The Ames City Council will discuss offering tax abatements for commercial — or non-formula retail — business space in Campustown.

To pass the incentive for Campustown building owners to lease to non-formula retail businesses, the council must first define what a formula retail business is. The initial plan details a formula retail business in Campustown as having a standard variety of goods and services that can be categorized with other retail businesses, such as existing Campustown restaurants, banks and gas stations.

Since 2001 when Campustown was designated as an Urban Revitilization Area in need of economic development, the council had already established tax abatements for owners who make improvements to the physical structure of their Campustown businesses that increase the retail value of the business by 5 percent. 

The council will discuss what improvements qualify a non-formula business for tax abatements.

The council will also consider approving the closure of streets in downtown Ames for the annual Fourth of July parade.