The Evansville, Ind. company proposes to use the 0.5-acre site as a "utility hut," for internet equipment and a 79-foot communications antenna, which MetroNet is in the process of obtaining a special use permit for from the Zoning Board of Adjustment.
The request will be considered at the board's Jan. 8 meeting, and if the board denies the antenna, city staff expects MetroNet to not proceed with the sale of the property.
The city asked MetroNet for an appraisal report for the market value of the property, which was valued at $21,600.
Council set Jan. 14 for public hearing for the approval of the site transfer.
The transfer of the property is contingent upon MetroNet recording a right-of-way acquisition plat and granting easements to the city at the time of the sale.
Kathy Scheller, MetroNet's government affairs director, told the Tribune last month that MetroNet's plans to enter Ames is an "immediate investment" and would start construction in the spring of 2020, embarking on a "two-year, weather-permitting process" to build out its system.
MetroNet's intentions to join Ames' competitive landscape came at the crux of Ames City Council's desire to make improvements to its existing internet infrastructure with a focus on six key objectives — availability, reliability, cost, speed, customer service, and net neutrality and broadband privacy policies.
The site was previously used as a water booster pump station, before it was phased out in the 1990s due to new reconfiguration of the water pressure zones.
However, in city documents, staff notes there is little desire to re-purpose the site.
"The site conditions make this property very difficult to re-purpose into another City use, and there are limited private uses that would be compatible with it," an excerpt from city documents reads. "Selling this property to MetroNet eliminates a sizeable expense for the City in the future and provides a site acceptable to MetroNet for its operations."
A number of the water mains on the property are abandoned, according to city documents, and The Water and Pollution Control Department projects a future demolition of the structure and the remaining water mains in 2024, at a cost of up to $125,000.
According to city documents, one of the conditions of the sale is that the northern part of the 20 feet would be retained as a right-of-way.
"At least three-fourths of the property area would need to be maintained in easements for electric, water main, and drainage/bridge infrastructure/surface flowage," an excerpt from city document states.
With their mission to "make Ames a Gig-A-Bit" city, MetroNet serves 80 communities in seven states, encompassing 112,000 subscribers with a fiber-optic infrastructure that serves both businesses and homes.
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