The Ames City Council will meet this Tuesday to continue discussing rental caps, including exemptions and letters of compliance (LOC)

The meeting will focus largely on rental caps, exemptions and South Campus Area Neighborhood (SCAN).

A rental cap, passed last spring, limits the number of homes that can be rented out in specific neighborhoods throughout Ames. Homeowners are required to obtain a letter of compliance, allowing them to rent their homes despite the rental cap.

SCAN will present their concerns about letters of compliance during Tuesday’s meeting. This includes a lack of provisions if the property is considered an illegal rental.

SCAN’s proposed solutions are “Illegal rentals should be prohibited from obtaining a Transitional LOC,” and conducting an investigation “prior to accepting an application,” according to a memo from City of Ames Inspections.

The council will also revisit a resolution to grant the first hardship exemption from the rental cap. The resolution was proposed last week, but due to a procedural error, the vote to deny the action is invalid.

“The Council needs to revisit this situation,” according to a memo from City Attorney Mark Lambert. “The fact is that it should have been a Resolution, which was consistent with how other such matters have been handled in the past. The Council has always approved quasi-judicial matters by Resolution.”

The city will also include discussion on the regulation of bicycle parking standards. Des Moines has proposed increasing bicycle parking availability. A memo from City of Ames Department of Planning and Housing highlights the benefits of increased bicycle parking.

The council will also hear a first reading to increase water rates by 7 percent. The council has previously discussed a need for the increase, but has not yet made any formal action.

The need for increase is primarily evoked by requirements for nutrient reduction that requires renewal to our Water Pollution Control Facility. The increase will be put into effect on July 1.