When a contained district dissolves and surrenders its improvements and rights-of-way to the jurisdiction and control of an overlying district, and the overlying district accepts those improvements and rights-of-way, in accordance with sections 468.256 through 468.259:
 1. It is presumed that the classification of the lands which were included in the dissolved district, as previously determined by the commissioners in the classification of those lands as a part of the overlying district, remains equitable and no reclassification of the overlying district or any part of it is necessary.

Terms Used In Iowa Code 468.260

  • commissioners: shall mean the persons appointed and qualified to classify lands, fix percentages of benefits, apportion and assess costs and expenses in any levee or drainage district, unless otherwise specifically indicated by law. See Iowa Code 468.3
  • Cost: means the same as defined in section 384. See Iowa Code 468.585
  • cost of improvements: means the costs of any improvement which is subject to special assessment including, but not limited to, the costs of engineering, preliminary reports, property valuations, estimates, plans, specifications, notices, acquisition of land, easements, rights-of-way, construction, repair, supervision, inspection, testing, notices and publication, interest during construction and for a reasonable period following the completion of construction, and may include the default fund which shall amount to not more than ten percent of the total cost of an improvement assessed against benefited property. See Iowa Code 468.3
  • district: means a district defined by a county and one or more cities within the county pursuant to an agreement entered into by the county and cities in accordance with chapter 28E and this part with respect to drainage improvements which the county and cities determine benefit the property located in the cities and the designated unincorporated area of the county. See Iowa Code 468.585
  • Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
 2. The improvements surrendered and accepted are at all times under the supervision of the board of the overlying district, and it is the duty of that board to keep the improvements in repair as provided in section 468.126 as fully and completely as though the improvements were a part of the original construction or improvements in the overlying district.
 3. It is presumed that:

 a. The improvements surrendered and accepted are an integral part of the overlying district’s improvements, and are a public benefit and conducive to the public health, convenience and welfare.
 b. No value is taken into consideration for the existing improvements nor is credit given to the parties owning them, and they shall not be considered an asset of the district that is dissolved.
 4. The original cost and the subsequent cost of improvements in the district that has been dissolved are added to and become a part of the original cost and the subsequent cost of improvements in the overlying district.
  Previous section
Next section  
 Chapter 468 Contents