House File 2249 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 2249 BY HEIN A BILL FOR An Act allowing benefited recreational lake districts and water 1 quality districts to become members of watershed management 2 authorities. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 5805YH (2) 86 da/sc
H.F. 2249 Section 1. Section 466B.2, subsection 3, Code 2016, is 1 amended to read as follows: 2 3. “Political subdivision” means a any of the following: 3 a. A city , . 4 b. A county , or . 5 c. A soil and water conservation district described in 6 section 161A.5 . 7 d. A benefited recreational lake district or a water quality 8 district or a combined district incorporated as a public entity 9 and organized pursuant to chapter 357E. 10 EXPLANATION 11 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 12 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 13 BILL. This bill provides that a benefited recreational lake 14 district, a water quality district, or a combined district, 15 organized under Code chapter 357E, may participate as a member 16 of a watershed management authority under Code chapter 466B, 17 subchapter II. 18 BACKGROUND —— WATERSHED MANAGEMENT AUTHORITIES. A watershed 19 management authority is an organization formed under a Code 20 chapter 28E agreement entered into by certain political 21 subdivisions (cities, counties, or soil and water conservation 22 districts) that are located within a regional watershed (Code 23 chapter 466B.22). The purpose of the authority is to engage 24 in watershed planning and management activities, including 25 flood control or mitigation and water quality improvement 26 (Code section 466B.23). An authority is governed by a board 27 of directors comprised of individuals appointed by their 28 respective member political subdivisions (Code section 29 466B.24). 30 BACKGROUND —— DISTRICTS. A benefited recreational lake 31 district is territory contiguous to a recreational lake, or to 32 other property that is contiguous to the recreational lake, and 33 is formed to enhance recreation facilities for the residents 34 of the district. A water quality district is territory 35 -1- LSB 5805YH (2) 86 da/sc 1/ 2
H.F. 2249 contiguous to a stream, river, or lake, or to other property 1 that is contiguous to the stream, river, or lake, and is formed 2 to enhance water quality facilities for the residents of the 3 district (Code section 357E.2). In order to form a district, 4 the board of supervisors must receive a petition signed by a 5 specified number of owners of territory located within the 6 proposed district, and within 10 days after a hearing on the 7 petition must either establish the district by resolution or 8 disallow the petition (Code sections 357E.3 and 357E.5). 9 -2- LSB 5805YH (2) 86 da/sc 2/ 2