OFFICIAL
NEWSPAPER FOR
NORWALK COMMUNITY
SCHOOL DISTRICT
/I lIT ', I ED¢:
SN,A,.,., O'; NPAP ....
,_,7 ..... CO,A ,.,,. ",
(:I IEI T I Q '3") " '\\;
...... ON WA 98,.,v4-,.,.6.,
hllMI,M,q.I,Nhlml,,itl ,, ,i" -d,h., I I
............... J.lllid, .J III
WS
No00=kWar,o. NHS Graduation 10 a.m., Blake Fieldhouse, Indianola, May 24, 2014
Vol. 46 No. 1 Norwalk, Iowa 50211 USPS No. 395-120 Phone 981-0406 emaih news@norwalknewspaper.com Thursday, May 22, 2014
This newspaper office will be dosed
Monday, May 26, for Memorial Day. |
eadline for the May 29 issue is noon I
Thursday, May 22. No exceptions..)
Norwalk's Vibrant Housing Growth
Despite record cold temperatures seen in January and
February, Norwalk continues to see new single-family
home permits outpace previous years. The below graph
highlights the number of permits taken out for new
single family homes between January-April since 2011:
Only five permits were taken out the first four months
of the year in 2011, and this year 25 permits.
Several new plats are expected to break ground later
this year, opening up additional opportunities for single-
family home growth.
i
I ...................................................................................... ii .................................................................. i ..................................................................................
A big reason for the continued strong growth in hous-
ing is the upcoming Homeshow Exp0. The Home Build-
ers Association of Greater Des 19ioines, for the first time
in Norwalk, will host the 2014 Homeshow Expo at The
Ridge at Echo Valley Development, located on the north
side of Beardsley and east of Highway 28. The show
will be hosted the last three weekends in July.
The Homeshow Expo gives home builders from
throughout the Metro an opportunity to showcase the
best of the best in new home construction. Tickets for
the expo will be available later this summer. Up to 15,000
people are expected to tour the homes during the 2014
Homeshow Expo.
Register by May 23 W. Vote.
All new residents of the county must be pre-regis-
tered by Frida May 23, 2014 at 5 p.m.
Individuals may register in person at the Auditor's
Office or register by mail. All pre-regisations must be
in the Auditor's Office no later than 5 p.m. Frida36 May
23.
Ballots are available for absentee voting for persons
who will be absent from the polls on June 3. The ballots
may be mailed to the voter upon a signed request or a
person may come into the Administration Building and
vote through June 2. Persons applying for absentee bal-
lots should mail these ballots back to the Auditor's Of-
fice as soon as possible, as the envelope must be post-
marked no later than June 2.
Election Workers
The Auditor's office is looking for people to help staff
our polling places on Election Day. It is a minimum wage
position Training will be provided for all workers, so
no previous experience is necessary.
If you or someone you know would be interested in
working at a polling place, contact the Warren County
Auditor's office at 515-961-1020 or email to
auditor@co.warren.ia.us.
Memorial Day Services
The Cumming American Legion Post. #562 will con-
duct Memorial Day. Services Monda3 May 26, at area
cemeteries. They will be at the Norwalk Cemetery at 11
a.m.
Following is a schedule of services, including times
and locations: Webb Cemetery - 8:15 a.m., Linn Grove
Cemetery - 8:30 a.m., Churchville - 9 a.m., St. Patrick's
Cemetery - 9:30 a.m., St. John's Catholic Cemetery in
Cumming - 10 a.m., Orilla Cemetery,- 10:30 a.m. and
Norwalk Cemetery - 11 a.m.
Vision Screening at Library
Family Fun Day
Members of the Nor-
walk Lions Club Kidsight
team will be at the
Norwalk Easter Public Li-
i brary celebration Saturda34
! June 7.
Iowa Kidsight is a vi-
sion-screening project
where Lions volunteers
throughout Iowa organize
and conduct vision screen-
ing in local communities.
The voluntary program is
open to children between
the age of six months to 48
months. Children who are
older can be screened, but
other tests are available for
the verbal child who can
communitate vision prob-
lems. Children currently
under the care and treat-
ment of an eye doctor need
not be screened.
A child's vision should
be checked for conditions
such as misaligned eyes,
cataracts and problems
that need correction with
eyeglasses. These prob-
lems are not always evi-
dent by simply looking at
a child. The earlier these
conditions are detected,
the more easily and more
successfully they can be
treated. The screening is
free and is available to all
day care and pre-school
programs in the Norwalk
area:
The screening is as
simple as having the
child's picture taken.
Norwalk Lions Club vol-
unteers are trained to use
a special camera which
takes a picture of their eyes
only to detect any prob-
lems in children who are
too young to communicate
possible problems.
The results of the vision
screening are evaluated by
specialists in. the Depart-
ment of Ophthalmoiogy
and Visual Sciences at the
University of Iowa Hospi-
tals and Clinics. Parents
will receive the results two
to four weeks after the
screening.
A consent form must be
completed and signed by
the parent or legal guard-
Jan at the time before the
child's picture can be
taken. These forms will be
available the day of the
screening.
For additional informa-
tion, contact Jim Cain, 981-
0432, or any member of the
Norwalk Lions Club.
Polling Places
For June 3rd
Primary Election
Warren County Auditor
and Commissioner of
Elections, Traci Vander-
Linden, has announced the
Primary Election will be
held Tuesda3 June 3, for
the purpose of filling of-
rices by the vote.of quali-
fied voters. Polls will be
open at 7 a.m.. and will
close at 9 p.m.
Following are the Pre-
• cincts and polling places
for those ir Norwalk:
Norwalk I - New Life
Lutheran Church, 4380
Wakonda Dr.; Norwalk 2/
Greenfield - Norwalk Li-
brary, 1051 North Ave'.;
Norwalk 3/Linn - St. John
Catholic Church, 720 Or-
chard Hill Dr, and
Norwalk 4 - Norwalk Po-
lice Station, 1100 Chatham
Ave.
Also Jefferson- Martens-
dale-St. Marys School, 390
Burlington Ave., Martens-
dale and West Des Moines/
Cumming - Harvest Church,
4225 N Birch AVe., Cum-
ming.
I YOUR CITY ]
GOVERNMENT IN ACTION
By Mary Lou Gray
Council approves resolution regarding
Iowa Economic Development Autliority (IEDA)
certified site program.
The Thursday, May 15, regular Cityof Norwalk coun-
cil meeting met in council chambers. Mayor Tom Phillips
called the meeting to order with all councilmembers
present except councilmember Jamie Sylvester was ab-
sent. Item regarding the presentation by Regional
St0rmwater Detention Project, Veenstra & Kimm, was
pulled from the agenda for a future council meeting.
Consent Agenda-Council approved tax abatements
for K. and S. Freeman, 511 Apple Blossom, a new single-
family residence for $290,00 and Happe Homes, LLP,
2949 Berkshire Dr., single-family residence for $275,000.
Block party applications were approved for 1400-1700
Parkhill Dr., for Wednesday, June 4, from 5:30 to 9:30
p.m. Council approved a special event permit applica-
tion for the Soap Box Derby to be held Saturda June
14.
Item 7-Council approved a resolution adopting the
city's budget amendment for fiscal year 2013-2014.
Item 8-A public hearing Was held regarding a pro-
posed amendment to the zoning map for land at 8384
South Orilla Road. The amendment will rezone the land
from A-R to C-2. Anthony Webb submitted the request
and has plans to open a neighborhood bar at the loca-
tion. This property is owned by Vanessa Devine,
Bambino's, and previously an assembly hall for wed-
dings, etc.
• Item 9-Council approved the third and final reading
of fin Ordinance setting speed zones on Hwy 28 within
Norwalk. Public Works Director Tim Hoskins advised
the Iowa Department of Transportation should have the
signs replaced with the new speed limit around June
22.
Item lO-Council approved 3-1 the second reading of
an ordinance amending the zoning map for land located
at Warrior Run Estates/Countryside Golf Course(now
Warrior Run Golf Course). At this time Diligent Devel-
opment will begin the first stages of developing single
family houses located on the golf course property.
Item 11:The second readingof an ordinance amend-
ing the Legacy Planned Unit Development was passed
by council. This is in regard to the Brownstones at the
Legacy €ownhome complex.
Item 12-Council approved the final reading of an
ordinance amending the zoning map for land located
off of 50 h Street from A-R (Agricultural Reserve) to R-1
(single-family residential).
Item 13-Council approved an Engineering Agree-
ment for the Northwest Service Area Trunk Sewer Ex-
tension. This is due to the new residential development
on 50 h Street which will require an extension of a sani-
tary sewer.
Item 14-A Resolution expressing intent to complete
public infrastructure projects, Cedar Street, for the pur-
pose of economic development was passed by council.
The future PUD amendment will limit future residen-
tial development in the undeveloped portions to assisted
living and rffixed use type developments by Hubbell
Realty. Commercial, retail, offices, would still be allowed
as a use in this area.
Item 15-A Resolution was approved 3-1 for Public
Infrastrffcture in Legacy Point Plat 3. Th; Resolution
approved the installation of improvem ,ts within this
Concluded p: 2
$
