Kelly Diekmann shared a preliminary plat for a new addition to the Sunset Ridge Subdivision on Lincoln Way, Ames City Hall, Ames, Iowa, Dec. 10, 2024.
The Ames City Council had a busy meeting Tuesday evening. They kicked things off by initiating the annexation of 154 acres and approved a request to annex 36 acres from the Iowa State Research Park. But wait, there’s more! They also added a European city as a sister city. How fancy!
In January, the council started the process of voluntarily annexing around 400 acres in north Ames. This included 154 acres that are home to the Ames Golf and Country Club (AGCC) and the Irons Subdivision. According to city documents, as of May 6, 22 property owners in 24 of the 39 parcels have given the green light to annexation, covering about 93% of the AGCC and Irons Subdivision land area. The council unanimously approved an 80/20 annexation for the 154 acres. This process, outlined in Iowa Code Section 368, allows for a city to annex a territory as long as 80% of the total land area is voluntarily annexed. Smart move to prevent islands and create uniform city boundaries, right?
Some residents weren’t too thrilled about the annexation, though. During the public comment portion, they brought up concerns about the cost of switching from a septic tank to Ames’ sewage system and the benefits of their homeowners association. Ward 2 Rep. Tim Gartin wasn’t convinced that everyone really cared about tying their properties into the sewer system. He even admitted that he might not care either. Yikes! But hey, at least City Planner Kelly Diekmann is all about that sanitary sewer system life. She made it clear that all new properties should be connected to it. Gotta keep that water quality in check, you know?
Anyway, Diekmann will be back later this summer to present a “complete picture” to the council. In the meantime, the council also approved a request from the Iowa State University Research Park to annex over 36 acres of land used for agriculture. Another 80/20 annexation in the works, totaling around 40 acres. Ames is really expanding its territory, huh?
Oh, and let’s not forget the exciting news about the new sister city! The council agreed to a partner city cooperation with Podujeva, Kosovo. This municipality with 71,000 residents is about 15 miles north of the nation’s capital. The cooperation will lead to all sorts of cool opportunities like cultural exchanges with Ames High School and police trainings. Plus, there’s talk of economic partners and free land in Kosovo for businesses in Ames. Sounds like a sweet deal, right?
In summary, the council also tackled some other important issues like homelessness in Ames and Story County, as well as approving plans for various park projects. They even declared certain days in the upcoming weeks as special days. Peace Officers’ Memorial Day, Poppy Days, and National Public Works Week, anyone? Overall, it was a jam-packed meeting with lots of decisions being made. Stay tuned for more updates!
