Ames Smart Growth and 1,000 Friends of Iowa will sponsor the Ames Smart Growth Symposium Saturday at the Ames Public Library, Douglas Ave.

The meeting will offer four presentations on city commercial and cultural development.

“The symposium is mainly an educational opportunity to let people know what we mean when we talk about smart growth,” said Jim Popken, chairman of Ames Smart Growth.

The group opposes building a new mall, said Popken.

“Our stance is that we really need to look at our land use and the impact that a new mall will have on the city,” he said.

The symposium will begin at 12:30 p.m. The first presentation, “What is Smart Growth and How is it Reflected in National Commercial Trends” by Rich McLaughlin, will follow at 12:45 p.m. McLaughlin is an urban designer from Minneapolis.

At 1:30 p.m., representatives from L&H Real Estate Group, which owns North Grand Mall, and architects from RTKL Associates will present “Smart Growth and the North Grand Mall: The Possibilities.”

“Downtown’s Contribution to Smart Growth” will follow at 2:30 p.m., with Kathy Svec presenting the Ames Community Arts Council’s proposal for a downtown cultural district and Cary Anglum, the Main Street manager in Cedar Falls, Iowa, presenting “Downtown Cedar Falls’ Successes: How did They do it.”

— Jason Noble