On March 30th, 2022, following 3-hours of thoughtful review and discussion, the Draft Design Guidelines for Railroad Avenue were recommended by the Steering Committee with a vote of 12-yes, 3-no. The Working Draft of the Design Guidelines, which includes the already approved Mixed Use Commercial District, will be updated to reflect the motions and added details pertaining to sub-districts RA-1, RA-2, and RA-3, as recommended by the Committee.
Conversation focused on appropriate building heights for each district with recommendations being: RA-1: 2 stories max, RA-2: 3 stories max, and RA-3: 4 stories max with height flexibility for rooftop uses. Other topics of discussion included buffering and screening adjacent to residential uses, and desired uses south of Railroad Avenue, which most notably include opportunities for a boutique hotel, rooftop dining, outdoor play, and scenic views.
The meeting presentation is available via the Documents page and highlights the proposed and approved sub-district details as well as geographies. Due to timing, review of the Transitional District did not take place but will be the focus of the next committee meeting on April 20th at 4:30 pm. Thank you for your continued involvement, Historic West Des Moines!
Spring Photo Spotlight
Color Your World: Fresh buds of artistic inspiration as featured on Valley Junction’s Theatrical Shop!
