting against in previous years. Ms. Betcher
agreed with Mr. Martin and said that the option to discuss adding multi-family housing to the plan
was directed to staff at the December 17 meeting. She said there was room to continue this
discussion in light of their goals and the possibility of having a more flexible approach with what
they do with the outlot.
Mayor Haila opened public comment.
Ted Huiatt, 3025 Evergreen Circle, Ames, Story County Community Housing Board President,
requested to include local nonprofits in the continued development of this area. He suggested the
land trust model, like what was done with condominiums or town homes. The land trust model
lowered the price of the house for low-income home buyers and included a shared equity model
where the equity was divided between the home owner and the land trust to keep the cost low as they
sold it to maintain affordability.
Terry Potter, 608 Douglas #1, Ames, said he was there on behalf of A Mid-Iowa Organizing Strategy
(AMOS), who supported the City’s purchase of the property with CDBG funds for the purpose of
increasing the amount of affordable housing for working families in Ames. The original request
included a commitment of a minimum of 60% affordable units, attached housing, and rental units
on this parcel. He said they believed it was critical to expand the availability of affordable housing
for working families below the 80% AMI threshold.
Tony Ramey, 425 Hilltop Road, Ames, commented that this was originally zoned to be Residential
Low with the idea that it would be single-family dwellings and he hoped that it would stay that way.
The concept he preferred was a hybrid of the south part of A and north part of F for single-family
owner-occupied dwellings, which he acknowledged would be difficult to achieve. The neighborhood
association had been fighting this battle since 2013. Another component was that the use of LIHTC
funds required it to be rental housing. He advocated for a lease-to-own paradigm for LIHTC funds
to build houses to be leased so the person leasing could buy them.
8
Julia Sager, 429 Hilltop, Ames, brought up the idea of cottage housing, which was designed to be
walkable and neighborhood centric. The north side would be ideal for that as it was already a
reasonable walk to Campustown and to the bus service. She said she felt it would be a good fit with
small units for small families, or singles, or older people, who wouldn’t have as many cars which
would allow cluster parking. She said there could be a number of units that would be more
affordable and would be very attractive to parents whose students would be at ISU for four years.
Tom Procknow, 406 Joy Circle, Gilbert, President of Habitat for Central Iowa at 3504 North Grand,
Ames, voiced his concern that the lots would be so expensive for Habitat to purchase in Ames. He
said they raise funds to help build, but properties are proposed to be so expensive. He asked if
Council could require the potential developer to sell some lots to nonprofits so they could afford to
build homes.
Joanne Pfeiffer, 3318 Morningside Street, Ames, commented that as the Chair of the Neighborhood
Association, she had an obligation to speak about quality of life and strong neighborhoods. She
talked about creating sustainability for the neighborhood. There was a comment in the paper last
Sunday from the consultants who mentioned the ideal ratio would be 55% owner occupied and 45%
rentals. This neighborhood is already at 70% rentals, so adding any more rentals was frightening to
her. She suggested looking for evidence-based living in neighborhoods that were above the 70%
rentals and what happened to neighborhoods with a different balance. Council Member Gartin asked
Ms. Pfeiffer for her opinion on the options. She responded that she didn’t have a strong opinion other
than not wanting to see multi-family rentals.
Diane Birt, 303 Hickory Drive, Ames, said she and her husband owned a house on Hilltop with their
son, and she was there to talk about the thought that the entire neighborhood was totally against
rentals. There was a survey done in 2016 that had 118 households respond in the College Creek Old
Middle School Neighborhood where 53% of respondents said they only wanted owner-occupied, no
rentals; the other 47% said it was fine to have rentals. She offered to send a copy of the survey to the
City Clerk for distribution to Council for reference. She added that she was a member of AMOS and
supported what her colleague Mr. Potter had said.
Marilyn Clem, 3306 Morningside Street, Ames, remarked that her house was built in 1954 with no
garage and all the lots with garages on her street were 65 feet wide and 165 feet long. One year, there
was a torrential downpour and the firewood she had stored at the back of her property was swept
halfway up the hill, and nothing has been done about the College Creek situation. The retention pond
should take care of most of the run-off, but she still had concerns. She said she didn’t want more than
70% of her neighborhood as rental. For comparison, she pointed out that Franklin had all rentals and
they were in bad shape. There was a possibility that those houses could be bought up and rebuilt just
like the habitat across from her house. She said she had a rental next door where her sister lived. She
added that the rentals on Morningside conformed to the neighborhood and she would like to see the
peace and quiet kept there. Ms. Clem commented that Sharon Guber, who had worked on this
project, died unexpectedly Sunday, and she would like to see some of Sharon’s ideas included.
Rich Ketcham, 2923 Arbor Street, Ames, said if you were to go down the roads and see rental signs
or property management signs attached to houses, it wouldn’t bode well. He said he was a firm
believer in owner-occupied houses for people to have the opportunity to develop equity in a property.
9
He added that if the City got input from local developers, they would only get local models like what
already existed in the City like the development on Mortensen and Copper Beech. Another
component that he was concerned about was the potential for removal of some of the green space
from the Arboretum for a fire station, which he felt should be included in this whole conversation.
He commented that he would support owner-occupied housing to help stabilize the area with
consistency in the neighborhood.
Debbie Ramey, 425 Hilltop Road, Ames, expressed concern that, of the over 200 units or houses in
their Association, 70% were rentals. She said the Association would like to have a community of
people committed to the neighborhood. Oftentimes, the renters were only there for a short period of
time and did not have a vested interest in the property. The design of the houses that Council was
talking about creating with small property footprints was what happened on Dotson; the properties
all became rentals because of the size with no vested care, and despite being relatively new, they
were not in good shape. On Tripp Street, Windsor Center was an apartment high-rise with three
stories for persons with limited income which would be less than half a mile from another set of
high-rise housing in the neighborhood. She commented that she does not disagree with having
rentals, but would prefer lease-to-own, and she liked what her husband said earlier about creating
lots on the north and south side and not having high-rise apartments.
Lauris Olson, 1705 Buchanan Drive, Ames, Story County Supervisor, declared that 80% of median
income was still a good income, but there were people in the City who could not afford to own.
Council had been talking about starter houses, but that’s different than affordable housing. She urged
Council to look at multi-family housing to service the range of citizens who will never be able to
buy.
Mayor Haila closed public comment.
Director Diekmann said that a 55-foot lot is a very standard size lot with choices for detached or
attached garages. With 50-foot lots, the best aesthetic would be a single-wide driveway to get to a
single- or two-car garage in the back, and the orientation of the house had to be perpendicular to the
street.
Moved by Gartin, seconded by Corrieri, to set the minimum percentage of affordable single-family
homes at 51%.
Ms. Baker-Latimer clarified that if the City used HOME Funds to construct single-family homes,
they would have to be sold within nine months or they would automatically convert to rentals. Ms.
Betcher asked if the City would be the landlord if there wasn’t a buyer in nine months. Ms. Baker-
Latimer confirmed and reiterated that the goal was to always qualify the buyers first so the house
could be built according to the buyer’s preferences. Council Member Junck asked if it would be
possible to do a rent-to-own option if it were to transition to a rental. Ms. Baker-Latimer said it
would be an option as they have done that type of program before.
Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
10
Moved by Gartin, seconded by Betcher, to select Option F: 26 Single Family Lots, Loop Road. This
concept includes a modified circular street north of Tripp Street with open space in the middle and
single-family homes all fronting toward the open space.
Mr. Gartin said lots of feedback had been received regarding concerns about neighborhoods being
up next to the rental housing, but by placing it on the south side, there would be some insulation with
the houses along Wilmoth that would act as a barrier between the neighborhoods to the west and the
rental housing. The owner-occupied properties to the north would create greater continuity with
existing neighborhoods. Council Member Martin said he would prefer the unspecified structures be
closer to Lincoln Way for transit reasons.
Council Member Junck said she agreed with having owner-occupied housing on the north half for
connectivity of the neighborhood, but Option D was her favorite as it also had good traffic flow and
more single-family units available. Ms. Beatty-Hansen said she liked that option also, except for the
road that went to Wilmoth.
Ms. Betcher said of the layouts with the single-family houses on the north, she liked Option F
because of the homes along Wilmoth to fill in along the street face. She commented that she was less
concerned about the back of the lots facing State as that already happened in many areas around the
City. She commented that she had looked at Option A because it had more space to the north to work
with and would be cheaper with infrastructure, but she could support Option F.
Vote on Motion: 5-1. Voting aye: Beatty-Hansen, Betcher, Corrieri, Gartin, Junck. Voting nay:
Martin. Motion declared carried.
Moved by Martin, seconded by Beatty-Hansen, to ask for a Council workshop engaging the
neighbors on the topic of the layout for the open part of Concept F.
Mayor Haila asked for clarification on the term layout. Mr. Martin said it was more to do with the
undesignated part of Concept F.
Ms. Junck commented that she was not on Council for the original discussion for multi-family
housing, but she was okay with multi-family rental depending on how it looked and how it worked
with everyone in the neighborhood. Council Member Corrieri remarked that Council needed to be
realistic about a viable LIHTC property. She said she was not sure if they could achieve the goals
of allowing people to work in Ames and find decent, safe, affordable housing to rent with duplexes
or townhomes because of what was needed in the low-income market.
Council Member Betcher said she was interested in seeing other products to introduce something
different to help meet the affordable housing goals. She added that having a discussion about what
to do with the outlot made sense so they could include Ms. Junck and the neighbors in the discussion
of what’s going to happen.
Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
2020/21 PROPOSED ANNUAL ACTION PLAN PROJECTS AND PUBLIC FORUM
FOLLOW-UP FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT (CDBG)/HOME
11
PROGRAMS: Housing Coordinator Baker-Latimer said the allocations for 2020/2021 have been
announced, so they could move forward.
Mayor Haila opened public comment. No one came forward, so he closed public comment.
Moved by Corrieri, seconded by Betcher, to adopt RESOLUTION NO. 20-094 approving the
proposed 2020/21 Annual Action Plan Program Projects and proposed budget and directing staff to
prepare the Annual Action Plan for public comment.
Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Resolution declared adopted, signed by the Mayor, and hereby made a part of
these Minutes.
Moved by Betcher, seconded by Beatty-Hansen, to adopt RESOLUTION NO. 20-095 setting the date
of public hearing for May 12, 2020.
Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Resolution declared adopted, signed by the Mayor, and hereby made a part of
these Minutes.
Mayor Haila called for a recess at 8:29 p.m. and reconvened at 8:35 p.m.
MORTENSEN ROAD SIDEWALK INFILL UPDATE: Civil Engineer Mark Gansen explained
that staff was looking for a time frame for infrastructure to be implemented on the three different
properties along Mortensen Road that did not have sidewalk or shared use path infrastructure.
Mayor Haila pointed out that the property owner of 1305 Dickinson would be willing to complete
their project by July 2020. Mr. Martin said having one side done was better than having nothing
done.
Moved by Betcher, seconded by Junck, to approve Alternative 1 directing staff to allow the owners
of all three properties until July 1, 2021, to complete the installation of their sidewalk/path projects,
and to initiate an assessment project after that deadline for any path or sidewalk remaining to be
installed with the additional request that the shared use path at 1305 Dickinson Avenue be completed
by July 2020.
Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
DISCUSSION OF ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FOR RESIDENTIAL SATISFACTION
SURVEY: Public Relations Officer Susan Gwiasda asked for input on the annual Residential
Satisfaction Survey. She said the most recent survey had 12 pages with two to three questions per
page depending on how in-depth it was. The survey was usually sent out electronically in mid-March
to capture students before they left and residents received a paper copy. She said the surveys were
typically returned between May and early summer, and the raw data came back in early August with
analysis in September and presentation in October.
Council Member Gartin said he wanted to add something about the pool. Ms. Beatty-Hansen
suggested “how much increased property taxes would you be willing to increase to pay for the pool.”
City Manager Schainker advised Council that they needed to discuss the next steps. He said people
needed to see what they were getting before being asked to provide a dollar amount.
12
Mr. Martin asked how useful the answer was regarding the Furman pool. Ms. Gwiasda said it
showed a definite majority of support. Ex Officio Devyn Leeson commented that providing a definite
dollar amount would be more effective than giving a range of numbers. Mayor Haila said they could
have stale data and that one of Council’s goals was to get this moving, but if the results weren’t back
until October, they would hopefully have more information at that time. Mr. Martin suggested having
a separate survey for the trajectory of the pool idea.
Council Member Junck said she would support keeping the sense of community part and suggested
adding a question about feeling welcome or feeling belonging in the community. She asked if there
were any questions with the option for open-ended responses. Ms. Betcher said she was thinking
something similar, but argued that feeling welcome and feeling included were two different things.
Mr. Martin cautioned about getting too specific with the questions as he believed there could be a
method to the survey focusing on observations instead of personal feelings. Mr. Gartin said he liked
having health data in the questionnaire and thought Ms. Junck had a good suggestion if they could
find a way to incorporate it in the survey.
Moved by Junck, seconded by Gartin, to add a question to the Sense of Community section of the
survey regarding how people felt that they belonged in the community.
Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
Moved by Betcher, seconded by Beatty-Hansen, to remove the question about what they could do
to make Ames cool because if you have to ask, then you probably aren’t cool.
Ms. Corrieri said it’s important to ask what they can do better, but not necessarily how to be cool.
Moved by Betcher, seconded by Beatty-Hansen, to amend the motion to get rid of the word “cool”
and replace it with the language from the City’s values statements.
Mr. Leeson asked if vibrant was clear to everyone. He added that fun is pretty clear because that’s
a personal opinion, but he doesn’t believe everyone has a personal opinion about what vibrant
means.
Moved by Betcher, seconded by Beatty-Hansen, to amend the motion again to replace the word
“cool” with “fun vibrant community”.
Vote on Motion, as amended: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
CITY COUNCIL VALUES, GOALS, AND TASKS FOR 2020/21: Assistant City Manager
Phillips said there were two goals that had been modified since the last goal setting session. First was
adopting an attractive, single-civic act by the end of 2021, which was originally set for the end of
2020, but had since been modified to push the completion date back. The second was the
Beautification Master Plan for completion in spring of 2021, which was modified to be the end of
2021.
Council Member Corrieri asked if the Parks & Recreation Commission would be soliciting input
from the public first and then bring the public input back to Council to develop a vision, or would
Council be directing the Parks & Recreation Commission to take their ideas for the pool to the public
for a response first. Mr. Schainker suggested adding a Step 2 for Council to help with guidance on
13
discussions with the public. Ms. Corrieri expressed concern that leaving the public input discussion
too open-ended would not produce helpful information. Mayor Haila said it would be better for
Council to develop amenities and desires first and then take it to the public for feedback. One
suggestion was to insert one more task to meet with Council to write a vision for things to be
included in the project.
Moved by Corrieri, seconded by Betcher, to insert a task into the Downtown Community Space goal
and the Indoor Aquatic Facility goal that Council would first develop a vision or a wish list that is
then pursued by the Parks & Recreation Commission for public feedback.
Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
Mayor Haila asked if the term “aquatic facility” should be broadened to be more than that. Mr.
Schainker said they could vote on the broader limit and then amend it later.
Moved by Gartin, seconded by Junck, to direct staff to add under the “Meeting with the School
Board,” a new Task 2 to evaluate best practices around the country in peer communities about school
and city cooperation in closing the achievement gap.
Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
Council Member Gartin requested clarification from City Attorney Mark Lambert regarding the
ability for the City to create an Ordinance broadening hate crime protections. Mr. Lambert said he
would have to look into it more, but he didn’t think there was a lot of room for them to do so. In
terms of the misdemeanors they could charge, they could only charge Municipal Code violations,
City Ordinance violations, and municipal infractions. The hate crime laws usually enhanced the
penalty of the underlying crime, so those were probably all out of reach for the City.
Mr. Gartin asked why Council was asking staff to do something that Mr. Lambert said they couldn’t
legally do. Ms. Betcher commented that Iowa City had done something about it that expanded the
range of penalty and the cost of the fines. Mr. Martin said the potential was that the staff report was
brief and they can’t do anything. Ms. Beatty-Hansen explained that Iowa City laws had expanded
the City’s hate crime law to include harassment and trespassing in July 2019. Mr. Lambert said he
would have to look into it, but could put the information in a staff report. Mr. Gartin commented that
the Legislature was addressing Task 2 and Task 3, which may end up being taken off the table.
According to Council Member Betcher, Council wanted to get reports first and see what the
Legislature was going to do and then after that, expanding was the next part.
Moved by Martin, seconded by Betcher, to approve the goals as amended.
Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
Mr. Phillips commented that there would be follow-up with a spring written update, a fall written
update, and some way of reviewing this some time in the summer.
MAXIMUM PROPERTY TAX LEVY: Finance Director Duane Pitcher said Council could
approve or lower the Maximum Levy, then after that’s done, Council could go forward and set the
hearing date for the total budget.
14
Mayor Haila opened the public hearing. Seeing no one wishing to speak, he closed the public
hearing.
Moved by Betcher, seconded by Corrieri, to adopt RESOLUTION NO. 20-096 approving the
Maximum Levy amount of $6.99654.
Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Resolution declared adopted, signed by the Mayor, and hereby made a part of
these Minutes.
Moved by Betcher, seconded by Junck, to adopt RESOLUTION NO. 20-097 setting March 10, 2020,
as the date of final public hearing on the Adjusted Budget for FY 2019/20.
Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Resolution declared adopted, signed by the Mayor, and hereby made a part of
these Minutes.
Moved by Corrieri, seconded by Betcher, to adopt RESOLUTION NO. 20-098 setting March 10,
2020, as the date of final hearing and adoption of the budget for FY 2020/21.
Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Resolution declared adopted, signed by the Mayor, and hereby made a part of
these Minutes.
Moved by Martin, seconded by Betcher, to adopt RESOLUTION NO. 20-099 authorizing the
issuance of $13,865,000 Essential Corporate Purpose General Obligation Bonds and $9,635,000
General Obligation Refunding Bonds and associated tax levy for debt service and setting March 10,
2020, as the date of public hearing.
Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Resolution declared adopted, signed by the Mayor, and hereby made a part of
these Minutes.
HOMEWOOD GOLF COURSE CLUBHOUSE PROJECT: Mayor Haila opened the public
hearing. Seeing no one who wished to speak, he closed the public hearing.
Moved by Beatty-Hansen, seconded by Corrieri, to adopt RESOLUTION NO. 20-100 appropriating
$449,845 from the Park Development Fund balance.
Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Resolution declared adopted, signed by the Mayor, and hereby made a part of
these Minutes.
Moved by Beatty-Hansen, seconded by Corrieri, to adopt RESOLUTION NO. 20-101 appropriating
$20,000 from the undesignated Parks and Recreation Department Donations Account.
Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Resolution declared adopted, signed by the Mayor, and hereby made a part of
these Minutes.
Moved by Gartin, seconded by Corrieri, to adopt RESOLUTION NO. 20-102 approving final plans
and specification and awarding the contract to R. H. Grabau Construction, Inc., of Boone, Iowa, in
the amount of $1,374,881 (base bid plus Alternate 3).
Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Resolution declared adopted, signed by the Mayor, and hereby made a part of
these Minutes.
CAMPUSTOWN PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS (WELCH AVENUE): Traffic Engineer Tracy
Warner said the two bids they received were higher than the staff estimate, so they reached out to
see why they were higher and what could be done differently, but they wanted to turn this around
15
quickly. She commented that the Campustown Action Association (CAA) had a strong desire to
construct in 2020 instead of 2021, but they were also okay with extending the completion date to
November 13, for the overall project. However, that meant that sidewalks would remain open
throughout with temporary planks, when necessary. She clarified that Lot X would not be used for
storage and the overall phasing would keep Kingland in their underground parking garage until it
was to be paved to resolve some concerns as well. She said the ISU home game foot traffic in the
area would be addressed through ISU Athletics passing the information to their ticket holders and
fans. Ms. Warner suggested doing some outreach in non-conventional ways as well to make sure
people knew Campustown businesses will still be open.
Mayor Haila opened the public hearing. Since no one wished to speak, he closed the public hearing.
Moved by Betcher, seconded by Beatty-Hansen, to accept the Report of Bids for the Campustown
Public Improvements Welch Avenue Project.
Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
Moved by Betcher, seconded by Beatty-Hansen, to approve the final plans and specifications for the
project as bid.
Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
Moved by Gartin, seconded by Junck, to reject all bids and direct staff to re-bid.
Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
Moved by Betcher, seconded by Corrieri, to adopt RESOLUTION NO. 20-103 approving
preliminary plans and specifications for the project with modifications; setting March 18, 2020, as
bid due date, and March 24, 2020, as the date of public hearing.
Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Resolution declared adopted, signed by the Mayor, and hereby made a part of
these Minutes.
IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH PARK PHASE IV ROAD AND UTILITY
IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT: Mayor Haila opened the public hearing. Nobody came forward
to speak, so he closed the public hearing.
Moved by Corrieri, seconded by Martin, to accept the Report of Bids.
Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
SOUTH GRAND AVENUE EXTENSION (0.1 MILES NORTH OF SOUTH 16 th STREET
NORTH 0.54 MILES TO SOUTH 5th STREET): The public hearing was opened by Mayor Haila.
After no one came up to speak, he closed the public hearing.
Moved by Betcher, seconded by Junck, to accept the Report of Bids for the South Grand Avenue
Extension (0.1 miles north or South 16 th Street north 0.54 miles to South 5th Street).
Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
Moved by Betcher, seconded by Junck, to approve the final plans and specifications for the project.
Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
16
Moved by Betcher, seconded by Junck, to adopt RESOLUTION NO. 20-104 approving final plans
and specifications and awarding a contract to Peterson Contractors, Inc., of Reinbeck, Iowa, in the
amount of $9,368,716.27, contingent upon receipt of Iowa DOT concurrence.
Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Resolution declared adopted, signed by the Mayor, and hereby made a part of
these Minutes.
REZONING 2800 E 13TH STREET FROM AGRICULTURAL “A” TO GENERAL
INDUSTRIAL “GI”: Moved by Corrieri, seconded by Beatty-Hansen, to pass on third reading and
adopt ORDINANCE NO. 4407 rezoning 2800 E. 13th Street from Agricultural “A” to General
Industrial “GI”.
Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Ordinance declared adopted unanimously, signed by the Mayor, and hereby
made a part of these Minutes.
DISPOSITION OF COMMUNICATIONS TO COUNCIL:
Letter from Bill Jennings, dated February 19, 2020, RE: Parking in the front yard at 2030 Country
Club Blvd. A variance was applied for and denied by the Zoning Board of Adjustment on January
8, 2020.: Moved by Martin, seconded by Junck, for a memo from staff.
Vote: 4-1-1. Voting aye: Betcher, Corrieri, Junck, Martin. Voting nay: Beatty-Hansen. Abstaining
due to conflict of interest: Gartin. Motion declared carried.
Memo from Mark Lambert, City Attorney, dated February 21, 2020, RE: Legal opinion about
requiring internet providers to submit performance data reports.: Mayor Haila said this was just
under advisement, and no action was necessary.
Staff report from Keith Abraham, Parks and Recreation Director, dated February 25, 2020, RE:
Emerald Ash Borer Response Plan - Five Year Review.: City Manager Schainker said this was just
an update, and no action was required.
COUNCIL COMMENTS: Ex Officio Devyn Leeson advised Council that he would be sending out
the agenda by Thursday or Friday for the joint meeting on March 4, 2020, at 5:30 pm.
ADJOURNMENT: Moved by Beatty-Hansen to adjourn the meeting at 9:27 p.m.
________________________________________ ____________________________________
Rachel E. Knutsen, Deputy City Clerk John A. Haila, Mayor
17
MINUTES OF THE AMES CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION
AMES, IOWA FEBRUARY 27, 2020
The Regular Session of the Ames Civil Service Commission was called to order by Chairman Mike Crum
at 8:15 a.m. on February 27, 2020. As it was impractical for the Commission members to attend in person,
Commission Chairperson Mike Crum and Commission Member Harold Pike were brought in
telephonically. Commission Member Charlie Ricketts was absent.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF JANUARY 23, 2020, REGULAR MEETING: Moved by Pike,
seconded by Crum, to approve the Minutes of the January 23, 2020, Regular Civil Service Commission
meeting, as written.
Vote on Motion: 2-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
CERTIFICATION OF ENTRY-LEVEL APPLICANTS: Moved by Crum, seconded by Pike, to certify
the following individuals to the Ames City Council as Entry-Level Applicants:
Accountant Lori Dalton 80
Electrical Engineer I Chase Wrenn 78
Ricardo Rodriguez-Menas 71
Fire Training Officer Andrew Plach 84
Meter Reader Greg Cregeen 80
Patti Lehman 75
Jake Comstock 74
Mark Studt 73
Transportation Planner William Wakan 75
Kyle Thompson 73
Stuart Burzette 72
Krupa Gajjar 70
Treatment Plant Maintenance Worker
Water Nicholas (Andy) Davidson 87*
Terry Brown 78
Zachary French 70
WPC Scott Peterson 81*
Terry Brown 78
Matthew Williams 70
*includes preference points
Vote on Motion: 2-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
COMMENTS: Human Resources Department Director Bethany Jorgenson advised the Commission that
proposed changes to the Personnel Policies were reviewed by the Executive Leadership Team. She also stated
that Human Resources has sent out the list of new classes being offered through the Employee Development
Center.
The next Regular Meeting of the Civil Service Commission is scheduled for March 26, 2020, at 8:15 a.m.
ADJOURNMENT: The meeting adjourned at 8:21 a.m.
__________________________________ _______________________________________
Michael R. Crum, Chairman Diane R. Voss, City Clerk
Item No. 3
License Application (Applicant
Name of Applicant:Walmart Inc.
Name of Business (DBA):Wal-Mart Store #749
Address of Premises:3105 Grand Ave
City
:
Ames Zip:50010
State
:
AR
County:Story
Business
Phone:
(515) 233-1345
Mailing
Address:
508 SW 8th Street
City
:
Bentonville Zip:727160500
)
Contact Person
Name
:
Cynthia Montero
Phone:(479) 277-4656 Email
Address:
cynthia.montero@walmart.com
Status of Business
BusinessType:Publicly Traded Corporation
Corporate ID Number:XXXXXXXXX Federal Employer ID
#:
XXXXXXXXX
Effective Date:04/15/2021
Expiration Date:
Classification
:
Class E Liquor License (LE)
Term:12 months
Privileges:
Ownership
Class E Liquor License (LE)
Doug McMillon
First Name:Doug Last Name:McMillon
City:Bentonville State:Arkansas Zip:72712
Position:President & CEO
% of Ownership:0.00%U.S. Citizen: Yes
Matthew Allen
First Name:Matthew Last Name:Allen
City:Rogers State:Arkansas Zip:72758
Position:Assistant Treasurer
% of Ownership:0.00%U.S. Citizen: Yes
John Scudder
First Name:John Last Name:Scudder
City:Bentonville State:Arkansas Zip:72712
Position:SVP and CECO
% of Ownership:0.00%U.S. Citizen: Yes
LE0001441 Item No. 4
Insurance Company Information
Policy Effective Date:04/15/2019 Policy Expiration
Date:
01/01/1900
Dram Cancel Date:
Outdoor Service Effective
Date:
Outdoor Service Expiration
Date:
Temp Transfer Effective
Date:
Temp Transfer Expiration Date:
Bond Effective
Continuously:
2
Insurance Company:Fidelity & Deposit Company of Maryland
Daniel Rice
First Name:Daniel Last Name:Rice
City:Centerton State:Arkansas Zip:72719
Position:Assistant Secretary
% of Ownership:0.00%U.S. Citizen: Yes
Smart Choice
515.239.5133 non-emergency
515.239.5130 Administration
515.239.5429 fax
515 Clark Ave. P.O. Box 811
Ames, IA 50010
www.CityofAmes.org
Police Department
MEMO
To: Mayor John Haila and Ames City Council Members
From: Lieutenant Tom Shelton, Ames Police Department
Date: March 4, 2020
Subject: Beer Permits & Liquor License Renewal Reference City Council Agenda
The Council agenda for March 10, 2020 includes beer permits and liquor license
renewals for:
Class E Liquor License with Class B Wine Permit, Class C Beer Permit (Carryout
Beer), and Sunday Sales - Wal-Mart Store #749, 3105 Grand Ave
A review of police records for the past 12 months found no liquor law violations for any
of the above locations. The Ames Police Department recommends renewal of licenses
for all the above businesses.
Class C Liquor License with Outdoor Service and Sunday Sales - Sips and
Paddy's Irish Pub, 126 Welch Ave.
A review of police records for the past 12 months found 3 liquor law violations for the
above location. A review of the cases found all 3 individuals were cited and released for
“on premises”. Officers found fake ID’s on 2 of the 3 individuals. The third individual
had an ID that showed he was 20 years old.
Records indicate representatives of Sips attended both the 2018 and 2019 bar meeting
and representatives at Paddy’s attended the 2018 bar meeting.
The Police Department will continue to monitor the above locations by conducting
regular foot patrols, bar checks and by educating the bar staff through trainings and
yearly meetings. The Ames Police Department recommends renewal of licenses for the
above business.
Item No. 5
Caring People Quality Programs Exceptional Service
515.239.5105 main
5142 fax
Ave.
MEMO
Item No. 6
TO: Members of the City Council
FROM: John A. Haila, Mayor
DATE: March 10, 2020
SUBJECT: Appointments to City Boards and Commissions
Attached you’ll find a listing of the City’s various boards/commission that have
upcoming vacancies and the names of individuals I recommend being appointed,
subject to your approval. Those names with an asterisk (*) next to them are
those who are currently serving and are eligible to be reappointed. I am
requesting your approval of these appointments.
I was pleased that once again so many residents applied for the open positions.
I’m also happy that we continue to increase the diversity of the board and
commission members.
In order to evaluate each candidate, the selection process included my careful
review of each application, forwarding all applications to the respective staff
liaisons, and/or the respective department heads who work with a board or
commission. I asked for input and their recommendations. On a couple of
Boards, the applications were also reviewed by the board chairperson, who
offered input. In a few instances, telephone interviews of applicants were also
conducted.
There remain a few openings yet to fill, and which I continue to look for
qualified and interested candidates to fill those openings. It is my goal to present
names to you at the March 24, 2020, Council meeting for your approval.
In the event you have any questions on one or several of the applicants, please let
me know. Amy Colwell has all appointee applications on file should you wish to
review them.
MAYOR’S APPOINTMENTS
TO CITY OF AMES BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS
2020
(* Incumbents)
Board/Commission Vacancies Name
ASSET 1 * Jennifer Schill
____________________________________________________________________________________
Building Board of Appeals 3 * Andrew Mott (Master Electrician)
Kevin Brockman (Plumber)
Justin Dodge (Homebuilder)
____________________________________________________________________________________
Campus & Community Commission 1 * Warren Madden
____________________________________________________________________________________
Civil Service Commission 1 * Charles Ricketts
____________________________________________________________________________________
Commission on The Arts (COTA) 2 * Deanne Brill
Steven Kawaler
____________________________________________________________________________________
Electric Utility Operations Review & 2 * Scott Bauer
Advisory Board (EUORAB) Still Need 1 More
____________________________________________________________________________________
Historic Preservation Commission 2 * Edith Hunter
* Barry Snell
Human Relations Commission 2 * Madesh Samanu
Jahmai Fisher
___________________________________________________________________________________
Library Board of Trustees 3 * Joanne Marshall
* Roger Kluesner
Brenda Thorbs-Weber
____________________________________________________________________________________
Parks and Recreation Commission 3 * Duane Reeves
Nathan Shimanek
Jacob Ludwig (1 yr.)
____________________________________________________________________________________
Partner Cities Association 2 Andrew Koshatka
Still Need 1 More
____________________________________________________________________________________
Planning and Zoning Commission 2 Michael Clayton
Ryan Paul
____________________________________________________________________________________
Project Share 0 * Jean Kresse (United Way)
____________________________________________________________________________________
Property Maintenance Appeals Board 4 * Dustin Mason
- Student Tenant (Opening) Still Need 3 More
- Large Property Landlord (Opening)
- Long-Term Tenant (Opening)
____________________________________________________________________________________
Public Art Commission 5 * Angie DeWaard
* Claire Kruesel
Taylor Carlson
Candace Zwank
Amanda Gigler
___________________________________________________________________________________
Zoning Board of Adjustment 1 Still Need 1 More
1
ITEM #: ___7 _
DATE: 03-10-20
COUNCIL ACTION FORM
SUBJECT: REALLOCATION OF AN UNFILLED POWER PLANT COAL
HANDLER FTE TO AUXILIARY OPERATOR
BACKGROUND:
The City’s Electric Power Plant is a year-round 24/7 operation. Operational staffing is
comprised of a team including an operator, fireworker, and two auxiliary operators who
work 12-hour shifts. There are four teams plus one relief team. The relief positions are
used to cover sick leave, vacations, training, etc.
Since July 2019, several auxiliary operators have been out of work for an extended
period due to personal issues. To continue to operate the plant, the duties were
assumed by the relief auxiliary operators. This in essence brings the functioning
auxiliary staffing from ten to eight. Over a short period of time, this is manageable.
However, as the short-staffing situation has continued over several months,
management has had to deny vacation requests. With no clear date on when or if
those who are out due to personal issues will return, staff is requesting a
temporary increase of one full-time equivalent (FTE) in the auxiliary operator
classification to alleviate the impact on the remaining auxiliary operators.
Presently, the Electric Department has 81 FTEs in its approved budget. Within this
staffing, there exists two vacant coal handler positions. The department has been
developing a long-term plan to reallocate these positions, along with a lead coal handler
vacancy, to other functions within the department. As a result of these vacant
postions, the staff is also requesting a reduction in one coal handler FTE to offset
the proposed increase in auxiliary operator FTEs.
Staff expects a few retirements to occur within the next year in the Power Plant, so the
increase to an eleventh auxiliary operator will eventually be reduced back down to ten
through attrition. If Council provides approval for hiring an eleventh auxiliary operator,
staff will be able to hire from the civil service list and start the eight to ten weeks of
training as quickly as possible.
If everyone returns after the new auxiliary operator is trained, there will then be eleven
auxiliary operators who are all capable of performing their responsibilities. Staff will use
the increased postion to train the next fireworker and operator, which are promotional
opportunities within the auxiliary operator career path. With the expected retirements in
the next year, vacancies in the fireworker and operator groups are expected.
Once staff is able to reduce back to ten auxiliary operators because of retirements, the
reorganization plan utilizing the three vacancies from the former coal handling positions
2
will be undertaken. There will be no changes to the Electric Department budget
because of this action, because the funding for the vacant positions is already
included.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. Approve the reallocation of an unfilled coal handler FTE to create an additional
temporary eleventh Auxillary Operator position.
Under this alternative, the overall FTE approved total for the Electric Services
Department will remain at 81 positions.
2. Do not approve the requested reallocation.
CITY MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION:
A temporary staffing shortage among auxiliary operators in the Power Plant has
created challenges in continuing to operate the facility. Temporarily increasing
the number of authorized FTEs for this auxiliary operator position to eleven, by
reducing the number of authorized coal handler FTEs by one, will relieve the
current challenges. Once the Power Plant returns to having ten consistent
auxiliary operators, the extra FTE will be removed by natural attrition and
returned to the coal handler position. The division reorganization will then take
place using the two vacant coal handler and one lead coal handler FTEs.
Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council adopt
Alternative No. 1 as described above.
1
ITEM # ____8___
DATE 03-10-20
COUNCIL ACTION FORM
SUBJECT: POLICY FOR USE OF U.S. HIGHWAY 30 & DAYTON
AVENUE LIGHT TOWERS
BACKGROUND:
In 2012, the City installed a series of lighted tower sculptures along U.S. Highway 30,
near Dayton Avenue. The towers can be programmed to display a variety of color
combinations and transitions. From time to time, these towers have displayed light
shows celebrating community events (e.g., Ames High and ISU Football games) and
raising public awareness (e.g., Public Works Week). The light towers were also used to
honor Celia Barquin Arozamena after her death in 2018.
Light shows are currently programmed at a terminal located on Dayton Avenue. The
current controller holds eight pre-set shows, and requires a programmer to be sent on
site any time a new show is desired, at a cost of approximately $300. Funds have been
approved in the FY 2020/21 Budget to purchase a new controller, which can be
programmed by City staff with significantly less time investment.
From time to time, requests have come from outside organizations (primarily ISU)
to program specific shows for the light towers. With the purchase of the new
controller, City staff expects an increase in the number of requested shows.
There is currently no guidance regarding who may request that staff program the
towers or for what reasons. Therefore, it would be helpful to have a City Council
adopted policy relating to how light shows may be requested for display.
The attached policy outlines the Staff’s recommended criteria through which a
light show may be approved. The policy establishes how long in advance such a
show may be requested, how long a light show may be displayed, who may make
a request, what the display may commemorate, and what the display may not
commemorate.
As being recommended, displays may be used to celebrate local sports or
achievements of a local non-profit agency, but a display could not be used to recognize
an individual’s birthday or anniversary, or to promote a private event not open to the
public.
If adopted, the policy would go into effect upon the installation of the new controller,
which is expected to take place in July 2020.
2
ALTERNATIVES:
1. Approve the attached recommended policy relating to the use of the light towers
along U.S. Highway 30 near Dayton Avenue, effective July 2020.
2. Refer the policy back to staff and provide direction to make modifications.
3. Do not approve a policy relating to the use of the light towers.
CITY MANAGER’S RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Although only a few requests have been received to re-program the light towers along
U.S. Highway 30, City staff expects that in the future, more requests will be received. It
is important to have some criteria to allow City staff to approve or deny such requests.
The attached policy allows outside groups to request light shows for recognition of
community events, but prevents the use of the light towers to recognize private or
personal milestones or events.
Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council adopt
Alternative No. 1 as described above.
It should be noted that this initial recommended policy does not limit the number
of displays an entity can have in one year. Should it become evident that one
entity is monopolizing the light towers so that other entities are denied access,
there might be the need in the future to modify the policy to limit the number of
displays that one entity can have in a year.
U.S. HIGHWAY 30 LIGHT TOWER DISPLAY POLICY
Background:
The light towers along U.S. Highway 30 near Dayton Avenue can be programmed to display
various solid and transitioning colors. The displays are coordinated by the Public Works Traffic
Division. Any special light displays requested by outside organizations will be evaluated
according to this policy. Nothing in this policy prohibits the City from utilizing the light towers
at other times for its own purposes.
Organizations Eligible to Request a Special Light Display:
For-profit organizations may not place requests for special light displays. Special light displays
may be requested by:
1. The Ames City Council
2. Other governmental agencies
3. Organizations that have an established partnership with the City of Ames, which promote
the economic welfare, tourism, or industry of the City.
Requesting a Special Light Display:
Requests for a special light display may be placed up to one year in advance of the proposed
display start date. Requests for displays must be placed at least two weeks in advance of the
proposed display start date if the display requires new light programming, and at least one week
in advance if it is a previously used display. Displays will be scheduled on a first-come, first-
served basis. Each display may be up to seven nights in length.
Requests should include the name and contact information of the organization placing the
request, proposed dates of the display, a statement outlining what the display is intended to
recognize, and requested colors and patterns. City staff may modify displays to ensure
compatibility with the display technology, viewability, and motorist safety from U.S. Highway
30.
Requests may be placed directly with the Public Works Traffic Division. Applicants should place
their requests well in advance to ensure enough time to receive approval for the display and
program it if necessary.
Acceptable Light Display Uses:
Light displays may be used to:
• Acknowledge commemorative observances recognized by local, state, or federal
proclamation (e.g., Earth Day, Public Works Week, Breast Cancer Awareness Month,
etc.)
• Celebrate local achievements (completion of a non-profit fundraising campaign or
construction project)
• Support local sports (Ames High School, Iowa State University athletics events)
• Honor or memorialize individuals who have had a profound impact on the Ames
community
Light displays may not be used to:
• Promote commercial products, services, or interests; or promote political candidates,
campaigns, or parties.
• Recognize personal milestones, such as birthdays, anniversaries, congratulations, or
retirements.
• Promote messages inconsistent with local, state, or federal law (such as non-
discrimination laws).
• Promote messages that are pertinent only to selected individuals rather than the
community at large.
• Promote private events not open to the public.
If a request is denied by City staff, the applicant may appeal to the City Council. The City
Council’s decision regarding the request is final.
Caring People Quality Programs Exceptional Service
515.239.5146 main
fax
Legal Department
To: Mayor Haila, Ames City Council
From: Mark O. Lambert, City Attorney
Date: March 6, 2020
Subject: Ahlers & Cooney conflict waiver request
The Ahlers & Cooney Law Firm (“Ahlers”) in Des Moines handles certain labor-law
issues for the City of Ames. Ahlers also represents the Iowa Association of Municipal
Utilities (IAMU) in utility regulatory matters of interest to the association.
As you know, the City of Ames is in the process of appealing a recent decision by the
Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) regarding the Ames Electric Services’ service territory.
The IAMU has been a party to the proceedings before the IUB, and will be a party in the
matter of the City’s appeal of the IUB order to district court. The IAMU’s staff
attorney has been representing the IAMU in this matter while it was before the IUB, but
not that it is on appeal to the courts, the IAMU is having the Ahlers law firm represent
the IAMU in the City’s appeal for judicial review.
Attorney conflict of interest rules generally prohibit an attorney or a law firm from
representing a client who is involved in a matter that involves another client. A
conflict of interest waiver is just a way for the City to say that it is okay with us, as an
Ahlers client, that Ahlers is representing IAMU in this matter. Since Ahlers works with
the City on labor law issues, and this is a utility law matter, there is no direct conflict
here. Also, the IAMU’s interests align with the City’s (although it is always
theoretically possible that the interests will diverge somewhat at some point). We will
continue to be represented on appeal by David Lynch of the Brown Winick Law Firm in
Des Moines.
Item No. 9
It is the recommendation of the City Attorney that the Council approve the Conflict of Interest
Waiver for Ahlers.
#
ATTtrRNEYS
AULERE trstrNEY
Ahlers & Gooney, P.C.
Attorneys at Law
100 Court Avenue, Suite 600
Des Moines, lowa 50309-2231
Phone: 515-243-7611
Faxt 515-243-2149
www,ahlerslaw.com
Jason M. Craig
515.246.0372
jcraig@ahlerslaw.com
March 3,2020
Mark Lambert
City Attomey
City of Ames
515 Clark Avenue
Ames,IA 50010
Troy DeJoode
Executive Director
Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities
1735 NE 70th Ave.
Ankeny, Iowa 50021
RE: Conflict Warver
Dear Mr. Lambert and Mr. DeJoode:
This letter follows prior communications between our office and each of you. As we
indicated in those communications, our firm has been contacted to represent the Iowa
Association of Municipal Utilities ("IAMU") in the lawsuit filed on February 21,2020 by Ames
Municipal Electric System in the Iowa District Court for Story County, Case No. CVCVOS1775,
and removed to the United States District Court of the Southem District of Iowa, Case No. 4:20-
cv-00073 (collectively, the o'Lawsuit"), and the underlying administrative proceedings before the
Iowa Utilities Board. The Lawsuit is entitled Ames Municipal Electric System v. Iowa Utilities
Board. The Lawsuit is a judicial review proceeding from an order of the Iowa Utilities Board
modifying an exclusive service territory. The City of Ames is represented in the Lawsuit and the
underlying administrative proceedings before the Iowa Utilities Board by attomey David Lynch
of the Brown Winick firm.
Our firm enjoys an existing client relationship with IAMU, for which we provide a
variety of legal services. Our firm also enjoys an existing client relationship with the City of
Ames, for which we provide legal services relating to collective bargaining and employment
issues. These services for the City have primarily been provided by attomey Aaron Hilligas.
While this representation of the City is unrelated to the pending Lawsuit and the underlying
administrative proceedings (collectively, the "Litigation"), the involvement of our firm in
representing IAMU in the pending Litigation presents the potential for a concrilrent conflict of
interest because it is possible that the City and IAMU could take differing or adverse positions in
the Litigation. However, under Iowa's ethics tules, this potential conflict can be waived if (1)
the lawyer reasonably believes that the lawyer will be able to provide competent and diligent
representation to each affected client; (2) the representation is not prohibited by law; (3) the
representation does not involve the assertion of a claim by one client against another represented
by the lawyer in the same litigation or other proceeding before a tribunal; and (4) each affected
client gives informed consent, confirmed in writing.
We believe confidently that our attomeys will be able to provide competent and diligent
representation to each of their affected clients as the matters being addressed are unrelated, the
WSHARD&BAILY_l888iGUERNSEY&BAILY_1893iBAILY&STIpp_1901;STIPP,PERRY,BANNISTER&STANZIICER_I9I4iBANNISTER,CARPENTER,
AHLERS & CooNEy - l95O; AHLERS, CooNEy, DoRWETLER, ALLBEE, HAYNTE & SMIH - 1974; AHLERS, CooNEY, DoRWEILER, HAYNIE, SMIrH & ALLBEE, P.C' - 1990
March 3,2020
Page2
representation is not prohibited by law, there will not be an assertion of a claim as described, and
the City of Ames is represented by outside legal counsel in the Litigation.
The purpose of this letter is to (1) disclose the above information, (2) obtain the consent
of each of the Parties (the City of Ames and IAMU) to proceed with our firm's representation of
IAMU in connection with the Litigation, and (3) obtain each Party's waiver of any actual,
potential or perceived conflict of interest in connection with our firm's representation of IAMU
in the Litigation; if such consent and waiver is available. If applicable, I would request that both
of you date and sign where indicated at the end of this letter after approval by your goveming
body or otherwise in compliance with your intemal policies or procedures for authority to
execute this waiver and consent letter.
Although we are asking the City and IAMU to provide their consent and waiver to enable
our representation of IAMU in the Litigation, the City and IAMU are not obligated to do so. We
are pleased to answer any fuither questions which the City or IAMU may have about this matter.
In addition, the City and IAMU should each seek the advice of a lawyer outside of our firm if
they have any questions or concerns about whether they should sign this consent and conflict
waiver.
If you are in agreement with the contents of this letter, we would request you each sign
and date the WAIVER AND CONSENT below and return it to us. If you disagree with or
otherwise believe anything herein to be incorrect or mistaken in any way, then please let us know
as soon as possible. Finally, should you have any questions on this matter, please don't hesitate
to contact me at 515-246-0372.
Very truly yours,
AHLERS & COONEY P.C.
B
JMC:pn
Jason M. Craig
March 3,2020
Page 3
WAIVER AND CONSENT
The undersigned representatives of the City of Ames and Iowa Association of
Municipal Utilities have had the opportunity to seek advice from independent counsel of
their own choosing concerning arry conflict of interest associated with Ahlers &.
Cooney's representation of IAMU as described herein, and knowingly and voluntarily
waive any such actual, potential or perceived conflict of interest and consent to such
representation.
CITY OF AMES:
Dated:2020 By
IOWA ASSOCIATION OF MUNICIPAL
UTILITIES:
Dated 2020 By
01692267 -t\r07 07 -000
1
ITEM # ____10___
DATE: 03-10-20
COUNCIL ACTION FORM
SUBJECT: REQUESTS FOR SPRING FEST ON APRIL 3
BACKGROUND:
Approximately 20 rental property companies in Ames are planning to host Spring Fest
from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Friday April 3. The event is open to the public and is
intended to provide food vendors, music, and inflatables, along with information about
housing opportunities for prospective renters.
The event will take place along the 200 block of Welch Avenue. To facilitate the event,
organizers are requesting the following:
• Closure of Welch Avenue from 100 feet south of the intersection of Chamberlain
Street to Hunt Street, from 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
• Closure of 14 metered parking spaces from 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
• A blanket Temporary Obstruction Permit for the closed area
• A blanket Vending License
Access to Welch Lot T will be maintained on the west through the access on
Chamberlain Place. The event will require the closure of 14 on-street metered parking
spaces (Estimated $35 loss of revenue to the Parking Fund). Because this event is
not being operated as a nonprofit activity, City staff does not recommend a
waiver of fees for the lost parking meter revenue or the blanket Vending License.
A Noise Permit will be issued for the event. City staff will provide barricades, and
organizers have planned for volunteers to manage the street closures. Organizers have
also contracted with a private security firm to assist with the crowd control. The rain date
for this event is April 10th.
The event will require the detouring of CyRide routes. CyRide staff has evaluated
several alternatives, and will detour buses along Hayward Avenue from Lincoln
Way to Storm Street.
City staff has requested that event organizers notify not only the affected businesses
and residents in the area, but also the residents along Hayward Avenue, where CyRide
will be detoured. The organizers were asked to provide information to the neighbors
about the timing of the event and the March 10th City Council meeting where the
proposal will be considered.
2
ALTERNATIVES:
1. Approve the requests for Spring Fest as described above for April 3, including
the street and parking closure, detour of CyRide, blanket Temporary Obstruction
Permit, blanket Vending License, and the April 10 rain date, but require
reimbursement for Vending License fee and lost parking meter revenue.
2. Direct staff to work with organizers to develop an alternate plan for the event.
3. Do not approve the event.
CITY MANAGER’S RECOMMENDED ACTION:
This is a new event, sponsored by a number of housing providers in the Ames area.
Although it is sponsored by for-profit companies, no fees will be charged to enter the
event area or participate in the activities. The event provides the public an opportunity to
explore housing options while participating in the activities provided for the event. As a
for-profit event, the organizers would be charged for lost parking meter revenue and the
Vending License fee.
Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council adopt
Alternative No. 1 as described above.
1
COUNCIL ACTION FORM
SUBJECT: REQUESTS FOR GREEK RACE AND GREEK WEEK OLYMPICS
BACKGROUND:
The Greek Week Committee has submitted plans to host its Greek Race and the Greek
Week Olympics this spring. The Greek Race, a new event this year, will take place on
Sunday, March 29. The Greek Week Olympics will be held on Saturday, April 4.
THE GREEK RACE:
The Greek Race, based on the television show “The Amazing Race,” will involve teams
competing in the Greek Triangle area. Approximately 200 people are anticipated to
attend.
Organizers have requested the following for this event from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on
Sunday, March 29:
• Closure of Ash Avenue from Sunset Drive to Gable Lane, Sunset Drive from Ash
Avenue to Gray Avenue, and the portion of Pearson Avenue adjacent the Greek
Triangle
• A blanket Temporary Obstruction Permit for the closed area
A rain date of April 5 has been requested for this event.
GREEK WEEK OLYMPICS:
Greek Week Olympics will take place at various Greek houses on April 4. Approximately
1,500 people are anticipated to attend.
Organizers have requested the following for this event from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on
Saturday, April 4:
• Closure of Sunset Drive; Ash Avenue from Gable Lane to Knapp Street; Gray
Avenue from Gable Lane to Greeley Street; Greeley Street; Pearson Avenue
from Sunset to Greeley; and Lynn Avenue from Chamberlain to Knapp.
• A blanket Temporary Obstruction Permit for the closed area
A rain date of April 5 has been requested for this event.
ITEM # 11
DATE: 03/10/20
2
For both events, event organizers will post “No Parking” signs around 5 p.m. the
day prior to the event. Several single-family homes are located along the closed
streets. The organizers will notify the affected residents about the closures by
canvassing the area and distributing a notification letter. Insurance for these
events is provided through the University.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. Approve the requests as indicated above for The Greek Race and Greek Week
Olympics.
2. Deny the requests.
CITY MANAGER’S RECOMMENDED ACTION:
The Greek Week activities are annual student-run events at Iowa State that highlight the
fraternities and sororities and their contributions to student life. They are highly
dependent upon City approval of street closures and parking prohibitions so it may
occur in a safe and smooth manner.
Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council adopt
Alternative #1, thereby approving the requests as indicated above.
1
ITEM # 12
DATE: 02-25-20
COUNCIL ACTION FORM
SUBJECT: REQUESTS FOR SUMMERFEST IN CAMPUSTOWN
BACKGROUND:
Campustown Action Association (CAA) plans to hold its 10th annual Summerfest on
June 6, 2020. The event involves activities for children, live music, and a beer garden.
Organizers plan to close the 200 block of Welch Avenue (from Chamberlain to Hunt
Street) and Chamberlain Street from Welch Avenue to the Chamberlain Lot Y exit from
approximately 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Reserved spaces in Welch Lot T will not be affected and those users will be able to
enter and exit their spaces through the alley west of Welch Avenue. Fire Station #2 will
not be affected by the arrangement of these closures. Organizers are aware of the
prospective Welch Avenue reconstruction project and Summerfest plans are not
anticipated to be impacted by the construction.
The Public Works Department will provide barricades for the event, and organizers will
obtain a noise permit through the Police Department. CAA will contact affected
businesses by going door-to-door, distributing flyers, and through email contacts.
Organizers are requesting the following actions by City Council for June 1:
• Closure of the 200 block of Welch Avenue and Chamberlain Street from Welch Avenue to the exit of Chamberlain Lot Y between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. • Closure of parking spaces in the 200 block of Welch Avenue, on Chamberlain Street between Welch Avenue and the Chamberlain Lot Y exit, Welch Lot T, and Chamberlain Lot Y between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. • Waiver of parking meter fees for the closed area (A loss of $120.75 to the Parking Fund) • Access to City-owned electric outlets and waiver of fees for electricity use (approximately $5 loss of revenue) • Blanket Temporary Obstruction Permit • Blanket Vending License and waiver of fee ($50 loss to City Clerk’s Office) • Approval of 5-Day Class B Beer Permit with Outdoor Service
It should be noted that CAA has been allocated funds in the City’s FY 2020/21
Budget to reimburse for parking meter suspensions after July 1, 2020. Since
2
Summerfest takes place in June, the City Council is being asked to consider a
waiver of the parking meter fees in the same manner as previous event approvals.
For next year’s Summerfest, funds will be transferred from the Local Option Sales
Tax Fund to the Parking Fund to reimburse for the lost parking meter revenue.
The Ames Chamber of Commerce is providing liability insurance coverage for this
event, since the CAA is an affiliate organization of the Chamber.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. Approve the requests as outlined above for Summerfest on June 6, including the
waiver of fees.
2. Approve the requests for street and parking lot closures, the Temporary
Obstruction Permit and the beer permit, but require reimbursement to the City for
lost parking meter revenue, a blanket Vending License, and the usage of
electricity.
3. Do not approve the requests.
CITY MANAGER’S RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Campustown Action Association’s Summerfest has been a successful event, and staff
feels comfortable that the event will continue to be successful this year. In addition, it is
important that CAA is successful in promoting the Campustown area though events and
activities like Summerfest.
Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council adopt
Alternative No. 1, thereby approving the requests as outlined above for Summerfest on
June 6, including the waiver of fees.
License Application (Applicant
Name of Applicant:Ames Chamber of Commerce
Name of Business (DBA):Campustown Action Association
Address of Premises:304 Main Street
City
:
Ames Zip:50010
State
:
IA
County:Story
Business
Phone:
(515) 232-2310
Mailing
Address:
304 Main Street
City
:
Ames Zip:50010
)
Contact Person
Name
:
Karin Chitty
Phone:(515) 451-7503 Email
Address:
karin.chitty@amescampustown.com
Status of Business
BusinessType:Privately Held Corporation
Corporate ID Number:XXXXXXXXX Federal Employer ID
#:
XXXXXXXXX
Insurance Company Information
Policy Effective Date:06/05/2020 Policy Expiration
Date:
06/10/2020
Dram Cancel Date:
Outdoor Service Effective
Date:
Outdoor Service Expiration
Date:
Temp Transfer Effective
Date:
Temp Transfer Expiration Date:
Bond Effective
Continuously:
Insurance Company:Illinois Union Insurance Company
Effective Date:06/05/2020
Expiration Date:01/01/1900
Classification
:
Special Class C Liquor License (BW) (Beer/Wine)
Term:5 days
Privileges:
Ownership
Outdoor Service
Special Class C Liquor License (BW) (Beer/Wine)
Daniel Culhane
First Name:Daniel Last Name:Culhane
City:Ames State:Iowa Zip:50010
Position:President & CEO
% of Ownership:0.00%U.S. Citizen: Yes
Item No. 12a
1
ITEM # ___13__
DATE: 03-10-20
COUNCIL ACTION FORM
SUBJECT: POWER PLANT MAINTENANCE SERVICES CONTRACT
BACKGROUND:
The Electric Utility has two gas-fired, high-pressure steam generation units within the
City’s Power Plant, referred to as Units No. 7 and 8. These units require regular
professional maintenance and repair. This consists of both emergency and planned
repairs and service. Services include a large variety of boiler maintenance and repairs,
structural steel, pump and piping work, and other miscellaneous mechanical Power
Plant work.
The repair of the equipment on these generation units requires professional trade crafts
such as laborers, millwrights, and steam/pipe fitters.
Staff recommends that these services continue to be outsourced on an annual
renewable contract basis. The benefits of having a contract for these services in place
include the following:
1) Consistency of work and quality from a single contractor.
2) Reduction in the City’s exposure to market forces regarding prices and
availability for labor, travel, and supplies in preparation for a scheduled outage.
3) Rapid contractor mobilization to start emergency repairs, thus reducing
generation downtime.
4) Saved City staff time obtaining quotes, evaluating bids and preparing
specifications and other procurement documentation.
The City currently has an annual renewable contract in place for these services that
ends on June 30, 2020. This project allows the City to issue plans and specifications to
companies who perform such work to bid so that more competitive pricing received.
The approved FY2020/21 Power Plant operating budget for Electric Production includes
$125,000 for this contract. Invoices will be based on contract rates for time and
materials for services actually received.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. Approve preliminary plans and specifications for the Power Plant Maintenance
Services Contract, and set April 15, 2020 as the due date for bids and April 28,
2020 as the date of public hearing and award of contract.
2. Purchase these services on an as-needed basis.
MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION:
This work is necessary to ensure that a qualified professional firm will respond to both
scheduled and emergency needs for Power Plant repair and maintenance, and will also
control costs by having established billing rates. Funds will be expended only as work is
required and in accordance with approved invoices.
Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council adopt
Alternative #1 as stated above.
ITEM # __14___
DATE: 03-10-20
COUNCIL ACTION FORM
SUBJECT: CYRIDE 2020 PAVEMENT IMPROVEMENTS MIDDLE SCHOOL
TURNAROUND PROJECT PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS
BACKGROUND:
Concrete pavement at the Ames Middle School bus turnaround was installed when the
school was built in 2004 and has deteriorated over the years. Last year, CyRide was
unable to replace the pavement as planned due to an unanticipated legal matter with
the property deed. This has been resolved and CyRide is ready to move forward with
replacing the concrete at an estimated cost of $132,211.
Funds have been allocated for the project in the 2020-2025 Capital Improvement Plan.
The Ames Transit Agency Board of Trustees approved project plans and specifications
at the March 4, 2020 meeting. Plans and specifications are now on file in the City
Clerk’s Office.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. Approve plans and specifications for the CyRide 2020 Pavement Improvements
Middle School Turnaround Project and establish April 2, 2020 as the date of
letting and April 14, 2020 as the date for the report of bids.
2. Direct staff to continue to work with the A&E consultant to refine the project
plans.
MANAGER’S RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Approval of the plans and specifications will allow CyRide to move forward with an
important infrastructure project.
Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council adopt
Alternative No. 1, as noted above.
ITEM # ___15__
DATE: 03/10/20
COUNCIL ACTION FORM
SUBJECT: REPORT OF BID AND AWARD OF CONTRACT FOR
CYRIDE ADMINISTRATIVE VEHICLE PURCHASES
BACKGROUND:
CyRide primarily uses administrative vehicles to switch drivers along bus routes.
Vehicles are typically replaced when they are four to seven years old. One vehicle per
year is typically programmed for replacement in the CIP. In FY 2018/19, the vehicle up
for replacement was not replaced and the funds were rolled forward to this year.
Therefore, two vehicles are being replaced in the current budget year.
On January 27, 2020, a request for proposals was released for the purchase of two fuel-
efficient hybrid four-wheel drive SUVs. A vehicle fleet with a mix of four-wheel drive
vehicles allows drivers to be relieved during inclement weather conditions. Bids were
due on February 10, 2020, and seven bids were received. Ames Ford Lincoln of Ames,
IA submitted the low bid of $53,840 for the purchase of two Ford Escape SE Hybrid 4x4
vehicles. CyRide has $60,000 allocated for the purchase in the 2020-2025 Capital
Improvement Plan.
The Ames Transit Agency Board of Trustees approved the purchase of the
vehicles at the March 4, 2020 meeting.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. Accept the bid of Ames Ford Lincoln of Ames, Iowa and award a contract in the
amount of $53,840 for the purchase of two Ford Escape SE Hybrid 4x4 vehicles.
2. Accept the bid form one of the other six bidders.
CITY MANAGER’S RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Awarding this contract will allow CyRide to purchase two replacement administrative
vehicles at the lowest price offered by the bidders. Therefore, it is the recommendation
of the City Manager that the City Council adopt Alternative No. 1, thereby approving
contract award to Ames Ford Lincoln of Ames, IA for the purchase of two Ford Escape
SE Hybrid 4x4 vehicles in a contract amount of $53,840.
Smart Choice
MEMO
515.239.5105 main
fax
Clark Ave. P.O. Box 811
To: Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: City Clerk’s Office
Date: March 10, 2020
Subject: Contract and Bond Approval
There is/are no Council Action Form(s) for Item No(s). 16 and 17. Council approval of
the contract and bond for this/these project(s) is simply fulfilling a State Code
requirement.
/alc
1
ITEM # _ 18 _
DATE: 03-10-20
COUNCIL ACTION FORM
SUBJECT: PLAT OF SURVEY (BOUNDARY LINE ADJUSTMENT) FOR 2125
GREELEY STREET
BACKGROUND:
The City’s subdivision regulations found in Chapter 23 of the Ames Municipal Code
include the process for creating or modifying property boundaries and for determining if
any improvements are required in conjunction with the platting of property. The
regulations also describe the process for combining existing platted lots or conveyance
parcels in order to create a parcel for development purposes. A Plat of Survey is allowed
by Section 23.309 for the consolidation of conveyance parcels and for boundary line
adjustments.
This proposed Plat of Survey is for a boundary line adjustment of two existing lots
located at 2125 Greely Street to create one parcel. The Plat consolidates the two
existing lots into a new Parcel “M”, which will include 0.56 acres. Alpha Delta Pi
Sorority occupies 2125 Greeley Street. The zoning of both parcels is: “Residential High-
Density” (RH), and “East University Impacted Overlay” (O-UIE). (See Attachment A:
Location Map & Attachment B: Sketch of Existing Tax Parcels.)
Approval of a Plat of Survey to create Parcel “M” will establish a single parcel that includes
the building and parking lot. Currently a property line runs through the existing building
and parking area. The parking area is nonconforming in many ways. A retracement
survey was filed with Story County in 2018, but the City’s Subdivision Code does not
acknowledge that as a valid parcel and building permits cannot be issued without a Plat
of Survey. Consolidation of the two lots is necessary to provide a valid legal parcel
for approval of a Minor Site Development Plan required to allow a small addition
and re-configure the parking lot.
No public improvements are necessitated by this Plat of Survey. Approval of the Plat of
Survey does not exacerbate nonconforming lot conditions. Each lot is currently
nonconforming parking and landscaping zoning standards. The impact of the building
addition does cause a need for reconstruction of the parking lot. The proposed parking
lot configuration is going through a variance process and site plan review.
Approval of this Plat of Survey (See Attachment C: Plat of Survey.) will allow the applicant
to prepare the official Plat of Survey and submit it to the Planning and Housing Director
for review. The Director will sign the Plat of Survey confirming that it fully conforms to all
conditions of approval. The prepared Plat of Survey may then be signed by the Surveyor,
2
who will submit it for recording in the office of the County Recorder.
Alternatives:
1. The City Council can adopt the resolution approving the proposed Plat of Survey.
2. The City Council can deny the proposed Plat of Survey if the City Council finds that
the requirements for Plats of Survey, as described in Section 23.309, have not been
satisfied.
3. The City Council can refer this back to staff and/or the owner for additional information.
CITY MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Staff has determined that the proposed Plat of Survey satisfies all Subdivision Code
requirements for a boundary line adjustment of existing parcels and has made a
preliminary decision of approval. The consolidation of the current lots does not
exacerbated conditions related to the current RH and O-UIE zoning nonconformities. The
proposed building addition and parking lot reconstruction are currently under site
plan review and will need approval of a variance to parking lot and landscaping
standards from the Zoning Board of Adjustment. There are no gaps in infrastructure
requiring improvements with the Plat of Survey. Any future construction on the site will be
reviewed by staff for compliance with zoning standards.
Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council accept
Alternative #1, thereby adopting the resolution approving the proposed Plat of Survey.
3
ADDENDUM
PLAT OF SURVEY FOR 2125 GREELY STREET
Application for a proposed Plat of Survey has been submitted for:
Conveyance parcel (per Section 23.307)
Boundary line adjustment (per Section 23.309)
Re-plat to correct error (per Section 23.310)
Auditor’s plat (per Code of Iowa Section 354.15)
The site is located at:
Property Owner: Pi Chapter of Alpha Delta Pi Building Corp
Existing Street Addresses: 2125 Greeley Street
Assessor’s Parcel #s: 09-09-228-070
Survey Description-Parcel M:
Lots 10 & 11, Block 6, College Heights Addition
Public Improvements:
The preliminary decision of the Planning Director finds that approval requires all public
improvements associated with and required for the proposed plat of survey be:
Installed prior to creation and recordation of the official plat of survey and
prior to issuance of zoning or building permits.
Delayed, subject to an improvement guarantee as described in Section
23.409.
Not Applicable. (no additional improvements required)
Note: The official plat of survey is not recognized as a binding plat of survey for permitting
purposes until a copy of the signed and recorded plat of survey is filed with the Ames City
Clerk’s office and a digital image in Adobe PDF format has been submitted to the Planning
& Housing Department.
4
Attachment A: Location Map
5
Attachment B: Sketch of Existing Conditions
6
Attachment C: Plat of Survey
ITEM # _19_ _
DATE: 03-10-20
COUNCIL ACTION FORM
SUBJECT: PLAT OF SURVEY (BOUNDARY LINE ADJUSTMENT) FOR 224 ASH
AVENUE
BACKGROUND:
The City’s subdivision regulations found in Chapter 23 of the Ames Municipal Code
include the process for creating or modifying property boundaries and for determining if
any improvements are required in conjunction with the platting of property. The
regulations also describe the process for combining existing platted lots or conveyance
parcels in order to create a parcel for development purposes. A plat of survey is allowed
by Section 23.309 for the consolidation of conveyance parcels and for boundary line
adjustments.
This proposed plat of survey is for a boundary line adjustment for consolidation of
two existing lots and a portion of a third existing lot addressed as 224 Ash Avenue
to create one 0.64 acre parcel. These parcels are currently occupied by Tappa Kau
Epsilon (TKE) Fraternity. The property is zoned Residential High Density (RH). The
existing property has been in its current configuration since the mid 1950’s. The proposed
change results in one new parcel, labeled as Parcel C.
The proposed new parcel is being created in advance of a proposed remodel and
addition to the fraternity house. A site plan is currently under review by staff. The
consolidation of the existing lots must be done in order to create a legal lot for
approval of a Site Development Plan and other permitting purposes. The remodel
and new addition replaces a portion of the existing house and does not trigger the
requirement of a demolition permit from the City Council under the East University Impact
Overlay standards (O-UIE). No public improvements are necessary with the plat of
survey.
Approval of this plat of survey (Attachment B) will allow the applicant to prepare the official
plat of survey and submit it to the Planning and Housing Director for review. The Director
will sign the plat of survey confirming that it fully conforms to all conditions of approval.
The prepared plat of survey may then be signed by the surveyor, who will submit it for
recording in the office of the County Recorder.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. The City Council can adopt the resolution approving the proposed plat of survey.
2. The City Council can deny the proposed plat of survey if the City Council finds that the
requirements for plats of survey as described in Section 23.309 have not been
satisfied.
3. The City Council can refer this back to staff and/or the owner for additional information.
CITY MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Staff has determined that the proposed plat of survey satisfies all Subdivision Code
requirements for a boundary line adjustment of existing lots and has made a preliminary
decision of approval. No conflict exists with the existing RH zoning standards as a result
of the boundary line adjustment. The boundary line adjustment does not trigger
infrastructure requirements unless there is a gap in completion of existing infrastructure.
Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council
accept Alternative #1, thereby adopting the resolution approving the proposed plat
of survey.
ADDENDUM
PLAT OF SURVEY FOR 224 ASH AVENUE
Application for a proposed plat of survey has been submitted for:
Conveyance parcel (per Section 23.307)
Boundary line adjustment (per Section 23.309)
Re-plat to correct error (per Section 23.310)
Auditor’s plat (per Code of Iowa Section 354.15)
The site is located at:
Owner: 224 Ash Inc
Existing Street Address: 224 Ash Avenue
Assessor’s Parcel #: 0909227045
Legal Description:
Survey Description-Parcel C:
Lots 13, 14 and part of Lot 12, all in the Auditor’s Plat of Zentmire’s
Subdivision, City of Ames, Story County, Iowa, as described in the
Warranty Deed filed at Inst. No. 200400008478, and all together
being more particularly described as follows: Beginning at the
Southwest Corner of said Lot 13, thence N00°27’48”W, 182.03 feet
along the west line of said Lots 13 and 14 to the Northwest Corner of
said Lot 14; thence N85°58’35”E, 150.12 feet along the north line of
said Lot 14, and said line extended easterly; thence S00°31’47E,
80.57 feet; thence S28°15’15”E, 72.98 feet to the south line of said
Lot 12; thence following the south line of said Lots 12 and 13
southwesterly, 191.57 feet along a curve having a radius of 391.78
feet, concave to the north, a central angle of 28°00’59” and being
subtended by a chord which bears S75°25’53”W, 189.67 feet to the
point of beginning, containing 0.64 acres.
Public Improvements:
The preliminary decision of the Planning Director finds that approval requires all public
improvements associated with and required for the proposed plat of survey be:
Installed prior to creation and recordation of the official plat of survey and
prior to issuance of zoning or building permits.
Delayed, subject to an improvement guarantee as described in Section
23.409.
Not Applicable. (no additional improvements required)
Note: The official plat of survey is not recognized as a binding plat of survey for permitting
purposes until a copy of the signed and recorded plat of survey is filed with the Ames City
Clerk’s office and a digital image in Adobe PDF format has been submitted to the Planning
& Housing Department.
Attachment A- Existing Conditions
Attachment B- Plat of Survey
1
ITEM:_20___
Staff Report
MICROMOBILITY (Motorized Scooters)
March 10, 2020
BACKGROUND:
At the June 18, 2019 City Council meeting, Council directed staff to investigate how other
cities have regulated micromobility transportation to determine if there are ordinances that
may be considered to offer this type of transportation in Ames.
WHAT IS MICROMOBILITY?
Micromobility encompasses several modes of transportation and the primary condition for
inclusion in this category is a gross vehicle weight of less than 1,100 pounds. Some of
the more commonly known modes are electric/motorized scooters, electric skateboards,
shared bicycles, and electric pedal assist bicycles. For the purposes of this report,
motorized scooters will be the focus. Scooters are generally used for the “last mile” of
the individual’s trip with an average ride lasting less than 10 minutes.
MOTORIZED SCOOTERS OVERVIEW:
Motorized scooters are typically activated through a free app. Users create a profile on
the app including their method of payment. Once the user profile is created, a map
appears showing the location of the scooters. The user finds a scooter and scans the QR
code on the scooter to unlock it. Once unlocked, charges to use the scooter began
accumulating and are applied to the user’s payment method. An example of charges is
$1.00 to unlock the scooter and .15 cents per minute to ride. Upon completion of their
scooter ride, the user is expected to return the scooter to a designated area so it’s
available for the next rider. Failure to do so could result in additional charges and/or the
inability to activate another scooter for future use.
Scooters are tracked through GPS and at the end of the daily hours of operation,
individuals employed by the scooter company collect the scooters and transport them to
a designated location for re-charging. Scooters are then returned to designated areas the
next morning for use.
Motorized scooters began showing up in communities in 2018. Early in their deployment,
scooter companies arrived in communities with very little to no notice and simply dropped
off scooters. City officials scrambled to address the safety and regulation needs as well
as respond to the numerous complaints from citizens and business owners while other
citizens tested out the new mode of transportation. Scooter companies learned this was
an unacceptable way to deal with communities and instead have begun working with cities
2
to develop acceptable policies/ordinances which can alleviate most of the perceived
problems with motorized scooters.
POTENTIAL BENEFITS/CONCERNS OF MOTORIZED SCOOTERS:
A committee comprised of City and ISU staff met between August – January to discuss
and review information regarding scooters and identified potential benefits and concerns
for City Council to consider.
• Benefits
-Motorized scooters are often viewed as primarily meeting a recreational need,
however, some research indicates that they are an affordable and convenient
mode of transportation that compliments existing public transportation.
-Jobs are also created as scooter companies hire individuals to collect and
transport scooters for re-charging as well as work on scooter repairs.
-Some reduction in carbon emissions can be realized for those who switch for using
a car to a scooter as a means of transportation for that trip.
-The availability of scooters could be seen as a fun factor desired by the City
Council and compatible with the goal of supporting multi-modal forms of
transportation.
-Pursuing this micromobility option establishes a workable framework to potentially
include similar forms of transportation in the future.
• Concerns
-Safety of the rider interacting with the public is a primary concern and is dependent
on where scooters would be allowed for use and at what time of the day they are
allowed. (Note: The current City ordinance regulating bicycles permits riding on
roadways, bicycle paths, and specified sidewalks.)
-There is a concern as to where the scooters should be parked when in use by a
customer and after their time has expired. In many cities scooters have been left in
the middle of sidewalks, bike paths, parking ramps blocking the mobility of other
pedestrians and vehicles.
-As the City looks to develop place making spaces and enhancing walkability, there
is concern expressed by some that the availability of scooters will influence the
replacement of the physical activity that comes with walking and bicycling.
-Another concern deals with who will be responsible for enforcement of improper
parking of the scooters in timely manner. It is believed assigning this task to the
Police Department or another City department would not be advisable.
3
-It is questionable whether or not the City can successfully implement a motorized
scooter policy without the ISU campus being included.
DISCUSSION WITH SCOOTER COMPANY:
Bird Scooters is the company that has had the most frequent contact with the City and
ISU. In a conference call with Bird representatives they explained changes they’ve
implemented in their business model in the past 18 months to collaboratively work with
communities in establishing motorized scooter services. They view themselves as
contributors to transportation options. Bird works with cities and universities to establish
the best locations for the motorized scooters, implement geo-fencing, educate riders
about scooter safety and work with city and university officials on messaging. In the
communities where Bird operates, they see enforcement on scooters being managed in
the same manner as bicycles. They see benefit with implementing pilot programs in order
to introduce the service, determine the need, and monitor community feedback.
IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY’S POSITION IN REGARDS TO SCOOTERS:
Feedback received from the representatives of the ISU administration during the
committee meetings indicates an opposition to allowing motorized scooters on campus.
In addition, it should be noted that in the fall of 2018 the ISU Student Government passed
a resolution barring motorized scooter on campus.
Much of their concern is focused on the safety issues between pedestrians/motorists
confronting motorized scooters on the various paths/streets on campus; along with
scooters being deposited on sidewalks, bike paths, and other areas on campus when not
in use that inhibit pedestrian movement.
IMPORTANT POLICY ISSUES THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED IF THE CITY
COUNCIL CHOOSES TO ALLOW MOTORIZED SCOOTERS ON CITY RIGHTS-OF-
WAY:
Outreach to five university communities was initiated to collect and review examples of
policies and ordinances they are using. When it comes to contracting with the scooter
companies and longer-term policy development, there are several issues for City Council
to consider:
1.) Number of scooter companies
2.) Number of scooters
3.) Permitting
4.) Areas of operation (geo-fencing)
5.) Policy and ordinance enforcement
1. Number of Scooter Companies Allowed
The number of scooter companies allowed in a community varies from city to city based
on anticipated use determined by the city. In Ann Arbor, MI three companies operate
4
motorized scooters while in Bloomington, IN and Oxford, OH there are two companies.
Columbia, MO and Stillwater, OK each have allowed one scooter company.
Since this is a relatively new industry and the surveyed cities have not received requests
in excess of their desired allotment, there is no legal challenge to a city’s ability to limit the
number of scooter companies it will allow the community.
2. Number of Scooters
The number of scooters allowed to be deployed is outlined in agreements that each city
has with scooter companies. Some of the cities have also charged a one-time per scooter
deployment fee. Cities consider population, areas of operation, and the number of
intended riders when determining the number of scooters allowed. Ann Arbor approved
200-300 scooters to be in use while Stillwater decided on 300. Columbia and Oxford each
have about 500 scooters and Bloomington allows 500-600 scooters.
3. Permitting
In addition to operation agreements with the scooter companies, all but one city has
implemented some type of permit requirement. Ann Arbor requires a permit for the
charging station that a scooter company is installing in the public right of way. In
Bloomington, Columbia, and Stillwater a business license must be obtained and fees are
applied. Oxford does not require any type of business permit or license at this time.
4. Areas and Hours of Operation/Parking
The cities of Ann Arbor, Columbia, and Oxford all use geo-fencing to control areas where
scooters can go. In Ann Arbor, scooters are allowed in the downtown area and some
areas on the University of Michigan campus. The scooters can be used in bike lanes and
the roadway when bike lanes are not available. Scooters are required to be parked upright
in an orderly manner on hard surfaces such as existing sidewalk extensions areas and
cannot obstruct the sidewalk for pedestrian travel, ADA ramps, fire hydrant, utility pole or
box, etc. Scooter use begins at 7:00 a.m. and ends at 9:00 p.m. every day. There is also
a 15 mph speed limit with slower limits in certain areas of campus.
Columbia allows scooters to be operated in bike lanes and on roadways when bike lanes
are not available. However, scooters cannot be used on the city’s trail system. The
University of Missouri allows the scooters on campus, but they must be placed in a bicycle
rack when not in use. Both the city and university use 15 mph as the maximum speed
limit for the scooters. Scooter use begins at 7:00 a.m. and ends at 8:00 p.m. every day.
Scooters are allowed to park on sidewalks in an upright position so as not to obstruct the
flow of pedestrian traffic.
In Oxford, scooters can be ridden on sidewalks, except in the business district. Parking
for the scooters is available in designated spots on each block. Scooters are to be parked
in upright positions and not obstructing pedestrian traffic, ADA ramps, utility poles, etc.
The city plans to expand shared use paths to accommodate additional modes of
transportation. Scooters are in operation from 5:00 a.m. and ends at 9:00 p.m. daily.
5
Miami University is geo-fenced and scooters are only allowed in bike lanes within the
campus area.
The Cities of Bloomington and Stillwater leave it up to the scooter companies to establish
hours of operation and safe speeds. Bloomington allows scooters on multi-use trails and
paths, roadways, and designated sidewalks while Indiana University approves of scooters
using roadways throughout campus. Bloomington City Ordinance requires scooters to
park either in bicycle racks located in the public right-of-way or on the street within painted
boxes specifically designated for scooters. The scooters can also be parked on sidewalks
as long as they are in an upright position, leave a clear pathway of at least 54 inches wide,
and do not obstruct ADA ramps/parking zones, utility poles, commercial window displays
and street furniture. Scooters in Stillwater can be operated in bike lanes and on streets
and designated sidewalks. The city ordinance requires scooters to be parked in
designated racks that are located within boundary areas specified for scooter pick-up and
drop-ff. Scooters cannot be parked on sidewalks, rights-of-way, or public easements.
Oklahoma State University allows scooters around campus and uses geo-fencing for
slower speeds (less than 15 mph) in designated areas of campus. Scooters are parked at
charging stations located around campus. OSU has adopted 7:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. as
hours of operation.
5. Policy and Ordinance Enforcement
Police and/or Code Enforcement staff are commonly used in all of the communities to
enforce scooter-related ordinances. Oxford also relies on their Fire Department to assist
with tracking accidents and injuries related to scooter use. The cities all shared situations
in which scooters were impounded. For example, in Columbia, the University of Missouri
had designated areas where scooters are to be returned. When scooters were left out in
the open and not returned to the designated area, the University impounded them and
charged the scooter company. In turn, the scooter company would issue a fine to the
rider. The City of Columbia intervened and the scooter company put a safety compliance
program in place that still involved issuing fines to riders, but also blocking riders from
using the scooters.
The issue of liability around scooter use in the community is being handled by including
indemnity clauses in the agreements between the cities and scooter companies. All of
the cities that were contacted require this protection, except for Oxford. Their experience
thus far has been with scooter-related injuries occurring outside the hours of scooter
operation.
EXAMPLES OF POLICIES AND ORDINANCES IN OTHER COMMUNITIES:
Attached for City Council review are the current ordinances/agreements regarding the
use of motorized scooters in the five university towns that were studied.
6
OPTIONS:
1. Direct staff to pursue the development of a pilot program for micromobility
transportation, specifically motorized scooters. A pilot program would allow the use
of scooters throughout the City (not including ISU property, unless they concur) in
accordance with the policies established by the City Council and an agreement
finalized with a scooter company and the City for a one year trial period.
Under this option, the City Council will have to give staff direction regarding
the numerous policy issues listed above.
2. Direct staff to conduct further research on micromobility transportation.
3. Decide not to support micromobility transportation (motorized scooters) in the city
at this time.
STAFF COMMENTS:
There are many examples of agreements, policies, and ordinances available from other
communities who have explored the first step in developing shared mobility programs.
Both cities and the Bird scooter company recommend considering a pilot program
proposal. It appears that motorized scooter companies have altered their business
approach and are now seeking first to work more closely with communities in establishing
acceptable micromobility transportation policies before deploying their scooters in a city.
It is anticipated that the majority of motorized scooter users will be ISU students. Should
the City Council choose to pursue Alternative #1, it should be emphasized the ISU
representatives have expressed opposition to allowing scooters on campus. Therefore,
the overall success of this micromobility option could be in jeopardy if the
availability/connectivity of scooters are not integrated between the City and ISU
properties.
1
Item # __21__
Staff Report
REQUEST TO INTIATE A LAND USE POLICY PLAN AMENDMENT FOR
PROPERTY LOCATED AT 802 DELAWARE AVENUE
March 10, 2020
At the January 28th City Council meeting Council referred to staff a request submitted by
Justin Dodge with Hunziker Companies seeking to change the land use of the property
at 802 Delaware Avenue from Low-Density Residential to Medium-Density Residential.
(Attachment A) The property is approximately .75 acres and accessed from Delaware
Avenue. The City Council reviewed a memo from staff at their February 11th meeting
and directed staff to place the item on a future agenda for discussion about the
request and how it related to recent infill discussion of Ames Plan 2040.
The Land Use Policy Plan map shows this particular site and the immediately surrounding
area as Low-Density Residential. The property is currently zoned RL (Residential Low-
Density), which allows for only single-family residential uses. The property could be
divided to allow for construction of up to three single-family detached homes. Mr. Dodge
wishes to change the underlying land use to Medium-Density Residential to
accommodate a future rezoning of the property in order to construct a medium
density residential development. The site is not large enough to be rezoned to a
Planned Residence District (PRD), which requires a minimum of two acres.
The site is currently vacant with single-family homes to the north and south and a mix of
two-family and single-family to the west. The two-family homes are allowed as “Pre-
existing” within RL zoning. The nearest multi-family property is located approximately two
blocks to the north.
On the February 11th memo, staff identified two options for the City Council.
OPTION 1- Deny the request and maintain the existing land use designation
The City Council can choose to retain the existing LUPP designation of Low-density
Residential. By retaining the Low Density designation, the site could be marketed for one
to three new single-family homes consistent with current RL zoning.
If the City Council agrees that this is a viable site for redevelopment as currently zoned,
there would be no need to take any further action on this referral request.
2
OPTION 2- Direct Staff To initiate an LUPP amendment to Medium Density
Residential:
The overall size of the property is relatively small for an LUPP amendment that is isolated
from other similar areas. The LUPP does not have policies directing the City to consider
small area changes of this type.
The developer has indicated they have an interest in construct building types that
are not allowed within RL zoning, such as townhomes. Changing the designation
to Medium Density Residential would allow for RM zoning, which permits a full
range of building types, including two-family homes, single-family attached, and
apartment buildings.
The overall density on the site would also increase. The minimum Medium Density
standard is 7.26 dwelling units per net acre, compared to a maximum of 7.26 in Low
Density Residential. Allowed units would increase to 5 to12 units. Single-family attached
homes on individual lots would need lot frontage along Delaware. Other building
configurations would be treated as an apartment building and not require street frontage
per unit. The overall development of the site would require review of landscaping and
circulation to fully understand its development potential.
STAFF COMMENTS:
Changing the land use on the site to a Medium-Density land use designation would cause
for an island of contrasting land use to its surroundings. Typically, the City has not taken
on small area changes of this type with an LUPP amendment that are not an extension
of other policy areas. This area has not been highlighted for intensification with
Ames Plan 2040. Staff believes it would be premature to move ahead with a LUPP
change based upon preliminary policy discussions of Ames Plan 2040 as the
concept of infill, intensification, and design are not fully developed for existing
areas.
3
Attachment A: Location and Land Use
1
Item:_22__
Staff Report
PLANNING AND HOUSING DEPARTMENT WORK PLAN PRIORITIES
March 10, 2020
BACKGROUND:
City Council last formerly reviewed the Planning and Housing Department Work Plan in
August of 2018. However, City Council recently adopted new Values and Goals at its
February 25th meeting that changed certain Council priorities. It is appropriate at this time
to review the overall priorities for the upcoming year.
COMMITTED PROJECTS:
Committed projects are either ongoing projects or prior directives of the City Council that
are not yet complete.
• Ames Plan 2040
• Downtown Gateway Development project discussions
• Work with Denny Elwell representatives on changes to contract rezoning for
E. 13th Street facilitating the “Fleet Farm” development.
• 321 State Avenue Affordable Housing Development
• Prairie View Industrial Park (East Industrial) ReZoning/Zoning District,
pending utility construction
• Downtown Sub-Area planning discussion, i.e. parking, public spaces, URA
standards/Incentives
• Create program for incentivizing conversion of single-family rentals to home
ownership
• Staff report describing sign code deficiencies to direct future sign code
updates (See separate non-agenda packet response, assume some future
text amendments)
• Zoning Ordinance minor “cleanup” issues-(Garbage collection, buffer width,
front yard setback encroachments, parking for industrial uses, etc.)
• Urban Revitalization Area review of areas and current incentives
Additional tasks from the recently adopted Council Goals include the following and the
timeframe they are to begin:
• Provide a report regarding minimum lot sizes and multiple dwelling on a lot in
order to address creating a diverse housing stock for new development (June
2020)
• City Council workshop on a Downtown Plaza (Spring 2020)
• Provide a report and inventory of existing beautification plans, gateway
signage, themes etc. in order to create an RFP for a citywide master plan
(October 2020)
Attachment A is a chart indicating basic project milestones for these activities.
2
NON-COMMITTED PROJECTS:
In addition to the 13 projects listed above, City Council through its establishment of
referrals and prior work plan priorities have a list of 20 other projects to consider in
prioritizing the Planning Division work plan. Although not all of the project scopes are well
defined, staff has added a column to the work plan which includes an estimated range of
hours needed for each project. These estimates are intended to help Council have an
understanding of the order of magnitude of Planning Division resources needed for a
project. City Council should note that often there are additional city staff resources
needed to complete the project e.g. City Attorney’s Office and the Public Works
Department that are not reflected on this chart.
STAFF COMMENTS:
Based upon Attachment A with the projected project timelines and milestones,
staff is not recommending any additional projects. However, due to variability in the
timing of some of the projects shown in Attachment A there is a possibility for some
flexibility to address other issues identified by City Council that will not involve significant
staff time. The highest priority for staff in regards to the projects reflected on
Attachment B would be working with Public Works to coordinate implementation
of Complete Streets with Subdivision Code text amendments on as time allows
basis. In addition, City Council could change out or replace prior priorities that are
not yet complete with new projects and activities.
City Council does not need to rank the non-prioritized projects on Attachment B,
but could choose to remove items that are no longer of interest to Council to reduce
overall back log.
Tentative Project Milestones
April May June July August September October November December January February March
Report on small lot area and multiple dwellings
(CC Goal)Report to CC
Downtown Plaza Workshop (CC Goal)
Workshop
Beautification Master Plan Inventory Report
(CC Goal)Report RFP Hire Consultant Begin Project
Ames Plan 2040 Council
Workshop Draft Plan Public Review Public Review Public Review Final Draft Final Draft Adoption …
Implementation
Priorities … ..
Downtown Gateway Development
TBD
Contract rezoning for E. 13th Street facilitating the
“Fleet Farm” development.TBD
321 State Avenue Affordable Housing Development
Workshop LIHTC LIHTC RFP
LIHTC Dev.
Agreement
LIHTC
Application
Prairie View Industrial Park (East Industrial)
ReZoning/Zoning District, pending utility
construction
Discuss Zoning
Options Rezone Area
Downtown Sub-Area planning discussion, i.e.
parking, public spaces, URA standards/Incentives TBD
Create program for incentivizing conversion of
single-family rentals to home ownership
City Council
Review
Sign Code Updates
Draft Language Public Input Public Input New Ordinance
Zoning Ordinance minor “cleanup” issues
As needed As needed As needed As needed
Urban Revitalization Area review of areas and
current incentives
Report to
Council
Repeal East
University URA for
New construction
2020 2021
3
Attachment B-Non-Prioritized
Date
Referred
Description Comments Hours
1/12/2016 Review demolition criteria in the O-UIE in general,
including hardship elements
Related referral regarding URA
incentives
80-150
1/12/2016 Review demolition criteria in the O-UIE to add
criteria for historic preservation and to evaluate
sustainability (life cycle evaluation) of demolition
vs. rehabilitation.
Related referral regarding URA
incentives
80-150
2015-Spring Update the Planned Residential Development
Zoning District
May relate to Council Goal Task on lot
size
40-120
2015-Spring Review RH zoning and design guidelines/standards 70-200
9/13/2016 Review Downtown Façade Program Requirements
and consider "Development Grants"
Recent request by Main Street for
façade program changes January 2020
40-200
12/20/2016 William Underwood Fringe Plan Industrial
Amendment & Annexation Dayton Avenue
To be incorporated into Ames Plan
2040.
xxx
5/16/2017 Review outdoor sales standards for commercial
areas. This includes fireworks and other outdoor
display.
Would also address food truck
locations.
30
9/25/2108 Request for the Planning staff to reach out to
engineers in the community to solicit feedback
about proposed changes to the new landscape
ordinance after the other priority projects of the
Council have been completed.
40
Fall 2018 Review Subdivision Code standards for Complete
Streets Policy consistency.
80
10/16/2018 Begin working with neighborhood associations to
develop recommendations for improving the
Neighborhood Association program.
Staff has worked on this incrementally
as time permits, no formal proposal at
this time
12/11/2018 Request for a memo regarding David M's request
to provide better sidewalk access from the Kmart
renovation project and how to improve access
from the buildings to the street in all future
developments.
Staff expects revised MSDP for the site
and has requested additional sidewalk
from Buckeye into the site.
10
2/12/2019 Referred to staff for a memo the letter from Chuck
Winkleblack concerning two billboards on the two-
block stretch on the north side of Lincoln Way
between Clark and Kellogg
Awaiting Legal review of issues. TBD
5/28/2019 Review zoning requirements for landscaping on
private property to determine if they are
compatible with CPTED principles.
40
4
5/14/2019 Hold off any final decision regarding plaza in
Campustown until final decision is made regarding
relocating Fire Station #2 and completion of Welch
improvements.
On hold NA
7/23/2019 Request to respond to Kurt Friedrich's letter for
the Council to consider greater incentives for
infrastructure for residential developments.
In review with City Manager 80
10/8/2019 Requested staff memo regarding zoning
recommendation for the lot west of old KFC lot on
LW.
10
12/10/2019 Modify University URA to eliminate tax abatement
for additional new fraternities and sororities.
30
1/24/2020 802 Delaware LUPP Amendment Initiate Change to
Medium Density-Future Agenda
On March 10th Agenda for Discussion 30
2/25/2020
Request by Mr. Jennings for a front yard parking
text amendment//Memo
Non-agenda Packet March 10th 20
2/25/2020
Letter from Justin Dodge on Champlin Property
roadway improvement requirements and costs
Memo to be provided this spring,
annexation is currently tabled by
Council.
20
OLD CAF
ITEM # 25d 23
DATE: 02-25-20
03-10-20
COUNCIL ACTION FORM
SUBJECT: PUBLIC HEARING AND NOTICE OF INTENT TO ISSUE $13,865,000
ESSENTIAL CORPORATE PURPOSE GENERAL OBLIGATION
BONDS, $9,635,000 GENERAL OBLIGATION REFUNDING BONDS
AND ASSOCIATED TAX LEVY FOR DEBT SERVICE
BACKGROUND:
The FY 2020/21 budget includes a number of General Obligation (G.O.) Bond-funded
capital improvements. A public hearing is required to authorize issuance of bonds and
the levy of property taxes for debt to be issued. The dollar amounts and corresponding
property tax levy for the planned G.O. bond issue are included as part of the FY
2020/21 budget.
The G.O. Bonds and debt service levy for the FY 2020/21 budget were based on
projects listed in the table below. Council authorization will be required at a later date to
authorize the sale of the bonds. Bonds are expected to be issued shortly after the start
of the new fiscal year. In addition to the G.O. Bonds to fund capital improvement
projects, staff has identified a potential refunding for bonds issued in 2010, 2011, and
2012 that may provide savings in debt service costs. Though Council will be holding a
public hearing and notice of intent on the sale of bonds, the refunding sale will not go
forward unless adequate savings are expected.
Please note that in addition to the amount to fund the $13,181,900 in G.O. bond-funded
capital projects, the not-to-exceed amount for the issuance includes a $1,018,100
additional authorization to allow for issuance costs and the option to sell bonds at a
premium over the par or face value of bonds. In any case, debt will not be issued in an
amount where debt service exceeds the property tax levy included in the proposed
budget.
The public hearing and pre-levy authorization is required at the time of the budget
approval to levy property taxes for the bonds not yet issued. The pre-levy amount is
included as part of the total debt service property tax levy and is $1,073,126 of the total
taxes levied for debt service at $10,043,500.
The Capital Improvements Plan’s 2020/21 G.O. Bond issue includes the following:
Subtotal Tax Supported Bonds $ 10,681,900
Subtotal TIF Abated Bonds 2,500,000
Total Bond Funded Projects 13,181,900
Refunding Bonds 9,300,000
Issuance Cost and Allowance for Premium 1,018,100
Grand Total – 2020/21 G.O. Issue $23,500,000
ALTERNATIVES:
1. Adopt a resolution authorizing the issuance of Essential Corporate Purpose
General Obligation Bonds and General Obligation Refunding Bonds in an
amount not to exceed $23,500,000 and the Debt Service levy to pay principal
and interest on the bonds as well as setting the date of public hearing for March
10, 2020.
It should be noted that the $2,500,000 in TIF abated bonds for extending the
sanitary sewer line along 13th Street from Dayton across Highway 35 is included
in the public hearing notice. However, the City Council will not be obligated to
issue bonds for this project unless we are able finalize an acceptable agreement
with the developer and complete the TIF process.
2. Modify the pre-levy resolution authorizing the issuance of Essential Corporate
Purpose General Obligation Bonds, reduce the FY 2020/21 property tax levy,
and delay one, or more, of the recommended capital projects. Under this
alternative, the City Council will require setting a date of public hearing for March
10, 2020.
CITY MANAGER’S RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Prior to the issuance of this debt, state law requires that this pre-levy resolution be
adopted. This is a required step in order to accomplish the Council’s approved capital
improvements for the upcoming fiscal year.
Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council adopt
Alternative No. 1, thereby adopting a resolution authorizing the issuance of Essential
Corporate Purpose General Obligation Bonds and General Obligation Refunding Bonds
in an amount not to exceed $23,500,000 and the Debt Service levy to pay principal and
interest on the bonds as well as setting the date of public hearing for March 10, 2020.
1
ITEM # _ _26__
DATE: 03-10-20
COUNCIL ACTION FORM
SUBJECT: IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH PARK PHASE IV
BACKGROUND:
The ISU Research Park Phase IV Road and Utility Improvements Project consists of the
public improvements associated with this next phase of the Research Park expansion. This
project includes the paving of approximately 1,570 feet of South Riverside Drive (with
shared use path), 1,860 feet of Collaboration Place (with on-street bike lanes), the
extension of sanitary sewer and water main, the installation of electric distribution
improvements, and street lighting.
On February 12, 2020, bids for this project were received as follows:
Funding Source Funding Expenses
Iowa DOT (RISE – up to 70%, utilities not eligible) $1,812,091
Department of Commerce (EDA – up to 50%) $1,743,558
G.O. Bonds (TIF Abated – electric not eligible) $ 314,204
Ames Electric Operating Budget $ 135,000
Engineering/Admin $ 545,720.00
Construction $2,823,757.81
TOTAL $4,004,853 $3,369,477.81
The acceptance of the report of bids and approval of final plans and specifications for this
project occurred at the February 25, 2020 Council meeting. The Economic Development
Administration (EDA grant) and the Iowa DOT (RISE grant) have now given their
concurrence, therefore, this action form is for project award.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. Award the Iowa State University Research Park Phase IV Project to Con-Struct
Inc. of Ames, Iowa in the amount of $2,823,757.81.
Bidder Bid Amount
Engineer’s estimate $ 3,223,599.25
Con-Struct Inc. 2,823,757.81
Rognes Corp. 3,284,882.65
2
2. Award the contract to another bidder.
3. Reject the award and direct staff to modify the project for a future bid letting.
M AN AGE R’S RECOMMENDED AC TION:
The Research Park is an important economic development area for the region and this
investment will promote further growth. By awarding this project, it will be possible to move
forward with this next phase of ISU Research Park improvements.
Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council adopt
Alternative No. 1, as noted above.
ITEM # ___27__
DATE: 03-10-20
COUNCIL ACTION FORM
SUBJECT: COMBUSTION TURBINE FUEL FORWARDING PUMP HOUSE FIRE
PROTECTION UPGRADE
BACKGROUND:
On January 28, 2020, City Council approved preliminary plans and specifications for the
upgrade of the fire protection system at the City of Ames Combustion Turbine (CT) site
located on Pullman Avenue. The current system is currently a pressurized Carbon
Dioxide (CO2) system and needs to be upgraded to a dry pipe sprinkler system to meet
current insurance standards.
The current system has limited operability and can be operated only for a fixed amount
of time due to the limited supply of on-site CO2. Upgrading the system to a dry pipe
sprinkler system would increase the capacity of the system to address the concern for
the length of time the system would be able to operate; by tapping into the onsite water
line, which would provide an “unlimited” supply of fire retardant.
Bid documents were issued to twenty-nine firms and four plan rooms. The bid was
advertised on the Current Bid Opportunities section of the Purchasing webpage and a
Legal Notice was published on the websites of a contractor plan room service with
statewide circulation and the Iowa League of Cities.
On February 26, 2020, two bids were received as shown on the report below.
Staff reviewed the bids received and determined that lowest responsive, responsible
bidder The Waldinger Corporation of West Des Moines, Iowa is qualified to perform the
necessary work and has the capacity to complete the project within the timeframe
required. Staff recommends an award of contract to The Waldinger Corporation of
West Des Moines, Iowa for base bid in the amount of $129,071.00 is in the best interest
of the City. This vendor is licensed to collect taxes for the State of Iowa.
BIDDER LUMP SUM COST SALES AND/OR USE TAXES INC. EVALUATED BID PRICE
Invitation to Bid #2020-095 Fuel Forwarding Pump House Fire
Protection Upgrade Bid Summary
The engineer’s estimate to upgrade the CT fuel forwarding building fire protection
system is $149,000. The approved FY 2019/20 Capital Improvements Plan includes a
funding carryover of $782,005 for the Power Plant Fire Protection system.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. Award a contract to The Waldinger Corporation., West Des Moines, IA, for the
Fuel Forwarding Pump House Fire Protection Upgrade in the amount of
$129,071.00.
2. Reject the bids, which will delay this upgrade.
CITY MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION:
This work is necessary to upgrade the fire protection system to increase site safety
precautions and to meet a recommendation from the insurance company.
Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council adopt
Alternative No. 1 as stated above.
ITEM # ___28 _
DATE: 03-10-20
COUNCIL ACTION FORM
SUBJECT: EAST INDUSTRIAL AREA UTILITY EXTENSION PROJECT – REPORT
OF BIDS
BACKGROUND:
The East Industrial Area Utility Extension Project consists of the extension of water and
sanitary sewer to the recently annexed area east of Interstate 35 (I-35). More specifically,
it involves the installation of water main and gravity sewer between I-35 and Potter Ave
(formerly 590th), force sewer from Teller Ave (formerly 580th) to west of Freel Drive, and
construction of a sewer lift station. This new area to be served by City utilities east of I-
35 has been certified by the Iowa Economic Development Authority as the Prairie View
Industrial Center.
During the bid advertisement period, two (2) Addendums were issued for this project, and
on March 4, 2020, bids were received as follows:
Engineering and administration costs are estimated to be $771,000, bringing the total
estimated project cost to $7,869,946.00. This project is shown in the 2016/17 Capital
Improvement Plan with $5,300,000 in G.O. bond funding (Water and Sewer Utility
revenue abated).
This action form is for the reporting of bids only. Staff and the design consultant
will evaluate the bids and any appropriate modifications to the plans and project
approach. The decision to award the project or reject bids will be brought back to
City Council at a later date.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. Accept the report of bids for the East Industrial Area Utility Extension Project and
direct staff to work with our consulting engineers to determine if changes can be
made to the project specifications in order to bring the cost within the budget if it is
rebid.
2. Approve the bid from SM Hentges & Sons Inc. for $7,098,946 for the East
Industrial Area Utility Extension Project. In order to proceed with this alternative,
an additional $2,580,506 of unbudgeted funds will have to be identified.
Bidder Bid Amount
Engineer’s estimate $ 4,518,440
SM Hentges & Sons Inc. 7,098,946
MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Given the magnitude of the low bid, the best course of action at this time is to only report
the bids and delay any award until the staff and consulting engineers have time to further
evaluate the bids. Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the
City Council adopt Alternative No. 1, as noted above.
1
ITEM # ___29__
DATE: 03/10/20
COUNCIL ACTION FORM
SUBJECT: REPORT OF BID AND AWARD OF CONTRACT FOR CYRIDE HVAC
IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT
BACKGROUND:
The CyRide 2020 HVAC Improvement Project calls for the replacement of outdated
facility heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment. Bids were due on
February 26, 2020. This was the second time the project was bid, as the project
specifications were found to be overly restrictive after the first bids were received.
The HVAC equipment being replaced with this project received the highest priority for
replacement in CyRide’s Transit Asset Management (TAM) plan. A TAM plan is
required by the Federal Transit Administration, and its purpose is to ensure facility and
rolling stock assets are maintained in a state of good repair. In early 2019, CyRide staff
applied for an Iowa Department of Transportation Public Transit Infrastructure Grant
(PTIG) for the replacement of equipment in five areas of the facility. In July 2019, it was
announced that CyRide would be the recipient of $521,098 in requested grant money.
The total project budget is $651,373 and is listed in the 2019-2024 and 2020-2025 CIP.
Two rooftop units were bid as separate add alternates due to budget concerns. Only
one bid for the project was received. Mechanical Comfort, Inc. of Ames, IA submitted a
base bid of $539,500. Add Alternate 1 was bid at $145,500 and Add Alternate 2 was bid
at $54,750. Detailed bid information is provided in the table below:
Bidders Base Bid
HVAC equipment
removal and
Removal and
replacement of
Removal and
replacement of
After reviewing the bid results with the project design team, staff is recommending
accepting only the base bid, so that adequate funds are reserved for project
contingency and A&E fees. The two alternate bid rooftop units will be replaced in future
facility improvement projects.
Additionally, bid prices were higher for the second bid even though project
specifications were revised to allow more competition. Project budget information is
provided in the table below:
2
Funds Available Dollars
State PTIG Funds $ 521,098
Local $ 130,275
Total Available $ 651,373
The Ames Transit Agency Board of Trustees approved contract award to
Mechanical Comfort at the March 4, 2020 meeting. Final contract award is subject
to concurrence by the Iowa Department of Transportation Office of Public Transit.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. Approve the final plans and specifications for the CyRide 2020 HVAC Improvements
Project and award the construction contract for the project to Mechanical Comfort,
Inc. of Ames, IA for the base bid amount of $539,500.
2. Not approve the bid from Mechanical Comfort, Inc. and direct staff to modify the
project to reflect City Council priorities as well as rebid the project.
CITY MANAGER’S RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Awarding the base project will allow CyRide to move forward with a needed facility
improvement project. The two alternates (rooftop units) will be replaced in a future
facility improvement project.
Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council adopt
Alternative No. 1 as described above.
ITEM # ____30___
DATE 03-10-20
COUNCIL ACTION FORM
SUBJECT: WATER AND SEWER RATE ADJUSTMENTS FOR FY 2020/21
BACKGROUND:
Each year as a part of the annual budget process, staff updates a spreadsheet model for
the Water and Sewer Funds that reflects current and projected operating and capital
expenses for the utilities over the next ten years, and the resulting annual ending fund
balance in each of the funds. This model is used to establish a long-range pattern of rate
increases that will fully fund these self-funded enterprise utilities, including a 25%
operating reserve.
During the development of the FY 2020/21 budget, staff determined that a two percent
(2%) increase to water rates and a five percent (5%) increase to the sewer rates would
be needed, effective July 1, 2020. While the revenue estimated to be generated from the
rate increases was appropriated in the FY 2020/21 budget, no formal action has yet been
taken to adjust the rates. Attached to this Council Action Form is a draft ordinance
that will increase the water rates by 2% and the sewer rates by 5%, effective for all
bills mailed on or after July 1, 2020.
The slides attached to this Council Action Form provide a summary of the fund balance
analysis in a format that is very similar to what has been used in prior years. Highlights
from these slides will be shared at the Council meeting in a brief presentation.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. Approve on first reading, an ordinance that adjusts water rates by two percent (2%)
and sewer rates by five percent (5%), effective for bills mailed on or after July 1, 2020.
2. Direct staff to make modifications to the rate ordinance.
3. Do not take any action to adjust water or sewer rates, and give staff direction on
expenditure reductions in order to maintain positive fund balances.
MANAGER’S RECOMMENDED ACTION:
The proposed rate increase is necessary to fund the on-going operations and
maintenance budget plus the anticipated capital improvements projects. Therefore, it is
the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council adopt Alternative No. 1,
thereby approving on first reading an ordinance that adjusts water rates by two percent
(2%) and sewer rates by five percent (5%) effective for bills mailed on or after July 1,
2020.
ORDINANCE NO.
AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE MUNICIPAL CODE OF THE CITY
OF AMES, IOWA, BY REPEALING CHAPTER 28, SECTION 201(1)
(b)(ii)(a)(b), 2(b)(ii)(a)(b), 3(b)(ii)(a)(b), 4(b)(ii)(a)(b), 5(b)(ii)(a)(b), 7, 8,
SECTION 304 (3) AND ENACTING A NEW CHAPTER 28, SECTION
201(1)(b)(ii)(a)(b), 2(b)(ii)(a)(b), 3(b)(ii)(a)(b), 4(b)(ii)(a)(b), 5(b)(ii)(a)(b), 7, 8,
SECTION 304 (3). THEREOF, FOR THE PURPOSE OF INCREASE OF
WATER RATES AND CHARGES; REPEALING ANY AND ALL
ORDINANCES OR PARTS OF ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT TO THE
EXTENT OF SUCH CONFLICT; AND ESTABLISHING AN EFFECTIVE
DATE.
BE IT ENACTED, by the City Council for the City of Ames, Iowa, that:
Section One. The Municipal Code of the City of Ames, Iowa shall be and the same is hereby amended by
repealing Chapter 28, Section 201(1) (b)(ii)(a)(b), 2(b)(ii)(a)(b), 3(b)(ii)(a)(b), 4(b)(ii)(a)(b), 5(b)(ii)(a)(b), 7, 8, Section
304 (3) and enacting a new Chapter 28, Section 201(1)(b)(ii)(a)(b), 2(b)(ii)(a)(b), 3(b)(ii)(a)(b), 4(b)(ii)(a)(b),
5(b)(ii)(a)(b), 7, 8, Section 304(3) as follows:
Sec. 28.201. WATER RATES AND CHARGES
The rates and charges for water supplied to consumers by the water utility of the city, to be billed on or after July 1,
2020 are as follows:
(1)Residential Rates.
(a)Availability.The residential rate shall apply to all customer accounts within the Ames
corporate limits serving properties that are intended for occupancy by a single family as defined by the Ames
Zoning Ordinance, provided that such accounts consist of no more than two dwelling units served by a single water
meter or to multiple unit residential structures (such as apartment buildings) where every dwelling unit is separately
metered. The rate does not apply to domestic uses that consist of more than two dwelling units served by a single
meter or to water accounts that provide service for common areas such as shared laundry facilities or for general
property maintenance.
(b)Rate per billing period.For each monthly billing period a residential rate customer:
(i)shall be charged a minimum charge based on meter size, and in
addition
(ii) shall be charged for water usage during the billing periods as follows:
(a) for bills mailed on or between July 1 and October 31 (summer
period):
$0.0243 per cubic foot for the first 1000 cubic feet of usage
$0.0428 per cubic foot for the next 1500 cubic feet of usage
$0.0644 per cubic foot for all usage over 2500 cubic feet
(b) for bills mailed on or between November 1 and June 30 (winter
period):
$0.0243 per cubic foot
(Ord. No. 4351, 5-8-18; Ord. No. 4382, 4-9-19)
(2)Non-residential (Commercial) Rates
(a)Availability.The non-residential rate shall apply to all accounts that do not meet the
criteria for residential, irrigation and yard water, rural water, or non-peaking industrial rates.
(b)Rate per billing period:For each monthly billing period a non-residential customer:
(i)shall be charged a minimum charge based on meter size, and in
addition
(ii)shall be charged for water usage during the billing periods as follows:
(a) for bills mailed on or between July 1 and October 31 (summer
period):
$0.0318 per cubic foot
(b) for bills mailed on or between November 1 and June 30 (winter
period):
$0.0243 per cubic foot
(Ord. No. 4351, 5-8-18; Ord. No. 4382, 4-9-19)
(3)Non-Peaking Industrial Rate.
(a)Availability.The non-peaking industrial rate shall be available to all non-residential rate
customers who meet the following criteria:
(i)Average winter usage greater than 100,000 cubic feet per
billing period. Average winter usage per billing period will be calculated
by taking the sum of the usage during the most previous December,
January, and February billing periods and dividing by three.
(ii)A summer peaking factor equal to or less than 120%. The summer
peaking factor shall be computed by taking the largest consumption billed during the
most recent summer billing periods (bills mailed July, August, September, and October)
and dividing it by the average winter usage, with the result expressed as a percentage.
(b)Rate per Billing Period.For each monthly billing period a non-peaking industrial rate
customer:
(i)shall be charged a minimum charge based on meter size, and in addition
(ii)shall be charged for water usage during the billing periods as follows:
(a) for bills mailed on or between July 1 and October 31 (summer period):
$0.0243 per cubic foot
(b) for bills mailed on or between November 1 and June 30 (winter period):
$0.0243 per cubic foot
(Ord. No. 4351, 5-8-18; Ord. No. 4382, 4-9-19)
(4)Irrigation and Yard Water Service Rate.
(a)Availability.The irrigation and yard water rate shall apply to all separately metered
water uses that meet one of the following criteria:
(i)Serves primarily outdoor water uses, such as irrigation systems and
outside hose bibs.
(ii) Serves cooling towers, spray ponds, evaporative condensers, chillers, or
such similar uses where water is used as a medium for cooling.
(iii) Serves as a temporary water service, whether for irrigation purposes
or for other outdoor uses.
(b)Rate per Billing Period.For each monthly billing period an irrigation and yard water rate
customer:
(i)shall be charged a minimum charge as described below, and in addition
(ii)shall be charged for water usage during billing periods as follows:
(a) for bills mailed on or between July 1 and October 31 (summer period):
$0.0350 per cubic foot for the first 2000 cubic feet of usage
$0.0644 per cubic foot for the next 3000 cubic feet of usage
$0.1072 per cubic foot for all usage greater than 5000 cubic feet.
(b) for bills mailed on or between November 1 and June 30 (winter period):
$0.0243 per cubic foot
(Ord. No. 4351, 5-8-18; Ord. No. 4382, 4-9-19)
(5)Rural Water Rate.
(a)Availability.The rural water rate shall apply to all customer accounts
outside the Ames corporate limits, except those covered by a separate wholesale contract or agreement for
service.
(b)Rate per billing period.For each monthly billing period, a rural water rate
customer:
(i) shall be charged a Rural water minimum charge
based on meter size.
(ii) shall be charged for water usage during billing periods as follows:
(a) for bills mailed on or between July 1 and October 31 (summer
period):
$0.0402 per cubic foot for the first 2000 cubic feet of usage
$0.0740 per cubic foot for the next 3000 cubic feet of usage
$0.1233 per cubic foot for all usage greater than 5000 cubic feet.
(b) for bills mailed on or between November 1 and June 30 (winter
period):
$0.0274 per cubic foot for all consumption
(Ord. No. 4351, 5-8-18; Ord. No. 4382, 4-9-19)
(6)Water Rate and Charge Adjustments.It shall be the duty of the director of water and
pollution control to review and recommend to the city council revisions of the rates and charges
established and set out in this division at intervals appropriate to provide for the funding needs of the
utility.
(7)Minimum charges.For each monthly billing, each customer shall be charged a
minimum monthly charge based on the size of the water meter (s) and/or irrigation meter (s) at each
location. The minimum monthly charge may be prorated, based on a 30-day billing period, for the
customer’s initial and/or final bills, provided that in no case shall the minimum monthly charge be less
than five dollars and ninety-six cents ($5.96).
The minimum monthly charge for each water meter location shall be as follows:
Residential,
Non -r esidential,
Size of Non -peaking Industrial,Yar d Water Rur al Water
Meter an d Irr igation Accoun ts Accounts Accounts
5/8” or 5/8”x3/4”12.40 4.70 14.27
3/4 in ch 24.81 7.29 28.53
1 in ch 49.62 10.16 57.07
1-1/2 in ch 99.25 14.01 114.14
2 in ch 198.49 18.64 228.27
2 inch,battery of 2 384.46 --442.13
2 inch,battery of 3 570.51 --656.08
3 in ch 396.89 24.24 456.43
4 in ch 669.72 30.13 770.18
6 in ch 1,116.20 36.09 1,283.63
8 in ch 2,232.39 42.04 2,567.25
10 in ch 3,348.59 47.55 3,850.88
(Ord. No. 4351, 5-8-18; Ord. No. 4382, 4-9-19)
(8)Multiple dwellings – Mobile home parks.Multiple dwellings, including mobile
home parks, may be serviced from a single water meter. However, there shall be a surcharge added to
the water rates set forth above, to be calculated as follows:
For a 5/8 inch meter serving 2 or more dwelling units............. 3.57/month/unit
For a ¾ inch meter serving 4 or more dwelling units............... 3.57/month/unit
For a 1 inch meter serving 8 or more dwelling units................ 3.57/month/unit
For a 1-1/2 inch meter serving 16 or more dwelling units........ 3.57/month/unit
For a 2 inch meter serving 30 or more dwelling units................. 106.86/month
for the first 30 units plus $5.55/month per unit
for each additional unit in excess of 30 units
For a 3 inch or larger meter serving any number of dwelling units .......... 4.91/month/unit
. . .
Sec. 28.304. SEWER RATES ESTABLISHED.
(1)Each user shall pay for the services provided by the City based on its use of the treatment
works as determined by water meter readings or other appropriate methods acceptable to the City.
(Ord. 4199, 11-25-14)
(2) For all users, monthly user charges shall be based on actual water usage, except
where a practical method of wastewater measurement is available. If a user has a consumptive
use of water, or in some other manner uses water which is not discharged into the wastewater
collection system, the user charge for that contributor may be based on readings of a wastewater
meter(s) or separate water meter(s) installed and maintained at the user's expense and in a
manner acceptable to the City.
(3)For each monthly billing on or after July 1, 2020, each customer shall be charged
a minimum monthly charge. The minimum charge for each location shall be eleven dollars and
fifty-eight cents ($11.58). The minimum monthly charge may be prorated, based on a 30-day
billing period, for the customer’s initial and/or final bills, provided that in no case shall the
prorated minimum monthly charge be less than four dollars and forty-five cents ($4.45). In
addition, for all water metered beginning with the first cubic foot each month, each user shall
pay two dollars and ninety-six cents ($2.96) per 100 cubic feet.
(Ord. No. 3168, Sec. 1, 4-28-92; Ord. No. 3326, Sec. 2, 5-9-95; Ord. No. 3834, 5-24-05; Ord. No.
3956, 06-10-08;Ord. No. 4037, 5-11-10; Ord. No. 4144, 5-14-13; Ord. No. 4814, 5-27-14; Ord.
No. 4215, 5-12-15; Ord. No. 4351, 5-8-18)
. . .
Section Two. All ordinances, or parts of ordinances, in conflict herewith are hereby repealed to the
extent of such conflict, if any.
Section Three. This ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage and
publication as required by law.
Passed this day of , .
_____________________________________________________________________________
Diane R. Voss, City Clerk John A. Haila, Mayor
FY 2020-2021 Water & Sewer Rates
March 10, 2020 Entry signage at the Ames Water Treatment Plant
and Ames Water Pollution Control Facility
1
Outline
•National & State-Wide Trends in Rates
•Projected Need for Revenue Increase
•Translating Revenue Needs to Rates
•Customer Perspective
•Council Direction
Water meters lined up on a test bench
2
National & State-Wide Trends Visitors at the inaugural open house tours
of the new Ames Water Plant
3
National and State Trends
Data sources include:
•2018 Cost of Clean Water Index
National Association of Clean Water Agencies
•2019 Water and Wastewater Rate Survey
American Water Works Association
•2019 Iowa Water and Wastewater Rate Survey
City of Ames Water and Pollution Control
Solids Contact Unit in service
Ames Water Plant
4
2018 Cost of Clean Water Index, NACWA
•Average annual wastewater bill has doubled nationally in last 15 years
•Wastewater utilities expect charges to increase from 3.4% to 3.7% per year for the next 5 years
•Nationally, the average increase in 2018 was 1.6x the rate of inflation
(17th consecutive year that sewer rates nationally have outpaced inflation)
National Trends
5
3.6%3.5%3.7%3.4%3.6%
0%
2%
4%
6%
8%
2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Projected National Annual Change
in Cost, Based on Approved and
Anticipated Rate Increases -
NACWA
2019 Water & Wastewater Rate Survey,
American Water Works Association
•79% of Drinking Water Utilities nationally have
increased rates in the past two years
•77% of Wastewater Utilities nationally have increased
rates in the past two years.
•Lowest costs for both water and sewer were in the
Midwest
National Trends
Water main break repair in Ames
circa 1953
6
National Trends
2014 to 2019
Average Annual Increase in Water Rates: 4.8%
Average Annual Increase in Sewer Rates: 4.1%
Average Annual Increase in CPI: 2.0%
Sources: 2014 Water and Wastewater Rate Survey, AWWA/Raftelis Financial Consultants
2019 Water and Wastewater Rate Survey, AWWA/Raftelis Financial Consultants Cogeneration switchgear
Ames Water Pollution Control Facility
7
Recent Rate Adjustments in Ames
Water Sewer
FY 15/16 4% 5%
FY 16/17 -- --
FY 17/18 -- --
FY 18/19 3.5% 3%
FY 19/20 7% --
Annual Average 2.9% 1.6%
pH meter and buffers
Ames Water Plant
8
Ames Trends vs. National Trends
Water
National Average Annual Increase: 4.8%
Ames Average Annual Increase: 2.9%
Sewer
National Average Annual Increase: 4.1%
Ames Average Annual Increase: 1.6%
Average Annual Increase in CPI: 2.0%
National and CPI Data: 2014 – 2019
Ames Data: 2015 – 2019 Smart Water Conservation Promotion
Water & Pollution Control Dept.
9
2019 Iowa Water & Wastewater Rate Survey,
City of Ames, Iowa
Percent of Utilities with a rate increase in past two years:
•Drinking Water: 76% (22 of 29)
•More than 5%: 59% (17 of 29)
•More than 10%: 28% (8 of 29)
•Wastewater: 72% (31 of 43)
•More than 5%: 53% (23 of 43)
•More than 10%: 23% (10 of 43)
Iowa Trends
Bloomington Road Elevated Tank
at sunset
10
Ames Trends vs. Iowa Trends
2015-2019 Trends
Water
Iowa Average Annual Increase: 5.9%
Ames Average Annual Increase: 2.9%
Sewer
Iowa Average Annual Increase: 5.1%
Ames Average Annual Increase: 1.6 %
Average Annual Increase in CPI: 2.0%
Iowa, Ames, and CPI Data: 2015 – 2019
1 million gallon elevated tank
Mortensen Road and County Line Road 11
Iowa Trends in Water Rates
1999-2019, Cities with population >10,000 with lime softening, 600 cf per month
Statewide Median Ames Rates
12
$0
$10
$20
$30
$40
$50
1998 2003 2008 2013 2018
Ames is at the 36th percentile, based on 2019 rates
Comparing Across Water Demand Thresholds
Cities with population >10,000 with lime softening, 2019
Statewide Median Ames Rates
13
$10.00
$20.00
$30.00
$40.00
$50.00
600 cf
$20.00
$40.00
$60.00
$80.00
1,000 cf
$100.00
$200.00
$300.00
$400.00
$500.00
$600.00
$700.00
$800.00
$900.00
10,000 cf
$1,000.00
$2,000.00
$3,000.00
$4,000.00
$5,000.00
$6,000.00
$7,000.00
$8,000.00
$9,000.00
100,000 cf
Iowa Trends in Sewer Rates
1999-2019, Cities with population >10,000, 600 cf per month
Statewide Median Ames Rates
14
$0
$10
$20
$30
$40
$50
$60
$70
1998 2003 2008 2013 2018
Ames is at the 24th percentile, based on 2019 rates
Comparing Across Sewer Demand Thresholds
Cities with population >10,000, 2019
Statewide Median Ames Rates
15
$0.00
$10.00
$20.00
$30.00
$40.00
$50.00
$60.00
600 cf
$0.00
$20.00
$40.00
$60.00
$80.00
$100.00
1,000 cf
$0.00
$200.00
$400.00
$600.00
$800.00
$1,000.00
10,000 cf
$0
$2,000
$4,000
$6,000
$8,000
$10,000
100,000 cf
Revenue Need and Rate Adjustments in Ames Best Tasting Water in Iowa
2017 & 2018
16
Water Revenue Sources
FY 19/20 Amended Budget
Total Revenue Estimate: $11.79M
17
Rate-Derived Revenue,
$10,365,400
ISU Contract Sales,
$949,000
Grants & Donations,
$42,290
All Other Revenues,
$431,145
Water Rate-Derived Revenue
FY 19/20 Amended Budget
Rate-Derived Revenue Estimate:
$10.37M
18
Consumption,
$5,721,000
Minimum Charge,
$4,216,000
Multi-unit Charge,
$355,000
Yard Meter Minimum
Charge, $73,400
Sewer Revenue Sources
FY 19/20 Amended Budget
Total Revenue Estimate: $9.40M
19
Rate Derived
Revenue,
$,7,111,000
ISU Contract,
$1,365,000
NADC Contract,
$414,000
NVSL Contract,
$46,000
Pretreatment / FOG
$230,500
All Other Revenues,
$229,500
Sewer Rate-Derived Revenue
FY 19/20 Amended Budget
Rate-Derived Revenue Estimate:
$7.11M
20
Consumption,
$4,733,000
Minimum Charge,
$2,378,000
Current Water Rates ($/cf)
Existing Increase Total
Winter
All customers; all consumption $0.0238
Summer
Residential
Block 1 (First 1,000 cf)
Block 2 (Next 1,500 cf) $0.0238
Block 3 (Over 2,500 cf) $0.0420
Irrigation & Yard Water $0.0631
Block 1 (First 2,000 cf)
Block 2 (Next 3,000 cf) $0.0343
Block 3 (Over 5,000 cf) $0.0631
$0.1051
Non-Residential
All consumption $0.0311
Non-Peaking Industrial
All consumption $0.0238
Piping in High Service Pump Room
Ames Water Plant
21
Current Sewer Rates ($/cf)
Existing Increase Total
Minimum Charge $11.03
All customers, per month
Prorated Minimum $4.24
Consumption, per 100 cubic feet $2.82
All customers, all consumption
Primary Digester
Ames Water Pollution Control Facility
22
Water Fund Rate Model – No Adjustments
23
3.5%7.0%
-50,000
-45,000
-40,000
-35,000
-30,000
-25,000
-20,000
-15,000
-10,000
-5,000
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
18-19 19-20 20-21 21-22 22-23 23-24 24-25 25-26 26-27 27-28 28-29 29-30
En
d
i
n
g
B
a
l
a
n
c
e
(
$
1
,
0
0
0
'
s
)
Ending Fund Balance Operating Reserve Percentage Rate Increase
Sewer Fund Rate Model – No Adjustments
24
3%
-20,000
-15,000
-10,000
-5,000
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
18-19 19-20 20-21 21-22 22-23 23-24 24-25 25-26 26-27 27-28 28-29 29-30
En
d
i
n
g
B
a
l
a
n
c
e
(
$
1
,
0
0
0
'
s
)
Ending Fund Balance Operating Reserve Percentage Rate Increase
Developing Rate Recommendations Old Water Pollution Control Facility
Circa 1955
25
•Rate increases should be done with smaller
percentage increases on a more frequent
basis, as opposed to larger increases on a
less frequent basis.
•Slowly grow the operating reserve in each
Fund over time until it reaches 25% of the
Fund’s annual operating expenses
Guiding Philosophy on Rates
Limestone sign salvaged from the 1924
water plant, relocated to the new facility
26
Water and Sewer Rate Projections
Last
Year
Current
Year Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6 Year 7 Year 8 Year 9 Year 10
18-19 19-20 20-21 21-22 22-23 23-24 24-25 25-26 26-27 27-28 28-29 29-30
Water Fund 3.5%7% 2% 8% 2% 9% 2% 9% 9% 9%
Sewer Fund 3%5% 5% 8% 8% 8%
2016 open house tours
Ames Water Pollution Control Facility 27
Water Fund Rate Model
28
3.5%7.0%2.0%8.0%2.0%9.0%2.0%9.0%9.0%9.0%
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
18-19 19-20 20-21 21-22 22-23 23-24 24-25 25-26 26-27 27-28 28-29 29-30
En
d
i
n
g
B
a
l
a
n
c
e
(
$
1
,
0
0
0
'
s
)
Ending Fund Balance Operating Reserve Percentage Rate Increase
Sewer Fund Rate Model
29
3%5%5%8%8%8%
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
18-19 19-20 20-21 21-22 22-23 23-24 24-25 25-26 26-27 27-28 28-29 29-30
En
d
i
n
g
B
a
l
a
n
c
e
(
$
1
,
0
0
0
'
s
)
Ending Fund Balance Operating Reserve Percentage Rate Increase
Rate Projections vs. Statewide Trends
30
$-
$25.00
$50.00
$75.00
$100.00
$125.00
$150.00
$175.00
$200.00
$225.00
2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029
Statewide Range Ames Residential Statewide Median
Projected Ames Monthly Water and Sewer Bill vs 6-year Statewide Trends
600 cubic feet per month
Revised Water Rates
Bloomington Road Elevated Tank (BRET)
as seen from above
31
2%
Existing Increase New
Winter
All customers; all consumption $0.0238 $0.0005 $0.0243
Summer
Residential
Block 1 (First 1,000 cf)
Block 2 (Next 1,500 cf) $0.0238 $0.0005 $0.0243
Block 3 (Over 2,500 cf) $0.0420 $0.0008 $0.0428
Irrigation & Yard Water $0.0631 $0.0013 $0.0644
Block 1 (First 2,000 cf)
Block 2 (Next 3,000 cf) $0.0343 $0.0007 $0.0350
Block 3 (Over 5,000 cf) $0.0631 $0.0013 $0.0644
$0.1051 $0.0021 $0.1072
Non-Residential
All consumption $0.0311 $0.0006 $0.0318
Non-Peaking Industrial
All consumption $0.0238 $0.0005 $0.0243
Revised Sewer Rates
Entry sign into the Trickling Filter Pump Station
Ames Water Pollution Control Facility
32
5%
Existing Increase New
Minimum Charge $11.03 $0.55 $11.58
All customers, per month
Prorated Minimum $4.24 $0.21 $4.45
Consumption, per 100 cubic feet $2.82 $0.14 $2.96
All customers, all consumption
Associated Rates and Fees
•Water minimum bills, multiple dwelling unit fees would also adjust by 2%
•Sewer high-strength surcharge, FOG, hauled waste, other sewer-associated
fees would adjust by 5%
•Meter setting fees would be adjusted based on actual cost recovery
•Add and adjust fees for selected laboratory analytes
Solids Contact Unit Effluent Weir
Ames Water Plant
33
Customer Perspective Visitors waiting to tour new Water Plant
2017 Ribbon-cutting Ceremony
34
Sample Customer Bill – Median Use Residential
Electric Storm Water
Electric / Water Use Summer Water Summer Sewer Total
600 kWh and 600 cf $81.10 $4.95 $26.44 $27.95 $140.44
Electric ECA -$3.96 -$3.96
Totals $77.14 $4.95 $26.44 $27.95 $136.48
Increase Due to Rate Change $0.00 $0.00 $0.53 $1.40 $1.93
Totals $77.14 $4.95 $26.97 $29.35 $138.41
% Impact on Total Bill 1.41%
35
Council Direction City Council Members serving during design and
construction of the new Ames Water Treatment Plant
36
Recommended Direction & Timeline
•Adopt on first reading an ordinance to
•Adjust Water Rates by 2%
•Adjust Sewer Rates by 5%
•New rates effective July 1, 2020
•Timeline
•First reading on February 25 (tonight)
•Second reading on March 10
•Third reading and adoption on March 24
Memorial plaque at the Low head Dam
Located in North River Valley Park
37
FY 2020-2021 Water & Sewer Rates
March 10, 2020 Entry signage at the Ames Water Treatment Plant
and Ames Water Pollution Control Facility
38
Additional Rate Samples
Ames Water Pollution Control Facility
39
Sample Customer Bill – Minimal Use Residential
Electric Storm Water
Electric / Water Use Summer Water Summer Sewer Total
100 kWh and 100 cf $20.45 $4.95 $14.54 $13.85 $53.79
Electric ECA -$0.66 -$0.66
Totals $19.79 $4.95 $14.54 $13.85 $53.13
Increase Due to Rate Change $0.00 $0.00 $0.29 $0.69 $0.98
Totals $19.79 $4.95 $14.83 $14.54 $54.11
% Impact on Total Bill 1.84%
40
Sample Customer Bill – Median Use Residential
Electric Storm Water
Electric / Water Use Summer Water Summer Sewer Total
600 kWh and 600 cf $81.10 $4.95 $26.44 $27.95 $140.44
Electric ECA -$3.96 -$3.96
Totals $77.14 $4.95 $26.44 $27.95 $136.48
Increase Due to Rate Change $0.00 $0.00 $0.53 $1.40 $1.93
Totals $77.14 $4.95 $26.97 $29.35 $138.41
% Impact on Total Bill 1.41%
41
Sample Customer Bill – Large Residential
Electric Storm Water
Electric / Water Use Summer Water Summer Sewer Total
1,000 kWh and 1,000 cf $129.62 $4.95 $35.96 $39.23 $209.76
Electric ECA -$6.60 -$6.60
Totals $123.02 $4.95 $35.96 $39.23 $203.16
Increase Due to Rate Change $0.00 $0.00 $0.72 $1.96 $2.68
Totals $123.02 $4.95 $36.68 $41.19 $205.84
% Impact on Total Bill 1.32%
42
Sample Customer Bill – Small Commercial (GP)
Electric Storm Water
Electric / Water Use Summer Water Summer Sewer Total
2,000 kWh and 600 cf $254.40 $4.95 $30.82 $27.95 $318.12
Electric ECA -$13.20 -$13.20
Totals $241.20 $4.95 $30.82 $27.95 $304.92
Increase Due to Rate Change $0.00 $0.00 $0.62 $1.40 $2.02
Totals $241.20 $4.95 $31.44 $29.35 $306.94
% Impact on Total Bill 0.66%
43
Sample Customer Bill – Small Commercial (GP)
Electric Storm Water
Electric / Water Use Summer Water Summer Sewer Total
5,000 kWh and 1,000 cf $612.60 $4.95 $43.26 $39.23 $700.04
Electric ECA -$33.00 -$33.00
Totals $579.60 $4.95 $43.26 $39.23 $667.04
Increase Due to Rate Change $0.00 $0.00 $0.87 $1.96 $2.83
Totals $579.60 $4.95 $44.13 $41.19 $669.87
% Impact on Total Bill 0.42%
44
Sample Customer Bill – Small Commercial (GP)
Electric Storm Water
Electric / Water Use Summer Water Summer Sewer Total
10,000 kWh and 3,000 cf $1,209.60 $9.90 $117.62 $95.63 $1,432.75
Electric ECA -$66.00 -$66.00
Totals $1,143.60 $9.90 $117.62 $95.63 $1,366.75
Increase Due to Rate Change $0.00 $0.00 $2.35 $4.78 $7.13
Totals $1,143.60 $9.90 $119.97 $100.41 $1,373.88
% Impact on Total Bill 0.52%
45
Sample Customer Bill – Commercial (LP)
Electric Storm Water
Electric / Water Use Summer Water Summer Sewer Total
20,000 kWh and 5,000 cf $2,181.81 $9.90 $179.82 $152.03 $2,523.56
Electric ECA -$132.00 -$132.00
Totals $2,049.81 $9.90 $179.82 $152.03 $2,391.56
Increase Due to Rate Change $0.00 $0.00 $3.60 $7.60 $11.20
Totals $2,049.81 $9.90 $183.42 $159.63 $2,402.76
% Impact on Total Bill 0.47%
46
Sample Customer Bill – Commercial (LP)
Electric Storm Water
Electric / Water Use Summer Water Summer Sewer Total
60,000 kWh and 15,000 cf $6,221.55 $14.85 $515.15 $434.03 $7,185.58
Electric ECA -$396.00 -$396.00
Totals $5,825.55 $14.85 $515.15 $434.03 $6,789.58
Increase Due to Rate Change $0.00 $0.00 $10.30 $21.70 $32.00
Totals $5,825.55 $14.85 $525.45 $455.73 $6,821.58
% Impact on Total Bill 0.47%
47
Sample Customer Bill – Commercial (LP)
Electric Storm Water
Electric / Water Use Summer Water Summer Sewer Total
100,000 kWh and 20,000 cf $10,284.95 $44.55 $719.30 $575.03 $11,623.83
Electric ECA -$660.00 -$660.00
Totals $9,624.95 $44.55 $719.30 $575.03 $10,963.83
Increase Due to Rate Change $0.00 $0.00 $14.39 $28.75 $43.14
Totals $9,624.95 $44.55 $733.69 $603.78 $11,006.97
% Impact on Total Bill 0.39%
48