After passing a settlement agreement with the Breckenridge Group on July 28, the Ames City Council agreed Tuesday to allow high-density student housing and commercial space of the north parcel on Lincoln Way and S. Wilmoth Avenue.

The agreement is an amendment to the Land Use Policy Plan, and city staff believes details on the development will be completed in the zoning process.

Because residents who live near the building site have shown concern that their neighborhood would turn into more of a college neighborhood, council members thanked local activists.

“It is pretty close to a win and would not have happened without you guys,” Councilman Matthew Goodman said.

Councilwoman Gloria Betcher agreed with Goodman and said she voted against the initial contract primarily because of the use of tax abatement. She also explained that while she voted against the contract, she would support it moving forward because the council voted for it.

“I’m not willing to throw the city into a potential multi-million dollar lawsuit,” Betcher said.

Betcher added that the ongoing process “cries out for citizen output.” She encouraged all Ames citizens to be involved.

The council also created an urban revitalization area for the north parcel area. The council moved to add an 8,000-square-foot piece of land on the east side to the north parcel. 

In 2014, the Breckenridge Group filed a lawsuit against the city of Ames after the council designated the parcels of land it purchased a residential-low density zone. Student housing cannot be built on residential-low density zones.