Council approves easement conveyance and final plat for Heritage development; daycare site cleared

The Grimes City Council approved two land-development actions April 14 related to the Heritage PUD that clear the way for an under-construction daycare and future commercial development.

City planner/staff member Alex described the site and easement background: the developer constructed regional detention basins to manage stormwater for the development and a flared end section discharges stormwater into the basin that sits on city property adjacent to Heritage Elementary. Because the property owner must access and maintain the discharge structure, the developer sought a narrow easement on city-owned property. "By law, the state code, anytime the city is disposing of interest, whether or not that's physically selling property or it's easement," Alex said, and staff presented a compensation estimate based on per-square-foot appraisals. The council held the required public hearing, received no comments and approved Resolution 04-2926 to dispose of the easement interest.

Council then considered Resolution 04-3026, the final plat for Heritage Plot 8 — about 5.12 acres divided into two commercial lots. Alex said the northern lot is the daycare under construction and the southern lot is reserved for future commercial use; the plat also creates easements needed for a future widening of Northeast 18th Street, water-main easements along North James Street and public ingress/egress connections to Northeast Beaverbrook Boulevard. The Plan Commission had recommended approval and the council approved the final plat by roll call.

Staff said these approvals establish the necessary legal easements and infrastructure alignment for ongoing site work and future development.