COUNCIL ACTION FORM

ACQUISITION PLAT AND WARRANTY DEED FOR RIGHT-OF-WAY- LOT 3, THE BLUFFS (G.W. CARVER AVENUE & CAMERON SCHOOL ROAD ROUNDABOUT)

The City of Ames and Story County are jointly pursuing funding for a roundabout at the intersection of G.W. Carver Avenue and Cameron School Road, identified as project N-47 in the AAMPO 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan. Preliminary engineering completed by Bolton & Menk, Inc. identified right-of-way needs around the intersection, including a small area at the northeast corner of Lot 3, The Bluffs, in the southwest quadrant of the intersection.

Friedrich Land Development Company, L.L.C., the owner of Lot 3, is selling the lot to Kwik Star and has agreed to convey the needed area to the City in fee at no cost. Bolton & Menk has prepared an Acquisition Plat that creates Lot ‘A’ (0.11 acres, 4,702 square feet), and the owner will convey Lot ‘A’ to the City by warranty deed. The plat must be approved before the sale of Lot 3 can close.

Approving the plat and accepting the deed now secures this right-of-way for the future roundabout without cost to the City. Temporary and permanent easements needed elsewhere on the property will be acquired as the project moves into final design. The plat and deed have been reviewed by the City's Legal Department and are ready for approval.

In the case that the roundabout construction is deemed not feasible in the future due to funding limitations and the improvements must instead be constructed as a traffic signal with associated turn-lane widening, the right-of-way provided by this action meets the needs for the traffic signal improvements.  

1. Approve the Acquisition Plat for Lot 3, The Bluffs, and accept the Warranty Deed from Friedrich Land Development Company, L.L.C. conveying Lot ‘A’ to the City of Ames.
   
   
2. Do not approve the Acquisition Plat. The City would need to acquire this right-of-way at a later date, possibly at a cost, and the sale of Lot 3 could be delayed.

By acquiring this right-of-way now, the City secures land needed for the G.W. Carver Avenue and Cameron School Road roundabout at no cost, and the property owner can complete the sale of Lot 3. The acquisition supports the needs for the planned roundabout, but also would serve the City's needs if the roundabout project is abandoned in favor of a traffic signal and lane-widening approach at this intersection. Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council adopt Alternative No. 1, as described above.