The Ames City Council voted May 9 to postpone indefinitely a decision about rezoning land on 13th Street and Interstate 35. The land – if rezoned, – would be used for the proposed new mall.

The council voted 4-2 to postpone the issue.

The decision was made to allow time for a court to decide if a supermajority is needed to make the decision. A supermajority requires five of the six council members to approve or deny a decision.

Four members are against the rezoning.

“It’s best to let the commercial development happen in the commercial areas,” said Jim Popken, elected at-large representative. Popken voted in favor of the indefinite postponement. He said he thought all the members had Ames’ best interest in mind, but that each had a different idea of how to help the town.

Popken said he has received a lot of feedback from constituents- both positive and negative.

“I think a lot of people have just made up their mind on the issue,” he said.

At the meeting, Councilman Matthew Goodman said he was against making a decision about the mall until after the special election to fill Steve Goodhue’s seat. Goodhue plans to move to Des Moines to fill a new position and to resign from the council this summer, according to Daily archives. Goodhue is one of the two members against the rezoning; he and Riad Mahayni voted against the indefinite postponement.