The Ames City Council is set to have their Ames Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (AAMPO) Transportation Policy Committee Meeting on Tuesday  preceding the regular City Council meeting. 

The AAMPO Transportation Policy Committee Meeting will discuss Roadway Safety Targets, Transit Safety Targets and Transit Asset Management Targets before voting on two motions and hosting a hearing on public participation. 

The first motion is to approve the Limited English Proficiency Plan. The second motion is to approve the FTA Title VI Program for submission to the Iowa Department of Transportation. The public hearing on the Public Participation Plan will also include a motion to approve the plan. 

The normally-scheduled City Council meeting is set to immediately follow the adjournment of the AAMPO Transportation Policy Committee Meeting. The meeting’s focus will be on the Ames 2040 Plan Public Comments and a City Staff report regarding Zoning Ordinances per the request of the Zoning Board of Adjustment.

The Ames 2040 Plan is currently being developed by council members and city staff, with the input of community members, as the local government strives to prepare Ames for the next two decades of development and growth as a community. The public comments on the 2040 Plan were originally included in the Oct. 12 Agenda, though council members requested additional time to review the community input before taking action on the plan. 

City staff will also be providing recommendations for land use changes and implementation priorities for the 2040 plan. In November, another public hearing will be held before the final draft of the 2040 plan is created to receive additional community input.  

The council meeting agenda also lists numerous resolutions related to city business. The first of which is to approve an agreement for water service operations and territory transfer with Xenia Rural Water District. The second is to approve the Downtown Facade Grants. The third and final is to approve the placement of a playground amenity into Carr Park. 

The availability of water is anticipated to be a major constraint for the City of Ames by 2040 with an additional 15,000 residents expected to join the community. The council will vote on the  agreement with Xenia Rural Water District, which would allow the city to serve new areas outside of the current water service territory to accommodate future residents. 

The Ames City Council will meet at 7 p.m. on Oct. 26 in Ames City Hall. The meeting can be streamed here.  The meeting agenda can be viewed here.