Spirit Lake council adopts Southern Hills 4 Urban Renewal Plan; approves final plat after drainage assurances

On Oct. 28, 2025, the Spirit Lake City Council adopted the Southern Hills 4 Urban Renewal Plan and approved the final plat for the Southern Hills Fourth Addition following an engineering presentation and discussion of drainage concerns.

The action began with a staff report that consultations with affected taxing entities were held and produced no written recommendations. The Planning and Zoning Commission had previously found the proposed plan to be in conformity with the city’s general development plan, and the City Clerk reported no written comments had been filed before the public hearing; no oral comments were offered during the hearing.

Councilmember Brockmeyer introduced Resolution No. 2025-55, designating an area of the city as appropriate for urban renewal projects and adopting the Southern Hills 4 Urban Renewal Plan. Councilmember Chappas seconded the motion; Councilmembers Johnson, Kofoot, Brockmeyer, Chappas and Mensing voted aye and the resolution was adopted.

The council also considered the final plat for Southern Hills Fourth Addition. Ben Groen of Beck Engineering presented a drainage report and explained the design and performance of the ponds associated with the subdivision. Groen said the report verifies the ponds have been designed to be connected and that the planned future pond for Southern Hills will “significantly reduce the existing flow and expected future flows” to the Stover Addition pond and will meet required standards. Several homeowners from the Stover development voiced concerns about drainage to that pond and discussed those concerns with Groen during the presentation.

Following the presentation and discussion, Councilmember Kofoot moved and Councilmember Johnson seconded adoption of Resolution No. 2025-56 approving the final plat of Southern Hills Fourth Addition; the motion passed with aye votes from Johnson, Kofoot, Brockmeyer, Chappas and Mensing.

Why this matters: designation as an urban renewal area and approval of a final plat are prerequisites for moving forward with subdivision infrastructure and development activity under local planning processes. The council record shows the planning commission’s conformity finding and the engineering report were placed on file and used as the basis for council action.

No further public hearings or council directives on the Southern Hills items were recorded in the minutes; next procedural steps typically include filing the final plat and coordinating construction permits and required infrastructure work under the approved plan.