House File 2622 - Introduced



                                       HOUSE FILE       
                                       BY  COMMITTEE ON NATURAL
                                           RESOURCES

                                       (SUCCESSOR TO HF 2111)


    Passed House,  Date               Passed Senate, Date             
    Vote:  Ayes        Nays           Vote:  Ayes        Nays         
                 Approved                            

                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act relating to mowing within the right=of=way of primary and
  2    interstate highways.
  3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
  4 TLSB 5733HV 82
  5 dea/nh/8

PAG LIN



  1  1    Section 1.  Section 314.17, Code 2007, is amended to read
  1  2 as follows:
  1  3    314.17  MOWING ON INTERSTATES AND PRIMARY HIGHWAYS.
  1  4    On or after January 1, 2003, the department shall not mow
  1  5 Mowing roadside vegetation on the rights=of=way or medians on
  1  6 any primary or interstate highway.  Mowing shall be permitted
  1  7 prior to July 15 is prohibited, except as follows:
  1  8    1.  On rights=of=way which include drainage ditch areas
  1  9 Within two hundred yards of an inhabited dwelling.
  1 10    2.  On rights=of=way within three miles one mile of the
  1 11 corporate limits of a city.
  1 12    3.  To promote native species of vegetation or other
  1 13 long=lived and adaptable vegetation.
  1 14    4.  For establishing control of damaging insect
  1 15 populations, noxious weeds, and invader invasive plant
  1 16 species.
  1 17    5.  For visibility and safety reasons.
  1 18    6.  Within rest areas, weigh stations, and wayside parks.
  1 19                           EXPLANATION
  1 20    Under current law, the department of transportation is
  1 21 permitted to mow within the right=of=way of a primary highway
  1 22 or interstate in drainage ditch areas, within three miles of
  1 23 city limits, to promote certain vegetation for purposes of
  1 24 insect and weed control, and for visibility and safety
  1 25 reasons.  Current law allows a property owner to harvest
  1 26 grass, in proper season, within the right=of=way of a primary
  1 27 highway along the landowner's land unless the vegetation is
  1 28 part of an integrated roadside vegetation management plan.
  1 29    This bill imposes a restriction on mowing on rights=of=way
  1 30 or medians before July 15 for both the department and property
  1 31 owners.  Exceptions are allowed for mowing areas within 200
  1 32 yards of an inhabited dwelling; on rights=of=way within one
  1 33 mile of the corporate limits of a city; to promote native
  1 34 species of vegetation; to establish control of damaging
  1 35 insects, noxious weeds, or invasive plants; for visibility and
  2  1 safety reasons; and within rest areas, weigh stations, and
  2  2 wayside parks.
  2  3 LSB 5733HV 82
  2  4 dea/nh/8