Council approves anti‑cruising ordinance with amendment to allow sanctioned events, limits chief’s emergency designation

The Des Moines City Council voted 6‑1 on July 24 to pass a second‑reading anti‑cruising ordinance as amended, adding a provision to allow city‑sanctioned cruising events and a 30‑day limit on the police chief’s emergency area designation unless the chief terminates it earlier or the council votes to extend it.

Council member Ochsiger moved amendments to draft ordinance "20 five‑sixty 5" to add a subsection allowing "any vehicle taking part in a city sanctioned cruising event" and to amend the chief‑designation subsection so that any designation "shall expire after 30 days unless terminated earlier by the chief of police or by adopted motion of the city council." Deputy Mayor Steinmetz seconded the amendment.

Council members supporting the amendment said the change provides a clear process for organized car events and places a time limit on executive authority. Deputy Mayor Steinmetz said a 30‑day limit "is a good drafting" practice to avoid overbroad or indefinite delegations of authority. Council member Harris voted no on both the amendment and final ordinance, saying enforcement resources are limited and expressing concern that the ordinance could be unenforceable in practice.

After the amendment passed on a 6‑1 vote (Council member Harris opposed), the council voted 6‑1 to adopt the ordinance as amended. The record shows the consent calendar initially passed 7‑0 for items other than the pulled anti‑cruising item; item 3 (the anti‑cruising ordinance) was considered separately after being pulled from consent.

The ordinance as amended creates a formal mechanism for the city to authorize sanctioned cruising events and caps the emergency designation period the chief may impose without council action.