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

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."