Ames City Council members agreed to hold a workshop with Ames landlords to determine exactly who is responsible for issuing new housing regulations.

The decision was made Tuesday night at the Ames City Council meeting when council members questioned whether proposed regulations were the responsibility of the landlord or the city.

The issue was brought to the council’s attention when a motion was made to let the city attorney prepare amendments to the Ames Municipal Code regarding rental housing. The amendments were designed to improve the condition of rental housing and toughen safety standards, according to city officials.

Councilman John Parks said the council should be considering single family dwellings as well.

“That’s like saying 50 percent of our population we know better for, but the other 50 percent we don’t,” Parks said.

Some of the proposed amendments would prohibit live Christmas trees inside dwelling units, couches and upholstered chairs from decks and grills stored within 15 feet of the building.

Ames Mayor Larry Curtis and others expressed concern about putting an ordinance into effect that would be difficult to enforce. “There is no question about valid safety concerns, but why put this into effect if we know we cannot enforce it,” Curtis said.

In other business, the council approved an amendment that changes land near the intersection of 13th Street and Dayton Avenue from a medical to a commercial classification. The decision also denied a request to change a portion of the land from an agricultural to a residential high density classification.