Ankeny's housing growth on the east side of Interstate 35 could continue with more than 100 new single-family homes and duplexes off Berwick Drive.
The city's Plan and Zoning Commission voted to recommend a request from Berwick Holdings to rezone about 100 acres of land off Northeast Berwick Drive, south of Northeast 78th Avenue and east of the airport, from single-family residential use to a planned unit development.
The change would allow more flexible housing, but still restrict development to lower-density single-family homes or two-family homes, according to city documents. There would be able 26 acres of open space in the proposal.
The surrounding area is not just farmland: there is a nearby mobile home community and several residential acreages. The unincorporated Berwick hamlet, with its roughly 200 residents, is about 2.5 miles south.
The commission held a public hearing about the proposal March 19 and then voted at its next meeting on Tuesday. Dozens of Berwick-area residents packed the Tuesday commission meeting for the vote but could not provide comment to the board, as the public hearing was at the previous meeting.
Ankeny's east side development causes friction with neighbors
Seven residents provided comment at the March 19 hearing and expressed concerns about traffic and pedestrian safety, wildlife, the density of the proposed housing and the impact on their quiet neighborhood and quality of life. Some residents said they had anticipated executive-style homes on larger lots versus the proposed development.
"If you have not been on Berwick Drive, you need to go out there and see it," area resident Sue Davidson said at the hearing. "This is country. This is not built as a city."
The proposed development is in an area that appears poised for more growth as Ankeny continues to expand and experiences demand for new homes. Some newer housing already exists in the area, while more has been announced. The Ankeny Community School District purchased land east of Interstate 35 in 2023 in anticipation of future development.
"I would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge the outpouring from the local community as you see behind me," Jake Becker, senior project engineer with McClure Engineering company, which represents Berwick Holdings, said on Tuesday. "I truly do want to thank them for coming out for or against the project. That outpouring is exactly what makes Ankeny a wonderful place to live, work and play. It's what makes it attractive to developers to build, and that's what we intend to do: continue building the community."
Becker said the developers believe the project is thoughtful and noted that higher density is planned closer to the existing mobile home community. The plan is to keep as many trees as possible and improve intersections based on traffic studies.
The zoning change still needs to be approved by the City Council at a later date.
Ankeny could get new data center with waterless cooling
The commission also voted Tuesday to recommend a development plan change to allow for a data center on 36 acres of land by the intersection of Southeast 90th Street and Southeast Fourmile Drive, northeast of the Northeast Mixmaster.
Behind the proposal is Edged Energy, which develops data centers with a focus on energy efficiency and AI, according to information on the company's website. Company representative Kye Nielsen told the commission in March that the data center would use a waterless cooling system for the equipment — using air instead.
The City Council still needs to approve the plan amendment at a later date.
Chris Higgins covers the eastern and northern suburbs for the Register. Reach him at [email protected] or 515-423-5146 and follow him on Twitter @chris_higgins_.