Do not cross: Altoona, Mitchellville could agree to set a line to limit future annexation

Chris Higgins, Des Moines Register
·1 min read

Altoona and Mitchellville could officially stake out their future territory under an annexation agreement.

The Mitchellville City Council approved a proposed annexation moratorium agreement with Altoona at its Monday meeting. The negotiated pact would draw a line along Northeast 96th Street from Interstate 80 to Northeast 46th Avenue, that the cities could not cross as they expand, according to city documents.

A proposed annexation moratorium agreement between Mitchellville and Altoona would prohibit either city from crossing a line along Northeast 96th Street as they expand their borders.
A proposed annexation moratorium agreement between Mitchellville and Altoona would prohibit either city from crossing a line along Northeast 96th Street as they expand their borders.

The cities grow by annexing sections of unincorporated Polk County into their city borders. Under the agreement — which would last 10 years — Altoona could not annex land east of the line, while Mitchellville could not annex west of it. The line divides an undeveloped area.

More: Mitchellville, eyeing growth, wants farmers to annex in to keep Altoona, Bondurant at bay

Altoona also would not be able to annex Thomas Mitchell Park, which is south of the line and currently outside either city's limits, but is strongly tied to Mitchellville's icommunity identity as the site of town founder Thomas Mitchell's original homestead.

The proposal says the agreement would allow for orderly planning and development while ensuring communication between the two cities as they grow.

The Altoona City Council has not yet approved the proposal. It has scheduled a public hearing April 15.

Mitchellville officials have said they would have ideally wanted the dividing line to go extend farther south than Northeast 46th Avenue. The proposed agreement would not block the cities from making annexations across 96th Street south of there.

Chris Higgins covers the eastern and northern suburbs for the Register. Reach him at chiggins@registermedia.com or 515-423-5146 and follow him on Twitter @chris_higgins_.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Altoona, Mitchellville could agree to limit future annexation