461A.79 - PUBLIC OUTDOOR RECREATION AND RESOURCES. - Iowa Statutes

461A.79 PUBLIC OUTDOOR RECREATION AND RESOURCES. 1. Fifty percent of the funds appropriated for purposes of this section for public outdoor recreation and resources shall be expended on land acquisition and capital improvements in carrying out this chapter. Acquisition projects, both fee-simple and less-than-fee, from willing sellers, may be for purposes of establishment or expansion of state parks, public hunting areas, natural areas, public fishing areas, water access sites, trail corridors, and other acquisition projects that are in accord with this chapter. Notwithstanding the exemption provided by section 427.1, land acquired under this subsection is subject to the full consolidated levy of property taxes which shall be paid from revenues available to be expended under this subsection. Capital improvements may be either new developments or rehabilitative in nature. Lake and watershed restoration projects are eligible for funding under this subsection. Not more than fifty percent of the revenues available to be expended under this subsection may be used by the commission to enter into agreements with county conservation boards and county boards of supervisors in those counties without conservation boards to carry out the purposes of this subsection. The agreement shall not provide for the payment by the commission of more than seventy-five percent of the cost of the project and the agreement shall specify that the county conservation board or county board of supervisors, whichever is applicable, shall provide funds for the remaining cost of the project covered by the agreement. Moneys available to be expended under this subsection may be used for the matching of federal funds. 2. Forty-five percent of the funds appropriated for purposes of this section for public outdoor recreation and resources shall be expended on the state recreation tourism grant program. This program shall provide matching grants to cities and unincorporated communities for purposes of developing or improving recreational projects or tourist attractions. A city or unincorporated community may submit an application to the commission for a matching grant, except that an unincorporated community shall submit the application through the county board of supervisors. Applications shall be reviewed by the advisory council for public outdoor recreation and resources. The advisory council shall submit recommendations to the commission regarding possible recipients and grant amounts. Grants made to an unincorporated community shall be paid to the county board of supervisors to be used for the project of the unincorporated community. The amount of the grant shall not exceed fifty percent of the cost of the development or improvement to be made and the application must demonstrate that the city or unincorporated community will provide the required matching funds. 3. Five percent of the funds appropriated for purposes of this section for public outdoor recreation and resources shall be expended on advertising which shall promote the use of recreational facilities and tourist attractions in the state. The commission shall enter into an agreement with the Iowa department of economic development for the expenditure of these funds for this purpose. 4. Moneys available to be expended for purposes of this section for public outdoor recreation and resources shall be credited to or deposited to the general fund of the state and appropriations made for purposes of this section shall be allocated as provided in this section. Moneys credited to or deposited to the general fund of the state pursuant to this subsection are subject to the requirements of section 8.60.          Section History: Recent Form 84 Acts, ch 1262, § 1 C85, § 111.79 86 Acts, ch 1245, § 1877; 91 Acts, ch 260, §1212; 92 Acts, ch 1163, § 28 C93, § 461A.79 93 Acts, ch 131, § 18; 94 Acts, ch 1107, §74 Referred to in § 461A.80