Des Moines suburbs get approval to expand again, including Granger with 500 new acres
Two Des Moines metro communities are poised to expand once again, and one more suburb could soon as more annexation requests make their way through the state.
The state's City Development Board, which signs off on cities' proposals to bring more land into their borders, has approved requests from Granger and Altoona to expand.
The board is expected to hold a public hearing about Ankeny's latest annexation proposal next month.
Granger set to expand for commercial, residential development
The board on Wednesday approved an annexation request from Granger that will add 500 acres for planned residential and commercial development, including potential retirement housing, near Highway 141, as first reported by Axios.
The annexation involves landowners who have generational ties to Granger and want to work with the city, which straddles the Polk and Dallas county borders and is north of Grimes, as the area rapidly urbanizes. All the landowners agreed to the annexation.
The 500-acre annexation is a piece of a more massive proposal from Granger, which, if approved in full, would add a total of about 1,700 acres to the city.
Neighboring community Johnston has spoken out against portions of that annexation plan but did not oppose the smaller piece approved Wednesday because it's not a part of the suburb's growth plans. Despite Johnston's disagreement, the Granger City Council approved the larger annexation plan in January but has yet to bring it before the state for final approval.
Granger City Administrator Kirk Bjorland told Axios that Granger will likely pursue annexing the remaining land, but the timeline is undetermined.
Altoona could see more industrial development
The City Development Board also approved an annexation request from Altoona to bring 72 more acres to the city's northwest. The properties are north of the Meta data center campus and south of the Country Living mobile home community off Northeast 56th Street.
All property owners agreed to the request.
The city's future land use map designates the area for potential medium-density housing development. But Marina Smart, a planner for Altoona, told the Des Moines Register the city's Planning & Zoning Commission has received a request from real estate developer The Graham Group to instead use it for light industrial land use and limited industrial zoning.
The commission is expected review the request at its July 25 meeting. Meeting minutes when the City Council approved the annexation in June reference a "warehouse location." The Graham Group has been behind other warehouse development in the area.
More details were not immediately available.
Ankeny could see housing development near the airport
The City Development Board set a public hearing over an annexation request that would add about 140 acres to the southeast off Berwick Drive, near the Ankeny Regional Airport.
The owners of about 81% of the land of two large parcels agreed to become a part of Ankeny, while the owners of about 19% of the land — mostly residential acreages — do not want to join the city.
Under Iowa law, cities can annex land from property owners who do not consent, as long as the owners of at least 80% of the land in an annexation request it. The so-called 80/20 rule keeps cities in line with state law, which prohibits "islands" of county land surrounded by city borders and discourages irregular city borders, which can cause maintenance and service challenges.
Affected residents have expressed opposition to the annexation plan, echoing concerns from property owners involved in 80/20 annexations in recent years about how the move could affect their taxes, property rights and lifestyles.
The city's future land use map designates much of the land for low-density housing development, which would further boost Ankeny's population east of Interstate 35. Major developments like the Deer Creek residential area and Costco have already sprung up, and both the city, which has pursued infrastructure improvements, and school district, with a recent land purchase, are preparing for Ankeny to spread in that direction.
A public hearing on the annexation request is Aug. 9.
Chris Higgins covers the eastern suburbs for the Register. Reach him at chiggins@registermedia.com or 515-423-5146 and follow him on Twitter @chris_higgins.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Granger, Altoona, Ankeny seek to expand borders with new annexations
