City Council - Special Meeting

All right, I'm going to call the uh Tuesday meeting of the West De Mo City Council uh to order. It's April 28th. We've got a special meeting today. Um uh please sign in. Uh we're not using the voting software, so we'll just do roll call. Roll call vote. Please call the roll here, Aria. Yep. Uh, Hudson. Hudson, are you present online? I don't see him online. Okay, McKini here. Elliot here. Trail here. Lot here. All right, we have four members present.

All right, we've got a quorum. Uh, we'll move on to item two, approval of the agenda. Ryan, have there been any changes to the agenda? No changes, your honor. Okay. Can I get a motion to approve the agenda as distributed? So moved. Okay. It's been moved and a second. It's been moved and second. Is there any discussion? Hearing none. Please, please uh vote verbally. I I Okay. The agenda. All right. The agenda has been approved. We're going to move on to item three, public hearings. We've got one item today. It's amendment number one to the Valley West urban renewal area initiated by the city of West De Moines. This is the time and place for a public hearing to consider amendment number one to the Valley West urban renewal area initiated by the city of West De Mo. Ryan, would you please read the date the notice is published? April 17th, 2026 in the De Mo register.

And have you received any written comments of this hearing? None, your honor. Okay. Anybody from the audience who would like to address the council on item 3A? Please come to the podium here. Give us your name and address for the record. We ask that you keep it to 5 minutes or under and that you keep it civil and respectful. Is there anybody that is in the chamber or online that would like to address the council on item 3A? All right, come on up, sir. Give us your name and address for the record, please. My name is Tom Wallally. I'm actually from Urbandale, but I'm representing the De Moine Wood Turners. Okay. And we love our space in the mall, by the way. So, I just have a couple of questions. Um, I know that

Could you just give us I'm sorry. I know you're from Urbanddale, but could you give us your address? Oh, I'm sorry. 31151st Street. Okay. Urbandale. Go ahead and fire away. We'll try to answer whatever questions you have. Well, my first thing, you know, I'm I'm kind of thinking of it from the standpoint of the prejudice of our being in there and also from a taxpayer standpoint. Sure. I'm wondering if this expenditure is a good purpose for the money. And the reason I'm saying that, the the proposal, I understand, is for a beautiful park and a few other things. The the issue I have with that is here in Iowa, you've got a very limited time and you can use a park, especially out there when it's 15 below. I'm not going to a park. Sure. No, I understand.

And the other part of the proposal was to bring in perhaps retail. Well, you can't bring them into the mall. How you going to do it to the park? But more importantly, I just I would like to suggest I don't know if there's ever been any kind of a study of the citizens to see what is it that you would like to see incorporated in the in the structure there. As an example, we have relatives, my my middle son and his family lives in the Kansas City area and we visited them one time and they took us to a a store that was busy. The fellow makes marbles and he does demonstrations about how to do that. Anybody have you ever seen him make marbles? No. It was fascinating.

Wow.

Plus, he had all sorts of marbles. And in addition to that, they had an area where they were selling candy that I'm familiar with when I was eight, which you don't see. Went to another place one time where they had a phenomenal display of candles and they made them there. So things of that nature, you know, if if you're wanting to bring things in that we don't have, there's certainly enough places in the mall as it exists that something like that could be incorporated other than retail because it's pretty obvious that the retail isn't working. And I think once the media started talking about it, there was a mass exodus. So in our case, we we started as a as this group. We were part of the De Moines Wood Workers as a special interest group.

Sure. And one of the years I was president of the wood workers, the decision was made because of insurance and a few other things that they needed to go off on their own. At the time, and that would have been probably 2014, 15, something like that. At the time, there were 25 people that threw a little money in a pot. so that they could go out on their own. We have over 200 members now. Wow.

And we bring in national or international turners uh literally from all over the country to do demonstrations. We have members as far as Eagle Grove uh a TMO which ex is exactly a 100 miles from their door to the mall and they come regularly. We have one member that drives 140 miles to come. It's it's that's that's dedication. Sure. Absolutely.

So, you know, without the mall, we don't have a place to meet, which I'm a little concerned about. If we knew we were going to be there totally or full-time, we have a training facility that we used to be able to have 10 lathes going at a time for training. In fact, one time when a Turner from Colorado was here, we had four days of training classes, hands-on training at nine a piece with her running the 10th one. Um, we've had David Ellsworth who is considered the father of wood turning. I mean, he's the guru. It So, we we're meeting a need. We've probably trained over 200 people on how to turn. We're we do demonstrations at the state fair. The goal is woodturning is not a craft show thing. It's an art. I'm not I'm not trying to just highlight woodturning, but events like that, we don't have a place. The De Mo wood workers have to meet out at the scout center because they don't have a place to meet. There's so many different groups of people and so on that I think could find a home in there that would bring people in. Now, not that the park isn't a good idea. We've got a lot of beautiful parks, but to spend that much money for a limited time, that's not going to bring people, it's not a destination is what I'm getting at. I'm just concerned about that.

Okay. Well, we appreciate concerned Urbanddale citizens who use the mall. Uh we're certainly going to take everybody's uh opinion into account, but you know, Tom, um what we have planned for this mall is extremely exciting. It's like nothing else you've ever seen in this state before. It will be a destination. It will bring people in. It's going to be entirely walkable. So, you and your group can walk all around this area. Maybe not in the winter, but you can walk around this area. It's going to be restaurant. It's well, you know, uh we can certainly try to accommodate that, Tom. But, uh it will be restaurant, retail, entertainment, office. It's going to be a mixeduse development. We're going to have green space. There are going to be trails.

Uh there's going to be uh water features you'll be able to recreate on. Uh it is going to be something out of this world and I think you will really enjoy it. I think the difficult thing right now is that nobody has seen the plans and we do plan on releasing those today and uh I think you're going to be pretty impressed by those. But I totally appreciate that uh you like to walk in the mall and unfortunately this this mall down the road in the future may not be a place where you can do that. Now, that said, uh everything that we do is is going to be uh contingent upon uh JC Penies, who has a long-term lease there, working with us handinand uh for the betterment of JC Penney and the city as well. Um if we're not able to work with JC JC Penney going forward uh to start um some demolition uh and redevelopment of that mall right away, then we're not going to move forward. So, that is absolutely key to everything. We've had some uh very good initial conversations with J C Penney and I'm optimistic and hopeful that we're going to be able to work together to move forward again for the betterment of both J C Penney and this city and its citizens. But, uh we're continuing to engage in dialogue and um that is an ongoing thing. So, appreciate you reporting to oil. Do you have a an estimated time and I'm thinking from our club?

Sure. No, having a very difficult time finding a place and I'm just wondering how much we don't have an estimated time at this point in time. Like I said, everything is contingent upon us being able to work together hand in hand with J. C. Penney.

Um, so we don't exactly know what that time is, but we are moving uh everything down the field getting in place in the event that we're able to move forward. And that's what we plan on doing today. Uh what we have before us today is simply just an amendment to the urban renewal plan that increases the incentives under the plan from 95 million up to 110 million, not to exceed that amount. Um and we're doing that because we believe that there could be some additional city infrastructure that's needed, a potential parking garage if we're successful way down the road in the future. and the $110 million, this is something, this project, unfortunately, is going to take probably about 10 to 12 years to be able to be at full buildout. So, the funding is going to be done incrementally at that time as well. It's not going to be 110 million in one shot. So, uh, stay tuned. We'll we'll try to accommodate the mall walkers, try to find a new place for you to go, but

I think you're going to be really excited when you get to see the plans of this development. Thank you for All right. Well, thanks for being here. You bet. Okay. Anybody else? for citizens form. Okay. Oh, how about that? Council Hudson's here.

Yes. Good morning. Sorry, Microsoft Teams made me sign in about 12,000 times, so we're okay. Hold on a second, Greg. We've got uh fire alarms in the building going off. We going to evacuate. I think this is Yeah. Why don't we recess and and go outside until we make sure everything is safe? So, we will stand in recess.

Hi Jim, give us your name, address. My name is Jim Roar. Uh 142919th Street in West Mo. All right. So, uh I don't have so much of a question about the renewal of the mall property. Yeah. I think the market drives that. I think the market's kind of being pretty clear.

Market's empty. The the mall's empty. My question is on market driving what comes next. Uh you know and my uh my question is not so much to get an answer but I think down the road is how it's answered. You know it's like uh uh the market should dictate these things. It should be with a minimal amount of government interjection or assistance like I think any development should be. I think it goes a good basic fiscal conservative governance to make sure that whatever we're spending our money on is a really good bet and probably based on solid information and not on projections and hope. Hope's not much of a a plan. You know, usually hope when your plans fall apart. So, that's my question is to And this is an awful lot of money. I mean, it's this isn't, you know, $5 million trying to do something. This is some sizable money. Uh, you know, I don't even know if the city of De Moine could risk losing $110 million. It's, you know, maybe P County, I don't know. They got a lot more money. But, uh, for this city, it it, you know, if it falls apart, it's serious and it's generational. So, that's my question. How do we answer it? How do you guys, all of you look at the information you have and make sure that that, you know, we're not giving the farm away to the broker and then what do we do for the real developers if we're tapped out? I think that's a hard question.

So the developers have drilled down. They've taken a look at what they believe they can bring in in the way of private investment and uh the 110 million which is going to be deployed over a 10 to 12 year period is going to leverage about 4 to500 million in private investment. So I'd say that's a pretty good bang for our buck. Um, and you know, as I mentioned, uh, we will not be moving forward unless we know that we can start the project, uh, very soon and get going on, uh, demolishing part of the mall while again making sure that JC Penney is successful and their customers are able to come in and shop and do their business. So, um, we're continuing to have conversation with JC Penney and I'm very optimistic, Jim, that that's going to go well.

So, my my hope is, you know, patience and, uh, being careful. Yep. Thank you for being here. Appreciate it. Okay. Anybody else for Citizens Forum in the chamber? All right. Community support advocates across the street. Come on up. Give us your name and address for the record.

If you can keep this succinct, we'd appreciate it. We got a council person that's got to get running by 8:00.

Yes. Uh Christina Smith, uh 4600 Western Hills Drive, uh West De Moine, uh representing Community Sport Advocates. I really just um want to say because I didn't get a chance to say this when you f when the document was first put together is that um as someone who's part of this urban renewal plan um across the street as you said um it's challenging for those properties to understand like the timeline um as a nonprofit we moved in there we had big plans for that property we've put quite a bit of money in that property and now we're kind of in a holding spot because we have clear indication that you have a plan for that area and now some of our investors have kind of pulled and we um we don't we can't don't want to really put a whole lot of money in that property and um we're kind of in this waiting game and so if you can please keep us in um in contact because right now we really have no really plan. I'm really curious to see your plan because right now we really don't um we're just like for example our roof is leaking. Do we

we don't really plan if our plan goes through the value of your property is going to go up significantly. And you and I met you called me about this very thing and I came and personally met with you two months ago to walk you through the plan. So I'm kind of surprised to see you here today, but well, I'm just watching it and I just want to make sure that we keep staying involved that um that you keep um letting us know what's going on and the timing of it because um we will do that. Okay. Thank you. Where is your property at? Right across right across the street. Um, and we've put, like I said, quite a bit of, uh, money to move and build a mental health clinic across there. And so, um, and and obviously we know now that we probably that's not going to be a long-term plan because you guys have plans for that area.

You're on the west side of Valley West. We're between where Quickstar is going. We're going to be right next we're right next to Quickstar and where men's warehouse. It's Why is it not a long-term plan for you? I don't understand that. Well, it when I met with a couple of you, it made it sound like that you had plans for that property. No, we were not going to eminent domain your property. We haven't done that in my 16 years since we've been here. No, I'm not saying that. I'm just It made it sound like that that was plans. You had plans for other people to move into that area. That if that building owner doesn't want to sell, then they're so there for stay there. you're there because most people when I met all that's going to happen to you put any money in that property to just wait and see. And so that's what I was kind of waiting to see.

Your building is just going to be more valuable if this project happens. If it doesn't, I'd be more more worried for you. Okay. Yep. Then I would question whether or not you're going to put money in there. Okay. So, thanks for being here. Anybody else for Citizens Forum? Okay. Or for public hearing, I'm sorry. Public hearing is closed. Um, I know we've got a council person that's that's got to run. So, Russ,

I'm going to make a motion to um continue this until such time as the council receives a uh development agreement from a developer. I don't know that there's any reason to take any action today because we don't we don't know um you know what's going to happen there. It's speculation. Basically, it says here that, you know, um, we are considering entering into a development agreement. Well, we're not considering entering into a development agreement because there's been nothing out there. I mean, what you told me on the 19th when we talked was, and your words was that the purchase option with ATI had expired and that the receiver is sending it back out for bids. So, if it's going back out for bids for ATI or anybody else to bid on, then there's no development agreement. There's not even a draft development agreement. So, why do we need to take any action today when something doesn't even exist?

We are currently working on a draft development agreement. We're continuing to work with ATI. We're having conversations with JC Penies and we can't afford not to move forward, Kevin, and get everything in place. And that's all we're doing today. Uh this is this isn't Go ahead. Go ahead, Doug. In in the interest of time, since I've got to go, I'm going to make a motion to approve as is. We had a motion on the floor. Hold on. We've got a motion on the floor. Um Okay. Is there a second to Councilman Trailion's motion? Okay. Hearing none, it dies for lack of a second. Councilman, would you like to make a motion? Yes. I'd like to make a motion to approve as is. Okay. It's been moved. Is there a second? Second.

Second. Okay. And again, all we're doing all we're doing is amending uh the current urban renewal plan to increase the incentives under the plan from 95 million to 110. We're just getting everything all of our ducks in a row so that if we get word from J C Penney that they're willing to work with us and move forward. Uh we're able to enter into the development agreement that we are currently working on with ATI Group uh to be able to move forward. So Russ, what you told me on the 19th was that not true that their option did not expire? Kevin, how do you h how are you working with somebody if their option expired to buy a property?

They have been in constant communication with the real estate agent, with the receiver to purchase the property and we're waiting to get communication from JC Penney to make sure that they're able to work with us and move forward right now so that we don't have to sit here and wait until 2032. So, it is not going back out for bids. I I don't know if they plan on putting it out for bids.

Then why did you tell me that on the 19th? Well, they had they had an option, Kevin, and that option was expiring at at that time, and that option expired, but they've been in constant communication and working with the receiver and the bank to continue to purchase the property, and we've also been simultaneously having communications with JC Penney and working to move forward on this uh agreement. So, um I'd suggest that we approve this today and we move forward and get everything lined up in the event that we've got a green light so we can move forward. This is your part of the city. this is your ward and I think we need to be proactive and move forward and be ready to go. Um, we owe it to the citizens in this area. We owe it to the businesses in this area. We owe it to community support advocates in this area to move forward whenever we possibly can to redevelop this area and breathe new life into it. This is going to be something that is an incredible plan for the area. It's going to be entirely walkable. There's going to be green space and all kinds of amenities here that people are really going to enjoy and people are going to be able to see that plan today.

You're right. It is first warden. Okay, I'd like to call the question. Okay, question's been called. Uh those in favor signify by be a second on the call. Is there a second? Second. Okay, it's been moved and seconded. The rush. Okay. Is there okay we've called calls the questions been called please uh signify I if you are in favor I I I okay I've counted four eyes's uh all opposed say nay nay okay four to one we're used to that here

yep almost 17 years it's not going to change I guess common sense loses okay um with that we've got no other items to come before the council Item four, I guess we will receive and file the special meeting notice. Um, and with that, we're adjourned.