The West Des Moines Planning and Zoning Commission on Monday voted to recommend approval of a new amendment to the city’s planned unit development concept plan for the Grand Experience development along Grand Avenue, west of Interstate 35.

The amended plan was necessary because of changes in the project, staff said during the meeting.

Matt Brown, president of the Formation Group in Johnston and representative for West Des Moines Entertainment LLC, the development group behind the Grand Experience, said the concept remains generally the same but enough detail changed that submitting a new amended PUD was recommended by staff.

“As development goes, things changed a bit exactly where everything was and exactly how everything lined up so instead of doing an amendment it was the advice of West Des Moines staff [that] we go back for a new [planned unit development] because so many things have kind of morphed,” Brown said.

Brian Portz, a planner with the city’s department of development services, said the previous plan was allowed to expire because the developer wasn’t ready, so they made changes and the new plan presented Monday incorporates those changes.

According to a staff report, the standalone conference and event center associated with the hotel on the north side of Grand Avenue has been eliminated. A smaller conference and events center is now planned to be incorporated into the planned water park, the report stated.

Other changes include the construction of two additional apartment buildings and a potential central outdoor pedestrian plaza.

The resubmitted plan also increases the number of drive-thru establishments on the north side of Grand Avenue from five to eight. It also suggests up to five apartment buildings, which may or may not be income restricted, a change from the previous concept, which included three income- restricted apartment buildings.

According to the staff report, West Des Moines Entertainment has not yet finalized the purchase of the property from W&G McKinney Farms.

Although the sale wasn’t complete, W&G McKinney Farms agreed to let the process move forward with the understanding that the effective date of the amended PUD be delayed until the sale of the property was complete. The original deadline to buy the land was Nov. 18, 2024. It was later extended to Jan. 6. That date has passed and the sale of the property remains pending, the staff report states.

The City Council last week voted to void the previous approvals, and the new amendment that cleared the Planning and Zoning Commission on Monday sets a deadline to purchase the property by Feb. 28.

The new ordinance also provides more details on smaller items, such as building setbacks, parking requirements, creating provisions for sign types and creating architectural standards for the entire development, said Ryan Moffatt, community and economic development director for West Des Moines.

Portz told commission members that the plan is “just a concept at this point.”

“Some of this might be developed. None of it might be developed. They just don’t know,” he said.

The West Des Moines City Council approved an agreement with the developer behind the $400 million multiuse development in December, a project city officials have said will spur other development and create amenities that will help companies draw and retain talent.

Moffatt said Monday’s action does not affect that agreement.

The city has offered an incentive package that would include a 20-year, 100% tax increment financing rebate valued at $85.5 million to help cover a funding gap identified by the developer. Under the agreement, the developer would also receive two-sevenths of the hotel/motel tax collected from the water park for 20 years, generating about $5.7 million during that time.

The agreement also comes with street improvements in the area that have an estimated cost of $25.5 million.

The new plan will go before the West Des Moines City Council for approval next month.