I got this working the way I wanted. Thanks for the help! I'm going to attach the two files in case they can help someone else out though they are not materially that different from the examples provided above.

A couple of notes if you try to use these files. Some IP's on the DNS have been obfuscated and some of the paths to pick up user_data have been modified. You would have to change those for your environment anyway.

I still have some questions on the alarm state(s) - especially insufficient data vs. ok. If there is a good explanation of what exactly those mean somewhere it would be helpful. Insufficient data seems to mean "normal", but I'm not sure how that is different from ok. This should probably be an independent question.

    heat_template_version: 2013-05-23

########################################################################
# Sprint 8 Deliverable -
########################################################################
description: Sprint 8 -- Get autoscaling to work


########################################################################
# Define Parameters
########################################################################
parameters:
  # declaration of input parameters

  ###############################
  # Auto-scaling params
  ###############################
  desired_capacity_requested:
    type: number
    label:  Desired Capacity
    description:  Normal Capacity
    default: 1

  max_capacity_requested:
    type: number
    label:  Max Capacity
    description:  Max Capacity
    default: 2

  min_capacity_requested:
    type: number
    label:  Min Capacity
    description:  Min Capacity
    default: 1

  cooldown_period:
    type: number
    label:  Cooldown Time
    description: Cooldown Period 
    default: 60

  #############################


  tenant_net_id:
    type: string
    label:  Tenant Network ID
    description: Tenant Network ID
    default: 4e25c321632e42e7a32ec311c8ff99c2
    constraints:
      - allowed_values:
        # widgetco
        - 4e25c321632e42e7a32ec311c8ff99c2
        # admin
        - 4b46643a490d459db937ef81e5ebbdfe

  ip_ver:
    type: string
    label:  IP Version
    description: IP Version (4 or 6)
    default: "4"
    constraints:
      - allowed_values:
        - "4"
        - "6"
        description: select 4 or 6


  instance_type:
    type: string
    label: Flavor Type
    description: Type of instance (flavor) to be used
    default: m1.small
    constraints:
      - allowed_values:
        - m1.tiny
        - m1.small
        - m1.medium
        - m1.large
        description:  must select from list


  image_id:
    type: string
    label: Image
    description:  Image Type
    default: centos65-x86_64
    constraints:
      - allowed_values:
        - centos-6.5-x86_64
        - centos65-x86_64
        - cirros-0.3.2-x86_64
        - redhat65-x86_64


#  floating_ip_id:
#    description: ID of a floating IP
#    type: string
#    label: FloatingIPId
#    default: 

  dns_servers:
    type: comma_delimited_list
    label:  Name Servers
    description: List the name servers
    default: ['XXX.XXX.84.13'] 
    #default: ["XXX.XXX.84.13", "XXX.XXX.90.250"]


  #ext-net uuid
  ext_net_id:
    type: string
    label: Ext-NetID
    default: 1a521eeb-afad-409f-b56e-78631ff77059

  ext-net-name:
    type: string
    label: Private Net
    default: ext-net
    description: ID of private network into which servers get deployed
    constraints:
      - allowed_values:
        - demo-net
        - ext-net
        - hot-net
        description: available networks

  ssh_key_name:
    type: string
    label: SSH Key Name
    default: widgetco


resources:
  #############################################################
  # Create the networks
  #############################################################

  CustNetZone1:
    type: OS::Neutron::Net
    properties:
      name: zone1
      shared: False
      tenant_id: { get_param: tenant_net_id }  
      value_specs: {}

  CustNetZone2:
    type: OS::Neutron::Net
    properties:
      name: zone2
      shared: False
      tenant_id: { get_param: tenant_net_id }  
      value_specs: {}

  Zone1_Subnet:
    type: OS::Neutron::Subnet
    properties:
      name: zone1-subnet
      network_id: { get_resource: CustNetZone1 }
      allocation_pools: [ { "start": 192.168.3.2, "end": 192.168.3.14 } ]
      cidr: 192.168.3.0/28
      #dns_nameservers: [ { get_param: dns_servers } ]
      dns_nameservers: [ 'XXX.XXX.84.13', 'XXX.XXX.90.250' ]
      enable_dhcp: True
      gateway_ip: 192.168.3.1
      #host_routes: []
      ip_version: { get_param: ip_ver }
      tenant_id: { get_param: tenant_net_id }
      value_specs: {}


  Zone2_Subnet:
    type: OS::Neutron::Subnet
    properties:
      name: zone2-subnet
      network_id: { get_resource: CustNetZone2 }
      allocation_pools: [ { "start": 192.168.4.2, "end": 192.168.4.6 } ]
      cidr: 192.168.4.0/29
      #dns_nameservers: [ { get_param: dns_servers } ]
      dns_nameservers: [ 'XXX.XXX.84.13', 'XXX ...