Breckenridge Land Acquisition will reapply for a rezoning request for a new student housing development after holding workshops for the impacted residents to give input.

“Breckenridge decided they wanted to have a discussion with the people who would be involved in the development before going through the rezoning process,” said councilman Chris NelsonCQ.

At last week’s city council meeting, Judy ParksCQ, city of Ames attorney, announced that Breckenridge was removing their request from the agenda that day.

“Breckenridge wanted to start workshops so everyone could have an input about the rezoning,” Nelson said. 

The original rezoning request would have changed the land from the special-government and airport land to residential, medium-density land.

However, section 21.4(2) of the Code of Iowa states that the agenda can be changed 24 hours before the meeting time.

Breckenridge then retracted their request for rezoning 29 acres on 601 State Ave. in Ames.

“We had it on the agenda and that afternoon, before the meeting, they withdrew their request,” Nelson said.

Breckenridge had planned to build a new student housing rental development with a mix of residential unit types ranging from two-family, townhomes to apartment style units.

Breckenridge purchased three estates along State and South Wilmoth avenues for $2.3 million at the old Ames Middle School property in December 2012.

Breckenridge has been working on plans to rezone these locations for development since then.

“Breckenridge has not reapplied as of yet,” Diekmann said.

Breckenridge is adjusting its application to include a 1.6 acre area on the property north of College Creek, which runs by the old Ames Middle School. According to the city’s Land Use Policy Plan, this area is designated for low-density housing.

“All of this will go back through our normal review process, including hearings with the Planning and Zoning Commission as well as City Council,” Diekmann said.

The city council meeting on April 1 is a special meeting scheduled to accommodate a grant request.

“It’s likely that the meeting will be very short,” said councilwoman Amber Corrieri. “Next week, we’ll have our regularly scheduled meeting.”

The Immediate Opportunity RISE Grant is for the ISU Research Park expansion. A resolution needs to be passed to endorse the project and direct the mayor to sign the application.

The City of Ames staff would then submit the application to the Iowa Department of Transportation.

“If we are awarded the funds, the Iowa DOT would help to reduce the city’s liability in infrastructure improvements for the Research Park expansion,” Corrieri said.

The City Council will begin at 7 p.m. today in City Council Chambers at City Hall.