A vote to rezone property for a new mall was delayed by the Ames City Council when an official protest was filed by a conjoining landowner Tuesday night.

Gerald Johnson, of Gilbert, owns more than 20 percent of the land bordering the proposed development. On Tuesday afternoon he filed a protest against rezoning the land and requested a super majority vote by the City Council.

A super majority vote, which means more than a simple majority is necessary, is needed to pass the rezoning proposal.

Approximately 50 to 60 people gathered outside City Hall to protest the proposed rezoning before the meeting. Ames Smart Growth, an advocacy group against the new mall, organized the demonstration.

“We just wanted to show we’re not just a vocal minority,” said Smart Growth member Jo Etzel.

“People know we’re here.”

The crowd of protesters gathered 45 minutes before the meeting started and stayed until the meeting began.

Protesters held picket signs and chanted slogans such as, “No highway mall. Down with sprawl.”

Bill Bartine, an attorney representing Wolford Development, the development group proposing the new mall, asked the council to table the issue until the next council meeting Sept. 27.

“We received notice of protest filed regarding our clients rezoning request,” he said. “We need time to sufficiently process this.”

The council unanimously agreed to postpone a vote.

Mall protester Erv Klaas, of Ames, said the vote may have been delayed because the council needed to guarantee they have enough votes to pass the rezoning measure.

“I’m here to get the council to listen to the people they’re supposedly representing,” said Rick Hall, of Ames. “Why not have a referendum?”

Protester Jeri Neal, of Ames, said protesting is traditionally not a Midwestern ideal.

She said seeing the number of people protesting demonstrates the importance of the issue.

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