The Des Moines City Council convened on May 8, 2025, addressing an agenda that included a proclamation for National Police Week, an update on the stalled progress of the START committee, and a debate concerning parking requirements for new developments.
The council voted to consolidate several committees by expanding the role of the Citizens Advisory Committee.
Several community announcements were made regarding upcoming local events and the opening of new public facilities.
National Police Week
Mayor Traci Buxton read a proclamation declaring May 11 through 17 National Police Week. National Police Week was originally declared by President John F Kennedy in 1962. Chief Ted Boe spoke briefly, saying that he gets a lot of the credit for the work of Des Moines officers, but it is really the men and women out on the street that deserve the recognition.
Port Of Seattle Stakeholder Advisory Roundtable Update
The council heard an update on happenings at the Port of Seattle Stakeholder Advisory Roundtable (START) Committee. According to one member, they are not able to make any progress because the rules of the committee currently require 100% agreement to move forward on any issue. The committee is made up of appointees from many cities, as well as members from the Port of Seattle The START committee had a long discussion about consensus, with many arguing that it is not practical to require consensus among members with such disparate priorities.
Parking Requirement Debate
The council discussed parking requirements for new developments. Councilmember Yoshiko Grace Matsui felt that having minimal requirements leaves it open to developers to build in as much parking as they want, while encouraging the construction of a greater number of units of affordable housing. She thought the increased inventory of cheaper housing would be worth it. She also pointed out that each parking spot costs $7,000 to $15,000 in concrete, for an area that could have instead been a lawn or garden.
Councilmember Jeremy Nutting was strongly opposed to this, saying that if developers are not required to provide parking, they will simply not provide any. This will leave residents with no choice but to park on the streets, which are already crowded in many areas. He felt the city should require developers to provide the maximum number of parking spots that the state allows.
Senate Bill 5184, which will minimize parking requirements throughout the state, has passed and is only awaiting the governor’s signature before it becomes law. The bill gives cities three years to comply with the reduced requirements. While the Des Moines council could keep stricter parking requirements for the next few years, and then comply with state law at a later date, they decided to go ahead and adopt the reduced parking requirements early.
Citizens Advisory Committee
The council voted 4–3 to consolidate several council-appointed committees and expand the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC). The CAC will grow by seven members, and contain three subcommittees: Senior Services, Arts, and Parks & Rec. This will be a more efficient use of staff time, who will only help out as needed on the subcommittees.
Deputy Mayor Harry Steinmetz, who chairs the CAC, said members report feeling underutilized. Creating this larger umbrella committee with expanded responsibility will make better use of the skills of community members, giving them more influence and broader involvement. Councilmbmers Yoshiko Grace Matsui, JC Harris, and Gene Achziger voted against this. Councilmember Harris stressed the need to more proactively recruit people for broader participation in city committees with greater energy and input.
Sip & Shop Saturday
Deputy Mayor Harry Steimetz shared that Destination Des Moines is hosting the annual Sip & Shop this Saturday May 10, from Noon to 4 p.m. This is a fun opportunity to explore downtown businesses. Steinmetz added that same afternoon is also the first-annual “Roper Romp” at Kaihana Sushi.
Redondo Bathrooms Now Open
Councilmember Matt Mahoney shared that divers are enjoying the new public bathrooms and shower now available at Redondo Beach.
Video
Watch full video of the meeting below:
