HomeMy WebLinkAboutA027 - Hearing on Rezoning Property at 3220 Cameron School Road from “A” (Agricultural) to “CGS” (Convenience General Service) and “FS-RM” (Floating Suburban Medium-Density Residential) Zone with MasterplanITEM #:28
DATE:08-26-25
DEPT:P&H
SUBJECT:HEARING ON REZONING PROPERTY AT 3220 CAMERON SCHOOL ROAD
FROM (AGRICULTURAL) TO (CONVENIENCE GENERAL SERVICE) AND
(FLOATING SUBURBAN MEDIUM-DENSITY RESIDENTIAL) ZONE WITH
MASTERPLAN
COUNCIL ACTION FORM
BACKGROUND:
Friedrich Land Development Company is requesting to rezone property located at 3220
Cameron School Road from “A” (Agricultural) to “CGS” (Convenience General Service)
and “FS-RM” (Suburban Residential Medium-Density) Zone with a Masterplan (See
Attachment A- Location). The land is located near the corner of Cameron School Road and
GW Carver Avenue. The land is currently part of The Bluffs at Dankbar Farms subdivision as
Outlot ZZ, which was platted in 2023.
The site encompasses 21.02 acres of undeveloped land. The site is adjacent to existing
residential development to the south and rural homes to the west along Cameron School
Road. Christ Community Church is to the north and in the County. To the northeast is the Irons
Subdivision and to the east is land that is currently being annexed to the City known as the
Borgmeyer Farm. Additional residential development is planned to the west as part of the
Bluffs at Dankbar Farms project.
The proposal calls for 6.79 acres of CGS zoned land directly abutting Cameron School Road
and GW Carver Avenue and 14.23 acres of FS-RM zoned land abutting GW Carver south of
the proposed commercial land. The two zoning areas will be divided by a planned public
street extension of Columbus to GW Carver. The developer's primary goal is to allow for
an Independent Senior Living facility with assisted living and memory care and for
commercial use including a convenience store/gas station.
An Independent Senior Living facility in the FS-RM zone requires a Special Use Permit
issued by the Zoning Board of Adjustment because of the unique allowances of no
building size or density limitations, reduced parking rates compared to household
living, and the unique operation aspects of such a facility. If the assisted living facility
was not to be permitted, a limited density of household living residential dwellings
would be allowed for the site. A Masterplan in this case would address use limitations
from prior agreements and the integration of the commercial and medium density uses
into the planned development of the area (See Attachment B- Proposed Rezoning).
A Masterplan would be required by the City for any new growth areas with FS-RM zoning. The
Masterplan includes the CGS land in this case. The Masterplan most importantly identifies
allowed uses and in this case some site planning elements for the orientation of the planned
future convenience store, including pump location and front yard landscaping separation. The
specific details of the masterplan are discussed in the Addendum below. The Developer will
be updating the Masterplan document to reflect City Council's direction on proposed
rezoning and ultimately include a Zoning Agreement that will have language requiring
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these items prior to approval on third reading (See Attachment C- Masterplan).
The proposed FS-RM zone includes allowing for an Independent Senior Living use. This
facility would include Independent and Assisted Senior Living along with Memory Care.
Although listed as Independent Senior Living, assisted living and memory care uses have
been previously permitted within this use classification.
The Masterplan indicates a total buildout of 88 assisted living and memory care units and
potentially for 17 independent senior living dwellings on the site, a maximum of 105 units in
total. An assisted living use has not been proposed within an FS zoned area of the City for 10
years due to the unique findings for such a use with approval of a Special Use Permit by the
ZBA, including a unique finding regarding the potential effects of such a use on emergency
servic es. There is a more in-depth discussion of the proposed use within this report
than is commonly addressed with rezoning for standard housing developments due to
Fire Department response goals of the City.
FIRE COVERAGE:
The proposed Assisted Living and Memory care use at this location on the northern edge of
the City provides challenges for the Fire Department related to their performance measures.
The challenges stem from the combination of the location and high-call volume from an
assisted living facility. A complete explanation from the Fire Chief is included in the addendum.
As the City continues to expand to the north it became apparent that a 4th fire station in North
Ames will be needed in order to meet the current fire response performance measure. City
Council originally reviewed this issue with Plan 2040 scenario analysis for all the growth
areas. With this knowledge of eventual need for a facility, typical low call volume uses
have been approved in North Ames. Additionally, the issue of fire response was
addressed by a prior City Council in 2012 where Council reviewed department
response goals, which were different than today, and ultimately approved a similar use
with an assisted living project in the north Ames as well, which ultimately became the
Northridge Living facility.
As described by the Fire Chief, with current conditions of the City, this site will have lower
response times due to its distance from a station and is projected to then lower our city-wide
response average. While such a project is not currently in the five-year Capital Improvements
Program (CIP), the City Council recently has included in its future projects list planning for a
4th station or smaller facility to meet fire response performance measure. The combination of
need and timing have highlighted this issue for the rezoning request as City Council has
control of whether to allow for the use or not with the rezoning.
The Dover corporation, developer of the proposed assisted Living and memory care facility,
has been in discussions with staff about the proposed use and their experience operating
nearly 50 assisted living facilities. They have locations across the country and have not had
concerns about delayed response times. Staff’s research with Dover ’s assistance indicates
this site would result in one of the longest response times within their portfolio. However,
Dover believes that with their 24/7 skilled nursing staffing, the quality of service for
residents at this site will be typical of their other communities they serve without
requiring any changes to City Fire Department resources.
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INFRASTRUCTURE:
At the time of annexation of the Dankbar farm land, two primary infrastructure requirements
existed related to sanitary sewer capacity and transportation impacts. The proposed uses that
can be permitted under the proposed new zoning designations can be served with the existing
sanitary sewer capacity and meet the transportation requirements as outlined in the
Masterplan Zoning Agreement for Dankbar farms approved in 2023. City staff have reviewed
the sanitary sewer supply capacity and determined that no additional usage is expected
beyond what has been designed for and projected in this area and agreed to at that time.
Therefore, there is adequate capacity in the sanitary sewer to meet the demands of the
proposed uses. The zoning agreement will reflect the usage limitations regarding
available sanitary sewer service.
The developer is also responsible for widening of Cameron School Road and GW Carver to
create turn lane improvements. These improvements will occur prior to development of the
site. The developer has previously made a fair share contribution to a planned traffic signal.
No other traffic improvements are required in relation to the proposed rezoning.
It should be notes that the developer, independent of the rezoning, has requested the
City consider $1.2 million of development incentives for these road improvements.
This request is not part of the rezoning discussion and is part of a future Council
discussion of developer incentives on a citywide basis.
ZONING AGREEMENT:
As part of a Masterplan, a Zoning Agreement will be required which will outline the stipulations
of the Masterplan that the proposed future uses must meet in the rezoned area. The
Developer will be required to provide an amended Masterplan with the specific
development and design requirements listed on the Masterplan prior to Third Reading
by City Council.
As of the date of this writing the rezoning agreement and updated Master Plan have not been
finalized with the developer. Staff will finalize the Master Plan and Zoning Agreement
language with the developer prior to the Third Reading of the rezoning Ordinance.
PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION:
At the August 6th Planning & Zoning Commission meeting the Commission reviewed the
rezoning request. Five Commission members were present. Staff presented the proposed
request for commercial and assisted living and the consistency with scenario analysis of Plan
2040 where it was known that a northern station was needed at some point to improve
emergency response for North Ames. Council had previously understood this with discussion
of the growth areas and the incremental growth of standard residential and commercial
development. Staff described the unique issue of the concentration of emergency response
calls for assisted living facilities compared to other planned growth. This was relevant because
of the future Special Use Permit process that would apply to assisted living.
Commission members discussed the issue of emergency services and the need for housing,
specifically related to seniors. Four of the Commission members spoke in favor of moving
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forward with the rezoning to include Senior Living despite the projected Fire Service issues.
One member spoke in favor of making sure adequate fire response goals were being met first
before proceeding with the project. .
The Commission voted 4-1 to recommend City Council approve the rezone request with the
Senior Living Facility use in the FS-RM zoned area and an updated Master plan with rezoning
agreement.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. The City Council can approve on first reading the Rezoning the property at 3220
Cameron School Road from “A” Agricultural to “CGS” Convenience General Service and
“FS-RM” Suburban Medium Density Residential Zone with a Masterplan and to finalize a
Zoning Agreement for the Master Plan prior to third reading of the rezoning ordinance.
2. The City Council can deny approving Assisted living as a use for the site and approve a
Master Plan for Rezoning the property at 3220 Cameron School Road from “A”
Agricultural to “CGS” Convenience General Service and “FS-RM” Suburban Medium
Density Residential Zone with an updated Masterplan and Zoning Agreement prior to
Third Reading of rezoning ordinance.
3. The City Council can deny the proposed Master Plan and direct the property owner to
apply for a rezoning that includes a Planned Unit Development Overlay to allow for City
Council approval of Allowable Uses and Site Development Plans.
4. The City Council can deny the Master Plan for Rezoning the property at 3220 Cameron
School Road from “A” Agricultural to “CGS” Convenience General Service and “FS-RM”
Suburban Medium Density Residential Zone if it finds the Master Plan is not consistent
with the policies of Ames Plan 2040 and the RN3 and NC land use designations.
5. The City Council can refer this matter back to staff or the applicant for more information.
CITY MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Proposing a rezoning to residential and commercial with a master plan is consistent with the
underlying RN3 and NC land use designations in Ames Plan 2040. The unique element of the
request is for assisted living and memory care uses with the allowance of an Independent
Senior Living Facility allowed use. Staff's focus has been on sewer infrastructure for support of
the proposal, design compatibility of the commercial site, and the service needs of the assisted
living use in relation to emergency services.
Consideration of the fire response issue at this time with the rezoning is because the base
zoning of FS-RM requires approval of a Special Use Permit process by the Zoning Board of
Adjustment for a Senior Living Facility will require a finding related to impacts of providing
emergency services to a the use. Staff believes understanding this issue now and setting
Council's expectations early in the rezoning process will greatly assist in the future review of
the facility.
If Council proceeds with Alternative 1 or 2, staff will finalize details of the Master Plan
requirements as outlined in this report in conjunction with a rezoning agreement and will have
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an updated Master Plan and rezoning agreement prior to the Third Reading of the rezoning.
If the City Council believes that the fire response and service issues are not of concern given
the fact that the Council is considering a 4th fire station in the future the Council should
support Alternative #1.
However, if the City Council believes the fire Response and service issues do not support
allowing the Assisted Living use at this location at this time due to the lack of a 4th fire station
in this area, the Council could support Alternative #2 which approves rezoning without
Assisted Living.
Alternative 3 is a unique approach of utilizing the PUD Overlay process to establish site design
and use approval via City Council approval. Alternative 3 would require restarting the
rezoning process to include a PUD Overlay with a specific site plan for the Assisted Living
F a ci l it y. This Alternative grants approval by the City Council, rather than deferring
approval of the Assisted Living Facility to the Zoning Board of Adjustment with a
Special Use Permit.
ATTACHMENT(S):
Addendum
Attachments For Location Map, Zoning, Plan 2040.pdf
3220 Cameron School Rd Rezoning Ord.docx
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ADDENDUM
REZONING BACKGROUND:
Existing Uses of Land. Land uses that occupy the subject property and other
surrounding properties are described in the following table.
Direction from Subject
Property
Existing Primary Land Uses
Subject Property Undeveloped / Row-crop
North Community Church Property
East Undeveloped / Row-crop
South Single-Family Residential
West Single-Family Residential/Row Crop
Ames Plan 2040
The project area has an RN3 and an NC land use designation. These designations in
Ames Plan 2040 support the proposed rezoning. Excerpts of the RN3 and NC Ames 2040
Land Use Policy sections are included in Attachment D.
Land Use Designation & Neighborhood Characteristics
The RN3 designation contains characteristics of primarily sin gle family low and medium
density housing and medium density apartments. These areas will be conventional
suburban subdivisions with intermixed green space, paths and storm water detention. An
auto oriented design can be expected with limited cul-de-sacs.
The NC designation characteristics include serving local customer needs for nearby
neighborhoods. Smaller scale development including convenience and person services,
small local retail, grocery, childcare and other local services and offices.
Growth Goals
The RN3 goals include offering a wide range of housing types and price points. Planned
development of neighborhoods with linkages to various densities nearby. Incorporating
the complete streets concepts along with safe access to neighborhood cores and activity
areas. Target minimum gross density in new developments is 6 units per acre.
The NC goals include providing neighborhood commercial and services to new residential
areas. Providing neighborhood centers as important features of residential commun ities.
Providing for small business uses. Developing at compatible scale with surrounding
residential neighborhoods. Facilitating pedestrian and bicycle access between
commercial clusters and areas to surrounding neighborhoods.
Staff finds in both designations above that the proposed rezoning allows for uses that
align with these goals.
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Development Guidelines
The RN3 guidelines envision flexibility in lot sizes for diverse housing types. Providing for
higher residential densities along major roads and Avenues with pedestrian connectivity
to and within master plan projects as well as street and sidewalk connectivity.
Incorporating neighborhood and community parks, trails and greenbelts. Apply minimum
density standards and necessary in supported zones.
The NC guidelines for the new commercial areas include encouraging walkability between
buildings and neighborhoods. Orienting buildings to streets and providing direct sidewalk
access. Reducing the visual impact of parking areas. Provide for pedestrian and bicycle
access to and from residential areas.
The proposed rezoning can be found to be compatible with supporting the guidelines of
both the RN3 and NC land use designations based on the requirements and allowances
of each zoning designation being proposed.
Public Actions(related to RN3 Desigantion)
In the RN3 designation the Public Actions involve reviewing zoning regulations to address
the intended range of uses. Extending trail networks, supporting transit service extensions
and using the CIP program to assist in extending road, water and sewer services. Also
considering the use of development agreements to facilitate extensions.
Open Space and Parks
The nearby Bluffs at Dankbar Farms subdivisions to the west contains a planned small
neighborhood park. This meets the Land Use goal of the proposed neighborhood being
within a ½ mile of a city park.
Complete Streets Typology
The complete streets typology in Ames Plan 2040 categorizes the street connections into
this site as local commercial for the future Columbus Drive through the site. The Everest
Avenue extension north-south along the west edge of the site will be residential. Both of
these street types are intended in new expansion areas with low and medium density
zoning such as this development.
GW Carver abutting to the east is an arterial street and Cameron School Road is classified
as a collector street.
Fire Coverage
The City has a response time policy target of at least 85% of our fire calls being reached
by fire personnel within 5 minutes of the call for fire services. Based on the current
locations of the Fire stations in Ames, the response time for fire calls at the proposed
Independent Senior Living facility with Assisted Living and Memory Care proposed in the
FS-RM zoned area will likely be outside of that target response time. Additionally there
are concerns that additional concentrated demand could impact overall averages for the
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City. The City has plans for a fire station to eventually be constructed in this area which
would provide enhanced fire service, well within the 5 minute response time target.
The Ames Fire Chief has the following comment regarding the proposal for a Senior
Living and Memory Care Facility in the FS-RM zoned area:
“The Ames Fire Department has significant concerns regarding the proposed
assisted living and memory care facility located at the city's edge with a 10 -minute
response time. While the facility will include important safety features such as
sprinkler systems, fire alarm systems, and 24/7 skilled nursing staff, these cannot
address the fundamental response time challenges for emergent incidents.
Assisted living and memory care facilities represent a disproportionate
operational burden, accounting for more than 10% of the department's total
call volume and over 20% of medical assist incidents, with nearly 30%
requiring emergent response. The facility's edge-of-town location falls well
outside the department's 5-minute performance measure.
The department's ability to meet its performance measure of reaching 85% of
emergent incidents within 5 minutes has been steadily declining from 82.6% in
2022 to 72.4% in 2024. Adding this high-demand facility at the city's edge will
accelerate this negative trend and create cascading effects on community-wide
emergency response capabilities. The extended response and unit commitment
times will reduce availability for other emergencies throughout the city and
disproportionately impact the department's ability to serve all residents within
acceptable timeframes. While the proposed safety features are commendable,
they cannot fully mitigate the operational challenges created by the facility's
location and the inherent high service demands of this occupancy typ e.”
“In 2024, the Ames Fire Department responded to 5,990 calls for services. Of
those calls for service 2,800 were for medical related incidents. Of the 5,990
calls, 616 (10%) were specifically to facilities coded the same of the proposed
facility of skilled Nursing/Skilled/Assisted Living.” There are roughly two dozen
facilities coded in the system related to this type of use.
When you evaluate just medical related incidents, there were 574 calls for
service to Nursing/Skilled/Assisted Living Facilities. These calls represent 20% of
all the medical related incident the Ames Fire Department responded to in 2024.”
“Additional Data from this year January 1, 2025 through July 31, 2025 for 24-hour
care nursing homes of 4 or more persons:
From January 1, 2025 through July 31, 2025 , the Ames Fire Department
responded to 3,625 calls for services. Of those calls for service 2,199 were for
medical related incidents. 458 (12%) of all the calls for service were specifically to
Nursing/Skilled/Assisted Living Facilities. When you evaluate just medical related
incidents, there were 306 calls for service to Nursing/Skilled/Assisted Living
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Facilities, which represents 13% of all the medical related incidents during this time
period.”
Public services are not typically accounted for in this level of detail with a rezoning. At
the time of Plan 2040 evaluation of growth areas, response time models were analyzed
with conclusions that growth at some point would correspond to increased service needs
for fire and emergency response in relation to the current response time goals. Rezoning
for typical low call demand uses have routinely been approved as we expand.
As demonstrated above, the proposed use is not likely to be a low call demand use.
Allowing for the use at this time relates to current department goals for service levels and
the timing of development in the growth areas, which is a component of zoning to control
timing and use to meet interest of the a community.
As a unique use that is not frequently proposed in the city, staff believes the issue needed
to be addressed in advance of consideration of a future Special Use Permit by the Zoning
Board of Adjustment. Review of the information and City Council expectations for
department goals is a relevant consideration with a rezoning request. City Council’s
decision to proceed or not will assist staff in future evaluation of the special use permit
application that would be eventually reviewed by the Zoning Board of Ad justment.
Proposed Master Plan
The Master Plan (Attachment C) and Zoning Agreement will govern the uses, density and
some design elements of the entire rezoned area. The Master Plan is required based on
Section 29.1507(3): when “an application is made for amending the zoning map to
designate any property as FS-RL, FS-RM, or PUD, the applicant must either prepare a
Master Plan or request that the City Council determine whether it will be required.”
The proposal calls for 6.79 acres of CGS zoned land directly abutting Cameron School
Road and GW Carver Avenue and 14.23 acres of FS-RM zoned land abutting GW Carver
south of the proposed commercial land. The Maste Plan describes residential uses for
Independent Senior Living with assisted living and memory care at up to 105 units. If
the assisted living use is not allowed, the plan will have to be modified to address
development of allowable household living uses within the limitations of the sewer
capacity limitations.
The CGS guidelines govern elements of Architectural design, façade treatment, roof
design, entrances, lighting, parking, pedestrian and vehicular connectivity between
buildings and sites as well as landscaping elements. Specifically, the Masterplan and
Zoning Agreement will govern the following in the CGS zoned area:
Building orientation of the future convenience store use.
The interconnectivity design between commercial uses.
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Access point of a driveway onto Cameron School Road.
Landscaping Elements
Density range and uses for the FS-RM zoned area.
Infrastructure
Water and Sewer lines abut the site to the west and north. Sanitary sewer will be extended
from the west side of the site to serve the proposed future uses. The water is delivered
by Xenia rural water and will be extended into the site from the north edge of the site
along Cameron School Road. Electric utilities can serve the site from Consumers Electric.
Everest Avenue will be extended the development to the south northward to Camern
School Road along the west edge of the site. Columbus Drive will be constructed east to
west through the site extending from GW Carver west to Everest Avenue separating the
residential and commercial zoned areas.
The developer is responsible for widening of Cameron School Road and GW Carver to
create turn lane improvements. These improvements will occur prior to development of
the site. The developer has made a fair share contribution to a planned traffic signal. No
other traffic improvements are required in relation to the propo sed rezoning.
A regional high pressure gas main bisects the area. Development Plans will be developed
with the gas main in mind and with access to the main required.
Public Notice
The City provided mailed notice to all property owners within 400 feet of the subject
property prior in accordance with the notification requirements of Chapter 29. No
comment has been received by staff at this time.
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Attachment A- Location Map & Current Zoning
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Attachment B-Proposed Rezoning
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Attachment C- Masterplan (To be Updated)
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Attachment D…Land Use Plan Excerpts- Ames Plan 2040- RN3
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Attachment D…Land Use Plan Excerpts- Ames Plan 2040- NC
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DO NOT WRITE IN THE SPACE ABOVE THIS LINE, RESERVED FOR RECORDER
Prepared by: City Clerk’s Office, 515 Clark Avenue, Ames, IA 50010 Phone: 515-239-5105
Return to: Ames City Clerk, P.O. Box 811, Ames, IA 50010
ORDINANCE NO.
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE OFFICIAL ZONING MAP OF THE
CITY OF AMES, IOWA, AS PROVIDED FOR IN SECTION 29.301 OF THE
MUNICIPAL CODE OF THE CITY OF AMES, IOWA, BY CHANGING THE
BOUNDARIES OF THE DISTRICTS ESTABLISHED AND SHOWN ON
SAID MAP AS PROVIDED IN SECTION 29.1507 OF THE MUNICIPAL
CODE OF THE CITY OF AMES, IOWA; REPEALING ALL ORDINANCES
AND PARTS OF ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT HEREWITH AND
ESTABLISHING AN EFFECTIVE DATE
BE IT HEREBY ORDAINED by the City Council of the City of Ames, Iowa;
Section 1: The Official Zoning Map of the City of Ames, Iowa, as provided for in Section
29.301 of the Municipal Code of the City of Ames, Iowa, is amended by changing the boundaries
of the districts established and shown on said Map in the manner authorized by Section 29.1507
of the Municipal Code of the City of Ames, Iowa, as follows: That the real estate, generally located
at 3220 Cameron School Road, is rezoned from Agricultural (A) to Suburban Residential Medium
Density (FS-RM) and Convenience General Service (CGS).
Real Estate Description:
Section 2: All other ordinances and parts of ordinances in conflict herewith are hereby
repealed to the extent of such conflict.
Section 3: This ordinance is in full force and effect from and after its adoption and
publication as provided by law.
ADOPTED THIS day of , .
Renee Hall, City Clerk John A Haila, Mayor
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