The Ames City Council voted unanimously Monday night to pass the Land Use Policy Plan to distinguish Campustown as a community commercial node or service center zone.

“It is a technical issue, and in the plan it would illustrate Campustown as a commercial node,” said Brian O’Connell, director of Housing and Development for the City of Ames.

He said buildings in nodes are more vehicle-oriented with more parking, and the parking is located in front of the buildings rather than behind. The buildings also are usually on a highway or larger road.

“Campustown was not built that way — it is more pedestrian-oriented,” O’Connell said.

O’Connell said a node is more highway-oriented. There are larger buildings set back from the street, parking in front and pole signs.

“The current city code designates Campustown as a community commercial node, but it should be designated as a service center, much like downtown Ames,” he said. “[The council is] making an adjustment to reflect Campustown as it exists rather than as currently stated.”

The plan will designate the Campustown area as a service center zone providing commercial services to the Iowa State student population, along with the faculty and staff populations that utilize the retail and service opportunities of the area.

The proposed zoning regulations for the Downtown Service Area have been amended to apply to both Campustown and downtown.

“Campustown and downtown are very similar in diversity and the way they are developed,” O’Connell said.

These changes are intended to provide for high-density development within the city’s urban core and university-impacted areas, according to a press release.

A broad range of uses are allowed to reflect the city’s role as a commercial, cultural and governmental center.

He said the change in the code would affect how new buildings could be constructed and designed in the area.

“If someone were to come in and build in the future, this would allow buildings to be constructed as they currently are,” O’Connell said.

The council also discussed other forms of zoning and city development.

“We have come a great way in our zoning, and hopefully we will be able to close the issue soon,” said City Councilman John Parks.

“We are trying to increase landscaping and parking in Ames but without extending into new areas; something needs to give,” he said.

A plan is in the works to mandate a certain amount of space on residential property for landscaping.

“Our goal is to make better landscapes so the city looks better,” said City Councilwoman Sharon Wirth.

But the landscape issue goes much deeper, Parks said.

“There is not just a landscape issue — there is a parking issue, a diversity issue and a landscape issue,” he said.

The basic goal of the plan would be to make the City of Ames more attractive and better looking.

“You can tell the difference between mowed and unmowed,” Parks said. “There are always going to be spots people don’t like usually because [the yards] are ugly.”