MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL RETREAT

AMES,

IOWA

JANUARY

14,

2017

The Ames City Council was called to order by Mayor Ann Campbell at 8:35 a.m. on the 14th day

of January, 2017, in Parks and Recreation Activity Room, 1500 Gateway Hills Park Drive. City
Council Members present were Bronwyn Beatty-Hansen, Gloria Betcher, Amber Corrieri, Tim
Gartin, Chris Nelson, and Peter Orazem. City Manager Steven Schainker, City Attorney Judy
Parks, Assistant City Manager Bob Kindred, and Assistant City Manager Brian Phillips were
also present. Ex officio Council Member Sam Schulte was absent.

REVIEW STATUS OF EXISTING GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND TASKS: City Manager

Steve Schainker reviewed the distinctions among goals, objectives, and tasks. Assistant City
Managers Bob Kindred and Brian Phillips led the Council Members through a series of team-
building exercises.

Mr. Schainker reviewed the existing goals, objectives, and tasks with the City Council.

The meeting recessed at 12:10 p.m. and resumed at 12:28 p.m.

Following revisions from the City Council, the list of goals, objectives, and tasks was
amended to read as follows:

STRENGTHEN DOWNTOWN & CAMPUSTOWN

x

Develop a sub-area plan, including public and private uses, for the area
from Duff to Grand and Lincoln Way to Sixth Street (e.g., commercial [retail,
entertainment, and offices], parking, housing, public spaces).

x Plan for public parking and public gathering space for the

Welch/Chamberlain/Hayward interior space in Campustown.

Task 1 – Hold a workshop in spring 2017 with property owners, Student
Government, Campus Action Association (CAA), Iowa State University (ISU), and
other stakeholders to share intentions for projects that could affect this space.

x Re-examine the parking regulations and fees in the Campustown Business

District and surrounding neighborhoods.

Task 1 – Staff will provide an analysis of parking rates and utilization in the
Intermodal Facility and in metered parking areas in the Campustown business
district.

Status: The new Public Works Management Analyst will work with ISU Parking
System Officials to complete the analysis by June 2017.

Task 2 – Hold a workshop to review neighborhood parking study, the
Campustown parking rate study, and Police enforcement statistics in summer
2017.

x Evaluate safety for pedestrians crossing Lincoln Way between

Campustown and the ISU campus

Task 1 – Authorize a consulting study with ISU to analyze the current situation
and propose appropriate improvements to increase the safety for pedestrians
from University Boulevard to Sheldon Ave. along Lincoln Way.

Status: On March 22, 2016 the City Council authorized the payment of one half the
cost of a $100,887 consulting study regarding pedestrian safety along the
corridor. The data collection portion of the study has been completed and
presented to a staff steering committee. The next step is for the consultant to
identify types of approaches to improve safety. This information will be presented
to the Council in the May 2017.

PROMOTE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

x Complete the extension of water and sewer utility lines along Lincoln Way

to 590th Street.

Task 1 – Complete master plan for the East Industrial Area and proposed zoning
for Phase I.

Status: The master plan will not be initiated until the design of the utility
extensions are complete.

x Analyze current planning and building code approval processes to help

decision making be more predictable, more strategic, and more timely.

Task 1 – Review with City staff the various planning and building code approval
processes in workshops during the coming months.

Status: On November 22, 2016 the City Council directed not to begin this review
until May 2017 which is, hopefully, after the AEDC completes a survey regarding
our building/zoning codes and enforcement processes to determine what
elements, including interpretation, might be impediments to improving the
housing stock in Ames.

EXPAND SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS

x Implement the community solar project.

Task 1 – Identify a site, hire a consultant, send out an RFP for construction, and
enter into an agreement with a developer

The staff is now interviewing consulting firms to assist with the development of a
RFP by May 2017. It is hoped that by August 2017 a private sector developer for
the solar project will be selected. Ideally, the solar project will be in place by the
end of 2017, if all goes smoothly.

x Define the City’s role (e.g., codes, incentives) in re-purposing existing

buildings.

Task 1 – Provide a staff report to the City Council outlining Main Street Iowa’s
techniques that could enhance the possibility of re-purposing designated
properties.

Task 2 – Conduct a workshop to discuss the array of incentives that could be
used to re-purpose buildings or to promote downtown revitalization.

x Continue to participate in Squaw Creek Watershed Management Authority

activities.

Task 1 – The Mayor and City Manager will continue to participate and send
periodic updates to the City Council.

x Educate the public regarding materials that should be diverted from the

waste stream (e.g., glass, food waste, medical waste).

Task 1 – Staff will provide an update to the City Council regarding the efforts
already underway to educate the public about the importance of diverting certain
types of waste and the overall value of the Resource Recovery System.

x Receive SolSmart Designation

Task 1 – Submit the application by February 2017.

ADDRESS HOUSING NEEDS

x

Redevelop the Old Middle School and 6th Street (if possible) sites for

affordable housing.

Task 1 – Develop an RFP for the redevelopment project.

x Review background information regarding affordable housing needs in

Ames

Task 1 – The Planning staff will provide a housing background report to the City
Council no later than May 2016. This information will help the City Council decide
if there is a preference to target specific types of affordable housing with City
programs or policies.

Status: The City Council has prioritized this report for the spring of 2017.

PROMOTE A SENSE OF ONE COMMUNITY

x Consider the recommendation from the Iowa State University Student

Government and Campustown Action Association to transition from the
Student Affairs Commission to a new Campus and Community
Commission

Task 1 – Review the proposal from the Ex-officio member of the Council and the
CAA President.

Status: On March 22, 2016, the City Council received a staff report highlighting 1)
the previous suggestion to transition the Student Affairs Commission into a joint
task force model to address issues of mutual interest, as well as a proposal for 2)
a new Campus and Community Commission proposal.

The Ex-officio member consulted with the new leadership of the ISU Student
Government and ISU Administrators to determine their level of support for this
new commission. A letter was received by the ISU Administration expressing
support for the new commission concept. It is anticipated that this issue will be
brought back to the Council at the January 24, 2017 meeting.

STRENGTHEN HUMAN SERVICES

x Adopt an outcomes measurement system to assist in determining the

City’s funding allocations to human service agencies.

Task 1 – The City Council will provide direction as to whether it is interested in
requiring the use of the United Way’s outcomes measurement system, including
incorporating outcomes reporting requirements into ASSET contracts and
whether the Council is interested in sharing costs with United Way.

Task 2 – Invite City ASSET volunteers to the summer meeting where the City
Council discusses ASSET priorities for the next year.

ENCOURAGE HEALTHY LIFESTYLES

x Explore partnering with Mary Greeley Medical Center, Iowa State

University, Ames Community School District, and Heartland Senior Center
to create an intergenerational Healthy Life Center Complex.

Task 1 – Complete the following steps: 1) Site identification, 2) Complete the
feasibility study, 3) Finalize cost-sharing arrangements.

x

Adopt a Complete Streets Program

Task 1 – Review Healthiest Ames consulting report to see if any or all of it can be
used.

Mr. Schainker reviewed the Gantt chart list of referrals. He informed the City Council of those
items that were complete and would no longer appear on future reports.

ADJOURNMENT: The meeting concluded at 2:08 p.m.

_____________________________________ _______________________________________
Brian Phillips, Assistant City Manager

Ann H. Campbell, Mayor