[{"_1":2,"_86":-5,"_87":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6090657,"mediaKeyId","2866138-cceb1e7411ddde13d4938778bd1c5413","parentId",2866138,"title","Council approves Magnolia Heights plats after questions on sidewalks, school access and 150th Street timing","audioSeconds",640,"startMs",1376000,"endMs",2016000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2866138-cceb1e7411ddde13d4938778bd1c5413&start=1376&end=2016","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2866138-cceb1e7411ddde13d4938778bd1c5413/thumbnail_1376000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6090657/Urbandale/Polk-County/Iowa/Council-approves-Magnolia-Heights-plats-after-questions-on-sidewalks-school-access-and-150th-Street-timing","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6090657-28b147f6000c65b0eafb3c66a81ef6de/orig.mp4?Expires=1770942151&Signature=JHufhS2BpePUSZrOLdfpHOHgCyDdEACRehbM7GErIIppI5UtFV-s1Q709tIaFFELMqsexhRC-hpbw3EWA~IWe1iqvRy1NLimZiuMR4r7CONkkfipOqUgo2-HZ2jWLjp35uT4HoOJs4bFFKbNl6lfB6xxPD82seYlciJL1CX5iBeA5k93mXM66Nzzl5RWkcbjsH36VxtjakHQGGs61KV1HlaipRU9PirmezHbx-2QbE0MnGcFZj7U2rsfkPRt~ocBKZPcbzCqavehZRhlXOm327Kv5~fvKHu4NJh7T03OwtK2O-MbHLinDEMm24mJVRXAJ~Un~WD72x2gCgkrij6hJw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-04-02T12:12:26Z","article","The Urbandale City Council on April 14 approved final plats for portions of Magnolia Heights but pressed staff and the developer for details on pedestrian access to Waterford Elementary School and the timing of related road construction.

Planning staff presented plats 5, 6 and 7 for the Magnolia Heights development and said the larger subdivision will ultimately be completed in a series of plats. Steve Franklin described Plat 5 as seven single-family detached lots (minimum 60-foot lot width), Plat 6 as 33 townhome lots north of the new Walnut Meadows Drive and Plat 7 as 37 townhome lots south of Walnut Meadows Drive. Franklin said the entire Magnolia Heights development covers about 104 acres and earlier plats included the lot where Waterford Elementary was built.

Council members asked for clarification about pedestrian access to the school and when 150th Street reconstruction (a separate capital project) would occur. Franklin pointed to existing and planned sidewalk connections within the development and to a trail that now connects from Waterford Road under a power line into the area; he said sidewalks will be provided along the new internal streets as they are built. John Larson, director of engineering and public works, confirmed that reconstruction of 150th Street is currently in the city's capital improvement plan for 2028 and typically the city completes sidewalk work internally as streets are constructed. David Albright of Paladin Properties told council he expects internal streets to be completed so bus routes can use 150th Street once that reconstruction occurs; he said the developer plans to sequence work so most internal sidewalks will be in place before heavy school-year impacts. Albright noted the developer anticipates major construction activity in 2028 tied to the CIP schedule but acknowledged that schedules can change and that drainage and the north-half-mile development unknowns affect timing.

Council members expressed concern about relying indefinitely on a north-half-mile extension to trigger 150th Street construction. One council member said they did not want to wait ‘‘indefinitely’’ for the north half to develop and urged staff to consider keeping sidewalk and access improvements more current so school access is safer for students. Staff said the city typically closes a street during reconstruction and stages work to minimize disruption, and that alternate access from the east will remain available during construction.

After discussion the council approved Resolutions 132-2025, 133-2025 and 134-2025 to accept the final plats for Magnolia Heights plats 5, 6 and 7; motions and seconds were recorded on the transcript (no roll-call tallies were included in the record).

What was new or notable

• Sidewalks and trail connections: Staff highlighted an existing trail from Waterford Road that now reaches into the Magnolia area; sidewalks will be required along newly constructed internal streets, and staff recommended routing pedestrians along 150th Street to access the school until major street reconstruction occurs.

• Timing and CIP linkages: 150th Street reconstruction is currently in the CIP for 2028; staff and the developer said internal subdivision streets will be completed to provide school access and allow bus routing when the road project proceeds.

• Planning process: Franklin said the preliminary plat is a working drawing and that final plats may vary slightly from the preliminary layout; any increase in lot counts beyond the preliminary plat would trigger a new preliminary plat process.

Next steps and implementation

The council recorded approval of the three final plats; the community development department and the developer will complete final engineering, coordinate required sidewalk installations with street construction and record each final plat with the county. Staff noted that timing for 150th Street reconstruction remains subject to broader CIP scheduling and drainage design work for adjacent areas.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Meeting - April 1, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Council approved three final plats for the Magnolia Heights development after staff and the developer addressed council questions about pedestrian access to Waterford Elementary, the timing of 150th Street reconstruction and internal street completion.","taxTitle","Urbandale, Polk County, Iowa","taxId",55398,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6090661,"Votes at a glance: Urbandale council approves sewer lining, plats, park facilities, traffic and fiber projects",1664,1104000,2768000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2866138-cceb1e7411ddde13d4938778bd1c5413&start=1104&end=2768","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2866138-cceb1e7411ddde13d4938778bd1c5413/thumbnail_1104000.jpg","/articles/6090661/Urbandale/Polk-County/Iowa/Votes-at-a-glance-Urbandale-council-approves-sewer-lining-plats-park-facilities-traffic-and-fiber-projects","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6090661-c6f6140b766610f607fc7f28c67f9ce5/orig.mp4?Expires=1770942151&Signature=inC35SXhdrlIwYU~JEZ-T2ijyQQrj0EBwHQc5HS2TXM3btzwrzCuWuJmBiMIjYuhLfvP~BCUViZ2lQmx~rtN7B58fS8yFGfImRV94bt0-g8L6eY9gnu02BhYUyFtwRKhZ2WIjGKfKYw52OJauuaycFFmXeYExJzb6skGpdfzuVEYxm4wv7d3jw1IKcP4zh6mnB6u2yrI8w8karkdI1RQeZpH4u4D5QQQHGeEpNS0Mmfn8H~hdoRw2S3~ElOn3nYKD-34S4vezByiokLaTqpBYIRbhrgtoOeBtzR2XjmV4p~NPPU85rQilYsafAM5avXJaanM~9kYFbaKK6sEol592w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Urbandale City Council members on April 14 approved a series of procurement, platting and site-plan items, moving forward infrastructure and park projects and establishing a public hearing for the fiscal-year 2025–26 operating budget.

The council approved low bids for two construction contracts and accepted multiple planning and site plans. Most votes passed unanimously with motion and second recorded on the public record; recorded tallies were not provided in the meeting transcript.

The most substantive procurement decisions included awarding the 2025 sewer-lining contract to Municipal Pipe Tool Company and approving traffic and fiber work to upgrade signals and connect Meredith Drive signals to the city’s traffic management system. John Larson, director of engineering and public works, presented the sewer-lining bid tabulation and project scope: the recommended low bid was $556,675.15 for about 13,900 feet of sewer lining (just over 12,000 feet in Urbandale, 1,550 feet in Windsor Heights and 250 feet of storm sewer lining). The city will pay the portion of the storm sewer lining (reported as just under $36,000); most of the sanitary-lining work will be paid by two sewer districts. Larson said the contractor’s bid was nearly 4% under the engineer’s estimate and that the work must be completed by the end of the calendar year.

The council approved three resolutions tied to the sewer-lining project: Resolution 127-2025, Resolution 128-2025 and Resolution 129-2025 (motions and seconds were recorded on the transcript; individual vote tallies were not reported). The public hearing on the project was opened and closed during the meeting; no public comments were recorded on the item.

On planning and zoning items, the council approved three final plats for the Magnolia Heights development: Resolution 132-2025 (Plat 5 — seven single-family lots, minimum lot width 60 feet), Resolution 133-2025 (Plat 6 — 33 townhome lots north of Walnut Meadows Drive) and Resolution 134-2025 (Plat 7 — 37 townhome lots south of Walnut Meadows Drive). Planning staff presented the plats and answered council questions about sidewalks, trail connections and timing of related road work.

Two park facility projects in the city’s capital improvement program were approved by council action. The Dunlap Park restroom site plan (council letter 8140) was approved; staff described a roughly 350-square-foot, single‑stall, ADA‑accessible unisex restroom adjacent to the existing parking lot. Meeting discussion noted that an adult changing table will not be included in the Dunlap Park restroom but that one will be included at another upcoming restroom (Walker Johnson / Walker Jackson). The Walker Johnson open-air shelter site plan (council letter 8139) was also approved; staff described a 4,270‑square-foot facility that will include three unisex ADA restrooms, a storage room and demolition of the existing shelter. Council and staff discussed accessibility, path connections and timing; staff indicated construction timing will depend on final design and bidding.

Two equipment projects for traffic operations were approved. The council accepted the low bid from Vanmont Electric for the annual traffic-signal improvements project (council letter 8133), a $45,730 contract to replace nine conflict monitors, four traffic cameras and one battery-backup unit, with an anticipated September 1 completion. The council also approved the Meredith Drive fiber-connections project (Resolution 138-2025), awarding the low bid to Iowa Signal for $66,971.78 to install about 3,900 feet of 2-inch conduit and 4,500 feet of fiber optic cable; staff expects work complete by Sept. 1 and noted these connections will bring the final signals into the city’s traffic communications system so controllers can be managed from the office.

Council also set a public hearing for the fiscal-year 2025–26 operating budget for April 15, 2025 (motion passed). Other routine items — adoption of minutes and approval of a 15-item consent agenda — were also approved.

Votes at a glance

• 2025 sewer lining (bid award to Municipal Pipe Tool Company, $556,675.15) — Resolutions 127-2025, 128-2025, 129-2025 — approved (motion/second recorded; vote tallies not specified).

• Magnolia Heights plats — Resolution 132-2025 (Plat 5, seven single-family lots) — approved (motion by Rosendahl; second by Bodie). Resolution 133-2025 (Plat 6, 33 townhome lots) — approved (motion by Rosendahl; second by Bodie). Resolution 134-2025 (Plat 7, 37 townhome lots) — approved (motion by Rosendahl; second by Bodie).

• Dunlap Park restroom site plan (council letter 8140) — approved (motion by Kroll; second by Carberry Montgomery). Project: ~350 sq ft, single unisex ADA restroom; no adult changing table.

• Walker Johnson open-air shelter site plan (council letter 8139) — approved (motion by Bodie; second by Carberry Montgomery). Project: 4,270 sq ft structure, three unisex ADA restrooms, storage room, demolition of existing shelter; staff expects construction this year pending final drawings and bids.

• Traffic-signal improvements (council letter 8133) — approved (motion by Kirby Montgomery; second by Rosendahl). Low bid: Vanmont Electric, $45,730; equipment replacement; completion target Sept. 1.

• Meredith Drive fiber connections (Resolution 138-2025) — approved (motion by Rosendahl; second by Kroll). Low bid: Iowa Signal, $66,971.78; install 3,900 ft conduit and 4,500 ft fiber; completion target Sept. 1.

• Public hearing established for FY2025–26 operating budget — hearing set for April 15, 2025 — approved (motion by Bodie; second by Rosendahl).

What council said: staff, timing and community impact

Engineering staff emphasized that pipe lining extends pipe lifespan without full excavation and minimizes resident disruption; contractors typically perform lining work in fall but must complete the work by year end. For the Meredith fiber work and traffic-signal equipment, staff said bringing signals online will allow remote monitoring and automated alerts when a controller goes into flash.

For park projects, staff and council discussed material selections, accessibility and placement so restrooms serve both shelter renters and park users without routing users through rented shelter space. For the Walker Johnson shelter the discussion included grade and ramping to meet ADA requirements and the need to remove a few trees to accommodate the building footprint.

Limits of the record

The meeting record indicates motions, seconders and that each item \"passes,\" but the transcript does not contain roll-call tallies for council votes on these items. When recorded, the transcript lists the maker and seconder for many motions; where the mover or seconder was not stated on the record, items are listed below as \"not specified.\"","At its April meeting the Urbandale City Council accepted bids and approved multiple resolutions and site plans, including a sewer lining contract, three Magnolia Heights final plats, two park facility projects, traffic-signal equipment upgrades and fiber connections for Meredith Drive.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council approves Magnolia Heights plats after questions on sidewalks, school access and 150th Street timing

Votes at a glance: Urbandale council approves sewer lining, plats, park facilities, traffic and fiber projects