Planning commission approves Drake Park subdivision plat after debate over density and equity

The Des Moines City Planning and Zoning Commission voted May 7 to approve a preliminary plat to subdivide roughly 2.67 acres east of Drake Park into 13 buildable lots and one street lot, reestablish a north–south alley and underground existing overhead utilities. Kyle Larson of city planning presented the staff recommendation and said neighbors within 250 feet had been notified and staff supported approval as proposed.

Why it matters: the project, led by Invest DSM, will change lot lines, remove several mature trees subject to mitigation, and aim to restore street parking by removing driveway access on 22nd and 23rd streets. Commissioners and several nearby residents pressed the developer on whether the approach increases or reduces housing supply, how accessory dwelling units (ADUs) will be delivered, and whether the project advances stated equity goals.

At the public hearing, Christopher Savatier, Invest DSM’s neighborhood development manager, described a multi-year plan to rehab many homes, place new foundations under two large houses, add a small number of new single-family homes with porches, and reintroduce ADUs mainly as finished basement units. Savatier said Invest DSM provided relocation assistance when it acquired the 11 properties and that "we had 21 occupied units when we acquired it." He told the commission the project timeline is roughly three years and that the organization expects to phase work.

On ADU strategy, Savatier said basement ADUs are far less expensive than ADUs above garages, giving concrete cost ranges: "We can finish a basement ADU for about $88 a square foot," he said, and contrasted that with an above-garage ADU the group is building that has costs "over $200,000 just to build the accessory dwelling unit." He added that some other Invest DSM projects include income-restricted units, but this Drake Park project is planned as market-rate housing.

Several commissioners and one nearby property owner challenged the applicant’s level of supporting data. One commissioner criticized repeated requests for numbers that were not available at the hearing, saying, "Every time they come, they can't answer the questions is a problem." Commissioners asked for clearer information on the existing and proposed unit counts, projected sale prices, and how the project would meet neighborhood equity objectives. Savatier responded that Invest DSM "does not profit off of this project, either. We take a loss on every single project that we do," and described other programs (Central Iowa Community Land Trust, Habitat for Humanity) the organization pursues to support affordability elsewhere.

Staff described tree-removal and replacement requirements under the city’s mitigation rules and said final landscaping and tree replacement will be reviewed during building permits. The staff presentation also noted that the Peak Mansion and the nearby Grant School are within the presentation area, and that Grant School is a locally designated landmark subject to historic preservation review under Chapter 58.

The commission debated whether to attach a condition requiring the applicant to answer a written list of outstanding questions before approval; the city attorney cautioned that any such condition must be clearly spelled out in writing. The commission ultimately approved the staff recommendation on the plat by voice vote.

What’s next: the approved preliminary plat allows Invest DSM to continue subdivision and permitting steps; the applicant said construction and rehabilitation work will be phased over the next three years. Final building permits, site-specific reviews and mitigation measures (trees, paving, utilities) will follow the usual permit and review processes.

Sources: staff presentation by Kyle Larson; applicant testimony by Christopher Savatier; commission discussion during the May 7 Planning & Zoning Commission meeting.