Norwalk Council approves voluntary annexation of roughly 2,910 acres in southwest corridor

Norwalk, Iowa — The Norwalk City Council voted Dec. 19 to approve landowner applications to annex about 2,900–2,910 acres in a long‑planned southwest growth corridor, a move city officials said protects infrastructure investments and supports future commercial and industrial development.

The annexation public hearing drew multiple residents who urged the council to postpone or reconsider the plan. Carrie Kearney, who said she lives at 5912 25th Avenue, asked the council to “reconsider or at least postpone decision” and argued the map contains flagged strip or “flagpole” annexations and that much of the land is floodplain and wetlands that should not be developed. Eli Premakov, a Fillmore Street resident, said he opposed annexation and disputed the city’s claim that property taxes would not rise, saying, “There’ll be a tax increase eventually.” Mike Elgin, who identified himself as the owner of about 100 acres on Fillmore and 25th Avenue, cited repeated flooding on his land and raised a possible…