Votes at a glance: Urbandale council appoints new member, approves easement and right-of-way vacations, sets multiple public hearings

The Urbandale City Council took a series of formal actions at the meeting, including an appointment to the council, swearing-in ceremonies, approval of right-of-way and easement vacations, first readings of ordinances and the establishment of public hearings for several public-works projects. Key outcomes are listed below.

Appointment to council

The council approved Resolution No. 014-2025 appointing Joe Cacciatore to the vacant council seat. The council administered the oath of office to Cacciatore, who thanked the council and said he looked forward to the work ahead. Motion to approve the resolution was moved and seconded; the chair announced the item passed.

Police oaths

The council administered the oath of office to two new police officers. Sergeant Rebecca Taylor introduced Officer Alexander (Alex) Heckman and Officer Dylan Rosenbaum, describing Heckman’s prior service as a Polk County detention officer and Army Reserve member and Rosenbaum’s service in the Iowa Army National Guard. Officer Heckman is in field training and expected to transition to solo patrol; Officer Rosenbaum was described as already on solo patrol.

Right-of-way vacation and conveyance; easement vacations

Council approved actions to vacate and convey a dead-end frontage road and related easements adjacent to MidAmerican property near 104th Street and Douglas Avenue. Community Development staff said the frontage road had been dedicated to the city in about 1991, provides no public benefit and is used for parking by MidAmerican; vacating it would remove the city’s maintenance responsibility. The item proceeds in two parts: (1) vacation and conveyance of the right-of-way, and (2) vacation of portions of two water-main easements and a surface-water-flow easement, with new easement language to be recorded along 104th Street to preserve utility functions. Staff said MidAmerican agreed to the proposed easement reconfiguration and to install additional screening along Douglas Avenue.

Other formal actions and hearings

- Resolution 002-2025 and first reading of Ordinance 2025-2: council approved the resolution and moved first reading (details recorded on the agenda). - Resolution 001-2025 and first reading of Ordinance 2025-1: council approved the resolution and moved first reading (details recorded on the agenda). - The council established public hearings for multiple 2025 public-works projects, including: Meredith Drive preservation (86th to 100th), PCC patch program phases 1 and 2, the 2025 storm-sewer intake program, Justin Drive preservation (100th Street to 100th Street), the 2025–2030 Capital Improvements Program, and a development agreement with Helppo Realty Company. Staff indicated engineers and public-works staff are available to answer council questions ahead of those hearings.

Consent agenda and minutes

The council approved the consent agenda (seven items) and adopted minutes from previous meetings as presented.

What passed / next steps

Several ordinance items passed first reading and require subsequent readings and publication before becoming law. Right-of-way and easement vacations will be finalized through recorded documents once utility easements and any required lot ties are clarified. The council set public hearings for the listed public-works projects; each will return to council for final action after the hearing process.