Ames City Council will discuss liquor licenses, expansion and housing at its Aug. 26 meeting.

The council will discuss renewing the Class C Liquor and Outdoor Service licenses for Stephens Auditorium, the Scheman Building, Fisher Theater and Blue Owl Bar in addition to restaurants around town.

The council will also consider approving an agreement with Johnston-based engineering company HR Green, Inc. for expansion of Grand Avenue. If approved, the agreement will cost the city $315,150 for the engineering company to perform environmental and location studies on the proposed construction sites before the project begins.

HR Green, Inc. was chosen out of four engineering companies based on criteria such as environmental and location studies experience, proposed project design and an overall understanding and approach for the project.

The project will extend Grand Avenue from South 3rd Street to South 6th Street.

The council will also have a hearing for Breckenridge Group, which is requesting to rezone a 29-acre portion of State Avenue to residential low-density housing. Breckenridge agreed to no more than 172 two- or three- bedroom housing units for the site.

The council will base its decisions on safe and easy access from surrounding streets to the development, the capacity of facilities and utilities in the area and preservation of natural features in the area. In the past, Ames residents in the surrounding area have complained of the area becoming overpopulated and nonresidential.

Also on the agenda is the Octagon Center for the Arts annual art festival that will take place in the Main Street Cultural District on Sept. 28. Booths of artwork, crafts and food will line the sidewalks from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Parts of Main Street and Douglas, Kellogg and Burnett avenues will be closed from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. that day.