The West Des Moines City Council voted Dec. 15 to approve a site plan for South Branch Business Park Building 2, permitting a 76,800‑square‑foot office and warehouse building, but required a revised condition of approval: the developer must obtain permanent water service to the building before any occupancy permit—temporary or final—can be issued.

City staff and legal advised that one of two proposed conditions was unnecessary because it is covered by city code, but recommended retaining a revised second condition to ensure sanitary and fire suppression systems would be supported by permanent water service. "The applicant developer shall obtain permanent water service to the building prior to the issuance of any occupancy permits, including any temporary occupancy permits," the adopted language states.

Developer Dan Carlson of WB Realty said the condition is effectively redundant because a certificate of occupancy would not be issued without required water and fire suppression in place. "We're not gonna be able to get a certificate of occupancy without water to the site," Carlson said. West Des Moines Water Works General Manager Christina Murphy urged caution, explaining the agency is negotiating an easement that would protect source water near Purple Martin Lake and said permanent water supply arrangements need to be resolved before occupancy. "This is complicated and messy…the developer's desire to move forward before that plan is in place," Murphy said, adding that Water Works is seeking protections tied to any service easement.

Councilmembers who supported the amended condition described it as "belt and suspenders" protection to ensure public health, safety and water‑source protection; the site plan passed with an affirmative council vote.

The council also had before it related PUD items that remain continued; staff said the site plan condition is intended to bridge the regulatory gap while negotiations over an easement and a PUD amendment continue.