Polk County Water & Land Legacy: What you need to know about the $65M bond on November ballots
Kim NorvellPolk County Conservation is asking voters to approve a $65 million bond that, over the next decade, would help fund recreation, conservation and water quality projects in Iowa's most populous county.
The Polk County Water & Land Legacy bond will appear on ballots Nov. 2, and the conservation department and its board of directors already have plans in place to begin spending the money. Over 10 years, they say, residents would see a difference in the quality of Polk County's lakes, rivers and streams, more trail connections, abundant wildlife habitats, flood control and improved parks.
If approved by voters, the new bond would be a renewal of a $50 million bond passed in 2012 that funded several notable projects countywide.
Polk County Conservation Director Rich Leopold said the county is racing against time to conserve what little open land is available in the growing Des Moines metro as cities annex property and developers build on it.
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"The Des Moines metro is growing so fast that if we don't do it now, we won't do it," he said.
Here's what you need to know before heading to the polls Nov. 2.
What would the Polk County Water & Land Legacy bond money be spent on?
If voters approve the bond issue, Polk County Conservation plans to spend $25 million on water quality projects, $20 million on parks, $10 million on land acquisition and $10 million on trails.
It will leverage federal money, grant programs and private donations for additional funds.
The department so far has identified about $32 million in projects, though final costs may vary depending on other sources of funding and design plans, Leopold said. It will also seek to identify future opportunities.
"Some of it is proactively driven by us and some of it is reactive and opportunity driven," like responding to flooding or taking advantage of the recent opportunity to purchase the 76-acre Sleepy Hollow Sports Park, which the county acquired with $236,000 in bond money when its owners decided to sell this fall, Leopold said.
Three projects would begin immediately:
Iowa Confluence (ICON) Water Trails — $15 million would help fund water trails projects in downtown Des Moines on the Des Moines and Racoon rivers. A portion of the funds would go toward providing recreational access to Beaver, Walnut, Yeader and Fourmile creeks, as well as water quality and flood control initiatives throughout Polk County.
Sleepy Hollow winter sports complex — $5 million would go toward developing a 60-site tent campground with restrooms and showers, adding cross-country and downhill ski trails and snowshoe trails, and upgrading the ski lodge.
Trail connections — $4 million would be used to build trail connections, including from Polk City to the High Trestle Trail; Jester Park to the Johnston/Grimes/Granger area; and the Neal Smith Trail along the Des Moines River to the Chichaqua Valley Trail, which runs from Berwick to Baxter.
Another three longer-term projects are a visitor's center at Chichaqua Bottoms Greenbelt in Maxwell (about $3 million); an overhaul of Thomas Mitchell Park in Mitchellville (about $3 million); and creation of a new park along the Des Moines River southeast of downtown Des Moines (about $2 million).
How much will the Polk County Water & Land Legacy bond cost taxpayers?
A taxpayer who owns a home valued at $198,400, the average for Polk County, would pay $11 per year toward the bond, according to the county. It could extend for 20 years.
The taxpayer will continue to pay $9 a year toward the 2012 bond until it is retired. The county estimates it could be paid off 15 years from its passage, though it has the authority to continue paying it for 20 years.
Who supports the bond?
According to campaign disclosure filings, several Des Moines metro businesses have donated to help fund advertisements and consultation services.
The Polk County Water & Land Legacy Bond PAC raised $222,100, including donations from Ruan Transportation, American Equity, Nationwide, Meredith and EMC.
"These are folks that recognize if we want to recruit and retain great workers we need to have recreational opportunities and we need to have clean water. Folks prioritize that," said committee's treasurer, Mark Langgin.
That name sounds familiar. Haven't we passed a similar bond before?
Yes. Voters overwhelmingly approved a $50 million Polk County Water & Land Legacy bond in 2012.
Bond money went to several notable projects, including construction of the Jester Park Nature Center and four rental cabins in the park, restoration of Easter Lake and a link from the Chichaqua Valley Trail to Des Moines' northeastern suburbs.
The county also started work on the Fourmile Creek Greenway, purchasing property in the 500-year floodplain; clearing invasive species; restoring oxbow lakes, prairies and wetlands; and improving the streambed to prevent flooding. The area surrounding Fourmile Creek from Ankeny to Des Moines' northeast side was hit with catastrophic flash flooding in 2018 after 9 inches of rain fell in two hours.
Tom Levis, chair of the fundraising campaign for the 2021 bond, Vote Yes! For Polk Clean Water, pointed to work done at Fort Des Moines Park on the city's south side as an impactful use of funds from the previous bond.
There, Polk County Conservation added restrooms, an outdoor classroom, hiking trails, a boat ramp and fishing access to a 14-acre pond, which was dredged and stabilized. It cost $2.4 million, of which $300,000 came from private sources.
"The water looked like chocolate milk," said Levis, who served as chair of the Polk County Conservation Board when the 2012 bond issue passed. "When they finished it was crystal clear — you could see the rocks 10 feet out from the shoreline. It worked."
Polk County Conservation has nearly doubled the bond money by tapping into federal funds, grant programs and private donations. It has used about $41.5 million in outside funds on top of the $46.5 million in bond money spent so far.
What does the ballot language say?
Here's what Polk County voters will see on the ballot. Vote yes if you support the bond; no if you do not.
"Shall the County of Polk, State of Iowa, issue its general obligation bonds in an amount not exceeding $65,000,000 for the purpose of acquisition and improvement of land for conservation, recreation, or other public park purposes to be managed by the Polk County Conservation Board, including protecting drinking water sources, protecting the water quality of rivers, lakes, and streams, including the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers and their tributaries, protecting wildlife habitat and natural areas, providing more outdoor recreational opportunities, improving public access to and the safety of rivers and creeks for floating, boating, and fishing, providing walking, hiking, biking, and water trails in Polk County, and preventing flooding, with full public disclosure of all expenditures?"
Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect the accurate amount an average taxpayer would pay toward the 2012 and 2021 bonds, if approved by voters.
Kim Norvell covers growth and development for the Register. Reach her at knorvell@dmreg.com or 515-284-8259. Follow her on Twitter @KimNorvellDMR.