Council approves landscaping, mall reuse, PTD and parks code changes

The Ames City Council approved several land-use and code amendments at its Dec. 9 meeting, taking votes on landscaping standards, an adaptive-reuse plan for a mall parcel, municipal rules for personal transportation devices, and park-code updates.

Landscaping amendment (Item 25): Planning staff presented a draft text amendment to allow rock in defined planter beds as an alternative to organic mulch while preserving the ordinances organic-soil requirement. Planning Commission had recommended denial citing aesthetics and plant health concerns, but staff recommended approval with specific limits for university-impact areas. One business speaker, Justin Dodge of Hunsicker Company, said rock mulch reduces annual maintenance. The council approved the change with the condition that rock be limited to planter beds and that organic-soil standards remain.

Adaptive reuse — North Grand Mall (Item 27): Council approved an adaptive-reuse site plan to convert a small island parcel at 2615 Grand Avenue to a fast-food restaurant with a drive-through. Staff recommended conditions to manage queuing and redirected approach lanes to avoid conflicts; planning commissioners recommended approval.

Personal transportation devices (Item 28): Staff proposed code changes for e-bikes, e-scooters and similar devices. Key elements: a 20 mph default cap for paths/sidewalks unless otherwise posted; park rules (not the ordinance) would allow a 10 mph limit in high-pedestrian park areas; and clarified lighting requirements (300 ft front and rear) and added guidance for device lighting at night. Public commenters from the Ames Bicycle Coalition and neighborhood residents supported many safety measures and urged education, better signage and "fix-it" warning periods rather than immediate fines. Council approved the staff-recommended ordinance amendments and directed staff to consider enforcement logistics; one motion asked staff to draft language allowing a first-offense grace period for lighting violations.

Parks code updates (Item 29): The council approved multiple parks-and-rec changes, including clarifying swimming prohibitions to refer to Ada Hayden Lake and city-owned ponds rather than all rivers and creeks, and preserving existing deer-hunting exceptions found elsewhere in city code. Staff agreed to refine the plain language to avoid unintentionally covering creeks and rivers that the changes were not meant to restrict.

Each approved item included staff conditions or follow-up language to address enforcement, signs, and where applicable, the specific limits of new allowances. Several votes were recorded by roll call and passed by majority.