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Residents tell Grimes council to stop planned administration building in Waterworks Park
Summary
Two residents told the council they oppose locating a new administration building at Waterworks Park, saying it would remove most green space, outreach was insufficient and contract documents lacked a site address; councilmembers said staff will continue discussions.
Two residents urged the Grimes City Council on Feb. 10 to halt plans to site a new administration building in Waterworks Park, saying the project would eliminate much of the community’s remaining open play space and that public outreach had been inadequate.
Brian Hansen, a resident who signed up for public forum, told the council the proposed building and parking would consume what he called “78% of the open space” and that the splash pad should not be counted as park green space. He said residents use the park for unstructured recreation, that the city’s mailed notice reached only a few neighbors, and that contractors’ early documents listed the site as “TBD” or without an address. “How do they know where they’re supposed to do a site analysis?” Hansen asked. He urged the council to show residents plans and explain alternatives before proceeding.
Another commenter, Joe Herman, echoed the criticism and requested the city publish drawings showing the remaining green space and reconsider the number of proposed parking stalls, calling 121 spaces excessive and a potential safety problem during busy events. Herman said many contractors’ contracts lacked a specific address and that neighbors had not been invited into decision-making earlier in the process.
City staff and councilmembers responded that discussions with affected residents are ongoing and that staff hopes to bring proposals to “plug some space back in” if the project moves forward. A councilmember said the matter is “not fully baked” and that the city would work to engage people affected by any final plan, while also asking residents to avoid filing unfounded accusations about enrichment. Staff said outreach for street projects follows standard practice and that more formal plans were a work in progress.
The public comments came during the meeting’s public forum; the council did not take a final vote on siting the administration building at this meeting. Councilmembers did not announce any immediate change to the project’s schedule but said staff would continue engagement and share ideas when they are available.
