Opinion: The Iowa legislative bulldozer is rolling again

Cedar Rapids Stormwater Fee member Stacie Johnson snapped this picture at an area housing improvement. Though a lot of the topsoil was eliminated, a thick layer remained close to and round utility polls. (Stacie Johnson/picture submitted)

Lately, I’ve ceaselessly referred to our Republican-controlled Iowa Legislature as a bulldozer, swiftly shoving payments to passage whereas operating over Iowans who object.

Now, GOP lawmakers are speeding to do some precise earthmoving.

A invoice that’s already handed the Iowa Senate would prohibit cities and counties from adopting ordinances requiring builders to place topsoil again on accomplished development websites. The invoice would additionally ban stricter native ordinances on the dealing with of stormwater runoff from new developments.

Not surprisingly, Republicans are siding with enterprise and constructing pursuits who don’t just like the native ordinances. They argue the principles enhance prices and residential costs. However what concerning the prices born by owners coping with dysfunctional yards planted on compacted clay, of us hit with flash flooding occasions and the additional degradation of Iowa’s water high quality?

GOP lawmakers don’t care, as long as their buddies reap an even bigger revenue.

We’ve seen this saga play out earlier than.

Roughly 9 years in the past you could recall my reporting on the demise of a state rule requiring builders who maintain a sure stormwater allow to place 4 inches of topsoil again on completed development websites, together with new properties. Topsoil will get scraped away through the development course of, abandoning compacted clay. That makes it simpler for builders to make use of heavy tools on constructing websites.

However topsoil soaks up water, serving to management runoff and reduce its results on water high quality and flooding. Water runs off compacted clay so much prefer it runs off concrete. That’s unhealthy information when heavy rainfall brings a flash flooding risk.

So the lack of topsoil is unhealthy for the surroundings and unhealthy for Iowans. Householders are left with clay yards the place grass doesn’t develop with out heavy use of fertilizer and watering. Your property could have been constructed on what was as soon as fertile farmland, however you’ll want to purchase grime someplace else to amend the clay if you wish to develop something. Think about, Iowans having shopping for soil at Dwelling Depot.

Requiring alternative of a few of the soil made sense. So, naturally, Republicans got down to kill the rule.

The Branstad administration appointed a “stakeholder” panel in 2014 to assessment the rule. It was filled with members representing homebuilding pursuits and met largely behind closed doorways. Dozens of Iowans weighed in favor of holding the rule, however they have been no match for a handful of builders, builders, Realtors and earthmovers who needed the rule scrapped.

So the stakeholder group beneficial eliminating the rule, changing it with wording directing builders to revive soil provided that it’s economically “possible.” Guess how usually it’s possible. The Environmental Safety Fee, among the many most mockingly named entities in state authorities, voted to just accept that suggestion.

The lone saving grace was that native governments nonetheless had the ability to enact topsoil necessities. Cedar Rapids was one of many communities that did simply that, requiring builders to exchange 4 inches of topsoil. That made sense as a part of town’s broader efforts to enhance its stormwater techniques in a wake of extreme flash flooding occasions.

However our Golden Dome of Knowledge, now redder than ever, has by no means seen an area authorities initiative it received’t intestine on behalf of its political allies.

Past banning native topsoil ordinances, the invoice would prohibit ordinances that exceed state guidelines for stormwater retention and movement charges for housing and different kinds of developments. It could mainly set one low regulatory bar for correctly dealing with stormwater runoff.

However right here’s the issue. If a brand new improvement ruled by extra lax guidelines is constructed uphill from areas designed based mostly on extra stringent native retention and movement charge guidelines, the uphill improvement will deluge neighborhoods unequipped to deal with that a lot water. It will likely be cities, and taxpayers, who must pony as much as repair the issues.

“This laws from builders possible will move stormwater runoff issues onto cities to mitigate after improvement is accomplished. In the end passing the burden onto native taxpayers. The laws was launched and authorized in a speedy method within the Senate with little or no debate on the potential impacts that these modifications may have on infrastructure, native and downstream flooding, streambank erosion and water high quality,” the Iowa Stormwater Training Partnership mentioned in a press release.

A Home subcommittee superior the invoice on Thursday. Rep. Artwork Staed, D-Cedar Rapids, was a subcommittee member and mentioned most Iowans who confirmed as much as touch upon the invoice oppose its passage. He nonetheless holds out hope the invoice will be amended to minimize its results. He’s extra optimistic than I’m.

“There’s going to be plenty of erosion and flooding downhill,” mentioned Staed, who voted towards advancing the invoice. “I don’t suppose that is the way in which to go in any respect.”

When the invoice clears the Home Native Authorities Committee, as anticipated, it may be debated by the total Home as quickly as this week. If it’s not amended, it should go straight to Gov. Kim Reynolds. She’ll signal it, as absolutely as water runs downhill.

The small variety of teams backing the invoice have some clout. The Grasp Builders of Iowa PAC, IIPAC, the political arm of the Affiliation of Enterprise and Business, and the Manufactured Housing Affiliation PAC donated almost $100,000 mixed to a few prime Republican legislative leaders, Home Speaker Pat Grassley, Senate Majority Chief Jack Whitver and Home Majority Chief Matt Windschitl.

On Jan. 6, the Affiliation of Enterprise and Business hosted a legislative reception on the Neighborhood Selection Credit score Union Conference Heart in Des Moines the place the group spent greater than $12,000 on meals and drinks.

Why unfold topsoil round when it’s far simpler to unfold cash round?

So the bulldozer is rolling, of us. Even when have been capable of transfer heaven and earth, there’s in all probability no stopping it.

(319) 398-8262; todd.dorman@thegazette.com

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