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West Des Moines council approves multiple routine measures, adopts Ruthenium TIF and hears public hearings
Summary
The council approved liquor-license renewals (two with one abstention each), adopted an ordinance to finalize the Ruthenium Urban Renewal Area tax increment finance arrangement with one abstention, approved several traffic-code amendments, passed a conveyance for Raccoon River Greenway boat access, and adopted a proclamation for National Family
The West Des Moines City Council on Oct. 20 approved a series of routine and semi-routine items, including liquor license renewals, traffic-code amendments, urban renewal plan amendments and a property conveyance to Polk County Conservation for the Raccoon River Greenway boat access. The council also adopted an ordinance related to the Ruthenium Urban Renewal Area and proclaimed Nov. 1, 2025, as National Family Literacy Day.
Votes at a glance
- Liquor license renewals: Come and Go LC doing business as Maverick (store numbers 5200 and 5364) — each renewal passed with a 4-yes, 1-abstention vote; the abstentions were recorded as potential conflicts of interest.
- Proclamation: National Family Literacy Day (Nov. 1, 2025) — proclamation approved 5-0.
- Annexation withdrawal: Motion to withdraw consideration of the Mill Civic Parkway/Rockwood Lane voluntary annexation — approved 5-0.
- Construction contract: Approval of the construction contract to extend Riverview Drive and South 80th Street — approved 5-0.
- Ruthenium Urban Renewal Area: Second reading, waiver of third reading and final adoption of an ordinance to place property-tax increments in a special fund for the Ruthenium Urban Renewal Area (city-initiated; related to Microsoft data-center expansion) — ordinance adopted with a 4-yes, 1-abstention vote; the abstention was recorded for potential conflict of interest.
- Traffic-code amendments: Multiple ordinance amendments addressing stop controls, no-parking zones and special speed zones (several separate items) — council approved readings and waivers as listed on the agenda, votes recorded as 5-0 on those items referenced during the meeting.
- Public hearings / urban renewal plans: The council opened and closed public hearings (no public comments were received) and approved amendments to the University Avenue Corridor and Valley West urban renewal areas — votes recorded 5-0.
- Property conveyance: Approval to convey city-owned property to the Polk County Conservation Board and to reserve permanent easements for the Raccoon River Greenway boat access — approved 5-0.
What council said and took action on: Mayor Russ Trimble and staff read notices, summarized that no written public comments had been received for several public hearings, and moved each listed resolution or ordinance through the required motions. Council members made brief remarks on the Ruthenium Urban Renewal Area, with one member noting that Microsoft’s continued investment and associated jobs and construction activity make the project significant for the community.
Context and next steps: Staff said there were no outstanding issues on the listed consent and public hearing items. For the Ruthenium Urban Renewal Area, the action completes the second reading, waives the third reading and adopts the final ordinance; staff noted no changes from the prior reading. For the conveyance to Polk County Conservation Board, staff said permanent easements will be reserved to support future boat-access improvements.
Ending: Most measures passed unanimously or near-unanimously; the council recorded two abstentions on liquor-license renewals and one abstention on the Ruthenium ordinance, each noted as a potential conflict of interest. The council completed the remaining agenda items and adjourned after about three hours.
