Planning commission recommends rezoning for Lutheran Church of Hope site on Lincoln Way

The Ames City Planning and Zoning Commission voted to recommend the City Council approve rezoning two outlots at 5001 and 5119 Lincoln Way from Agricultural A to Suburban Residential Low Density (FSRL) with an updated master plan that would allow a campus for the Lutheran Church of Hope and preserve an area identified as open space.

City planner Ray Anderson told the commission the request covers two outlots in the Sunset Ridge Twelfth Addition and that the applicant, the Lutheran Church of Hope, plans to combine the two outlots into a single parcel through a separate plat process. "The master plan combines the 2 out lots into 1 parcel, and the primarily, the use of this property would be the campus for the church," Anderson said, adding that the FSRL zoning district requires a master plan and is consistent with the Ames Plan 2040 land use designation RN‑3.

The staff presentation described the proposed site layout as a church building near Lincoln Way, associated parking, drives, sidewalks and landscaping, plus a green area to include stormwater detention and potential walking paths. Anderson said the current concept shows two access points from Lincoln Way but staff supports a single Lincoln Way access and expects the applicant to revise the master plan to reflect that before the item goes to council.

Applicant representative Erin Ollendyke of Civil Design Advantage answered commission questions about the project and described the applicant's intent. "We're really here to just answer any questions that you might have," Ollendyke said. A second applicant speaker (identified in the record only as Chris) said the congregation wants to retain natural features on the site and noted an existing large tree the group plans to keep.

Neighbors expressed concerns about traffic on nearby residential streets and potential loss of natural habitat. Resident Liz Snella, who lives on Hartford Drive near the Durant stub, said Durant is narrow and "I don't think that street will take much traffic" and that using Durant as a major entrance would be "not viable" for the neighborhood. Resident Hussain Nargi raised similar concerns about traffic and about protecting wildlife on the site, saying "this land is place for a natural habitat right now" and asking how animals would be protected.

Staff described findings from a traffic impact letter reviewed by the city's traffic engineer. The traffic study modeled Sunday peak worship traffic for a 750‑seat auditorium and estimated 370 peak‑hour trips on a Sunday morning; the study assumed roughly a 50/50 approach from east and west on Lincoln Way and estimated about 5 percent of access via the Hartford/Durant neighborhood route. Recommended improvements noted in the study include a left‑turn lane for the new driveway off Lincoln Way and a striping modification to create a three‑lane section across the project's frontage between Hartford and Thackeray.

Commission discussion touched on multimodal access, preservation of the pond and tree canopy, and whether Durant should be a neighborhood connection. City staff said the special use permit and subsequent site plan review (by the Zoning Board of Adjustment) would establish permitted uses and site details and that a plat of survey will be required to combine the two outlots. Staff also noted the city does not have a general tree removal ordinance that would otherwise govern post‑occupancy tree removal on private property; protections for trees or open space could be addressed through the special use permit or by recording an easement.

Commissioner motions approved the staff recommendation. The commission's recommendation will be forwarded to the Ames City Council; staff stated the rezoning is anticipated to go before council on February 25 (date to be confirmed by official notice). The record notes that approval of the rezoning is only one step: the applicant must still obtain a special use permit and site plan approval from the Zoning Board of Adjustment and complete a plat to combine lots before construction proceeds.

Votes at a glance: The Planning and Zoning Commission moved to recommend approval of Alternative 1 (rezoning 5119 and 5001 Lincoln Way and adjusting an adjacent right of way from Agricultural A to Suburban Residential Low Density FSRL with an updated master plan allowing a church campus). The motion passed (roll‑call vote and individual tallies were not recorded in the transcript excerpt).