City staff previews Wesley Master Plan amendment ahead of Dec. 11 hearing

Senior planner Jason Wojcke told the Des Moines City Council Committee of the Whole on Dec. 4 that staff and the applicant are proposing an amendment to the Wesley Master Plan that would add a five‑story Creekside Building, a new maintenance building and a garage with 106 parking spaces on the north end of the Wesley campus. The building is shown at the maximum allowed height (five stories, up to 65 feet). Staff said landscaping plans call for roughly 110 new trees and that the project would reduce impervious surface overall after demolition of an existing building on site.

The amendment would incrementally increase residential capacity at Wesley campus. Wojcke reported the campus buildout — after the Creekside Building — would total 497 independent living units, 50 assisted living units, 26 memory‑care units and 72 skilled‑nursing units. He said the amendment affects the campus north of 2 16th and that applicant representatives will present at the Dec. 11 public hearing to answer detailed questions.

Council members asked about tree replacement, whether an arborist was involved and how impervious surface would change. Wojcke said a landscape plan exists and the application was reviewed by the Surface Water Management Division; his understanding is that the proposal would reduce impervious surface and have less impact on drainage than the prior configuration. He also confirmed permit fees and one‑time sales tax receipts are collected at issuance of a building permit, not at project completion — a timing point that affects when related revenue appears in the city’s budget.

The council and staff agreed to bring additional technical details to the Dec. 11 hearing, when the applicant will present and members of the public may comment. The public hearing is scheduled to give the council a formal record before taking any land‑use action.