HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Special Joint Meeting of the Ames City Council, Gilbert City Council, Boone County Supervisors, and Story County Supervisors 06/29/2004MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL JOINT MEETING OF THE
AMES CITY COUNCIL, GILBERT CITY COUNCIL,
BOONE COUNTY SUPERVISORS, AND STORY COUNTY SUPERVISORS
AMES, IOWA JUNE 29, 2004
The Ames City Council, Gilbert City Council, Boone County Supervisors, and Story County Supervisors met
in special joint session at 7:00 p.m. on the 29th day of June, 2004, in the Ames City Council Chambers in
City Hall, 515 Clark Avenue, pursuant to law with Ames Mayor Pro Tem Goodhue presiding and the
following Ames Council members present: Cross, Mahayni, Vegge, and Wirth. Andrew Tugan, ex officio
member, was also present. Present from the Gilbert City Council were Mayor Wannemuehler and Council
Members Henn, Jaquis, and Gallahan. Boone County Supervisors O’Brien and Reed and Story County
Supervisors Clinton, Halliburton, and Toms were in attendance.
Mayor Pro Tem Goodhue explained that no action would be taken at this meeting; it is only for the
presentation of the draft Ames Urban Fringe Area Plan.
Jeff Benson, City of Ames Planner, introduced Luke Nelson, Boone County Planning and Development
Director; Director Leann Harter and Planner Aaron Steele, Story County Planning and Zoning; and Gary
Reiners and Sue Costner, Public Resource Research Group.
A brief summary of the results of previous meetings held by the three entities on this topic was given by Mr.
Benson. He also reviewed the guiding principles agreed upon at their meeting on November 17, 2003.
Mr. Benson presented the draft Ames Urban Fringe Area Plan. He explained that land uses and policies for
the Ames Urban Fringe Area are grouped into three separate classes: Rural Service and Agricultural
Conservation Area, Rural/Urban Transition Area, and Urban Service Area. Mr. Benson detailed the land uses
in the Urban Service Area and the Rural/Urban Transition Area.
Aaron Steele described the characteristics of the Rural/Urban Transition Area, including the Highway-
Oriented Commercial, Industrial Reserve, Gateway Protection Area, Watershed Protection Area,
Transportation Corridor Protection Area, Airport Protection Area, and Natural Areas land uses. He explained
what land uses are contained in the Rural Service and Agricultural Conservation Area. Mr. Steele cited the
implications of the Urban Fringe Land Use Policy on agricultural land, determined by using the Land
Evaluation and Site Assessment (LESA) Value System. He also gave the implications of the Policy on
natural resources.
A review of the community input received to date was presented by Mr. Steele. The proposed public input
process was described as follows: (1) Plan documents will be posted for review and downloaded on the
communities’ web sites. (2) Hard copies of Plan documents will be made available for review at the Ames
City Hall, Gilbert City Hall, Story County Courthouse, and the Ames Library. (3) Notices of the Plan review
and comment opportunity will be posted in conspicuous public and retail locations.
Respective staffs of each entity are requesting written comments on this Plan from this date until September
30, 2004; those comments are to be directed to any of the four entities. After that, other efforts to inform the
public will be at the discretion of the involved Counties and Cities. After the public comment period, the
respective Planning and Zoning Commissions will hear the Plan.
Katherine Fromm, 3531 George Washington Carver, Ames, expressed dissatisfaction that landowners of
property in the designated urban fringe area were not directly informed about this meeting. Mr Benson
advised that persons who received notices of focus group meetings in the past could be mailed notices of
future meetings. Ames City Council Member Wirth indicated her preference that individual notices be
mailed to the affected land owners. Story County Supervisor Halliburton recommended that the Plan be
reviewed by the respective staffs of the entities, correcting grammatical errors and making other
clarifications, as needed. Council Member Cross suggested that the affected school districts receive copies
of the Plan and Background Report. He also recommended that urban growth of the Counties be pictorially
displayed by decade and included in the Plan.
Story County Supervisor Clinton expressed his appreciation that a timeline for adoption of the Plan had been
set. It was agreed that by July 15, 2004, the Plan will be placed on all appropriate governmental websites,
and copies will be made available at the Ames City Hall, Gilbert City Hall, Story County Courthouse, and
the Ames Library. By that date, copies of the Plan will also be sent to the affected school districts, fire
districts, police districts, Iowa State University, and utility companies. Written statements of positions
pertaining to the proposed Plan will be accepted by each of the entities until September 30, 2004, with the
respective Planning and Zoning Commissions hearing the Plan prior to that date. Persons with disabilities
who require assistance or devices to participate should contact their individual governmental entity. Notices
of future meetings will be sent to the affected landowners within the Ames Urban Fringe Area.
Between October 15 and 30, 2004, another joint meeting will be scheduled among the Boards of Supervisors
of Boone and Story Counties and the City Councils of Gilbert and Ames. After formal adoption of the Plan,
formal intergovernmental agreements will be drafted and brought to another joint meeting in late
November/early December 2004. The final adoption of the Plan is slated for April 2005.
ADJOURNMENT: 8:15 p.m.
_____________________________________ ________________________________________
Diane Voss, City Clerk Ted Tedesco, Mayor
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