Rezoning for Fareway north of Somerset

[rasmeth]

http://www.midiowanews.com/site/tab1.cf ... 4432&rfi=6

Commission approves Fareway rezone
By: Laura Millsaps
05/22/2008
Updated 05/22/2008 12:00:43 PM CDT
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A Fareway grocery store at Bloomington and Stange roads became one step closer to reality at Wednesday night's Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting.

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The commission unanimously recommended the rezoning of land at the site from medium density residential to convenience commercial node. It now moves to final approval at the Ames City Council's next meeting. The vote was 5-0, with two commissioners absent.

The rezoning approval is one of the last steps necessary to proceed with Uthe Development's project at the site. The council approved a necessary map amendment to the land use policy plan at its meeting May 13.

The rezone to commercial convenience is made possible by a narrowly tailored land-use amendment passed by the council Dec. 19. Proposed by Councilman Matthew Goodman in September, the land-use amendment was crafted to allow exceptions to the land-use criteria for placement of commercial areas, in order to provide services the nearby Somerset Village concept had failed to. The amendment's criteria specifically restricted uses to a grocery store, convenience store, car wash and medical clinic. A more broadly worded land-use amendment had failed earlier that month.

The amendment proved controversial, with two split votes occurring Dec. 19 before a 5-1 approval vote from the council that night.

The next meeting of the City Council is Tuesday, May 27.

Laura Millsaps can be reached at 232-2161, Ext. 342, or lmillsaps@amestrib.com.

So, Somerset's town center didn't attract a grocery store. This Fareway will be going into a previously single-use residential place just to the north of it. It's good to see people are willing to mix uses.

[Brady]

it will be nice too see more commercial going up there. i wonder if it's too much to ask to have the store built up to the sidewalk with parking to the side or back, and a more attractive building than the typical prototype Fareway. either way - good addition that will serve the neighborhood well.

[rasmeth]

It would be nice if those upgrades would come with this new store. It would be nice if they could have the entry facing the sidewalk and street with the parking in back too. This store will provide the opportunity for a number of people to walk or drive a shorter distance, provided that they find Fareway sufficient for their grocery needs.

[DMRyan]

Fareway designs some pretty bare bones looking stores. Unless arms are twisted by the City of Ames, I wouldn't look for this building to be anything more special than the typical stale Fareway prototype.

[rasmeth]

Fareway finally gets green light
By: Laura Millsaps
06/25/2008
Updated 06/25/2008 11:01:17 AM CDT




It went quietly at the end.



After months of wrangling over land use policy and zoning, the Ames City Council passed the adoption of a zoning ordinance that would allow the construction of a Fareway grocery store at Bloomington and Stange roads.

Developer Chuck Winkleblack said after the meeting he expected to transfer the deed for the property to Fareway Stores by mid-July.

Fareway Stores CEO Rick Beckwith said in a phone interview this morning the company was "excited" by the news of the council's approval and had plans to move quickly.

"We want to be in the ground as soon as we possibly can," Beckwith said, adding Fareway did not have a completion date at this time.

The development proposal pushed the council into a months-long debate concerning the proximity of commercial development next to the village concept of the Somerset area and the desire to provide north Ames residents the possibility of more business services.

In order to achieve the zoning for the development to proceed, a land use policy amendment and map amendment was necessary. A first version of a land use amendment that would have allowed the zoning change was defeated 3-3 on Sept 11, 2007.

A more narrowly defined amendment followed, which allowed exceptions to the placement of commercial zones next to village concept areas. Currently, the only village concept area in the city of Ames is Somerset Village and the only situation to which the land use amendment applies.

The land use amendment proved controversial. The issue filled council chambers Dec. 18, with the public speaking both in support of the grocery store and against spot zoning and random development. The amendment passed 5-1 after two failed votes that same evening. In the end, the council limited the development to a specific list of businesses: a grocery store, a car wash, a convenience store and a medical clinic.

http://www.midiowanews.com/site/tab1.cf ... 4432&rfi=6

[Brady]

The amendment's criteria specifically restricted uses to a grocery store, convenience store, car wash and medical clinic. A more broadly worded land-use amendment had failed earlier that month.

Why would you put a car wash in a neighborhood that is supposed to be walkable and (ideally) promote alternative transportation? Leave the car washes to South Duff or E. Lincoln Way.

[rasmeth]

They should have made some design stipulations before giving the okay, imo. Parking in back. Windows in front. Different facade material. Less of a setback from the street. Less total parking. Trees (not just nature band-aid style).

[rasmeth]

Fareway and surrounding development. The area was zoned residential, but granted permission to be somewhat mixed use.

[rasmeth]

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[rasmeth]

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