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(Des Moines, IA) -- The Des Moines City Council is approving rezoning that would allow for a proposed townhome project near 57th and Grand Avenue. In December 2024, the city's Plan and Zoning Commission recommended declination but councilmembers say the project has evolved since then. The proposal has been reduced from 15 units to eight.
Connie Boesen is the city's mayor.
"I know many of the people in this neighborhood," Boesen says. "I did not support this project...until it went down to eight and the structure and the look of it, too, fits more to the character than some of the original plans."
The approval did not come without contention. Some neighbors spoke at Monday night's meeting and said they didn't feel like their voices were heard throughout the process. Amy MacKrell lives in the area.
"The one place that people still hope to be heard is in local government," MacKrell says. "And our arguments have been sound regarding how this project is bad for the environment, bad for our neighborhood's culture and bad for traffic safety."
But councilmembers in support say the neighbors' voices have helped to mold the proposal into what it is now. Chris Coleman serves on the City Council.
"I know you don't want a project to be built," Coleman says. "But your feedback, the input from planning and zoning, all had an effect on the kind of project that we might support there."
Those on the council also say the conversation is continuous until a final plan is approved. That includes Mike Simonson.
"I would say what we're voting on is the rezoning of this property. Not a site plan," Simonson says. "This applicant still has to go before the city and demonstrate, in a site plan format, that it meets all the requirements."
The City Council unanimously approved the rezoning.