Members of the Ames City Council expressed concern with two items discussed at their meeting Tuesday — the Sustainable Neighborhoods Contract and Program Guidelines and the Pedestrian Walkway Program.

Council members, with the exception of Matthew Goodman, agreed to the premise of the contract, subject to changes in wording concerning the handling of a $25,000 grant from the city.

“I’m questioning the responsibility of the City Council to put money into moving the market to limit housing for students in a very high, dense student area near the university,” Goodman said.

Pat Brown, president of Sustainable Neighborhoods, said the program was not designed to revert rental property into family homes but rather to limit the growing number of properties converting into rentals.

The resolution will appear on the next council meeting agenda for approval.

The city is researching the best way to operate the Pedestrian Walkway Program, which will construct sidewalks in areas where there is currently no safe alternative for walking.

The program has a matrix that specifies which properties met requirements for needing an adjacent sidewalk. Property owners would then be responsible for the cost, landscaping and upkeep of the sidewalk.

“I think many people that are impacted by our proposed program really have a distrust for the matrix system,” said City Manager Steve Schainker.

The Council voted to throw out the matrix and to allow public input before adopting a new one.

The first of several informational meetings for the program will be at 6:30 p.m. Thursday in the City Hall Auditorium.