HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - October 27, 2020, Regular Meeting of the Ames City Council MinutesMINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE AMES AREA
METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION
TRANSPORTATION POLICY COMMITTEE AND
REGULAR MEETING OF THE AMES CITY COUNCIL
AMES, IOWA OCTOBER 27, 2020
AMES AREA METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION (AAMPO)
TRANSPORTATION POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING
Mayor Haila announced that it is impractical to hold an in-person Council meeting due to the
Governor of Iowa declaring a public health emergency because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Therefore, limits have been placed on public gatherings, and this meeting is being held as an
electronic meeting as allowed by Section 21.8 of the Iowa Code. The Mayor then provided how the
public could participate in the meeting via internet or by phone.
CALL TO ORDER: The Ames Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (AAMPO)
Transportation Policy Committee meeting, which was being held electronically, was called to order
by Ames Mayor and voting member John Haila at 6:00 p.m. on the 27th day of October, 2020. Other
voting members brought into the meeting were: Bronwyn Beatty-Hansen, City of Ames; Gloria
Betcher, City of Ames; Amber Corrieri, City of Ames; Tim Gartin, City of Ames; Rachel Junck, City
of Ames; David Martin, City of Ames; Lauris Olson, Story County Supervisor; Bill Zinnel, Boone
County Supervisor; and Jacob Ludwig, Transit Board. Jon Popp, Mayor of Gilbert was absent.
HEARING ON FINAL METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION PLAN - “FORWARD 45":
Traffic Engineer Damion Pregitzer stated there will not be a formal presentation of the Plan. He
pointed out that a 30-day public comment period began following the Policy Committee meeting on
September 22, 2020, and was closed on October 22, 2020. All comments received from the public
and oversight/partner agencies were minor and were incorporated into the final document. Mr.
Pregitzer stated tonight staff would entertain an approval of the Plan or an approval with
modifications as voted upon by the Policy Committee.
Referencing the ISU comment that stated “16th Street from University Blvd to Apple Place should
be shown as a committed project,” Mayor Haila questioned if the wording should say “South 16th
Street etc.” Mr. Pregitzer stated that is correct as the area is a University-owned segment of South
16th Street from University over to the old railroad right-of-way. Mayor Haila wanted to clarify the
location since there are two 16th Streets in Ames. Mr. Pregitzer stated staff did speak with ISU staff,
and ISU wanted to make sure that the City of Ames was on the same page and nothing was missing.
It was noted that this area is a priority for the City of Ames to complete after the extension of Grand
Avenue.
The Mayor also questioned the CyRide comment about the Transit Asset Management Plan and
asked if Mr. Pregitzer could explain what that included. Mr. Pregitzer stated he wouldn’t be able
to provide a lot of detail without asking CyRide staff; however, one of the requirements of the Long-
Range Plan is to include information on the Transit Agency assets. CyRide is required to maintain
a Transit Asset Management Plan. One of the performance measures that the Metropolitan Planning
Organization (MPO) has to do is Transit Asset Management Targets. Brian Ray, HDR Consultant,
explained that there is a federal requirement and CyRide develops their own Transit Asset
Management Plan. As part of the Long-Range Transportation Plan, the City carries CyRide’s
information forward into the Long-Range Transportation Plan. Mr. Ray stated that CyRide had just
gone through the process of updating its Transit Asset Management Plan, which identified new
targets; however, those targets have not been approved by the MPO yet. It was determined that the
targets would stay as is until the MPO officially approved the new targets. Mr. Pregitzer pointed out
that the majority of CyRide’s assets are the age of its buses. The targets are mainly related to how
old the buses are and when they need to turn those over.
Mayor Haila declared the public hearing opened. He closed it when no one came forward.
Moved by Ludwig, seconded by Betcher, to adopt RESOLUTION NO. 20-558 approving the
Metropolitan Transportation Plan - “Forward 45."
Supervisor Lauris Olson questioned how all the elements of the Plan will be put into the 2040
Comprehensive Plan. Mr. Pregitzer explained that the 2040 Land Use Policy Plan informs so it
provided all the background information for the Long-Range Plan in order to project growth. The
Comprehensive Plan is saying what the future land use, growth use, and timing would be. The
difference is the Long-Range Plan stops after 25 years while the Comprehensive Plan goes beyond
that length of time.
Vote on Motion: 10-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
POLICY COMMITTEE COMMENTS: Supervisor Olson stated that this will be her last AAMPO
meeting. It has been an interesting four years and she has enjoyed her time on the Planning
Committee, and she had learned a lot about transit.
ADJOURNMENT: Moved by Olson to adjourn the Ames Area Metropolitan Planning Organization
Transportation Policy Committee meeting at 6:09 p.m.
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE AMES CITY COUNCIL
CALL TO ORDER: Mayor John Haila called the Regular Meeting of the Ames City Council,
which was being held electronically, to order at 6:11 p.m. with the following Council members
participating: Bronwyn Beatty-Hansen, Gloria Betcher, Amber Corrieri, Tim Gartin, Rachel Junck,
and David Martin. Ex officio Member Nicole Whitlock was also present.
Mayor Haila announced that it is impractical to hold an in-person Council meeting due to the
Governor of Iowa declaring a public health emergency because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Therefore, limits have been placed on public gatherings, and this meeting is being held as an
electronic meeting as allowed by Section 21.8 of the Iowa Code. The Mayor then provided how the
public could participate in the meeting via internet or by phone.
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The Mayor announced that the Council was working off an Amended Agenda. City staff had added
a Resolution appointing Dawson Weathers to serve on the Property Maintenance Appeals Board to
the Consent Agenda and changed the date on Item No. 21 to continue the hearing on the Zoning Text
Amendments regarding the extension of building features into required setbacks from November 10,
2020, to November 24, 2020 under Hearings.
PROCLAMATION FOR “LUNG CANCER AWARENESS MONTH,” NOVEMBER 2020:
Mayor Haila declared November 2020 as “Lung Cancer Awareness Month.” He wanted everyone
to recognize the need for research in lung cancer affecting women and lung cancer health disparities,
and encourage all citizens, to learn about lung cancer and early detection through lung cancer
screening.
Accepting the Proclamation was Alexandra Potter, member of the American Lung Cancer Screening
Initiative (ALCSI). She noted there were a couple main points she wanted to make sure that everyone
knew. The first main point was that lung cancer is very common and very fatal. It is the second most
common type of cancer. Ms. Potter stated that lung cancer in “never-smokers” (people who have
never smoked) is the sixth leading cause of cancer related deaths in the United States. Every year
there are 28,000 people who have never smoked that will die from lung cancer. She highlighted that
lung cancer affects everyone, not just people who smoke. The other main point she wanted to make
was that lung cancer screening offers a significant decrease in the mortality rate. Currently the
screening rate for lung cancer is only 4.2% compared to other types of cancer screenings. Ms. Potter
thanked the Mayor and Council for the Proclamation.
Mayor Haila asked how someone could get screened for lung cancer. Ms. Potter stated in order to
get screened you will need to contact your primary care provider, and there is a process that has to
be done called the “shared decision-making process.” The primary care physician will refer the
patient to a lung cancer screening center where the patient will undergo a low-dose CT scan. She
noted that as an organization they are looking for ways to help communities in any way they can to
increase the screening rate, and are welcome to suggestions.
CONSENT AGENDA: Moved by Gartin, seconded by Betcher, to approve the following items on
the Consent Agenda.
1.Motion approving payment of claims
2.Motion approving Minutes of Special Joint City Council and Student Government meeting
held October 13, 2020, and Regular City Council meeting held October 13, 2020
3.Motion approving Report of Change Orders for period October 1 - 15, 2020
4.Motion approving Class E Liquor License Premise Update - Kum & Go #1113, 2801 E. 13th
Street - Pending Final Inspection
5.Motion approving a New 12-month Class C Liquor License with a Class B Wine Permit and
Outdoor Service - Ichiban Japanese Restaurant, 117 Welch Ave - Pending Final Inspection
and DRAM Shop
6.RESOLUTION NO. 20-559 approving Quarterly Investment Report for the Period Ending
September 30, 2020
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7.RESOLUTION NO. 20-576 appointing Dawson Weathers to serve on Property Maintenance
Appeals Board
8.RESOLUTION NO. 20-560 setting date of public hearing for December 8, 2020, regarding
the Amendment to the 28E Agreement between the City of Ames and the City of Nevada
pertaining the establishment of a division line between corporate boundaries
9.RESOLUTION NO. 20-561 approving A mendment of A ircraft Hangar Site Lease 25-year lease
extension with bridge period for H ap’s Air Service
10.2019/20 Traffic Signal Program (Lincoln Way and Beach):
a.RESOLUTION NO. 20-562 approving 50-year Traffic Signal Easement from Iowa
State University for the portion of signal equipment on Iowa State property and
authorize City staff to approve any de minimis changes required by the Attorney
General and Board of Regents offices
b.RESOLUTION NO. 20-563 approving preliminary plans and specifications for
2019/20 Traffic Signal Program; setting December 2, 2020, as bid due date and
December 8, 2020, as date of public hearing
11.RESOLUTION NO. 20-564 approving preliminary plans and specifications for Inis Grove
Park Sidewalk Project; setting December 2, 2020, as bid due date and December 8, 2020, as
date of public hearing
12.RESOLUTION NO. 20-565 approving Agreement for the 2020/21 Regional Count Program
(Traffic Data Service and Analytical Platform) with StreetLight Data, Inc., of San Francisco,
California, in an amount not to exceed $64,900
13.RESOLUTION NO. 20-566 approving contract and bond for Unit 8 Turbine Generator
Overhaul
14.RESOLUTION NO. 20-567 approving contract and bond for 2018/19 Shared Use Path
System Expansion (Trail Connection South of Lincoln Way)
15.RESOLUTION NO. 20-568 accepting completion of 2018/19 Water System Improvements
(Burnett & Murray)
16.RESOLUTION NO. 20-569 accepting completion of 2014/15 Storm Water Facility
Rehabilitation Program (Somerset Subdivision)
Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Motions/Resolutions declared carried/adopted unanimously, signed by the
Mayor, and hereby made a portion of these Minutes.
PUBLIC FORUM: Mayor Haila opened Public Forum. No one requested to speak, so he closed
Public Forum.
BAKER SUBDIVISION (321 STATE AVENUE) LOW-INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT
(LIHTC) DEVELOPMENT PROPOSALS: Housing Coordinator Vanessa Baker-Latimer
mentioned that the Council had provided direction, at its July 28th meeting, to staff on preparing a
Request for Proposals (RFP) for a LIHTC housing project to be located at 321 State Avenue. The
City described in the RFP an interest in receiving proposals that address the following objectives:
1) family-based affordable housing, 2) development of 15-50 housing units, 3) compatible design
elements with the surrounding residential homes, and a 4) highly competitive project per the Iowa
Finance Authority’s (IFA) scoring system. The RFP described an evaluation of proposals based upon
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developer experience and capacity, project design, property management experience, and requested
financial incentives.
The City received seven proposals in response to the RFP. After reviewing the proposals, it became
clear to City staff that a competitive project will likely need to score 155 or more points in the
LIHTC program to qualify for tax credit incentives. This conclusion is based upon consultation with
the developers and the past year’s project scoring where a score of 155 was needed to competitively
receive the tax credits.
Planning and Housing Director Kelly Diekmann stated at this meeting, they are going to focus on
the top two proposals for the project. Staff gave basic guidance in the RFP to establish the range of
units that was acceptable, a limit of three-stories, a focus on family housing, and looking for a
compatible neighborhood design. Staff is recommending two potential companies. The first one is
MVAH Partners. MVAH Partners went with a more traditional townhome look; it is a mix of brick
and fiber cement siding materials. LIHTC scoring gives benefits to design features that are higher
quality than basic building materials. MVAH has the most dwelling units of all the proposals. It has
two building types, one 3-story 36-unit apartment building, and two “townhome” style apartment
buildings totaling 14 units all situated around centralized parking. MVAH Partners’ design has 50
units and is designed around a central parking area. Director Diekmann stated this project will be
consistent with the normal RM Zoning standards, but some adjustments may need to be made for
the landscaping or some parking locations. The second company was Prairie Fire Development
Corporation. Prairie Fire Development Corporation took a different look at the property, and instead
of focusing on centralized parking and the maximum number of units on the property, Prairie Fire’s
design concept places the building along Tripp Street with parking situated to the rear of the site. The
design concept is contemporary in its appearance with the use of massing and angles that is different
than most buildings in Ames. The project includes two housing types: one 3-story 23-unit apartment
building and two “townhome” style buildings totaling 13 units; for a total of 36 units. Director
Diekmann explained that both applicants addressed the objectives in the RFP, and had different ideas
on how to do the site, but staff felt either applicant would provide a strong project. He noted that in
the Staff Report, Prairie Fire only scored 154 points for the LIHTC and would need to increase it to
155 with refinements on costs to be competitive in LIHTC. Prairie Fire let staff know that they
believe they could make a few adjustments and meet the required 155 points.
Council Member Gartin stated that when the Council was looking at the Subdivision earlier in the
process, they had discussed the amount of tax subsidy that would be required per lot. It was
estimated to be anywhere between $75,000 to $90,000 per lot. He asked Mr. Diekmann to clarify
what the tax subsidy would be per unit. Director Diekmann stated that there is some distinct cost that
should be assigned solely to the single-family development components and should not be a part of
the equation. The main value is what the land is worth and MVAH asked for the land to be free, and
Prairie Fire did offer $2,500 as a token amount. Mr. Diekmann noted the Council should also
consider the extension of Tripp Street as that had to occur for this development to happen. There
were federal funds used and some General Obligation money. He noted they should look at the
acquisition, infrastructure costs, and how much HOME funds the developer is asking for. MVAH
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is requesting $400,000 ($8,000 per unit) in HOME funds; while Prairie Fire is requesting $250,000
($6,950 per unit). Overall, on a per-unit basis for the two development companies, MVAH is about
20% less per unit than Prairie Fire.
Council Member Gartin wanted to know who would own the land when the project is completed.
Director Diekmann stated the City will be deeding the land to the developer prior to construction
starting. Mr. Gartin mentioned that this project will eventually make its way to the tax roles and
inquired about the tax roles for both applicants. Mr. Diekmann stated that is complicated as there
are construction estimates as part of each proposal, but the project cost will not be the taxable part
of the project. If they assume Prairie Fire is a $7.9 million project cost while MVAH is $10.3
million, the taxable value will be the income of the project. Since it is a low-income project, the
developer will approach the Assessor and ask for some modifications, but it will be proportional to
the number of units. Director Diekmann mentioned that in general the more units that are on a site
more property taxes will be generated.
Council Member Betcher asked about the projected construction schedules and if they are realistic.
Diekmann stated there are three steps to the project; 1) there is award, 2) finalizing design, and 3)
starting construction. Another part is getting to full occupancy. Both applicants have the same basic
start to the project. The developer will need to get a decision from the Iowa Finance Authority (IPA),
enter into a final Agreement with the City, get construction financing, and building permits. He noted
that staff felt from a construction schedule perspective both applicants had reasonable projections
to be up and open for tenants in the Spring or early Summer of 2023.
Council Member Betcher inquired about the management of the projects. MVAH manages its own
projects while Prairie Fire will enter into a joint venture with someone else. She wanted to know if
there were any concerns from staff regarding self-management or hiring a management company.
Director Diekmann explained that either option is designed to help give the applicants points from
IFA. Ms. Baker-Latimer explained that she is familiar with working with both types and either one
would work fine.
Council Member Betcher stated she liked the Prairie Fire development as she felt it broke up the
space better. She explained it was nice to not have the typical apartment complex look centered
around a parking lot. Ms. Betcher liked having more green space around the outsides and the buffer
between the buildings and the houses on Wilmoth. Ms. Betcher mentioned she was not a big fan of
the architecture because it reminded her of other low-income housing developments that she had
seen in the past that were built in the 70's or 80's. She felt the MVAH design looked like a standard
apartment complex that is currently already around Ames.
Council Member Beatty-Hansen commented that she would tend to agree for a lot of the same
reasons as Council Member Betcher. She pointed out that the neighborhood preferred the design of
the Prairie Fire development better than MVAH. Ms. Beatty-Hansen commented that there is
something to say for the numbers of units-per-dollar, but she felt the Council needed to go with a
design that fit the neighborhood.
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Council Member Martin stated it was a close call between both proposals. He noted it felt that
MVAH was a little less risky, but he was not sure how to quantify that. He appreciated the attention
that Prairie Fire had given to Tripp Street and the future development across Tripp Street. Mr. Martin
pointed out that the Council has a goal to develop a Beautification Master Plan for the City; the
Council should keep that in mind when moving forward.
Council Member Corrieri stated that her first instinct was to go with MVAH because there are more
units and they have been talking about the need for more affordable housing. She could go with
either one, but is more familiar with Prairie Fire. She appreciated the neighborhoods’ input on their
choice of Prairie Fire and understands the reasoning behind their choice. If she had to pick, she
would choose MVAH because she felt there would be more of an impact toward the Council’s
affordable housing goals.
Council Member Junck noted that she was torn between the two developments. The number of units
that MVAH will provide is important to meeting the City’s affordable housing needs in the
community, but she did like the site layout of Prairie Fire. She appreciated how the developer with
Prairie Fire designed it around Wilmoth and Tripp Street. Ms. Junck believed it would fit better with
the aesthetics of the neighborhood.
Council Member Gartin stated there is a lot to like about both complexes. He noted that this is an
opportunity for the Council to address affordable housing that the City has not had before. Mr.
Gartin pointed out that this is a once in a lifetime project. There is a shortage of apartments for
affordable housing units. He explained that the Council will be deciding about whether people are
able to live in Ames or not. Council Member Gartin stated if it was a closer call between the
numbers, he could “flip a coin,” but that is not the case. The City actually has an opportunity to make
a larger impact on a population that needs to be represented. He also pointed out that the tax
revenues would be beneficial to the City, so he would lean more towards MVAH.
Council Member Betcher wanted to make sure she that was interpreting the plans correctly. She
stated the MVAH plan had virtually no green space for children to play, but Prairie Fire does
incorporate a play space and more green space for families to be outdoors. Director Diekmann
mentioned that the MVAH plan has a “tot lot” in it, but otherwise the amount of green space is not
there. It was explained that staff is planning a pocket park across the street for this subdivision. Ms.
Betcher stated if families were to live in the area, it would be nice to have an area to play outside
instead of just a parking lot.
Mayor Haila asked Ms. Baker-Latimer to mention the need/demand for affordable housing in Ames.
Ms. Baker-Latimer stated it is the expectation that the units will be filled quickly. She noted that
there have been a few units that had opened throughout the years, but those units were mostly geared
toward students. There has never been a concentration of helping low-income families find more
units. She has heard from the Housing Authority that there are a lot of families who are using their
vouchers, but unable to find anything within Ames. They see the numbers on paper and anticipate
the need is still out there, but she is not sure what will happen in the next few months with COVID-
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19 and the economy. Other non-profits agencies are concerned if families can’t find housing in
Ames, they may lose their voucher or find somewhere to live outside of Ames.
The Mayor wanted Ms. Baker-Latimer to comment about Council Member Betcher’s statement
about the importance of open green space. Ms. Baker-Latimer mentioned she felt it was important,
but the City has increased the amount of recreational opportunities for the neighborhood.
Mayor Haila questioned if there was any flexibility to change the exterior of the design on Prairie
Fire. Director Diekmann mentioned that he wanted to point out that open space is abundant in the
area as there are several public amenities, and there is open space to the south with College Creek.
He noted that in terms of working with a developer it was very clear with MVAH and Prairie Fire
that they look at the development as a partnership. They have a concept that they can market in the
City and get competitive scoring with IFA, but there are some things the developers are willing to
talk about regarding making things better for the community. He is not sure about completely
changing the architecture, but is sure the developers would be willing to talk about it.
Ex-officio Whitlock stated she would agree with what Council Members Corrieri and Junck had
stated. MVAH will provide significantly more homes for the community. She noted that the City of
Ames provides plenty of parks and activities for the community, and if the families want to go
outdoors, there are a ton of parks in Ames.
Council Member Martin commented that he noticed there were balconies on the Prairie Fire design,
but not on MVAH. He noted that it felt meaningful to him that the outdoor space within a unit could
help change the living experience and is a valued feature.
The Mayor opened the public hearing.
Julia Sager, 429 Hilltop Road, Ames, thanked City staff for making time to explain the proposal
scoring and what went into making those choices. She wanted to summarize a letter that was
previously sent to the Council. The letter stated that the neighborhood group felt that the proposal
that best fit the neighborhood was Prairie Fire. They agreed that the concept best aligned with
neighboring parties in anesthetics and desirable site layout. The neighborhood believed Prairie Fire
offered a better quality of life for all stakeholders by offering an enhanced lifestyle through lower
density, more green space for the families who live there, and less of the apartment style parking lot
look. The way the design faces Tripp Street makes the design seem more integrated into the
neighborhood. The group appreciated the developer’s interest in green issues, health and well-being,
and a strong focus on a thorough management of the apartments. The neighborhood hoped that the
concept design process would allow for a little refinement of the exterior look to best fit the
neighboring community and would be true to the rendering by having adequate mixed landscaping,
plain green space areas, and if a community garden area could be put in, it would be appreciated. The
letter was sent to the Council and signed by Ellen Herman and Joanne Pfeiffer. Ms. Sager stated that
she had to zoom in on the picture of the development to see that it was brick below and siding above
on the exterior of the property. She thought it would be okay as long as there were some minor
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changes to the colors. She appreciated that the Council wants to maximize the number of units for
affordable housing, but as a parent of six children, she thought the Council might be missing
something about MVAH providing a quality living environment, specifically, for families with
children under the age of ten. Any kids under the age of ten can’t go across the street to play at the
pocket park or ride their bikes to Franklin Park; however, the kids can go play in their backyards
with other neighborhood kids. She noted that the sense of community that the families will have
would be priceless. Ms. Sager mentioned a big parking lot would not be beneficial for a smaller child
to be outside and could be considered a safety hazard.
Tony Ramey, 425 Hilltop Road, Ames, said that he and his wife Debbie are in favor of the Prairie
Fire proposal. He noted that it looks like the Council would be looking at quantity with MVAH and
quality with Prairie Fire, and the Council needs to decide which one it wants to emphasize when
making a decision. Mr. Ramey mentioned that, not surprisingly, the neighborhood is pushing for the
direction of quality with the extra green space. He thought it would be better to have the higher
quality of the 36 units opposed to the lower quality of the 50 units. Mayor Haila asked to clarify if
Mr. Ramey referred to the higher quality as regarding quality of life or the quality of construction.
It was noted that Mr. Ramey meant it would be a better quality of life. Mr. Ramey mentioned they
did have some concerns about the roof style on Prairie Fire.
Sharon Stewart, 437 Hilltop Road, Ames, stated she had been a part of this discussion since she
moved to the neighborhood seven years ago. She noted that it is important to consider the people
who are going to be joining the community/neighborhood. Ms. Stewart mentioned that she
understands the need for more housing, but also knows that there are many instances where low-
income housing has been turned into a place where you want to get out of as soon as you can. There
is a long history of low-income housing not considering people. The biggest difference that she saw
between the two plans was the consideration of the people who would be living there, and she felt
that Prairie Fire really considered that aspect a lot more. Ms. Stewart stated when there is parking
behind the property, people will come and go, but with open space the neighbors have a chance to
meet each other. She noticed the balconies and thought it was a nice feature. She had a family
member who had lived in low-income housing and doesn’t wish that on anyone. Ms. Stewart is in
favor of the Prairie Fire design. She would like to see affordable housing all throughout Ames.
Mayor Haila closed public comment.
Council Member Beatty-Hansen noted what Ms. Stewart had said resounded with her and the
Council should be thinking of having more chances than this one time. Ms. Beatty-Hansen stated that
if this was the only chance the Council had; the better the Council does with this project and the
better it fits in the neighborhood, the better chance they will have to do more in other areas in Ames.
Council Member Gartin stated there is a reason the City doesn’t have these types of projects all over
town, and it’s because the City doesn’t have control over the development. He noted the City may
not have an opportunity like this one for a long time, and he doesn’t want to give a false expectation
that these kinds of projects are right around the corner. Mr. Gartin mentioned, in his six years on City
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Council, this is the first time the Council has had a chance to do something like this. He is excited
for the project and hopes the Council makes the most of the opportunity. Council Member Betcher
mentioned that she kind of agrees with Mr. Gartin, but there is still the question of what “making the
most of the opportunity” means. She commented that she felt the quality of life is important
regardless of a person’s economic status. She thinks of the families with little kids and wants to have
them be able to play in a backyard. Ms. Betcher mentioned that to her it means they are doing the
right thing for the quality of life in Ames. The Council shouldn’t lose hope that it could do
something else, somewhere else in the future if this project goes well. Mr. Gartin stated there are
similar densities in terms of the land all over Ames. Mr. Gartin noted that staff had indicated that
there is plenty of green space and parks around the area. He stated there is not an opportunity to have
the perfect project and they need to balance. He noted that as Ms. Baker-Latimer pointed out earlier
that the City of Ames has the need for affordable housing and there will be families that won’t get
to live in Ames. He commented that this is an opportunity to have workforce housing in the
community and the Council may forfeit these over characteristics that he thinks are not fair. Mr.
Gartin felt the Council should maximize the number of families they can help.
Council Member Gartin explained that the Council sets goals for a reason, and there are a lot of
different housing areas in the community that range in levels of amenities. He believed this is a
unique opportunity that the City of Ames will probably not see again for many years and hopes the
Council will take advantage.
Moved by Betcher, seconded by Martin, to adopt RESOLUTION NO. 20-570 to pursue the Prairie
Fire Development Corporation as partner for the LIHTC application and development of the site at
321 State Avenue with affordable multi-family housing and directing staff to prepare an Agreement.
Council Member Gartin stated the Council needs to speak for the people who will be living in the
housing and go with the MVAH option. Council Member Betcher stated she would counter that and
say that they are trying to speak for those people and their quality of life.
Council Member Martin stated they all agreed on the Council Goals and this is where they will sort
out that the goals are not 100% compatible all the time; there will be some trade-offs.
Council Member Beatty-Hansen commented that by considering affordable rental on the parcel is
the Council’s attempt to address the need; it is about compromise as well.
Council Member Martin stated one benefit the City will have is the new federal income from the
HOME program. This is a way to use that money to benefit the community, but there is other income
from the program.
Council Member Gartin wanted to know when the last time was the City had an opportunity to do
a multi-family housing project. Ms. Baker-Latimer stated they have not done a development before
as a City, but they administered the Section-8 program. The City offered a first-time homebuyer
program. Mr. Gartin asked Ms. Baker-Latimer how long she has worked for the City. She
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commented that it had been over 38 years. Mr. Gartin stated that is his point, and they need to think
long term.
Roll Call Vote: 4-2. Voting Aye: Beatty-Hansen, Betcher, Junck, Martin. Voting Nay: Corrieri,
Gartin. Resolution declared carried, signed by the Mayor, and hereby made a portion of these
Minutes.
Mayor Haila inquired what the next steps would be. Ms. Baker-Latimer stated they will be making
sure the design meets the requirements of the development and if there is anything that could be
enhanced. They will also be working on getting an Agreement done in time to allow additional
public input before the City has to submit the application to IFA. The application has to be submitted
by March 2021.
DOMANI SUBDIVISION, FIRST ADDITION: Planning and Housing Director Kelly Diekmann
pointed out that there were two actions tonight. He stated the Council would be approving a
Development Agreement and the Final Plat. Staff had addressed the interest of phasing as well as
protecting the City during the construction activities that will occur on City property. City Manager
Schainker wanted to confirm that the Development Agreement had been signed. Director Diekmann
confirmed that it was along with the letter of credit.
The public hearing was opened by the Mayor. He closed the hearing after no one asked to speak.
Moved by Betcher, seconded by Corrieri, to adopt RESOLUTION NO. 20-571 approving the
Development Agreement for the Domani Subdivision, First Addition.
Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Resolution declared adopted unanimously, signed by the Mayor, and hereby
made a portion of these Minutes.
Moved by Betcher, seconded by Junck, to adopt RESOLUTION NO. 20-572 approving the Final
Plat for the Domani Subdivision, First Addition.
Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Resolution declared adopted unanimously, signed by the Mayor, and hereby
made a portion of these Minutes.
AIRPORT MASTER PLAN: Traffic Engineer Damion Pregitzer stated that on September 22,
2020, the City Council approved the draft Airport Master Plan. The Plan was made available for a
30-day public comment period, and there had not been any public comments. Once adopted, staff
will submit the final Plan to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for their approval of the
Aviation Forecast and Airport Layout Plan.
The Mayor opened the public hearing and closed it after there was no one wishing to speak.
Moved by Gartin, seconded by Betcher, to adopt RESOLUTION NO. 20-573 approving the Airport
Master Plan.
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Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Resolution declared adopted unanimously, signed by the Mayor, and hereby
made a portion of these Minutes.
Council Member Corrieri left the meeting at 7:28 p.m.
HEARING ON PROPOSED TEXT AMENDMENTS REGARDING THE NEW FLOOD
PLAIN MAPS, UPDATED DEFINITIONS, AND AMENDED TERMINOLOGY USED IN
CHAPTER 9 OF THE AMES MUNICIPAL CODE: Planner Justin Moore stated that the process
was initiated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of
Natural Resources (DNR) in 2018. In March 2019 City staff mailed notices to all property owners
with properties currently within the floodplain or new properties coming within the new boundaries
of the floodplain to make sure all property owners potentially affected by the update were aware of
what was happening. A public comment and review period began in January 2019 and ended
December 2019. Mr. Moore explained that staff did appeal a floodplain expansion around Ada
Hayden Lake and FEMA reviewed the appeal and granted the appeal to have the boundaries reduced.
One additional area that did not match the existing conditions was in south Ames in the Teagarden
drainage area. The City is pursuing a map amendment to remove the piped area from the flood plain.
If granted, that would remove a sizable amount of floodway and floodplain in the Crystal and Jewell
Street area. This will not be part of this map update and will come as a separate Map Amendment
at a later time.
Council Member Betcher explained the Council gets a lot of complaints from neighbors about water
backup in the Teagarden area. She wanted to know if it was beneficial for the property owners to be
included in the FEMA floodplain map or to not be included on the map. Mr. Moore stated that the
process the City is going through with the letter and map amendment will address the portion of the
former creek; most of the north half of the Teagarden area is already piped to the City’s storm sewer
system. It would adequately address the properties that would be in the floodplain. They want to
eliminate any unnecessary floodplain areas.
Mayor Haila asked if any of the minor changes to the map have had any effect on the Ames 2040
Plan. Planning and Housing Director Kelly Diekmann stated “no,” as the extent of the changes was
very minimal.
Mayor Haila asked if adopting these changes would have any adverse effect on property values. Mr.
Diekmann stated he is unable to judge if it is an adverse value; however, lending institutions will
want to know if a property is in the floodplain, and the property owner is obligated to carry
floodplain insurance. He noted if a property was not previously in the floodplain area and will now
be due to the change they will have to obtain floodplain insurance. It was noted that 70 properties
were being changed and a reminder notice had been sent to the property owners. Mayor Haila
inquired if any property owners had any comments after getting the reminder notice. Mr. Moore
mentioned that he did receive a couple inquires and the majority of the questions were about how
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the change would affect its property insurance. He advised them to contact their insurance company
to find out how it would affect them.
Mayor Haila pointed out that FEMA generated the map changes. Mr. Moore stated that was correct
and anyone who wanted to appeal its findings had the avenues to do so, but if no one appeals, the
boundaries will go into effect. Director Diekmann stated that the program is an opportunity for the
people of Ames to take advantage of flood insurance. To take advantage of the federal subsidized
flood insurance there has to be regulations applied to the property. Mr. Diekmann noted another
aspect of the Ordinance is that nonconforming buildings, at a certain time when improvements are
made to them, will need to be brought into conformity for flood protection.
Council Member Gartin asked how many residential properties were now subject to the flood
insurance requirement that were not previously required. Mr. Moore stated he doesn’t have an exact
count on the number of residential buildings, but the new properties that are being added were
mainly non-residential except for one or two. Mr. Gartin stated that the federal government is
gradually stepping away from the subsidy for flood insurance. This will become extremely expensive
for homeowners who have to maintain the insurance, and as a result, it will have a dramatic effect
on property values. He pointed out that these adjustments are going to happen periodically, but there
is nothing the City can do.
The Mayor opened the public hearing and closed it after there was no one wishing to speak.
Moved by Gartin, seconded by Martin, to pass on first reading an ordinance regarding the new
Floodplain Maps, updated definitions, and amended terminology used in Chapter 9 of the Ames
Municipal Code.
Roll Call Vote: 5-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
HEARING ON ZONING TEXT AMENDMENTS REGARDING THE EXTENSION OF
BUILDING FEATURES INTO REQUIRED SETBACKS: Mayor Haila opened the public
hearing and requested to have the hearing continued to November 24, 2020.
Moved by Martin, seconded by Betcher, to continue the hearing on November 24, 2020, for the
Zoning Text Amendments regarding the extension of building features into required setbacks.
Vote on Motion: 5-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
HEARING ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION DOCUMENT FOR THE
NORTH RIVER VALLEY WELL FIELD AND PIPELINE PROJECT: Water & Pollution
Control Assistant Director Neil Weiss stated that on April 23, 2019, City Council had issued a
Notice to Bidders for the North River Valley Well Field and Pipeline Project. The bids that were
received were over the engineer’s estimate by 34%, and on June 11, 2019, the Council rejected all
bids. Since the rejection of bids, staff had moved the funding for the project construction to the
Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (SRF) program. Mr. Weiss noted that the Environmental
Information Document (EID) is part of the SRF process and just one component of the
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environmental review of the SRF process. The overall conclusion of the EID is the project will have
no significant environmental impact. Mr. Weiss pointed out that, on Pages 2 and 3 of the Iowa State
Revolving Fund Environmental Information documents, it shows that the Iowa Department of
Natural Resources (DNR) reached out to about 40 different state local agencies and no adverse
comments were received from the agencies. A Phase 1 Archeological Investigation of the proposed
project area is currently underway and the results from the Investigation will be submitted to the
State Historical Preservation Office for review. The project will only proceed as planned if a
determination of either “no historic properties affected” or “no adverse effect on historic properties”
can be appropriately reached with or without mitigation. Mr. Weiss let the Council know that the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Section 7 Technical Assistance website consultation determined, and
the Iowa DNR Conservation and Recreation agreed, that the project will not impact threatened or
endangered species or their habitats provided that any tree cutting is conducted between October 1
and March 31 to avoid impacting endangered bats.
The Mayor opened public comment. It was closed when there was no one wishing to speak.
Moved by Gartin, seconded by Betcher, to adopt RESOLUTION NO. 20-574 authorizing the Mayor
to sign the IDNR Environmental Information Document on behalf of the City of Ames.
Roll Call Vote: 5-0. Resolution declared adopted unanimously, signed by the Mayor, and hereby
made a portion of these Minutes.
HEARING ON THE UNIT 8 BOILER REPAIR: The public hearing was opened by the Mayor.
He closed the hearing after no one asked to speak.
Moved by Junck, seconded by Betcher, to accept the report of bids and delay the award of a contract.
Vote on Motion: 5-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
HEARING ON THE BAKER SUBDIVISION GEOTHERMAL HEAT PUMP SYSTEM: The
Mayor opened the public hearing and closed it after there was no one wishing to speak.
Moved by Beatty-Hansen, seconded by Junck, to accept the report of bids and delay the award of a
contract.
Vote on Motion: 5-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
HEARING ON AMENDED MAJOR SITE DEVELOPMENT PLAN, WHICH IS PART OF
THE INTEGRATED SITE PLAN FOR 3619 STANGE ROAD: Director Kelly Diekmann
mentioned this was a Minor Amendment. The Council had approved the development of the coffee
shop two months ago. The developer had made some small changes to its layout and decided to ask
for an increase in the square footage. Staff is recommending approval as the overall layout does not
change and it is a minor adjustment to what was already approved.
The public hearing was opened by the Mayor. He closed the hearing after no one asked to speak.
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Moved by Betcher, seconded by Junck, to adopt RESOLUTION NO. 20-575 approving the
Amended Major Site Development Plan, which is part of the Integrated Site Plan for 3619 Stange
Road, with stipulations.
Roll Call Vote: 5-0. Resolution declared adopted unanimously, signed by the Mayor, and hereby
made a portion of these Minutes.
ORDINANCE REPEALING CERTAIN URBAN REVITALIZATION AREAS (URA),
EFFECTIVE 12-31-20: Planning and Housing Director Kelly Diekmann stated this item is the
implementation of the directive that staff received from the Council back in August to help clean up
some of the Urban Revitalization Areas. They are ending areas where they had already intended to
end either through repeal or adding sunset clauses. All the areas are listed, and it will be one
ordinance that combines the changes.
Council Member Betcher asked about the Crawford situation with the two outstanding properties
that have not applied. She wanted to know if those units were not currently occupied, but wanted to
know what the situation is that postdating the URA to 1-2-21 would address the issue. Director
Diekmann explained the Plan originally meant for it to end this year, but to functionally allow that
to happen it has to be effective until January 2, 2021, to allow the last two people time to fill out the
paperwork. He does not know the status of each unit and why they had not filed the paperwork.
The Mayor opened public comment. There was no one wishing to speak.
Mayor Haila mentioned that he didn’t see The Crawford at 415 Stanton Avenue on the Agenda. The
Mayor noted that the Agenda did not list the 415 Stanton Crawford School Urban Revitalization
Area established 06-12-18 by Ordinance No. 4357. Director Diekmann explained they bulleted out
seven URAs in the Staff Report and the Draft Ordinance has the seven listed. He noted there was no
notice required. Mayor Haila asked for City Attorney Mark Lambert’s opinion as the 415 Stanton
Crawford School Urban Revitalization Area is noted in the Staff Report and on the draft Ordinance,
but not on the Agenda. Attorney Lambert explained that he doesn’t view it as a notice problem
because even though it is not specified on the Agenda, it is on the Council Action Form and in the
Ordinance. It was just an oversight to not have it on the actual Agenda. Mr. Lambert felt there was
enough notice to still make it valid. Director Diekmann mentioned they can make sure it is added
into the Agenda for the second reading. Council Member Betcher wanted to know if there will be
an opportunity at the second reading for anyone to speak about that aspect of the Ordinance. Attorney
Lambert explained that normally they don’t allow that, but it is the Mayor’s discretion if he wants
to allow public input on the second reading or not. Mayor Haila explained that given that it is shown
in the Staff Report and the draft ordinance, it just happened to not be on the Agenda. Mayor Haila
asked Director Diekmann and Attorney Lambert if they felt there was adequate notice given to the
public, so they are not concealing anything. Attorney Lambert confirmed that was correct and
Director Diekmann deferred to the City Attorney. Director Diekmann wanted to point out that in this
case the deadline was already in the Plan, so the property owners shouldn’t expect any longer period
of time to apply than what is already there; the Ordinance is memorializing what was expected to
be the end date already. Mayor Haila inquired for the record if a motion is made for Alternative #1,
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instead of reading each one off, would that be adequate for the record. Attorney Lambert stated that
would be fine as it is in the Council Action Form.
Moved by Martin, seconded by Beatty-Hansen, to approve Alternative #1 as stated in the Council
Action Form; to pass on first reading an Ordinance repealing the following Urban Revitalization
Areas, effective 12-31-2020 for each of the following:
a.South Lincoln “Sub-Area”/Neighborhood Urban Revitalization Area, established 09-23-03
by Ordinance No. 3733
b.405 & 415 Hayward Avenue Urban Revitalization Area, established 11-20-2007 by
Ordinance No. 3932
c.517 Lincoln Way Urban Revitalization Area, established 02-24-2015 by Ordinance No. 4209
d.Roosevelt School Site and City of Ames Park 921 9th Street Urban Revitalization Area
established 11-12-2013 by Ordinance No. 4162, and Program Policy established by
Resolution No. 13-265
And effective 01-02-2021 for the following:
a.415 Stanton Crawford School Urban Revitalization Area established 06-12-2018 by
Ordinance #4357
And additionally, by establishing a sunset date of 12-31-2021 for each of the following:
a.Walnut Ridge, 3505 and 3515 Lincoln Way Urban Revitalization Area, established 04-26-16
by Ordinance No. 4254
b.2700, 2702, 2718, and 2728 Lincoln Way; 112 and 114 South Hyland Avenue; and 115
South Sheldon Avenue Urban Revitalization Area, established 12-13-2016 by Ordinance No.
4284
Roll Call Vote: 5-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
DISPOSITION OF COMMUNICATIONS TO COUNCIL: Mayor Haila stated that the first item
was an email from Lawrence Cunningham regarding traffic concerns in the South Campus
neighborhood.
Moved by Betcher, seconded by Beatty-Hansen, to request a memo from Damion Pregitzer, Traffic
Engineer, regarding what the situation is and reviewing the possibilities for future action.
Vote on Motion: 5-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
The second item was a letter (and artwork) from Camden Boeve requesting a mini playground at Bel
Air Circle.
Moved by Martin, seconded by Betcher, to refer the request for a mini playground at Bel Air Circle
to staff.
City Manager Steve Schainker recommended writing to the individual to let them know that this
would be an ideal case for the Neighborhood Improvement Grant program. Mayor Haila mentioned
that he will also send Mr. Boeve a note to thank him for taking the time to write a letter to the
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Council and Mr. Schainker will write a letter regarding the Neighborhood Improvement Grant
program.
Vote on Motion: 5-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
Mayor Haila mentioned that the third item was a letter from Byron and Beverly Schulke regarding
concerns about the parking lot on the east side of Lot 19 in Somerset, 13th Addition. City Manager
Schainker recommended asking staff for a memo.
Moved by Gartin, seconded by Martin, to ask staff for a memo on Mr. and Mrs. Schulke’s letter
regarding concerns with the parking lot in the Somerset Addition.
Vote on Motion: 5-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
The fourth request presented before the Council was the Child Care Task Force final report and
recommendations and memo from Wendy Wintersteen, ISU President. City Manager Schainker
asked Assistant City Manager Schildroth if any action was needed. Ms. Schildroth noted that it was
something to keep in mind in regarding the recommendations as the City moves into the next fiscal
year ASSET process. She noted that one of the recommendations that will be in the budget report
was to transition the Comfort Zone, a daycare service for mildly ill children. The Comfort Zone has
been in place for many years and is not heavily utilized and is required to have a nurse available in
case there are children that are ill. It is being recommended to transition the Comfort Zone to an
infant or toddler room to help address the waiting list that the United Church of Christ (UCC) has.
UCC has reached out to the ASSET funders asking what the process is to reallocate dollars from the
Comfort Zone to another process. Ms. Schildroth noted it was about $1,100 that may be coming in
front of the Council. She noted that one of the big issues prior to the pandemic was capacity, the
majority of the daycare agencies had waiting lists, but not funds to expand its services.
Council Member Gartin stated this was prepared prior to COVID-19 and asked if there was an
increase in childcare services due to the pandemic. Ms. Schildroth stated it has fluctuated and that
is due to several factors; changes to school schedules, kids staying home, work schedules, etc. Ms.
Schildroth is anticipating a lot more changes to childcare needs.
The first item was an email from Jean and Dean Prestemon and Damion Pregitzer, City Traffic
Engineer regarding traffic safety concerns from residents on Delaware Street near North Dakota
Avenue.
Moved by Martin, seconded by Betcher, to refer the email from Jean and Dean Prestemon to Damion
Pregitzer, Traffic Engineer for a memo.
Vote on Motion: 5-0. Motion declared carried.
The Mayor explained the last item was a memo from Duane Pitcher, Finance Director giving
notification about the Economic Development Assistance Agreement with Vertex Software, LLC.
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City Manager Schainker stated no action is needed tonight as the memo stated that the action was
rescinded by the State and no further action is needed by the City.
COUNCIL COMMENTS: Council Member Martin explained that Mr. Schainker had sent the
Council information from Ideal Energy, who is working on the Solar Farm, about the connection
fees, and inquired if Mr. Schainker needed the Council to do anything. Mr. Schainker stated that the
City’s current fee schedule does not contemplate solar farm rates. Staff is currently working on a fee
schedule. He noted that it may require the Council to take some swift action on a staff
recommendation to change/add to the fee. Staff is working with other cities to see what they are
doing for a fee schedule. It will be brought back to Council to approve any changes/additions to the
fee schedule.
Council Member Gartin stated he had sent the Council a note indicating his interest in hearing about
how things were going with finances CyRides budget.
Moved by Gartin, seconded by Betcher, to invite the Director of CyRide to meet with the Council
to discuss the fiscal status of CyRide prior to the end of the year.
Vote on Motion: 5-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
Council Member Junck reminded people to go vote on November 3, 2020, and exercise their civic
duty.
Council Member Betcher reminded people to wear a mask when going to vote. She also wanted to
remind everyone of the upcoming Symposium on Building Inclusive Organizations in November and
to contact Vanessa Baker-Latimer to get registered.
ADJOURNMENT: Moved by Gartin to adjourn the meeting at 8:07 p.m.
______________________________________________________________________
Amy L. Colwell, Deputy City Clerk John A. Haila, Mayor
__________________________________
Diane R. Voss, City Clerk
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