Des Moines council approves consent agenda and a slate of conveyances; several items continued

The Des Moines City Council approved the consent agenda and a series of property conveyances, contracts and ordinance actions during its meeting, voting unanimously on most items and continuing two larger matters to later meetings.

The council enacted the consent agenda (items 3–32) by roll call, and then approved individual conveyances and contract awards including: the conveyance of a vacated alley adjoining 926 Fortieth Place and 925–40 First Street to Capital Homes 2, LLC (doing business as Cutler Construction Company) (item 33); an easement conveyance related to relocation of a portion of the Southeast Des Moines levee system required by the Southeast Connector project, to the United States acting through the Secretary of the Army (item 34); the sale of approximately 180 feet of vacated north–south alley to Veil Des Moines LLC for $25,300 plus a permanent public ingress/egress easement (item 35); conveyance of city‑owned property at 913 Douglas Avenue to Home Opportunities Made Easy Inc. for housing redevelopment (item 36); and a temporary street‑right‑of‑way license to Capital City Pride Des Moines for an art installation at East Grand Avenue and East Fifth Street (item 37). Most of these motions passed on unanimous recorded voice votes (recorded in the meeting as “7 yes. Motion carries.”).

The council also approved first and final considerations for rezoning requests for Grace Methodist Church (rezone of 1070–30 Seventh Street from P2 to N5 to allow a subdivided single‑household residence) and for PPDSM LLC (rezone of 2005 Southwest Ninth Street from N5 to limited N5‑2 for reuse as a two‑household duplex) (items 38 and 39). Several construction contracts for sidewalks and streets were approved, with low bidders identified: C‑2 Creative Concrete LLC was designated the lowest responsive, responsible bidder on the 2025 sidewalk and pedestrian ramp replacement program ($378,911) and the East Euclid Avenue sidewalk project ($239,940) (items 42 and 43). The Southeast Eighth Street project contract was designated to Rognas Corp. for $6,582,308.60 (item 44).

The council approved administrative and code actions including an amendment to Chapter 118 of the Municipal Code on qualifying improvements for the private property protection program (item 45); established the Capital City Reinvestment District pursuant to Iowa Code Chapter 15J (item 46); and amended Chapter 114 regarding parking modifications on Woodland Avenue (item 47).

Two items were continued at the request of staff: the Italian American Cultural Center of Iowa request related to 2633 Flora Drive (item 40) was continued to the April 7, 2025 meeting, and the lease/least cost agreement to replace refuse truck fleet with Halsby Mack Inc. (item 41) was continued to the March 24, 2025 meeting.

Votes at a glance (items noted in meeting order with recorded outcome): • Consent agenda (items 3–32): approved by roll call (consent) — outcome approved. • Item 33 (conveyance adjoining 926 Fortieth Place/925–40 First): approved — outcome approved (recorded “7 yes”). • Item 34 (levee easements for Southeast Des Moines levee system): approved — outcome approved (recorded “7 yes”). • Item 35 (conveyance of vacated alley to Veil Des Moines LLC for $25,300): approved — outcome approved (recorded “7 yes”). • Item 36 (conveyance at 913 Douglas Ave to Home Opportunities Made Easy Inc.): approved — outcome approved (recorded “7 yes”). • Item 37 (license to Capital City Pride Des Moines): approved — outcome approved (recorded “7 yes”). • Items 38 & 39 (rezones for Grace Methodist Church and PPDSM LLC): both approved — outcome approved (recorded “7 yes”). • Item 40 (Butler Mansion PUD/Italian American Cultural Center of Iowa amendment): continued to 04/07/2025 — outcome continued. • Item 41 (lease/least cost agreement for refuse truck fleet): continued to 03/24/2025 — outcome continued. • Items 42 & 43 (sidewalk and East Euclid projects; low bidder C‑2 Creative Concrete LLC): approved — outcome approved (recorded “7 yes”). • Item 44 (Southeast Eighth Street; low bidder Rognas Corp., $6,582,308.60): approved — outcome approved (recorded “7 yes”). • Item 45 (amend Chapter 118 municipal code): approved — outcome approved (recorded “7 yes”). • Item 46 (establish Capital City Reinvestment District under Iowa Code ch. 15J): approved — outcome approved (recorded “7 yes”). • Item 47 (parking modifications on Woodland Avenue, waiver of second/third readings per Rule 42A): approved — outcome approved (recorded “7 yes”). • Item 48 (receive and file various reports): received and filed — outcome approved.

The meeting record shows the council handled a large consent agenda and routine construction contracts and property transactions with minimal debate and several unanimous votes; a small number of items were continued at staff request for further study.