The Ames City Council discussed the Campustown Facade Program, parking in the greek community and the ISU Research Park. 

During the meeting, the Council discussed the pilot program, the Campustown Facade Program after an initial workshop on Nov. 18. The program is meant to enrich the character of the businesses in Campustown and encourage an increase in activity and commerce. 

Three design concepts for the area would be chosen and the council would award grants that help fund the facade. 

Gloria Betcher, council member, said she was concerned that a facade that was very unique may go out of style and the facade would be too difficult for removal. 

“I still have concerns about damage we might be incentivizing with additions to facades, whether in design concepts or review process that asks to consider that the applications or additions to facades,” Betcher said. 

Betcher’s concern was that some facades would be too difficult or too permanent to remove from a structure when a future owner wanted to change the building. She said she doesn’t want the city to have to pay for removal or extraneous damage to a building. 

Tim Gartin, council member, said he believes future owners would need to take responsibility for changing a facade. 

The Council passed a motion that would require an understanding of how each design is constructed to be presented to the council when designs are proposed. 

The Council also discussed parking requirements for sororities and fraternities in Ames.

They passed a motion to change requirements of one parking spot available for every two beds within the facility to one spot for every three beds. 

Jeremy Davis, former Ames City Council member, spoke to represent the Greek Alumni Alliance at Iowa State. He said changing the requirement to three beds to a parking spot would allow the fraternities and sororities who are not compliant now to become compliant. 

Many of the buildings are landlocked, and the infrastructure was designed in the 20th Century. Many can not add more parking spaces as it stands. 

The Council approved the motion. 

Council members also briefly discussed a request to rezone an 80-acre parcel of land south of the Research Park to from agricultural to Planned Industrial.

The land is owned by Erben Hunziker and Margaret Hunziker Apartments, LLC and was annexed in September. 

The Council decided not to discuss the request at a later date.