Draft chapter 52: Weeds and Noxious Growths

§ 52.02 Definitions

The 2026 draft's § 52.02 beside the current code's § 52.02: removed words are struck through, added words underlined.

Comparison with a draft: not adopted. The archive holds no public hearing, ordinance or vote adopting the recodified Code through the October 20, 2026 meeting packet. Until one is adopted, every page here compares the consolidated code with a draft that can still change: the revised draft with the October 6 changes is not in the archive.

A comparison with the August 2026 draft recodification prepared by Iowa Codification for the City. The draft has not been adopted and can still change; the current code (unofficial compilation) governs until a recodified Code is adopted. Matches between sections are made by machine from the texts and are reviewed where uncertain.

Wording changed minor wording (97% same words)

What changed

For the purpose purposes of this chapter, chapter the following terms, phrases, words, and their derivations shall have the meanings given herein. terms are defined:
1. “Conservation area” means an area that is planted with ground cover plants of a size and texture compatible with the environment and maintained accordingly.
2. “Developed lot lot” or land” “Land” means an improved residential or commercial lot.
3. “Grass” means any plant of the family Gramineae, having jointed stems, sheathing leaves, and seedlike grains.
4. "Ground cover" “Ground cover” means plants with the growth and root capacity to cover and stabilize an area of soil and to prevent erosion.
5. "Natural area" “Natural area” means an area allowed to retain native plant material in a natural prairie state.
6. "Noxious weeds" “Noxious weeds” means primary and secondary classes of weeds as defined by the Code of Iowa, and all additions to this list as so declared by the State Secretary of Agriculture.
7. "Parking" “Parking” means that part of the street, avenue or highway in the City not covered by sidewalk and lying between the lot line and curb line; on unpaved streets, the parking is that part of the street, avenue, or highway lying between the lot lines and that portion of the street usually traveled by vehicular traffic.
8. "Right-of-way" “Right-of-way” means the entire width of a platted street or alley in use or undeveloped.
9. "Soil “Soil erosion control" control” means a method of planting and cultivation, or lack of same, designed to retain soil and to prevent soil movement caused by natural or manmade causes.
10. "Undeveloped “Undeveloped lot or land" land” means an unimproved lot or area.
11. "Weeds" “Weeds” means any plants growing uncultivated and out of context with the surrounding plant life when such plant has a seed head formed or forming and with a height of twelve (10) 10 inches or more, except as otherwise provided in this chapter.

Word-level comparison of the current text with the draft's; spacing and paragraph breaks come from the documents' text. Footnotes are left out.

Current code

§ 52.02 Definitions

For the purpose of this chapter, the following terms, phrases, words, and their derivations shall have the meanings given herein.

1. “Conservation area” means an area that is planted with ground cover plants of a size and texture compatible with the environment and maintained accordingly.

2. “Developed lot or land” means an improved residential or commercial lot.

3. “Grass” means any plant of the family Gramineae, having jointed stems, sheathing leaves, and seedlike grains.

4. "Ground cover" means plants with the growth and root capacity to cover and stabilize an area of soil and to prevent erosion.

5. "Natural area" means an area allowed to retain native plant material in a natural prairie state.

6. "Noxious weeds" means primary and secondary classes of weeds as defined by the Code of Iowa, and all additions to this list as so declared by the State Secretary of Agriculture.

7. "Parking" means that part of the street, avenue or highway in the City not covered by sidewalk and lying between the lot line and curb line; on unpaved streets, the parking is that part of the street, avenue, or highway lying between the lot lines and that portion of the street usually traveled by vehicular traffic.

8. "Right-of-way" means the entire width of a platted street or alley in use or undeveloped.

9. "Soil erosion control" means a method of planting and cultivation, or lack of same, designed to retain soil and to prevent soil movement caused by natural or manmade causes.

10. "Undeveloped lot or land" means an unimproved lot or area.

11. "Weeds" means any plants growing uncultivated and out of context with the surrounding plant life when such plant has a seed head formed or forming and with a height of twelve (10) inches or more, except as otherwise provided in this chapter.

Ord. 2022-493 · source page

2026 draft

§ 52.02 Definitions

For the purposes of this chapter the following terms are defined:

1. “Conservation area” means an area that is planted with ground cover plants of a size and texture compatible with the environment and maintained accordingly.

2. “Developed lot” or “Land” means an improved residential or commercial lot.

3. “Grass” means any plant of the family Gramineae, having jointed stems, sheathing leaves, and seedlike grains.

4. “Ground cover” means plants with the growth and root capacity to cover and stabilize an area of soil and to prevent erosion.

5. “Natural area” means an area allowed to retain native plant material in a natural prairie state.

6. “Noxious weeds” means primary and secondary classes of weeds as defined by the Code of Iowa, and all additions to this list as so declared by the State Secretary of Agriculture.

7. “Parking” means that part of the street, avenue or highway in the City not covered by sidewalk and lying between the lot line and curb line; on unpaved streets, the parking is that part of the street, avenue, or highway lying between the lot lines and that portion of the street usually traveled by vehicular traffic.

8. “Right-of-way” means the entire width of a platted street or alley in use or undeveloped.

9. “Soil erosion control” means a method of planting and cultivation, or lack of same, designed to retain soil and to prevent soil movement caused by natural or manmade causes.

10. “Undeveloped lot or land” means an unimproved lot or area.

11. “Weeds” means any plants growing uncultivated and out of context with the surrounding plant life when such plant has a seed head formed or forming and with a height of 10 inches or more, except as otherwise provided in this chapter.

August 2026 draft · page 123

Back to draft chapter 52 · All changes

Data last updated October 22, 2026. Built from the archive's documents; see how the data is built.