Senate Study Bill 3173 - Introduced SENATE FILE _____ BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION BILL BY CHAIRPERSON ZUMBACH) A BILL FOR An Act relating to a statewide urban design and specifications 1 board, including assessment of costs for local government 2 projects that do not comply with the board’s design or 3 specifications manuals. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 5 TLSB 6830XC (6) 91 th/ns

S.F. _____ Section 1. Section 307.22, Code 2026, is amended by adding 1 the following new subsection: 2 NEW SUBSECTION . 7. Ensure planning and programming 3 activities comply with the statewide urban design standards 4 and specifications developed by the statewide urban design and 5 specifications board pursuant to section 307.22A. 6 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION . 307.22A Statewide urban design and 7 specifications board. 8 1. A statewide urban design and specifications board is 9 established within the department. The board shall develop 10 statewide urban design standards and specifications. The 11 board shall publish on the department’s internet site a design 12 manual and a specifications manual. The board may solicit 13 recommendations from the institute for transportation at the 14 Iowa state university of science and technology. 15 2. The statewide urban design and specifications board 16 shall consist of the following members: 17 a. Three employees of the department appointed by the 18 director. 19 b. Two members appointed by the Iowa state association of 20 counties. 21 c. Two members appointed by the Iowa league of cities. 22 d. Two members appointed by the associated general 23 contractors of Iowa. 24 e. Two members appointed by the home builders association 25 of Iowa. 26 f. Two members appointed by the master builders of Iowa. 27 g. One member appointed by the asphalt association of Iowa. 28 h. One member appointed by the Iowa real estate developers 29 association. 30 3. The regular term of appointment is four years. A vacancy 31 shall be filled for the unexpired portion of the term in the 32 same manner as the original appointment. 33 4. Members of the board shall serve without compensation 34 from the state and are not eligible to receive reimbursement 35 -1- LSB 6830XC (6) 91 th/ns 1/ 3

S.F. _____ for expenses using state moneys. However, state employees 1 serving on the board shall receive their regular compensation 2 for board duties performed during the hours the person 3 regularly performs work for the state. 4 5. The statewide urban design and specifications board 5 shall publish on the department’s internet site an analysis 6 of any changes made to the statewide urban design and 7 specifications manuals and provide an estimate of expected cost 8 variations that are likely be incurred, if any, by implementing 9 the changes. 10 6. The board is not subject to section 4A.5. 11 Sec. 3. Section 331.301, Code 2026, is amended by adding the 12 following new subsection: 13 NEW SUBSECTION . 30. A county that approves a project plan 14 that does not comply with statewide urban design standards and 15 specifications, as published by the statewide urban design 16 and specifications board pursuant to section 307.22A, is 17 responsible for paying any additional costs for the project 18 resulting from the noncompliance. A property owner shall not 19 be assessed any costs relating to projects on or adjacent to 20 the owner’s property that result from the county’s noncompliant 21 plan. 22 Sec. 4. Section 364.3, Code 2026, is amended by adding the 23 following new subsection: 24 NEW SUBSECTION . 24. A city that approves a project plan 25 that does not comply with the statewide urban design standards 26 and specifications, as published by the statewide urban design 27 and specifications board pursuant to section 307.22A, is 28 responsible for paying any additional costs for the project 29 resulting from the noncompliance. A property owner shall not 30 be assessed any costs relating to projects on or adjacent to 31 the owner’s property that result from the city’s noncompliant 32 plan. 33 EXPLANATION 34 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 35 -2- LSB 6830XC (6) 91 th/ns 2/ 3

S.F. _____ the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 1 This bill establishes the statewide urban design and 2 specifications board (SUDAS board) within the department of 3 transportation (DOT). The SUDAS board is required to develop 4 statewide urban design standards and specifications (SUDAS), 5 which may include soliciting recommendations from the institute 6 for transportation at Iowa state university. Currently, 7 the institute maintains Iowa’s SUDAS manuals for public 8 improvements. 9 The bill provides for 15 members from the DOT and various 10 nongovernment entities to serve as members on the SUDAS board. 11 The SUDAS board is required to publish on the DOT’s internet 12 site a design manual and a specifications manual, along with 13 an analysis of any changes to the SUDAS manuals, and provide 14 an estimate of expected cost variations that are likely to 15 be incurred, if any, by implementing the changes. A SUDAS 16 board member’s regular term of appointment is four years, and a 17 vacancy must be filled for the unexpired portion of the term in 18 the same manner as the original appointment. 19 The bill provides that the SUDAS board does not dissolve 20 under Code section 4A.5. 21 The bill requires a county or city that approves a project 22 plan that does not comply with the SUDAS manuals to pay any 23 additional costs for projects resulting from the noncompliance. 24 A property owner cannot be assessed any costs relating to 25 projects on or adjacent to the owner’s property that result 26 from the county’s or city’s noncompliant plan. 27 -3- LSB 6830XC (6) 91 th/ns 3/ 3