The Ames City Council discussed changes to the Ames 2040 Plan Draft following the report of city staff recommendations and review of related public comments. 

All six council members voted to approve the city staff’s recommendation changes following the council discussion section. The public comments were also taken into consideration. The council also voted to place additional changes and public comments on a future meeting agenda. 

Members of the public can make future comments to the council regarding the 2040 Plan during next month’s planned Public Hearing on the topic. 

The council also discussed and then unanimously approved the agreement for Water Service Operations and Territory Transfer with Xenia Rural Water District, following an extensive discussion and explanation amongst the council and city staff. 

The agreement still requires approval of the Xenia Rural Water District Board of Directors in order to be completed; however, the Ames City Council has now agreed to the terms of the agreement following the negotiation. 

The 2040 Plan is directly connected to the agreement with Xenia Rural Water District as future development as currently outlined in the 2040 Plan may require water and infrastructure use of the Xenia Rural Water District.

The city council also voted to deny the 12-month Class C Liquor license of North Grand Cinema following their failure to meet the Ames Police Department’s compliance testing. The council voted to acknowledge that they would approve a 6-month license for the business per Police Chief Geoff Huff’s recommendation. 

The council also voted unanimously to approve the Downtown Facade Grants and the placement of Agility Course Equipment to Carr Park. The council also heard a City Staff Report regarding the Zoning Board of Adjustment’s request to define “Temporary” in the Zoning Ordinance. The council voted unanimously to approve the Option 1 definition per city staff recommendation. 

The city council also heard from Ames residents during the Public Forum section of the council meeting regarding a commercial zone being located in their neighborhood of Grove Avenue. Numerous residents spoke to the council to voice their concerns about the current commercial zone being located in their residential area. The council voted to add this item to a future agenda, allowing them to learn more about the issue and vote on it in the future. 

Mayor Haila also proclaimed November 2021 to be “Lung Cancer Awareness Month,” speaking at the start of the meeting about its high impact on the Ames community and the world as a whole. 

The next Ames City Council meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 9 in City Hall. The recording of tonight’s meeting can be found here.