761—116.5 (306C) Screening. Screening for each individual junkyard required to be screened shall meet the standards of these rules. Where the owner is required to screen, the owner shall submit a screening plan which shall be approved by the department. Screening plans shall integrate the screen with the natural surroundings and shall consider and make provisions to ensure reasonable access to the screen for purposes of maintaining the screens required by these rules.
	   116.5(1) Purpose. Screening shall be designed to eliminate the visual impact of the junkyard contents by obscuring it from view from the main traveled portion of the highway.
	   116.5(2) Type. Materials for use in screening and junkyards shall generally consist of natural objects, plantings, fences, or other appropriate means such as storage sheds, buildings and other similar elements.
	      a.    	 Natural objects shall be earthen berms, rock formations, wooded areas, or other similar elements.
	      b.    	 Plantings shall be shrubs and trees of such types as to provide year-round obscurement commensurate with local site conditions. All plant material used for screening shall be of a size and quantity to provide obscurement.
	      c.    	 Screens shall be made of wood, metal or other materials commonly used in the building trade, and shall be of a height and type necessary to provide obscurement. Screens shall be designed to withstand a minimum wind load of 20 pounds per square foot and shall be of a permanent nature. All materials used for finishing screens shall be a nonreflective material which will blend with the natural surroundings. Screening shall not be placed so that either the screen or the maintenance of the screen will create or contribute to the creation of a safety hazard or endanger public safety or will interfere with the public’s use or the department’s maintenance of the highway.
	   116.5(3) Maintenance. The owner or operator of a junkyard shall maintain the screening in a condition equal to the original installation of the screening. Maintenance shall include, but not be limited to, the following items:
	      a.    	 Replacement of plant material which is dead or has been damaged so that it no longer serves the intended purpose of screening the junkyard.
	      b.    	 Screen maintenance shall include the renewal of the surface treatment with stains, paints, or other appropriate material as specified in subrule 116.5(2) when needed and the replacement of panels, sections, members, or support structures of the screening when needed.
This rule is intended to implement Iowa Code section 306C.4.