West Des Moines council tables Hidden Estates sewer approval after developer raises access concerns

The West Des Moines City Council on Jan. 21 voted to table consideration of a resolution authorizing construction of sanitary sewer improvements for the Hidden Estates, Phase 1 subdivision after a nearby property owner and developer told the council the project could block access to his land.

The developer, David Harmeyer, who identified himself as representing Vista Real Estate, told the council the proposed sewer alignment and the absence of an easement could leave his adjacent 80-acre parcel undevelopable if the Hidden Estates developer (referred to in the meeting as NAPS) does not cooperate. "We cannot ever develop it," Harmeyer said, describing multiple years of unsuccessful attempts to secure access and noting NAPS controls about 1,200 acres near the site.

Why this matters: Council members said the sewer is a significant infrastructure piece — one councilor described it as "3,700 feet of trunk sewer" — and that approving construction without resolving access or easement questions could preclude development of neighboring property. Council members who supported a short delay said they wanted engineers to confirm pipe depth, location and whether easements or other protections were part of the project record before the city…