It starts to get a little crazy, with companion bills, new versions of previously introduced bills, etc.  No guarantees that I have all of the most relevant bills.

Residential occupancy restrictions:  HF161 passed out of the House on a 74-26 vote and was referred to the Senate.  The Senate’s milder version of the residential occupancy restriction bill is now SF458. The Senate version would permit a city to have an occupancy limit, but would require the city to establish a waiver process to allow a property owner to make the claim to the city’s board of adjustment that their property is suitable for occupancy beyond what the city ordinance allows.

Open meetings:  SF384, passed out of the Senate on a 50-0 vote. Among other things, it would now exclude weekends in the calculation of 24-hour notice requirements, and require advisory committees to comply with open meeting requirements, whether or not the advisory committee has any policy-making functions.

Cell towers:  HSB167 is now HF556.  It would provide a uniform set of regulations for the approval of new towers by local governments.  The FCC ruling issued last fall (blogposts here) addressed collocation of facilities and substantial modifications to existing facilities.  This proposed Iowa legislation is directed at new tower siting.

Abandoned nuisance properties:  SF233 passed out of the Senate on a 49-0 vote, and was referred to the House.  The House companion bill is now HF385.  It does a lot of things, but relevant to city planning it adds due process and clarity to the process for addressing abandoned nuisance properties, and expands the reach of the process to commercial properties (currently applies only to residential properties).

Eminent Domain:  SF449, a bill relating to procedures and requirements for condemning property and disposing of certain condemned property, passed out of the Senate 50-0. The bill specifies that the authority to condemn property is not conferred on an acquiring agency unless the governing body for the acquiring agency first approves a preliminary or final route or site location of the proposed public improvement.

Tax abatement for nuisance residential properties:  SF278, a bill that creates an abatement schedule for individuals who want to clean up and redevelop residential properties, passed out of the Senate Ways & Means Committee. It now has a successor bill SF480.  It allows a city or county to grant an exemption of less than 10 years and less than 100 percent of the value added. The amendment also requires the property owner to disclose any and all other sources of public benefit so the local government can know the full context of the economic need.

Rural Improvement Zones:  HF 249 is now HF557, which passed out of subcommittee of Ways and Means.  It would amend the requirements for establishing, financing, and dissolving Rural Improvement Zones

SF233 passed out of the Senate on a 49-0 vote, and was referred to the House.  It does a lot of things, but relevant to city planning it adds due process and clarity to the process for addressing abandoned nuisance properties, and expands the reach of the process to commercial properties (currently applies only to residential properties).

SSB1218 is the Senate’s version of the residential occupancy restriction bill (the House version is HF161).  The Senate version passed out of Local Government committee on a 10-4 vote. The Senate version would permit a city to have an occupancy limit, but would require the city to establish a waiver process to allow a property owner to make the claim to the city’s board of adjustment that their property is suitable for occupancy beyond what the city ordinance allows. If they can meet the other requirements put in place by a city, then the city may grant them additional occupancy.

SF384, the successor to SSB1073, passed out of the Senate State Government committee unanimously. Among other things, it would now exclude weekends in the calculation of 24-hour notice requirements, and require advisory committees to comply with open meeting requirements, whether or not the advisory committee has any policy-making functions.

HSB167 passed out of the House Commerce committee.  It would provide a uniform set of regulations for the approval of new towers by local governments.  The FCC ruling issued last fall (blogposts here) addressed collocation of facilities and substantial modifications to existing facilities.  This proposed Iowa legislation is directed at new tower siting.  I will provide a more detailed review if/when it progresses.

HF249 a companion to SF 128, passed out of House Local Government committee.  It would amend the requirements for establishing, financing, and dissolving Rural Improvement Zones.

HF457 would require the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) to collect information and submit an annual report to the Iowa Legislature about the amount of current and future anticipated debt for cities related to water and wastewater infrastructure. It also prohibits the environmental protection commission from adopting rules that are more restrictive than he federal Water Pollution Control Act, the federal Clean Water Act, and the federal Safe Drinking Water Act relating to wastewater or storm water system or plant construction designs unless the commission determines that more restrictive requirements are necessary to protect public health or the environment.

HF195 passed out of the House Economic Growth subcommittee.  It limits the grounds for designating an area as an urban revitalization area, striking many of the stated reasons for such a declaration from Iowa Code 404.1(2).  Also amends approval requirements.

SF152 – Passed out of Senate Judiciary subcommittee.  It provides, among other things, that the authority to condemn property is not conferred on an acquiring agency unless the governing body for the acquiring agency first approves the final route or site location and design of the proposed public improvement.

HSB167 would provide a uniform set of regulations for the approval of new towers by local governments.  The FCC ruling issued last fall (blogposts here) addressed collocation of facilities and substantial modifications to existing facilities.  This proposed Iowa legislation is directed at new tower siting.  I will provide a more detailed review if/when it progresses.

SSB1073 proposes to make several changes to Iowa’s Open Meetings and Open Records Acts, generally creating greater openness in government activities. Among other things, it would now exclude weekends in the calculation of 24-hour notice requirements, and require advisory committees to comply with open meeting requirements, whether or not the advisory committee has any policy-making functions.

SF278, formerly SF25, authorizes a city or county to provide a property tax exemption for value added by improvements to residential property that is a public nuisance.

SF243 would remove the exemption for farm houses from county building codes and county zoning regulations.

HF268 adds watershed management authorities to the list of eligible applicants for local watershed improvement grants.

HF249, a companion to SF 128, would amend the requirements for establishing, financing, and dissolving Rural Improvement Zones..

Bills recently introduced:

HF208 allows the inclusion of of residential property in new or amended self-supported municipal improvement districts (SSMIDs), and allows cities to amend existing ordinances creating the SSMID to tax the residential property as part of the SSMID (with exceptions).

SF233 does a lot of things, but relevant to city planning it adds due process and clarity to the process for addressing abandoned nuisance properties, and expands the reach of the process to commercial properties (currently applies only to residential properties).

Two more bills introduced:

SSB1175 would change the variance standard from unnecessary hardship to practical difficulties, and allow a city, by ordinance, to give decision-making authority for special exceptions to a body other than the zoning board of adjustment (presumably the planning and zoning commission)

HF195 limits the grounds for designating an area as an urban revitalization area, striking many of the stated reasons for such a declaration from Iowa Code 404.1(2).  Also amends approval requirements.