[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-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",[32,74,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_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":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6475189,"mediaKeyId","5736789-c307653183f068ad6fcef506aae6e84f","parentId",5736789,"title","Johnston council approves TIF amendment, zoning change, development-agreement amendment and routine budget actions","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",4189000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5736789-c307653183f068ad6fcef506aae6e84f&start=4189&end=4189","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5736789-c307653183f068ad6fcef506aae6e84f/thumbnail_4189000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6475189/Johnston-City/Polk-County/Iowa/Johnston-council-approves-TIF-amendment-zoning-change-development-agreement-amendment-and-routine-budget-actions","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6475189-3dc028a9e5b9067093da11070200f579/orig.mp4?Expires=1775404556&Signature=J1~cKoKCaXFRzcJZubRjB-k4NKV4gaFBV0W71SxGeBJBWvC-vhmjYhe7b-C9Sk8CUdHv7vvgjGtZwK5xR1QKFt~VeLlGfVFAZL-TyxNcBRdAFgZHVnsPdfmgnb-YG1sV5tBWS0ltkCZNURV8vNZAG1fBq5x0RwIfKk0PdmFnioXcX9l8kUulox4SWQ88OfLw5TnkoTcMdL1Qu-gmmGE3qVCTtRT3AuPQcyXEv141URkQO4XGgKCXu5exBDxyhdORFLQQcg5YURbyhbNK1qjTL~O54gMOUDjv4~2aJDFpS-m4L6cCECiKlLhOFImtujpzWTdU0cSANG~KKZGWRpTcUg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Johnston","date","2025-09-09T13:28:09Z","article","The Johnston City Council on the evening of the meeting approved several resolutions, ordinances and routine items, including an amendment to the East Central TIF urban renewal plan, a zoning map amendment, a development-agreement amendment, receipt of the city’s five-year staffing plan and payment of claims.

Key outcomes at a glance:

- Resolution No. 24-302: The council conducted a public hearing and then approved an amendment (No. 14) to the Johnson East Central TIF Urban Renewal Plan. Staff said the amendment updates plan language to allow incentives and expenses tied to an economic development guide and that Polk County and the Johnston Community School District were invited to a consultation meeting but no representatives attended.

- Ordinance No. 11-26: On third reading the council adopted and published Ordinance 11-26, rezoning 1.77 acres from R-2 (low-density mixed residential) to C-2 (community commercial).

- FY 2026–2030 Five-Year Staffing Plan: The council voted to receive and file the staffing plan. Staff described the plan as a roadmap and living document; councilmembers said they expect the plan to serve as the starting point for budget deliberations.

- Amendment No. 7 to the private development agreement (Ignite Johnston LLC): The council approved the seventh amendment, which moves a minimum improvement deadline to March 21, 2025, and made minor language changes; councilmembers said they remained committed to getting outstanding information from the developer.

- Claims approval: The council approved payment of claims totaling $3,158,486.27.

All listed votes passed on roll call; individual votes were recorded in council roll calls during the meeting. The council also approved the consent agenda earlier in the meeting, which included multiple routine items.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Johnston City Council Meeting - December 16, 2024","oneSentenceSummary","The council took several routine legislative actions: it adopted an amendment to the East Central TIF urban renewal plan, passed a zoning map amendment, received the five-year staffing plan, approved an amendment to a private development agreement and approved claims totaling $3,158,486.27.","taxTitle","Johnston City, Polk County, Iowa","taxId",52106,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_46":80,"_48":81,"_50":82,"_52":83,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":84,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":85,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6475194,"Johnston council approves eminent-domain resolution for Northwest water main segments B and C after public objections",405,1489000,1894000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5736789-c307653183f068ad6fcef506aae6e84f&start=1489&end=1894","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5736789-c307653183f068ad6fcef506aae6e84f/thumbnail_1489000.jpg","/articles/6475194/Johnston-City/Polk-County/Iowa/Johnston-council-approves-eminent-domain-resolution-for-Northwest-water-main-segments-B-and-C-after-public-objections","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6475194-3aec9ada8cbe78e0a1cebc5edfe1f1bc/orig.mp4?Expires=1775404556&Signature=N7FXBQXfHg91QO3uwdWza9Dq-D28OXVKEQWK6NH2e530tjcSJtDGcsTHFNF3pHsIm9wbMvmIAf1NaeDhxJEUqzmWE8f0oe~BBSyzV16Gfqpihm-vooLQaK~fXcmj8DSEcTQGAtuZNMUzyTm7OathdqvwZaS5BB2YzRVDO8V52cVjM-~fW7vg5igCkgFrgMSVDsCHqwudpEnlk~8B2kWukrDBemx1qHsVQSJAzzFdAvr5A9TCaZtQ1MS5jL5aihV3vslmC5CJXxhTEeMNzIjc6a097ZRJEJA7Rqs8DW698H6b~4lA9DyXT43Ys6xeG-hDfU4HrRgxHP9qIRk9B3BUAg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Johnston City Council on the evening of the meeting voted to authorize acquisition of property by eminent domain for the Northwest annexation water main extension project, limited to segments B and C, after a public hearing and an amendment to specify those segments.

City staff described segments B and C as extensions to serve the Northwest Growth area, with the proposed alignment running along Beaver Drive, Saylorville Drive and Northwest 110th Court. Staff said the city must convert a 15-foot permanent easement to a water-main easement on the MBDE enterprise parcel and acquire a temporary construction easement of roughly 194 by 50 feet to allow crews space to install the main. The presentation noted some of the proposed 15-foot easement falls within an existing 40-foot sanitary-easement corridor.

During the hearing the property owner who identified himself as Mr. Boyle of 7349 Northwest Sixth Drive said he was unaware of the full extent of the project when he purchased the parcel, said the work would remove timber and trees, and asked the council to delay the project so a prospective buyer would see the property’s potential before construction. “We spent $385,000 on this property,” Boyle said, and objected to the construction footprint and the loss of trees.

Dan Manning, an attorney representing Jerry and Helen Oliver, told the council that the environmental information document prepared for the State Revolving Fund (SRF) loan did not address tree impacts and urged the city to use existing highway right-of-way — particularly along Highway 415/Highway 141 corridors — to minimize land takings. He cited Iowa law and a January 2023 Iowa Supreme Court decision in arguing that placement in the dedicated right-of-way could reduce the amount of private property the project would require. Manning said his clients’ western property boundary abuts the alignment and that shifting the alignment to the state right-of-way could preserve a large number of mature trees and minimize property impacts.

City staff and engineers said they had been negotiating with affected owners and preferred an amicable resolution, but that staff needed to run parallel tracks: continue negotiations while preparing eminent-domain authority in case an agreement could not be reached. Staff said the city is under development agreements and obligations to extend service to the Northwest Growth area and planned to bid the project in March–April with construction to start later in the year and complete in 2025.

Councilmembers acknowledged the value of trees and the sensitivity of the impacted properties and asked staff to continue discussions with the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) and stakeholders. Councilmember Martin noted engineering work to avoid wooded areas where possible and encouraged joint advocacy to the DOT.

On a motion amended to specify segments B and C throughout the resolution, the council voted to approve Resolution No. 24-308 authorizing acquisition by eminent domain for the Northwest annexation water main extension (segments B and C). The motion passed on a roll call vote in which Councilmembers Martin, Reddy, Burkhart, Cope and Evans voted “yes.”

Separately, the council held the public hearing required by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the SRF loan process on the environmental information document for segments A, B and C. The city received public comment at the hearing and agreed to forward written comments and staff responses to the Iowa DNR as required; the hearing record will be provided to the agency and made public as part of the SRF loan application process. No council action was taken that night on the SRF loan beyond receiving comments and closing the hearing.","The council approved a resolution authorizing property acquisition by eminent domain for segments B and C of the Northwest annexation water main extension after a public hearing; property owners and an attorney urged use of DOT right-of-way and raised tree and environmental concerns during an SRF-related environmental public hearing.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_46":92,"_48":93,"_50":94,"_52":95,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":96,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":97,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6475198,"DART reports rising ridership in Johnston, outlines 'Reimagine DART' redesign",653,119000,772000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5736789-c307653183f068ad6fcef506aae6e84f&start=119&end=772","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5736789-c307653183f068ad6fcef506aae6e84f/thumbnail_119000.jpg","/articles/6475198/Johnston-City/Polk-County/Iowa/DART-reports-rising-ridership-in-Johnston-outlines-Reimagine-DART-redesign","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6475198-86048408f93a5df0664a21ce493f3de5/orig.mp4?Expires=1775404556&Signature=bkV3kbTmG8W~yfTz6~2Ok8XwVGF5o13jhHt~gu-JFxXIJkMz3Ybf8drFbSTEE4fuX8pdJlt7ZkTWMUjkFFtSUJd0o-uHtmmMrEsFmLhcFqDZukswhdGr2buF8ZpXneSD43LUgOBhaf1uZmuBHKdzVcvp~F45bdHO2N3Df5czkN8bOyxwhImqOHs9UvfevAu9t~ap-uXKf70rxaoC0sbvdk2NIuW5pKOeJwPHrfb16ga8mfot-ZXkPB61rWLeMVe2HaGSNEd8S3K6Tnrz1v3C8eSqrlfsIQAn9u-a68wqhIDnnunL6C6whkAepRE7OnzMNJl23hTqQtjF-mpVrtnFSA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Amanda Wonke, CEO of Des Moines Area Regional Transit, told the Johnston City Council on the evening of the meeting that DART provided more than 3.5 million trips last year and that ridership in Johnston has increased in recent years.

Wonke said fixed-route boardings in Johnston totaled just over 10,000 in fiscal 2024 and paratransit trips in the community stabilized at about 8,000 trips systemwide. She said DART tracks paratransit users by application and that 44 paratransit riders are Johnston residents, while the remainder travel into Johnston for work, appointments or shopping. “We want to be the most efficient and effective stewards of your taxpayer dollars,” Wonke said.

The presentation described local services to Johnston: local Route 5 (seven-day service), express Route 93 (weekday peak commuter), paratransit (door-to-door for qualified riders), vanpooling and special-event service. Wonke said Route 5’s weekend service places Johnston in tier 4 under DART’s property tax formula; seven-day service would move the community into tier 3, but she said the commission is pausing tier conversations while pursuing the Reimagine DART process.

Why it matters: Wonke framed the program as an economic driver and a social-equity service: she said 9 in 10 DART trips serve work or income-generating travel and that the majority of riders live in households with annual incomes of $50,000 or less and often lack a car or driver’s license.

Council members asked for performance details and potential service options. Councilmember Evans said he has heard “anecdotally” about canceled or curtailed stops and asked DART to provide data on how often Johnston stops or routes are delayed to the point of cancellation. Wonke responded that on-time performance and missed trips are top priorities and she would follow up with Johnston-specific numbers.

Councilmember Burkhart and Mayor Derenfeld asked about special-event service and whether DART could supply routes for fairs, business events or large gatherings to reduce parking demand and introduce new riders to transit. Wonke said federal regulations can limit some special-event arrangements but that DART is reviewing options and studying changes as part of Reimagine DART; she also noted pilots that are already underway (microtransit in Ankeny, a FlexConnect pilot with Uber and taxis).

Wonke described Reimagine DART as a system redesign intended to build regional consensus around shared goals; early priorities she listed were economic impact, social equity and ensuring each member community receives a return on investment. She said the commission expects to select a new system design by December 2025 to align with the fiscal 2027 budget cycle.

The council thanked Wonke and DART staff for the update and encouraged continued outreach to local businesses and the community to boost ridership. Wonke said she would follow up with the data requested by council and continue engagement on special-event and route-design options.","Amanda Wonke, CEO of Des Moines Area Regional Transit (DART), briefed the Johnston City Council on ridership, local service levels and a regional system redesign effort called Reimagine DART; council members asked about cancellations, on-time performance and special-event routes.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Johnston council approves TIF amendment, zoning change, development-agreement amendment and routine budget actions

Johnston council approves eminent-domain resolution for Northwest water main segments B and C after public objections

DART reports rising ridership in Johnston, outlines 'Reimagine DART' redesign