The Des Moines City Council on July 10 voted to forward a proposed anti‑cruising ordinance to the next available consent agenda after members of the Redondo Community Association urged action on traffic, noise and disorder in the neighborhood.

Why it matters: The draft ordinance would designate specific streets and parking lots as no‑cruising zones, allow police to choose a traffic control point for enforcement and make repeated passes through the designated point a civil infraction. Supporters said cruising causes prolonged traffic congestion, loud engine noise and public disorder that harms residents and local businesses.

Assistant City Attorney Matthew Hutchins briefed the council on draft language modeled on other Washington cities. The draft defines the offense as passing a designated traffic control point in the same direction two or more times within one hour; it treats violations as a Class 1 civil infraction with a $250 base fine (about $513 including state assessments). Exemptions in the draft include emergency vehicles, transit and taxi drivers, residents within the no‑cruising area and persons with medical or legitimate commercial reasons to re‑enter the area.

The draft names Redondo Beach Drive, Marine View Drive and Marina parking lots as initial no‑cruising areas and gives the council the ability to add further areas or the police chief temporary authority to designate a zone when conditions warrant; Hutchins said signs must be posted before enforcement begins. Karen Sharpman, representing the Redondo Community Association, told the council cruising has “long posed significant challenges” for residents and businesses and asked that council adopt the ordinance.

Council members debated enforcement capacity. Several council members and staff warned that effective enforcement requires a dedicated police presence and that temporary enforcement will compete with other public‑safety demands; the council did not amend the ordinance at first reading.

Ending: Councilmember Ochsiger moved to forward the draft to the next consent agenda; the motion carried with one abstention recorded. The ordinance will return for a formal vote at the next meeting and requires posted signage and police procedures before citations can be issued.