HomeMy WebLinkAboutA029 - August 11, 2026, Regular Meeting of the Ames City CouncilITEM #:30
DATE:08-11-26
DEPT:POLICE
SUBJECT:REQUEST FROM INTERFRATERNITY COUNCIL TO USE GOLF CARTS ON
CITY STREETS
COUNCIL ACTION FORM
BACKGROUND:
The Iowa State University Interfraternity Council (IFC) represents numerous fraternity chapters
affiliated with Iowa State University. In August each year, the fraternities host their formal
recruitment process with approximately 750 incoming students, prior to the start of classes.
The organization submitted correspondence to the City dated July 24, (attached) requesting
approval to utilize golf carts for limited transportation and logistical support associated with
these activities. The request is for golf cart use from August 14 to August 20.
A m e s Municipal Code §26.76 provides the City Manager with authority to permit the
operation of golf carts under specified circumstances when such use is determined to
be appropriate and consistent with public safety considerations.
The Ames Police Department has reviewed the request and considered the following factors:
The proposed use is limited in scope and tied to organized IFC activities.
Golf cart operations would occur at low speeds, with proper identification, and in
designated areas consistent with the conditions established by the City Manager and
only from sunrise to sunset.
The organization has demonstrated the capacity to provide responsible operators and
maintain oversight of vehicle use along with insurance.
The majority of golf cart use will be on Iowa State’s campus and in “Greekland”, directly south
of campus across Lincoln Way. The roads that will need to be used for transportation outside
of Iowa State’s campus include:
Beach Ave. north of Lincoln Way to get to and from Seasons dining hall and south of
Lincoln Way to Sunset Drive
Along Sunset Drive, Gray Ave., Greeley Street, Pearson Ave., Gable Lane, and Knapp
Street
Ash Ave. from Lincoln Way to Knapp Street
Lynn Ave. from Lincoln Way to Storm St. and Storm St. From Lynn Ave. to Wallace and
Wilson Halls (Towers)
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Golf carts may also be used to transport to dining halls for students to have meals.
In addition, if a student living in Wallace or Wilson Halls requires transportation
accommodation, IFC will pick them up and drop them off at their residence hall. If no
students living in Wallace or Wilson Halls require transportation accommodations, golf
carts will not go beyond Knapp St. from Lynn Ave.
Organizers will limit traffic across Lincoln Way, which will be necessary mostly at the
beginning and end of the day (sunrise to sunset) to access the Memorial Union, where
the carts will be stored.
Police Department staff believes the proposed use does not present a significant public
safety concern provided that all conditions established by the City Manager and
applicable provisions of the Ames Municipal Code are followed. The Risk Manager has
indicated that, if approved, the City would not have any liability in the event of an injury
or accident involving a golf cart as a result of the approval.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. Authorize the City Manager to approve the request from Interfraternity Council to use golf
carts upon designated City streets from August 14-20.
2. Do not authorize the City Manager to approve this request.
3. Refer this item to staff for further information.
CITY MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION:
The Interfraternity Council has outlined the steps it will take to safely operate golf carts
on City streets for this event. The use of golf carts is helpful to support the operations
of the organization during this large event that spans several days. The plans have
been reviewed by the Police Department and Risk Manager, and both are supportive of
granting the request. Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City
Council adopt Alternative No. 1, as described above.
ATTACHMENT(S):
ISU Interfraternity Council - Request for Golf Cart Use.pdf
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From: IFC VP of Recruitment [SFE] <ifcrecruitment@iastate.edu>
Sent: Friday, July 24, 2026 9:20 AM
To: Schainker, Steve <steve.schainker@cityofames.org>
Cc: Canaday, Casey R [SFE] <canaday@iastate.edu>; Olberding, Austin [SFE] <aolber@iastate.edu>; Boulden, Billy [SFE]
<bboulden@iastate.edu>; Van Dyke, Kipp J [D S O] <kipp@iastate.edu>; Michael Newton <mrnewton@iastate.edu>
Subject: Golf Cart Request
[External Email]
Mr. Schainker,
You don't often get email from ifcrecruitment@iastate.edu. Learn why this is important
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We are writing as the Vice Presidents of Recruitment for the Collegiate Panhellenic Council and the
Interfraternity Council, which govern the sororities and fraternities at Iowa State University. Each year in
August, we host our formal recruitment processes, which take place this year beginning on August 14th
and concluding on August 20th. Last year, during the formal recruitment process, we welcomed
approximately 750 incoming students to Iowa State between the Collegiate Panhellenic Council and
Interfraternity Council. To participate in the process, these students move to campus early, allowing
them to focus on formal recruitment prior to the school year starting. The purpose of formal recruitment
is to allow these students to find the sorority or fraternity that matches their values and provides lifelong
opportunities and connections. Over the course of this recruitment process, these incoming students
travel to and from sorority and fraternity houses to Seasons Dining Hall, the Memorial Union, and their
residence halls. For this experience to be fully inclusive and accommodate varying abilities, we are
requesting the use of golf carts as a means of transportation for official business purposes only, as
outlined in the plan below.
The large majority of golf cart use will be on Iowa State’s campus and in “Greekland”, directly south of
campus across Lincoln Way. The roads that will need to be used for transportation outside of Iowa
State’s campus include:
Beach Ave. north of Lincoln Way to get to and from Seasons dining hall and south of
Lincoln Way to Sunset Drive
Along Sunset Drive, Gray Ave., Greeley Street, Pearson Ave., Gable Lane, and Knapp Street
Ash Ave. from Lincoln Way to Knapp Street
Lynn Ave. from Lincoln Way to Storm St. and Storm St. From Lynn Ave. to Wallace and
Wilson Halls (Towers)
If a student living in Wallace or Wilson Halls requires transportation accommodations, we
will need to pick up and drop off at their residence hall. If no students living in Wallace or
Wilson Halls require transportation accommodations, golf carts will not go beyond Knapp St.
from Lynn Ave.
We recognize that Lincoln Way is a heavily trafficked road and would like to implement a plan to cross
Lincoln Way as few times as possible. While the Memorial Union is our “Recruitment Headquarters” and
where golf carts will be parked overnight, once the golf carts have crossed Lincoln Way to start the day,
we intend to keep them south of Lincoln Way until the events have concluded for the day. The only
exception of this would be to transport students requiring accommodations to dining halls for meals.
Along with this, we would like to reduce driver access to a small, designated group of people: seven
Sorority and Fraternity Engagement staff members, and six members each from the Collegiate
Panhellenic Council and Interfraternity Council each for a total of 19 potential drivers. All potential
drivers will complete a motor vehicle records check through Iowa State University. Additionally, we
would only use golf carts between sunrise and sunset, intentionally scheduling students requiring golf
cart transportation during daylight hours.
Additionally, due to construction on Sunset Drive, it will be very difficult for participating students to get
to and from sorority and fraternity houses in both a safe and timely manner. In previous years, students
have easily traveled around the Sunset Drive, Gray Avenue, Greeley Street, and Pearson Avenue loop.
The closure of the roads and sidewalks at the cross streets of Sunset Drive and Gray Avenue require
students to take a much longer route to get from one house to the next, and we would like to use golf
carts to help with transportation in order to avoid the construction.
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The Collegiate Panhellenic Council will use the golf carts as follows: 3 golf carts equipped with proper
signage and flags will be used to transport students requiring accommodations on August 14-20.
The Interfraternity Council will use the golf carts as follows: 3 golf carts equipped with proper signage
and flags will be used to shuttle men to and from fraternity houses with great distances between them.
On Sunday, August 16th, this will be a shuttle service from Sigma Nu fraternity house to Seasons dining
hall. On Monday, August 17th, golf carts will not be used unless a student requires transportation
accommodations. On Tuesday and Wednesday, August 18th and 19th, we will provide a shuttle route
from the eas
Nu (ΣN). A map of the sorority and fraternity chapter facilities is included.
We strongly believe that the use of golf carts is the safest and most appropriate means of transportation
to make frequent stops to pick-up and drop-off students. If we are unable to use golf carts, we will have
to use vehicles or large passenger vans to transport students, which is far more challenging to navigate
with other drivers on the roads unknowing of the frequent stops we need to make.
We kindly ask that you consider our request to use golf carts for the dates of August 14th-20th to make
the recruitment experience possible for all students with varying needs and abilities. Thank you for your
time and consideration. We are more than willing to comply with any regulations or policies needed to
accommodate this request.
Sincerely,
Nora Graening and Maycin Sansgaard - Collegiate Panhellenic Council
Braydon Foster and Aaron Verdun - Interfraternity Council
CC:
Casey Canaday, Coordinator of Chapter and Council Operations, Sorority and Fraternity Engagement
Austin Olberding, Coordinator of Chapter and Council Operations, Sorority and Fraternity Engagement
Billy Boulden, Assistant Dean of Students for Student Leadership and Development/Director of Sorority
and Fraternity Engagement
Kipp Van Dyke, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students
Chief Michael Newton, Associate Vice President for Public Safety and Chief of Police
Aaron Verdun & Braydon Foster
Interfraternity Council
Vice Presidents of Recruitment
Aaron: 815-419-8320
Braydon: 319-213-3252
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