A proposed amendment that would have allowed a bowling center/game arcade to operate at Northpark Business Centre was denied by the Urbandale City Council last week after being narrowly approved by the city’s planning and zoning commission on June 10.

Four council members voted against the measure with one, Michael Carver, abstaining due to a conflict of interest. Carver is employed by Mid-America Commercial Real Estate, which owns and is developing the property at 8901-8951 Northpark Drive.

Currently, the eastern portion of the property, adjacent to 86th Street, is zoned for retail use, while the west end of the 73-acre site is being developed for office/commercial use, which is in line with the Urbandale’s Comprehensive Plan.

City officials expressed concern that allowing the site-plan change to accommodate retail business in the commercially zoned area of the business center would set the wrong precedent.

“You will get more proposals, especially if this one is approved,” said Paul Dekker, Urbandale’s community director, during extensive debate at the June 10 meeting.

Dekker stated that the council decided not to change the Comprehensive Plan, which designates land uses throughout the city.

According to Steve Franklin, Urbandale’s chief planner and community development manager, the council determined that approving the site-plan change could be a “slippery slope” and that the city has to decide “where do we draw the line,” adding that the amendment was denied on the basis of allowing retail in an area designated for office use.

Representatives of Mid-America Group were present at the July 1 council meeting and spoke in support of the proposed amendment and project. Steve Coleman, a property management vice president at Mid-America Group, stated in a phone message that there may be further development regarding the situation next week, but was unable to provide additional details.

The undeveloped area in question, 4.79 acres on the north side of Northpark Drive, will retain its existing zoning for office use, Dekker said.