City officials alter wetland regulations in Ames, focuses on preservation
The City of Ames is making some changes to its wetland regulations.
The Ames City Council revised its conservation subdivision ordinance on March 26 after discussions on the Ada Hayden Watershed.
The Ames Economic Development Commission expressed concern about preserving the water qualit. The commission asked the council to tweak several requirements outlined in the conservation ordinance.
They suggested that the city require buffering around stormwater conveyance or wetlands, protect historical or jurisdictional wetlands, and remove the requirement to create usable open space to focus solely on protecting natural areas.
The council voted unanimously Tuesday to approve those recommendations, specifically for Ada Hayden.
"As a council, we're asked to balance various interests of the community," Ward 2 Representative Tim Gartin said. "We get one shot at this to get it right."
More: Low-income housing and a Boys & Girls Club expansion: Highlights from the Ames City Council.
State legislation on stormwater runoff
The council also asked city staff to consider hiring a consultant to look at the impacts of legislation on stormwater runoff and conservation ordinances.
The Iowa Senate sent a bill to the governor's desk on Monday, March 25 that would restrict stormwater and topsoil regulations. The bill, Senate File 455, prohibits counties and cities from enforcing more restrictive laws than state regulations.
Gartin wasn't pleased that the Iowa Legislature would employ a "one-size fits all" approach for cities.
"The legislature is in essence eroding our ability to make an Ames-centric decision," Gartin said. "I wouldn't begin to tell Burlington or Dubuque how to run their cities."
More: E. 13th Street east of I-35 in Ames will close Monday, April 1 for continued sewer work
Parks and Recreation bracing for busy year
The Ames Parks and Recreation Department is planning to work on 52 projects over the course of the next year. Ames Parks and Recreation Director Keith Abraham said this was "not a normal year," handling more work than normal.
He attributed the increase to the department's goal to catch up on delayed projects that have yet to be completed.
"The reason we have so many is some of them have been on the books for awhile," Abraham said. "What we wanted to do this year is really try to get those caught up and get ahead of a lot of these projects."
The largest Parks and Recreation project this year is the construction of the Fitch Family Indoor Aquatic Center. Abraham said demolition work on the former DOT building near the intersection of Lincoln Way and Grand Avenue is expected to start next week.
The 38,900-square-foot indoor facility, which will include a lazy river, a water slide, and three pools is expected to cost about $28.8 million, $3 million less than what was originally projected.
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Celia Brocker is a government, crime, political and education reporter for the Ames Tribune. She can be reached at CBrocker@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: City of Ames considering consultant for stormwater runoff, conservation
