HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Special Meeting of the Ames City Council 11/19/2013MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE AMES CITY COUNCIL
AMES, IOWA NOVEMBER 19, 2013
Mayor Ann Campbell called the Special Meeting of the Ames City Council to order at 7:00 p.m. with
Jeremy Davis, Matthew Goodman, Jami Larson, Victoria Szopinski, and Tom Wacha present. Ex officio
Member Alexandria Harvey was absent.
RESOLUTION ACCEPTING COMPLETION OF CITY HALL PHASE I RENOVATION:
Moved by Davis and seconded by Wacha to accept the completion of City Hall Phase I Renovation.
Roll Call Vote: 5-0. Resolution 13-524 declared adopted unanimously, signed by the Mayor, and hereby
made a portion of these Minutes.
Council Member Peter Orazem arrived.
PRESENTATION OF PROGRESS OF HOSPITAL-MEDICAL GROUP DISCUSSION: Mayor
Ann Campbell welcomed the group, and said that the presentation to be given is a result of over a year
and a half of meetings of the Hospital Medical Discussion Group. Mary Greeley Medical Center
(MGMC) CEO Brian Dieter began the discussion. He described the presentation as a work in progress,
and described the participants as representatives from the ring of neighborhoods surrounding the Hospital/
Medical (H/M) Zone, MGMC, McFarland Clinic, City Manager Steve Schainker, and City Planner Karen
Marren. Mr. Dieter said that in June of 2011 the City Council approved plans for McFarland Clinic to
expand into the Sunrise Neighborhood to build a three story building at the corner of 12th Street and
Carroll Avenue. He said that after neighbors expressed concern, City Council Member Tom Wacha
suggested a roundtable discussion with all stakeholders, and during that discussion visions were shared by
all groups. Mr. Dieter said the City Council then asked the City Manager to coordinate future
discussions. He said regular meetings were held, and throughout the process each representative kept
their respective group apprised of the progress.
Mr. Dieter said the charge from the City Council was to reach consensus about identified solutions that
every participant could live with and publicly support and to develop recommendations for the City
Council and constituency groups. He said the group then developed its own goals to develop trust by
listening, better understand each other’s viewpoints, and identify possible solutions to meet the goals of
the participants.
McFarland Clinic CEO Steve Koger thanked Chris White for her work on the presentation. He said the
neighbors desire neighborhoods with benefits including stable property values, predictability, and a sense
of community. He said the neighbors voiced justifiable concerns including lighting, traffic, noise, and the
threat of commercial development. Mr. Koger said MGMC and McFarland Clinic expressed a common
primary concern: patient care – good doctors providing excellent care. Mr. Koger said Ames must
compete for good doctors and discussed the competitive, regulated, and sometimes political nature of
health care, all of which make it hard for medical providers to determine long-term facility needs. Mr.
Koger said the group evaluated possible options for H/M growth, and it was agreed that expanding the
H/M boundaries should be put off as long as possible. He said discussion on moving medical uses
outside the H/M zone led to focusing on intensifying within the boundaries. He said the group tried to
remain conceptual and keep minds free to envision possibilities.
Sharon Wirth reminded the group that what is being presented is conceptual only. She said the group
began by asking if a sufficient expansion could occur within current zone. She said that there are no plans
for development east of Duff Avenue at this point, but the desire is to have an o ngoing communication
system in place for times when health care providers need to expand. She said the group focused on the
area between 11th and 13th Streets on the east side of Duff Avenue. She showed a diagram of areas
devoted to driveways and parking. She said different concepts were evaluated, one of was which was
relaxing the set-backs. She said the group tried to keep structures immediately on Duff Avenue.
Ms. Wirth reviewed the options that the group came up with. The first option would include constructing
a new, 6-story building with 38,500 square feet (the equivalent of ¼ of the space currently in the main
McFarland Clinic building). She said creative planning and financing might be needed. The second
option would add to the first option for a total of 60,000 square feet. She said some neighborhoods were
in strict opposition to this option since it would result in the eventual elimination of their buildings. Ms.
Wirth also said that interest in a new parking ramp was received at the September neighborhood meeting.
Ms. Wirth said the group has set a precedent for involving representatives of adjacent stakeholders in
planning for future growth.
Mayor Campbell asked if any other members of the discussion group wanted to add thoughts. Fred
Bradner said at the September meeting Peter Hallock summarized the progress of the group well. Mr.
Dieter said he is impressed that the members of the discussion group are speaking collectively. Mr.
Hallock said it’s beneficial to hear multiple viewpoints on the topic. John Kearney said he has practiced
at his present location for 30 years, and has employed several of his employees from the beginning, and
that his family and his staff are very devoted to his business and its location. He said he worries that his
current building would be eliminated under Option B. Tom Stark said he is joining the group late, but is
glad to be part of the process.
Council Member Orazem asked about the time frame. Mr. Koger said it’s very difficult to put a time
frame on the options. Ms. White said she came to understand that there’s a 5,000 square feet threshold
that is used to prevent small buildings being added too frequently. She said she hopes their group can be
a model for other groups where many stakeholders are coming together with different views, and said the
group members are committed to continuing discussions. Ms. White also thanked City staff.
Ms. Wirth said recent expansion has been 5,000-10,000 square feet at a time, but to use land more
efficiently larger buildings should be considered, which would require some creative financing. She said
she would like to protect neighborhoods and the community at large, since medical care and housing
supply are both very important to the entire community. Mayor Campbell said the neighborhoods have
discussed creative financing, and asked the representatives of MGMC and McFarland Clinic to address
the topic. Mr. Dieter said neighbors understand that in some cases health care providers cannot wait to
build more space. He said the group did not discuss economic feasibility or planning feasibility, but
would address those things as more space is needed.
Mr. Hallock said if a building with 40,000 square feet is being considered when incremental needs are
5,000-10,000, building up would be very disruptive and almost impossible. He said the community’s
interests would need to be considered. He also said other uses could be allowed temporarily in the
building so a larger facility can be built. Mr. Hallock said there are no real proposals but some flexibility
would be appropriate. Council Member Goodman asked about the amount of parking. Mr. Dieter said
what they have laid out is according to the code since the code requirement works well for them now.
Mr. Goodman said he would encourage the group to slow down a little bit, because the Land Use Policy
Plan (LUPP) assumes there will be choices. He also said property owners will still defend their own
properties, as eminent domain is not involved, but rather dollars and the interests of different parties.
Council Member Wacha congratulated the group on the effective dialogue. He said he was so
appreciative of the long-term residents in the Old Town neighborhood when he lived there. He advised
the group to keep meeting so that the group is kept apprised of new information.
Mr. Dieter said Mr. Schainker scheduled and facilitated the meetings, brought resources, and has done a
great job translating during the times when the group was not hearing each other. Ms. White said she has
enjoyed hearing from Lynn Whisler, Brian Dieter, Steve Koger, and Roger Kluesner, and said she is
curious what members of their respective boards think of the dialogue. Lee Burrass said flexibility is
important, and that the process is also important. Council Member Szopinski asked what happens next.
Linda Feldman said the group is incorporating new members and discussing what will trigger a need. Ms.
Szopinski asked if the group feels it is in a good place. Mr. Koger said the group is going to be placed “on
call” so it can come together when needed. He said he looks forward to the next few years and wants to
be ready. Mr. Dieter said it’s hard to project 5-10 year needs, but it is possible to communicate to the
group that in the next 2 years MGMC has no additional needs. MGMC Trustee Sarah Buck said the
MGMC board is very supportive of this process, and that she is very pleased that there is a sense of
comfort in the room that hasn’t always been present. She said she knows it is due to a greater
understanding and respect among the members and she applauded the group.
Discussion ensued regarding zoning. Mr. Schainker said city government is not structured to give money
toward things such as the options presented, but a developer might become interested if something could
be added. Mr. Larson said human service agencies and mental health needs could be considered. Mr.
Schainker said adding those agencies could lead to available grant funding.
Mr. Goodman said he has never seen a group of people feeling so opposed initially present such positive
information at the end. Council Member Larson said it’s very encouraging that strong, passionate
neighborhoods and developers can come up with ideas that are possible. Mayor Campbell thanked the
group for its work.
Moved by Davis and seconded by Wacha to recess at 7:49 p.m.
Mayor Ann Campbell called the meeting of the Ames City Council to order at 8:18 p.m. with Jeremy
Davis, Matthew Goodman, Jami Larson, Peter Orazem, Victoria Szopinski, and Tom Wacha present.
Moved by Davis, and seconded by Wacha to go into closed session.
Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Resolution declared adopted unanimously, signed by the Mayor, and hereby made a
portion of these Minutes.
Moved by Davis and seconded by Orazem to come out of closed session.
Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion carried unanimously.
Moved by Davis and seconded by Wacha to direct City Attorney Judy Parks to file a response regarding
litigation with Breckenridge.
Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion carried unanimously.
COUNCIL COMMENTS: Ms. Szopinski discussed a letter received from Joe Rippetoe regarding a
drive through on the Kingland property. She said staff is currently putting together a development
agreement. Moved by Szopinski and seconded by Orazem to include drive through in the list of
restrictions being formulated in the development agreement.
Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion carried unanimously.
Mr. Goodman said during the joint meeting with Iowa State University’s Government of the Student
Body the rental housing code was discussed. He said he would like to make a motion that students be
brought to the table for the discussions on life safety issues. Mr. Schainker said City staff is looking at
the way it reads. Mr. Goodman said he would like to bring some students into that process. Mr. Davis
said the Interfraternity Council (IFC) could find students to participate. Mr. Larson suggested bringing
the Greek alumni into the conversation. Moved by Goodman and seconded by Orazem to include some
ISU Greek community students and a small number of chapter advisors in the discussions of life safety
issues. Council members suggested asking IFC, the Collegiate Panhellenic Council, and chapter advisors
for student names.
Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion carried unanimously.
ADJOURN: Moved by Davis to adjourn at 9:36 p.m.
_________________________________ ___________________________________
Diane R. Voss, City Clerk Ann H. Campbell, Mayor
________________________________
Erin Thompson, Recording Secretary