Friday, March 26, 2021

Council Recap

The Mayor called the meeting to order and due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Urbandale City Council meetings continue to be held in a hybrid model allowing for both in-person and electronic participation. Polk County Supervisor Robert Brownell gave an update on COVID-19 vacations, noting that about 16% of Iowa residents had been vaccinated, including almost all of Iowa’s healthcare workers. The City Council approved a $155,000 bid for masonry repairs on Fire Station 43. Last year several major masonry issues were still outstanding. The City has pending litigation with the original contractor and selected a different contractor to complete the repairs. The City Council approved a site plan for an 80-unit senior multi-family residential development near 142nd Street and the Douglas Parkway roundabout. The building is designed to have four wings with a variety of studio, 1-bedroom, and 2-bedroom units and then share a one-story common space. As part of this project, an 8-foot trail on the east side of the building will ultimately connect to the trail system into Timberline Creek and Walnut Creek Regional Park. At the same corner of the roundabout, the City Council approved a site plan for a 13,000 square foot child day care center. The City Council lowered the property tax rate, unanimously approving the upcoming fiscal year budget and setting the tax levy rate at $10.11. This is a $0.05 reduction from the current levy. The budget anticipates expenditures of $56 million for municipal operations, $22 million for capital projects, and $18 million to service debt. You can review the entire budget here. The Council will meet again on Tuesday, April 6 for a regularly scheduled meeting. Read More.

Buy it, Fix it, Love it

Neighborhood Finance Corporation, a local nonprofit organization that provides unique home loans to facilitate neighborhood revitalization, is now providing lending in specific areas of Urbandale. A forgivable loan of up to $10,000 can be used to help pay for property repairs and improvements on the home you purchase or on a current home. Learn more about NFC programs here.

Take the DART Survey

DART is creating a new long-term transit plan that will determine how its service can adapt to meet the evolving transportation needs in central Iowa. Although DART is piloting new services to improve access and the overall experience using public transit, there are still transportation gaps and challenges keeping people from getting where they want, and need, to be. Take a quick survey here.

Spring Clean Up

On your regular collection day during the week of April 19, the City of Urbandale will pick up items that do not fit in your container. Please set out all items for pickup on your normal collection day by 6:00 a.m. at least four feet from your containers. This collection is available to all Urbandale residents who are eligible for City provided solid waste collection. Find more information and updated 2021 guidelines here. Send us an e-mail at engpw@urbandale.org and we can answer your questions.

Getting the COVID-19 Vaccine

When available to you, getting your COVID-19 vaccine will protect yourself, your family, and your community! As vaccine supply ramps up, finding a vaccination appointment will become easier. For information on COVID-19 vaccinations in Urbandale visit: https://www.urbandale.org/959/COVID-19-Resident-Resources

Yard Waste Collection Begins March 29

Yard waste collection now beings on March 29. The weather forecast is looking warmer so we're moving up the start-date for yard waste collection. Originally, the start date was April 5, but we're moving it up to March 29. Learn more about yard waste collection here.

Keeping an EYE on Crime

The Urbandale Police Department's Community Camera Program is an innovative way for citizens to take an active role in keeping our neighborhoods safe. Security camera systems are a great crime deterrent, and they are also helpful for police. Neighborhood canvasses take time, and time can be critical when officers are looking for information quickly and are trying to identify critical investigative leads. Often, security camera systems capture valuable information, however it may go unnoticed if the resident or business owner is unaware of the crime. Knowing where to look for valuable video evidence increases the efficiency and effectiveness of our investigators. Learn more about UrbandaleEYE here.

Central Iowa Broadband Internet Survey

Fast, dependable internet service is critical to the success of our state and region. Successful and thriving communities rely on attracting new residents and businesses. That can be difficult when internet services lag behind other nearby towns. The Central Iowa Broadband Internet Survey is a comprehensive study of broadband internet usage and availability in our 11-county region. This study will help everyone understand the gaps throughout our region and provide useful information for the development of new internet services. Lend your voice to this critical survey! Just a few minutes of your time will help make our great place even better.

UCSD 2021-22 Preschool Pre-Registration Now Open

From Urbandale Community School District: The UCSD welcomes our young learners! We take great care in creating a culture of learning in our classrooms to help make the transition to preschool a positive experience for your child and family. Preschool Pre-Registration for the 2021-22 school year is open and our online registration process makes it even more convenient. To pre-register your child for 3-year-old or 4-year-old preschool for the 2021–2022 school year, visit: www.urbandaleschools.com/learn

Active City Projects

Road Patching 2021 Phase 1 and 2 This 2021 project will patch various City streets as part of our annual pavement preservation program. Learn more. Waterford Road Reconstruction This 2021 project will reconstruct Waterford Road from 156th Street to 142nd Street as a four-lane arterial with median, sidewalks, and separated bike lane. Learn more. Douglas Urbanization This 2021 project will urbanize Douglas Avenue from 100th Street to North Walnut Creek. Learn more.

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