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Story County approves comprehensive-plan change for Franklin Township subdivision with wetland easement and neighborhood meeting condition
Summary
The Story County Board approved a map amendment to allow rural-residential development on a 35.25-acre outlot north of Ames, conditioned on a recorded easement granting Story County Conservation control of a delineated wetland and a required neighborhood meeting before preliminary plat approval.
The Story County Board of Supervisors on April 7 approved a comprehensive-plan amendment that will allow a 35.25-acre outlot in Franklin Township to move from an agricultural/conservation designation to rural residential, a step the developer said is needed before any subdivision application.
Marcus, a county planning staff member, told the board the parcel sits just south of Aluvial between Valley Drive and West 190th and includes an approximately 8–9 acre delineated wetland on its northern portion. Marcus said planning staff and the Planning & Zoning Commission recommended approval but attached conditions to protect the wetland.
Nearby residents urged delay, saying stormwater and groundwater issues put homes and septic systems at risk. "We respectfully ask that the county board of supervisors delay a vote on this amendment until the homeowners association and its members have opportunity to review information that has just been received by us," David Bam said, urging clearer disclosure of the developer’s water-management plans.
Developer Justin Dodge of Hunzicker Companies said engineers will design stormwater controls to meet state standards and that the company will share conceptual layouts and stormwater plans in advance. "We plan on sharing those plans in advance and also conceptual layouts and designs as we work through the preliminary PL stage," Justin Dodge said, and offered to host neighborhood outreach meetings.
Planning staff told the board that, under recent state changes, the county cannot require a local stormwater management plan in addition to state permitting; projects that will disturb an acre or more must obtain an NPDES permit through the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Marcus said staff worked to add protections beyond those minimums by conditioning approval on a conservation easement.
The board approved the map amendment (Resolution 26.73). A second, separate action to rezone the parcel to R1 (Ordinance 331) passed on first consideration; the board added a condition requiring a neighborhood meeting that includes Story County Conservation and set second consideration for April 14, 2026. County staff said no subdivision application will be processed until the easement or conservation ownership is secured and the neighborhood meeting occurs.
The board’s approval does not authorize construction; it changes the future land-use designation and allows the rezoning process to proceed under the conditions the board adopted. If the developer pursues a subdivision, the county will review preliminary and final plats, septic and grading plans and will receive the developer’s NPDES permit documentation from the DNR for its file.
The board’s action closes the immediate comprehensive-plan step but leaves multiple reviews and neighborhood engagement steps before any lots are approved for development.
