New Urbandale Police Station

No, not under the City’s projected financing plan. The proposed financing is structured so the police facility would not require an increase in the City’s current debt service property tax levy.

The proposed borrowing of up to $25 million for the police facility would be repaid over approximately 15 years. Payments would be coordinated with the City’s existing debt schedule as older bonds are paid off. Based on current taxable property values and financing assumptions, the City projects that the police station can be funded while keeping the debt service levy at its current rate. (The City’s debt service levy is currently $1.34 per $1,000 of taxable property value. The City’s latest audited financial statements reported approximately $50.2 million in outstanding general obligation bonds as of June 30, 2025.)

Urbandale has strategically used revenue from the Local Option Sales and Services Tax, or LOSST, to retire debt early and create room within its existing financing plan. The City has also identified revenue from the TIF district covering the Urban Loop commercial area to pay more than 40% of the project’s borrowing costs.

This projection is based on current property values, interest-rate estimates and financing assumptions for the City’s share of your tax bill. A property owner’s final tax bill may still change because of differences in taxable value or tax rates established by other taxing authorities (for example: school districts, counties, etc.).

The City Clerk is required to publish a notice of the Council action in calling for an election on the bond issuance which includes this sentence: “The annual increase in property taxes as the result of the issuance on a residential property with an actual value of one hundred thousand dollars is estimated not to exceed $20.93.”  For clarification, it is very important to note that this calculation and language is required by Iowa Code to meet the form of notice dictated in the Code. However, there is no tax levy increase proposed in conjunction with this project. The reference to an annual increase of $20.93 on a $100,000 residential valuation is a hypothetical example if a debt service levy increase would be needed to service the debt.  This is not the case. City staff are proposing a financing plan that allows this general obligation debt issuance to be serviced with existing capacity provided by the current debt service levy of $1.34.

The existing building is more than 40 years old and has already been expanded or remodeled several times. The current site does not provide adequate room to address the Department’s operational, training, security, evidence storage, vehicle storage, and future growth needs. 

The City has determined in consultation with architects that there is not a fiscally responsible renovation or expansion option that would create the facilities needed at the current site.  

The current Police Department building was originally constructed in 1982, when Urbandale had approximately 18,000 residents. Urbandale now has nearly 50,000 residents, and the facility no longer meets the needs of a modern police department serving a growing community. 

The current building has limited space for staff, training, evidence storage, vehicles, equipment, secure operations, and public access. The facility has been expanded and remodeled several times, but the City has determined that the building and site cannot meet the department’s current and long-term needs.

The proposed new Police Department building would be located at the southwest corner of Douglas Avenue and 100th Street. 

The City already owns this property, which means the project could move forward without the added cost of acquiring land. The site provides central access within Urbandale, east-west access along Douglas Avenue, north-south access from 100th Street and NW Urbandale Drive, and connections to I-35/80 and Hickman Road/US-6. The project would also bring new life to a former blighted industrial site in a highly prominent location along Douglas Avenue. 

The City expects that response times would be similar or improved. Police vehicles and officers are typically out in the community on patrol rather than stationed at the building. The proposed location is centrally positioned and provides access to multiple major routes. 

The new facility would also support vehicle, equipment, and officer readiness, helping ensure resources are prepared for service. 

No. The railroad tracks are not expected to impact response times. The site has strong access in multiple directions, and police officers are typically already on patrol throughout the community, allowing them to respond from multiple locations.

Separately, on July 31, 2026, the federal Surface Transportation Board approved a petition to abandon the rail line, known as the “Grimes Line.” The railroad is expected to discontinue service on the line, with removal of the tracks anticipated in the future.

The total estimated project cost is $60 million. The proposed financing plan includes $10 million in cash, Local Option Sales and Service Tax funds, and reserves; $25 million in bond funding paid with revenue from the Urban Loop area TIF district; and $25 million in voter-approved bond funding. 

The explanation below is extremely simplified and does not address the many variables or intricacies of public financing. However, it’s provided to give a very basic overview of the project financing.

The project is estimated at $60 million.

Cash the City has on hand, or will receive in the near future, would pay for about $10 million of the project. This would be like a “down payment” on a home mortgage.

Another $25 million would come from tax increment financing (TIF). TIF is a public financing method in which a city can utilize property tax revenue generated from property value growth within a defined area to benefit that area. In this case, the proposed police station is within the TIF district that covers most of the business areas along Interstate 35/80. The City plans to collect about $25 million from this district to service a short-term (five years or less) borrowing, and reinvest it directly into the construction of the new police station

The final $25 million is the subject of the bond referendum. This is basically a 15-year loan and it is a very common method used to finance a large civic project. If this were a home purchase, this is like the mortgage.

Similar to a homeowner planning around their existing mortgage and income, the City has also planned this borrowing around other debt that is being paid off. Under the City’s projected financing plan, the New Urbandale Police Station can be paid for within 15 years without increasing the City’s current debt service property tax levy.

The referendum asks whether the City may issue up to $25 million in General Obligation Bonds or Capital Loan Notes for the purpose of paying costs of designing, constructing, equipping, and furnishing a new police station, with related site improvements.

The Police Department would need to continue operating in the current station. However, the inadequacies of the current station will worsen with time and cannot efficiently be addressed in the current building or on the current site. If the referendum does not pass, the City would need to undergo a re-assessment of options.

If approved, and if construction proceeds without major weather or material delays, the new Police Department building is expected to open in fall 2028. 

The firearms training range in the current building is inadequate, far undersized, and ventilation does not meet modern standards. Police officers must undergo continuous training to prepare for high-risk situations. A modern firearms training range would enable Urbandale officers to train more safely and frequently in realistic environments, eliminating dependence on external facilities. The range is designed to enhance officer preparedness, promote the preservation of life, and ensure safe responses during critical incidents.

Yes. The planned facility will provide a designated area for the mental health Crisis Intervention Team, facilitating effective de-escalation strategies and ensuring individuals facing mental health challenges are connected with appropriate medical or mental health care.

Yes. The proposed building would include public-facing spaces for residents and visitors conducting business with the Police Department, seeking assistance, raising safety concerns, or participating in community policing programs. 

The existing police station is located within the City Campus area and could have a number of potential future public uses. However, it would be premature to make specific plans for the property before the outcome of the referendum is known. If the referendum is approved and a new police facility is constructed, the City would evaluate the existing building and site to determine how to best serve the community in the future.

Early planning studies did estimate a need of about 74,000 square feet for a replacement police station. By their nature, these are high-level planning studies and rely on additional work before a final plan can be considered. In late 2025 and early 2026, the City Council hired an owner’s agent, architect, and construction manager for this public building project. The professionals developed plans and estimates based on an in-depth analysis of the Police Department’s needs to accommodate growth for at least 40 years. While the building is designed to be efficient and cost-effective, additional floor area is required to accommodate current and future needs of a core service department in a growing community.

The initial budget for the project was based on a needs study that anticipated accommodating growth for 30 years and a construction start date of 2025. The new budget is based on refined design informed by the professional work over the last 7+ months, 40-year growth which provides additional service years to the community, and an anticipated start date in 2027 which reflects increased construction costs. This is a total project cost estimate which includes all “soft” costs like professional fees, furniture, fixtures & equipment, etc.

The City recognizes that a larger building will require additional maintenance costs. As the final design of the building isn’t yet complete, an accurate annual building operating cost cannot be calculated yet. Pending anticipated completion in fall 2028, operating costs would be refined and included in the fiscal year 2029 (7/1/2028 – 6/30/2029) budget. However, there are built-in efficiencies in the building such as geothermal heating and cooling, efficient lighting, and daylighting which mitigate costs. A larger building does not require or mean that many new people will be hired. The Department’s growth is expected to generally track that of the City over time. The addition of this building is not expected to impact the property tax rate.

Building on the campus was thoroughly evaluated by architects and engineers. The location of other public facilities like the Urbandale Water Utility and the sloping topography of the site presented constraints that the open site at the southwest corner of 100^th Street and Douglas Avenue do not.

It is also important to note that constructing the new Police Station on the existing site would have required a relocation of the Urbandale Police Department to an alternate site through the construction process. Building at the proposed new location allows the Department to continue operating and then make an orderly transition to a new Police Station, avoiding the costs and operational disruption of a temporary relocation.

Yes. City staff are available to provide informational presentations about the proposed Police Department building and November 3 bond referendum. If your neighborhood association, HOA, service club, business, community organization, or other group would like to learn more, we can come to one of your meetings to explain the project, walk through the proposed facility and financing plan, and answer questions. Interested in scheduling a presentation? Click here.

Urbandale is not landlocked and has options to continue to grow within its current boundaries and through thoughtful, planned annexation. The City has been growing steadily by about 600 people per year for decades and the Community Development Department estimates the city population could reach 65,000 by 2050. A growing population and growing city geography will require additional police services, as well.

Yes, the proposed new police station’s electrical system is being designed to accommodate electric vehicle charging. A contingency is also made for guest vehicle charging. The building is designed for 40+ years of growth, so anticipating future police fleet changes and visitor needs is important.

While the needs of each community and police department are unique, making apples-to-apples comparison difficult, Urbandale’s proposed police station is in line with other Metro facilities when comparing current and future population growth, current and future employee counts, and the inclusion of training ranges and built-in expansion space.

The City of Altoona (population 22,796) built a 60,000 square foot combined police/city hall building and long-term community and department growth could require expansion into city hall space. The City of Clive (population 19,861) built a 25,000 square foot combined police/fire building with no training range. Clive’s city boundaries limit future growth. The City of Waukee (population 34,890) built an 80,000 square foot combined police/fire building with no training range. It is important to note these three facilities plan for 20-year growth.

The City of Urbandale (population 48,570) is proposing a 94,943 square foot building that will accommodate 40+ years of growth with no physical expansion and includes a training range. Urbandale is currently projected to grow to 65,000 people by 2050 and typically adds around 600 people per year, requiring additional police officers to maintain adequate officer to population ratios over time.

Yes. The City has developed a presentation that provides an overview of the proposed Police Station project, including why a new facility is being considered, the proposed location and size, how the project would be funded, and what the bond referendum would mean for residents. You can view the presentation here.

The new Urbandale Police Station is being designed as a modern facility that incorporates current technology and best practices in law enforcement. As part of the planning process, our team toured Altoona’s police station and incorporated many of its successful design elements. While Altoona served as a valuable reference, Urbandale’s facility is being designed specifically to meet the needs of our Police Department and the community we serve. Throughout the design process, we’ve focused on balancing the technology, safety features, and operational needs of a modern police department with responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars.

No. The sales tax revenue included in the Police Station financing plan comes from Urbandale’s existing 1% Local Option Sales and Services Tax (LOSST), not a new or increased sales tax.

Iowa law limits the Local Option Sales and Services Tax to 1%, which is already in effect in Urbandale. The City has no plans to increase sales taxes to fund the new Police Station, including to cover potential cost overruns.

If project costs exceed initial estimates, the City would evaluate its options for managing those additional expenses.

If you do not see your question addressed above, you can submit your questions here. City staff will review submitted questions and use them to help clarify project information and update the FAQs when appropriate. You can also contact Urbandale’s Police Chief Rob Johansen at 515-278-3938, or the City Manager’s Office (David Jones or Curtis Brown) at 515-278-3900.