At its Sept. 3, 2026 meeting, the Des Moines City Council Committee of the Whole and Study Session tackled two critical, long-term initiatives defining the future of the city’s waterfront and urban core.
Councilmembers first received a design update on the Des Moines Creek Estuary Project, a vital salmon recovery effort that will reshape Beach Park, remove failing sea walls, and safeguard popular recreational areas against rising tides.
Turning to economic strategy in a joint session with the Planning Commission, the council examined downtown revitalization challenges with consulting firm ECO Northwest – focusing on solutions to overcome sluggish economic growth, high proportions of tax-exempt land, and connectivity issues by boosting mixed-use development and housing density.
Des Moines Creek Estuary Project
During the Committee of the Whole, the council heard an update on the planned restoration of the Des Moines Creek estuary. The project, which will include extensive reconstruction of Beach Park and removal of the sea wall, is still in its design phase. The work so far has been completely grant funded, as the creek is important to salmon recovery. Vertical concrete bulkheads, which are beginning to fail, are no longer recommended. They will be removed to restore the waterfront to a natural landscape.
In addition to habitat restoration, the project will help retain the park for future generations. The meadow elevation will be raised to protect it from high tides. It was mentioned that without this work, the popular meadow would soon become part of Puget Sound. In addition, a few failing buildings around the park will be removed for safety purposes.
Once construction begins, likely in 2030 depending on grant availability, the beach park will be closed for two full summers while the work is completed. During construction, additional recreational improvements will be made to the park. There will be ongoing outreach to the community to see what kind of amenities would be most appreciated.
Currently, the design shows fencing along the top of the slope down to the beach, to protect hillside plantings. Councilmember Harry Steinmetz asked if shrubs could be used to limit access instead of the fence, as a more natural barrier. Councilmember Pierre Blosse said a playground should definitely be incorporated into the new design.
Downtown Revitalization
This Study Session was held in collaboration with the Planning Commission, and the subject of the joint meeting was the revitalization of downtown. ECO Northwest – a consulting, land use, and development firm – led a presentation and discussion on the needs, challenges, and assets inherent in the downtown area. The presentation included a map of the zone, with all the fully- or partially-tax exempt lots circled. It was pointed out that a large total area is covered by parcels that don’t pay taxes.
Economically, it was mentioned that cities everywhere suffered from the great recession; however, the recovery of Des Moines has been slower than average. The city is not building new things at the same rate as others, and this has revenue impacts for Des Moines.
Other things that make Des Moines a bit of a challenge for revitalization include restrictive access to downtown, lack of sidewalks on side streets leading to the area, flight path noise, absentee property owners leaving lots vacant, and a separation from the waterfront. This separation will be addressed by the marina steps project. Incentives for developing empty lots will be discussed in the future. On the upside, the downtown area has wonderful views, proximity to water, and all the necessary infrastructure to create a thriving downtown area.
The group broke into small group discussions, after which they shared the need and desire for intensifying mixed use development. Increasing housing density means better outcomes for local businesses. They also expressed the challenge of some people not wanting things to change. Following these discussions, ECO Northwest will be back at a future meeting with a more specific action plan.
Video
Below is full, raw video of this meeting:
