Iowa town plans to spend $11.3M for flood-prone properties

CLIVE, Iowa (AP) — The Des Moines suburb of Clive plans to buy and demolish two dozen homes and businesses that have been repeatedly damaged by flooding.

The estimated cost for all the properties is $11.3 million. They’re all situated in the Walnut Creek flood plain, which has been inundated six times since 1986. The latest flooding occurred June 30 , during which Clive Library and Clive Aquatic Center also were damaged.

Clive community development Doug Ollendike told The Des Moines Register the city will acquire the property over several years, using a priority list based on the risks to life and on damage severity.

The city is offering 110 percent of each property’s assessed value. Projected prices range from $85,250 for a small office building to $7 million for property occupied by a vending machine supply company.