Axios Des Moines: Alleman, a town of about 450 people just north of Ankeny, wants to more than double its territory by annexing unincorporated land. Alleman Mayor Bob Kramme said the move would help protect the town from Ankeny’s rapid expansion efforts. Specifically, the unincorporated area Alleman wants to claim would prevent Ankeny from building an estimated 2,000 homes. Polk County supervisors on Monday rejected Alleman’s request for support of its proposal to annex nearly 1,970 acres, an effort the city says has the consent of almost 81% of the area’s landowners. Supervisors cited concerns that Alleman’s proposal would create an “island” of land disconnected from its current boundaries, which isn’t allowed under state law. They’re also concerned that Alleman doesn’t have the ability to provide services to the annexed areas, according to the supervisors’ resolution. Kramme contends the supervisors are wrong and told Axios that his city will fight the matter before Iowa’s City Development Board, the body that will ultimately decide on the matter. Ankeny is currently seeking to annex pieces of the same unincorporated land under Alleman’s annexation proposal.