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Heritage Farms final plat tabled after neighbor raises septic‑access concern
Summary
Supervisors tabled final plat approval for the three‑lot Heritage Farms subdivision north of West Burlington after an adjoining resident said a decades‑old septic drain extends onto the parcel and could be cut off by a future fence; staff said the subdivision meets county minimums but will coordinate with Environmental Health and legal counsel.
At a May 12 meeting the Des Moines County Board of Supervisors delayed action on Resolution 2026‑032, the final plat for Heritage Farms subdivision, after an adjoining landowner raised an access and maintenance concern for an older septic drainfield.
Planning staff described the three‑lot plat north of West Burlington as meeting county minimum standards for lot size, access and utilities. The plat would split the family farm into three lots: one containing the existing house, one retained as farmland and one with a new access connection. Staff said the city of West Burlington conducted a review and approved the plan.
Linda Schneider, an adjoining property owner, told the board a septic drain installed in the 1970s lies partly on the proposed lot and that the current maintenance screen and informal access are located on the subdivided property. She said she and her family have had to periodically maintain the drain and that a future owner’s fence could impede access: “I didn't realize we were even tied into this until I got a call from the property owner,” Schneider said, asking the board to preserve a way to reach the drain or consider an easement.
Planning staff and the county environmental‑health contact acknowledged there may have been a miscommunication about the drain location and said it could possibly be relocated or addressed by easement, but that more information and possibly legal review are needed before approval. After discussion, a supervisor moved to table the resolution to allow staff to coordinate with Environmental Health and obtain any necessary legal guidance; the motion carried on voice votes.
The board’s action means the county will not sign the final plat until the access/maintenance issue is resolved and any easement or engineering changes are clarified. Staff advised the public that the plat otherwise meets county technical standards but that resolving the septic access question is necessary to avoid future maintenance disputes.
