Urbandale to Vote on Controversial Trail and Pet Fee Hike Tonight

A proposed bike trail that has divided an Urbandale neighborhood is to be voted on at tonight's Urbandale City Council meeting.

The Glen Eagle trail is part of the city's five-year capital-improvements plan, which details more than $200 million the city has planned in new recreational trails, park improvements, street and sidewalk construction and repairs, storm sewers and other infrastructure over the next five years. 

Residents in a development just north of the on Meredith Drive spoke last month at a meeting of a city committee reviewing the capital improvements plan. 

The neighborhood is a loop of 49 homes that branch eastward off 100th Street, between the orchard and Plum Drive. The proposed trail would go around the neighborhood, but include an access to the neighborhood. 

Some residents are happy about that, saying their neighborhood finally will be linked to Urbandale's network of trails, but others expressed concerns about the cost of the trail, and worries that the neighborhood will be less safe if the trail is put in.

They also complained there is not much room between two houses where the city has an easement for the trail. The committee voted, 10-1, with Councilman Tom Gayman opposed, to approve the trail, but narrow it from 6-feet wide to 4-feet wide between the two houses.

Will the Council Approve a Pet License Hike?

Also Tuesday, the council is scheduled to vote again on ordinances that will raise Urbandale's fees to license dogs and cats as part of a shared animal-control program between West Des Moines, Urbandale and Clive.

Licensing fees will jump from $3 and $6 to $17 to $29 under the new schedule.

The council narrowly approved the first reading of the new ordinances last month on a 3-2 vote with Councilmen Tom Gayman and Creighton Cox voting nay.

Police Chief Ross McCarty is asking the council to give final approval tonight, rather than taking two more votes because pet licenses usually are renewed in January.

"We're about two months behind where we want the licensing program to be," he said.

If the council gives final approval tonight, he's hoping to begin collecting fees by the end of the month. If not, it will be March before they can start, he said.

He said Urbandale's pet licensing fees haven't been increased in 30 years.