If the City Council passes the design standards for the Northeast Gateway Overlay District, developer James “Bucky” Wolford will only have one more hurdle to complete before he can build a new mall.

On Tuesday, the council will hear the first of three readings of the zoning ordinance dictating the design standards.

Bob Kindred, assistant city manager, said the ordinance was established to ensure the area reflects community standards, rather than those of the stores or other businesses that come to the district.

He said the ordinance will primarily specify aesthetic issues such as building styles, parking, landscaping, lighting, size and lighting of signs, bike paths, streets, architectural themes and an environmental buffer zone between Ketelsen Marsh and the development.

“Requirements are specific — standards are not just geared to a regional mall, even though that’s the request we’re dealing with right now,” said Russ Cross, council member.

Cross said the standards will be applied to anything that is built in the overlay district.

He said the first reading is, in part, an opportunity for the public to make comments on the ordinance.

“If someone points out to us that we goofed and need to make a change, then we could concur and agree to amend the proposed ordinance,” Cross said.

If the first reading is passed at Tuesday’s meeting, the ordinance will need to go through two additional readings before it becomes law.

“It has been a long time coming,” Ames Mayor Ted Tedesco said. “I think it shows that the council and the staff of the city did hear what the citizens were saying, and I think there’s been a great cooperation among all the developers and the citizens in putting together a fair group of standards that will actually guarantee that an inviting, attractive facility is built, since that is a gateway to the community.”

The next and essentially last step in the process will be rezoning, Tedesco said. He estimates that the rezoning process, which will give Wolford Development the legal right to build if passed, will start at the first council meeting in February.

The council will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 515 Clark Ave.