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Supervisors approve Fire Ridge Farm final plat after septic-drain concerns
Summary
The board approved the final plat for the Fire Ridge Farm subdivision near West Burlington after land-use staff and the health department concluded an historic septic drain tied to an adjoining property should not prevent approval; supervisors discussed notification and practical issues for relocating drains.
The Des Moines County Board of Supervisors approved Resolution 2026-032 on May 19 to accept the final plat of Fire Ridge Farm, a minor subdivision of just over 100 acres on the west side of Gear Avenue north of West Burlington that will split into two roughly 50-acre tracts and a 12-acre lot with an existing house.
Jared Lassiter, Land Use, told the board the proposal included no new roads or development and that the plat passed review by the City of West Burlington (it is in the city’s two-mile review area). A neighboring property owner raised a concern that a historic septic drainpipe crosses lot lines and drains into a ravine on the parcel being subdivided. Lassiter said the county health department’s sanitarian, Greg Lentz, reviewed the matter and concluded the drain historically belonged to the adjacent landowner and that, under applicable Iowa administrative code, septic systems should be contained within the property; the county’s review partners did not identify code-based reasons to withhold approval of the minor subdivision.
Supervisors debated practical implications. One supervisor said the county has authority under home-rule to ask that the neighboring homeowner be notified if the board desired; others cautioned that relocating a drain could be technically difficult, that no written easement or agreement was on file and that forcing relocation could be expensive and contentious. Supervisor Thomas moved to approve the resolution "as it is"; the motion passed on recorded assent.
What the approval does and does not do: the county approved the final plat under its subdivision ordinance and sign-offs from internal reviewers; it did not order relocation of the septic system nor did it establish a required remediation timeline. Board members and staff encouraged affected neighbors to pursue private agreements or legal remedies if necessary; land-use staff said more information could be sought if the board wanted additional conditions imposed prior to recording.
The board recorded its approval and will proceed with plat recording procedures consistent with county practice.
