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Council approves Guthrie Avenue Trail property acquisition; staff to explore saving resident trees
Summary
Council approved authorization to proceed with acquiring property interests for the Guthrie Avenue Trail project; a resident objected to a 10-foot trail width near his property and staff agreed to consider transplanting recently planted trees and to narrow the trail to eight feet at constrained locations.
The Des Moines City Council voted unanimously to authorize staff to proceed with acquisition of the necessary property interests for the Guthrie Avenue Trail from Glenbrook Drive to Moss Drive, including preliminary design details for trail width and tree mitigation.
During the public comment period, resident Ronald Balg told the council he was on the list of properties included in the acquisition and objected to a proposed 10-foot trail in front of his house. Balg said the 10-foot width would “severely whack off the north end” of his property and asked that the trail remain 8 feet where it abuts his yard. He also said he had planted three new trees under a city permit and asked whether they could be spared or transplanted.
City Engineer Steve Nabors explained that most of the Guthrie trail is designed at 10 feet because that width allows two-way safe passage and provides space for maintenance equipment. Nabors said the trail was narrowed to 8 feet only where the right of way is immediately adjacent to bedroom windows or where property constraints require it. He noted the segment near the interstate included narrower sections and that the design for bridge improvements is 10 feet. Nabors said Ron’s house is roughly 30 feet from the right of way, farther than the houses where staff had narrowed the trail.
Council direction included a commitment by staff to review options to transplant the resident’s recently planted trees where feasible and to maintain snow-removal access. Nabors said public works can perform snow removal on 8-foot sections although it is more difficult for equipment.
The motion to approve the acquisition (consent item 16) passed with seven yes votes. The council also recorded that staff will look at options to avoid or mitigate impacts to private trees and to work with the resident on solutions.
