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Des Moines County OKs variance to allow near‑completed cabin at 400 Edgewater Beach Road to be occupied
Summary
The Des Moines County Board of Supervisors approved a variance and resolution permitting occupancy of a largely completed river cabin at 400 Edgewater Beach Road after county staff's elevation certificate and DNR concurrence showed the building would not raise flood elevations. The decision followed a staff report and no public opposition at the hearing.
The Des Moines County Board of Supervisors voted June 30 to approve a variance that will allow an almost‑completed river cabin at 400 Edgewater Beach Road (owner identified in the hearing as Ben Bre.) to be completed and occupied.
Planning staff told the board the structure was built without required county or state floodplain permits and is sited in the regulatory floodway. Staff said an engineer’s elevation certificate shows the lowest finished floor sits about seven feet above the minimum required elevation, substantially higher than the ordinance standard. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) provided data and concurred with a county “no‑rise” finding—that the building, as constructed, would not increase flood elevations in the regulatory floodway.
Under county floodplain rules, new residential occupancy in the floodway is generally prohibited but the ordinance provides a variance procedure for cases that meet strict criteria, including a demonstrated no‑rise determination and DNR concurrence. County staff characterized the request as a variance to recognize the existing, mostly completed structure and to allow occupancy following any remaining construction to meet code.
The board heard no public opposition after the notice period and closed the hearing. Supervisors then moved and voted to approve the resolution that formalizes the variance, on the condition that the findings in the staff report and the DNR concurrence remain applicable. The motion carried with the supervisors recorded in favor.
The board’s action addresses the immediate land‑use issue for the parcel; any future concerns about permitting compliance, occupancy inspections or additional mitigation will be handled under existing county and state regulatory processes.
