HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Special Joint Meeting of the Ames City Council, Gilbert City Council, Boone County Supervisors, and Story County Supervisors 11/17/2003MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL JOINT MEETING OF THE
AMES CITY COUNCIL, GILBERT CITY COUNCIL,
BOONE COUNTY SUPERVISORS, AND STORY COUNTY SUPERVISORS
AMES, IOWA NOVEMBER 17, 2003
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 17th day of November, 2003, in the Ames City Council Chambers
in City Hall, 515 Clark Avenue, pursuant to law with Ames Mayor Ted Tedesco presiding and the following
Ames Council members present: Cross, Goodhue, Mahayni, Vegge, and Wirth. Council Member Hoffman
and Nate Johnston, ex officio member, were absent. Present from the Gilbert City Council were Mayor Jaquis
and Council Members Benda, Henn, and Popp. Boone County Supervisors Sorensen and O’Brien and Story
County Supervisors Clinton, Halliburton, and Toms were in attendance. Gilbert City Council Members Uthe
and Allen arrived at 7:15 p.m.
Boone County Planning and Development Director Luke Nelson introduced Leann Harter, Story County
Planning and Zoning Director; Aaron Steele, Story County Planner, City of Ames Planners Ray Anderson
and Joe Pietruszynski; and Sue Costner, consultant working with the City of Gilbert.
Mr. Nelson stated that discussions among these entities initially began on October 17, 2000, when they met
over citizens’ complaints of high levels of bacteria in a joint drainage district (College Creek). Staff from the
City of Ames, Story County, and Boone County continued to meet to review existing adopted plans and
policies governing development in the fringe areas, determine areas of apparent conflict to address first,
investigate methods to coordinate processes and communication, and to establish guiding principles.
Aaron Steele identified each of the guiding principles on which Boone County, Story County, and the Cities
of Ames and Gilbert will work on together, if so directed by their respective Supervisors and Councils: (a)
to preserve agricultural land from unplanned and inefficient urbanization and rural non-agricultural
development; (b) to ensure that future development is directed towards mutually-agreed-to targeted growth
areas; c) to effectively and efficiently manage growth in order to minimize negative impacts; (d) to establish
an orderly transition of land uses from rural to urban and vice versa; (e) to protect environmental resources
and establish growth policies that are compatible with ecological systems; and, (f) to accomplish
intergovernmental coordination for successful planning and management within the two-mile fringe of the
City of Ames.
Mr. Steele said that it was their common goal to reach consensus on the definition of prime agricultural land;
said definition to provide the basis for identifying and preserving agricultural resources. The cities also need
to adopt a universal and uniform approach to analyze and calculate prime agricultural resources. Currently,
Story County and Boone County use different methods to rate agricultural land. Implementation steps to be
followed to allow the preservation of agricultural land are for the entities to achieve common definition of
agricultural lands, identify agricultural lands on a future land use map, and to review measures to provide
for preservation.
Joe Pietruszynski described one of the suggested guiding principles: that the entities will work together to
ensure that future development is directed towards mutually-agreed-to targeted growth areas. He advised
that, currently, there are 791 total dwellings in the fringe area. The average density is .34 dwellings per acre
(or approximately three acres/unit). Approximately 46 acres/year are absorbed for rural residential
development (dwellings) in the fringe area. Since 1970, Mr. Pietruszynski explained that growth inside the
fringe area of the City of Ames has increased and the fringe area around Story County has decreased. He
gave the residential location characteristics, emphasizing that over one-half of the dwelling units are located
on parcels classified as “prime” by the USDA. According to the research done by staff members, over the
next 30 years, an additional 1,380 acres will be needed to support the projected increase in dwelling units
in the fringe area. An additional 460 units will be constructed in the fringe area. To implement this guiding
principle, the entities need to identify areas for targeted growth on a future land use map.
Pertaining to the next proposed guiding principle, i.e., that the entities work to establish effective and efficient
management of growth in order to minimize negative impacts, Ray Anderson described the potential costs
of fringe development to the environment, transportation, emergency services, agricultural uses, and school
facilities. To carry out this principle, the entities will need to identify areas for targeting growth and define
areas of logical extension or areas wherein impacts to infrastructure are minimal or may be minimized.
Luke Nelson talked about the next recommended guiding principle: the entities will work together to
establish an orderly transition of land uses from rural to urban and vice versa. He said that the entities need
to share a common definition of rural land uses, the preferred land uses and priority growth areas need to be
defined and delineated on a shared Fringe Area Land Use Map, and common standards regarding growth
management principles and practices need to be established. In order to implement this principle, common
practices need to be established to help provide orderly transition from rural to urban land uses.
Another possible guiding principle, that the entities will protect natural resources and establish growth
policies that are compatible with ecological systems, was explained. The entities need to achieve common
definition of natural resources, identify natural resources on a future land use map, and review measures to
provide for preservation in order to implement this principle.
Leann Harter talked about intergovernmental coordination. She said that the entities need to establish and
maintain formalized 28E Agreements to map out responsibilities and obligations of each jurisdiction within
the fringe area, need to develop a shared land use plan for the fringe area, and need to establish planning
procedures to review and provide recommendations regarding proposed land use issues within the fringe area.
Ms. Harter presented options to address the need to improve and streamline the procedures relative to
development within the fringe area. Staffs have identified five alternatives: (1) maintain current procedures
(zoning and subdivision) and administer shared land use plan; (2) maintain current zoning process, implement
a linear subdivision review procedure, and administer shared land use plan; (3) maintain current zoning
process/subdivision review using a Fringe Area Review Board and administer a shared land use plan; (4) use
a Fringe Area Review Board to advise on zoning changes and subdivision review and administer a shared
land use plan; and (5) maintain current zoning process/administer subdivision regulations using “sphere of
influence” model and administer a shared land use plan. Ms. Harter explained that a Fringe Area Review
Board would consist of appointed officials to serve on a board of review who would review applications for
development in the fringe area and advise on zoning changes and subdivision review.
Story County Supervisor Halliburton asked if staff had looked at maps to see where the School Districts
boundaries come into play. Joe Pietruszynski said staff has looked at those maps. While staff does not favor
one school district over another, they are a factor.
Ms. Halliburton asked what role rural water service plays in urban fringe development. Mr. Pietruszynski
explained that rural water is a very large issue. Ray Anderson advised that the City of Ames now requires
property owners to sign an agreement obligating them to pay the costs of disconnecting rural water service
and all public improvements if their property is annexed into the City of Ames.
As a point of clarification, Ames Council Member Cross asked how much the fringe area is expected to
increase over the next 30 years. Joe Pietruszynski stated that the population in the fringe area is estimated
to increase by approximately 1,500 people, taking into account that the fringe area boundaries will change.
Mr. Pietruszynski advised that the focus should not necessarily be on the increase in population, but that the
development is much less dense and occurs on the edge of urbanized areas.
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Gilbert Council Member Allen asked how the process would be articulated when there is not consensus
among the entities. Ms. Harter suggested that the entities build the method of conflict resolution into the 28E
Agreement.
The presenters asked each entity to adopt the guiding principles, direct staff to prepare an Urban Fringe Plan
and to prepare a Fringe Area Plan with the City of Gilbert and possibly other cities that are affected.
Moved by Cross, seconded by Vegge, for the City of Ames to adopt the guiding principles as presented and
direct staff to prepare an Urban Fringe Plan.
Vote on Motion: 5-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
Moved by Halliburton, seconded by Clinton, for Story County to adopt the guiding principles as presented
and direct staff to prepare an Urban Fringe Plan.
Vote on Motion: 3-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
Ms. Harter asked if they were being directed to include the City of Gilbert. It was the consensus that the City
of Gilbert should be involved and possibly the City of Kelley.
Moved by Allen, seconded by Henn, for the City of Gilbert to adopt the guiding principles as presented and
direct staff to prepare an Urban Fringe Plan.
Vote on Motion: 5-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
No vote was taken by Boone County; they will take action on this matter at an upcoming regularly scheduled
meeting.
Staffs from the various entities will outline the strategy for development of the Urban Fringe Plan; provide
consistent data among the jurisdictions; map out the conflicting land uses among the jurisdictions; outline
the conditions, in great detail, of the two-mile fringe area; and create a draft Plan and map by April 2004.
Story County Supervisor Halliburton stated that she felt it was important that the existing differences be
identified so that the entities can look at ways to resolve those differences or how those are going to be
handled.
Ames Council Member Cross specifically requested that the staffs arrive at a common definition for prime
ag land, show where the prime ag land is located, and where environmentally sensitive ground is located.
COMMENTS:
ADJOURNMENT: 8:42 p.m.
_____________________________________ ________________________________________
Diane Voss, City Clerk Ted Tedesco, Mayor
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