Urbandale council approves voluntary annexation of Des Moines Christian School property

Urbandale — The Urbandale City Council voted unanimously on June 17 to approve Resolution 194-2025, beginning the city’s process to annex roughly 100 acres of property currently in the City of Grimes for the Des Moines Christian School.

The annexation vote begins a multi-step process: if approved tonight, staff will file materials with the city development board to consider severance and formal annexation; later steps will include rezoning and site-plan review. “This is a fairly straightforward request tonight. It only involves the annexation of the property,” said Community Development Director Steve Franklin.

The property is part of a Grimes “severance area” covered by a long-standing agreement between Urbandale and Grimes; the latest version of that agreement was adopted in 2021 and runs 10 years. Franklin said the parcel is about 100 acres and that corporate limits adjoin the parcel to the east near Days Run West and Webster Elementary.

Residents at the council meeting urged the city to clarify costs and safety implications before later land‑use approvals. Ellen Croker, a nearby homeowner, asked what costs Urbandale would assume for utilities, police and fire protection if the nonprofit school applies for property‑tax exemption. “What are the costs for utilities to the city? What are the costs for services with fire and police to the city?” she asked. Council members offered to have staff follow up with Croker on the specific service‑cost estimates.

Another neighbor, Renee Schulte, said she is not opposed to annexation itself but urged the council to consider extending the annexation farther east to include a steep, dark curve on Aurora Avenue near 140th Street that she described as a recurring accident site. “If we bring high school and teenagers into our community, I’m really concerned that they’re going to not make that curve,” Schulte said. Councilmembers noted that state law and existing intercity agreements affect the annexation map and that the corridor will be addressed with Grimes where possible; one councilmember said bringing the entire Grimes “finger” into Urbandale is the long‑range objective.

Councilmembers discussed coordination with the school and neighborhood engagement as future land‑use steps unfold. Franklin stressed that annexation approval tonight is only the first step and that rezoning, site plan and other approvals would follow with additional public review.

Motion and vote: Councilmember Rosendahl moved to approve Resolution 194-2025; Councilmember Kroll seconded. The motion passed on a voice vote.

What’s next: If the city development board approves, staff will proceed with rezoning and site‑plan review for the school property; those later steps will include additional public hearings and opportunities for neighbors to weigh in. City staff offered to supply Croker and other residents with follow‑up information about projected utility and service costs.

Why it matters: Annexation transfers land that was governed by another city into Urbandale’s planning and permitting processes. While annexation does not itself approve building plans, it triggers a sequence of reviews — including rezoning, utilities, traffic and public‑safety planning — that determine how the site will be developed and served.