Residents of Nearby Townhomes Oppose Apartment Construction

Several Urbandale residents brought their concerns about new apartment building construction in their neighborhood to the City Council last week, saying the buildings could erode their quality of life and tie up police resources.

The Urbandale City Council approved the construction of six new buildings on 12 acres in the 44400 block of 142nd St., the Des Moines Register reports. The buildings, which will add 180 residential units, are part of the Walnut Lake project, where several townhomes are located.

Several residents of the townhomes told city officials they’re worried about issues that range from nuisances, such as having headlights shining in their windows and increased noise and traffic congestion, to diminished home values.

One resident, Terry Hysell, said the construction “could cause constant police involvement to settle disputes.”

Hysell said one possible solution is to require a three-foot berm, topped by a six-foot privacy fence, be built between the owner-occupied townhomes and the rental units.

That’s not a practical solution because of the elevations on the property, one of the developers said, suggesting instead a thick row of evergreen trees.