Draft chapter 75: All-terrain Vehicles, Off Road Utility Vehciles, and Snowmobiles
§ 75.04 Operation Of Snowmobiles
The 2026 draft's § 75.04 beside the current code's § 75.04: 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 (96% same words)
What changed
1. Streets. Snowmobiles shall be operated only upon streets
(Code of Iowa, Sec.
2. Exceptions. Snowmobiles may be operated on prohibited streets only under the following circumstances:
A. Emergencies. Snowmobiles may be operated on any street in an emergency during the period of time when and at locations where snow upon the roadway renders travel by conventional motor vehicles impractical.
(Code of Iowa, Sec.
B. Direct Crossing. Snowmobiles may make a direct crossing of a prohibited street provided all of the following occur:
(1) The crossing is made at an angle of approximately
(2) The snowmobile is brought to a complete stop before crossing the street;
(3) The driver yields the right-of-way to all on-coming traffic
(4) In crossing a divided street, the crossing is made only at an intersection of such street with another street.
(Code of Iowa, Sec.
SNOWMOBILES
3. Railroad Right-of-Way. Snowmobiles shall not be operated on an operating railroad right-of-way. A snowmobile may be driven directly across a railroad right-of-way only at an established crossing and notwithstanding any other provisions of law may, if necessary, use the improved portion of the established crossing after yielding to all oncoming traffic.
(Code of Iowa, Sec.
4. Trails. Snowmobiles shall not be operated on all-terrain vehicle trails except where so designated.
(Code of Iowa, Sec.
5. Parks and Other City Land. Snowmobiles shall not be operated in any park,
6.
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
§ 75.04 Operation Of Snowmobiles
The operators of snowmobiles shall comply with the following restrictions as to where snowmobiles may be operated within the City:
1. Streets. Snowmobiles shall be operated only upon streets which have not been plowed during the snow season and on such other streets as may be designated by resolution of the Council.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 321G.9[4a])
2. Exceptions. Snowmobiles may be operated on prohibited streets only under the following circumstances:
A. Emergencies. Snowmobiles may be operated on any street in an emergency during the period of time when and at locations where snow upon the roadway renders travel by conventional motor vehicles impractical.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 321G.9[4c])
B. Direct Crossing. Snowmobiles may make a direct crossing of a prohibited street provided all of the following occur:
(1) The crossing is made at an angle of approximately ninety degrees (90°) to the direction of the street and at a place where no obstruction prevents a quick and safe crossing;
(2) The snowmobile is brought to a complete stop before crossing the street;
(3) The driver yields the right-of-way to all on-coming traffic which constitutes an immediate hazard; and
(4) In crossing a divided street, the crossing is made only at an intersection of such street with another street.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 321G.9[2])
3. Railroad Right-of-Way. Snowmobiles shall not be operated on an operating railroad right-of-way. A snowmobile may be driven directly across a railroad right-of-way only at an established crossing and notwithstanding any other provisions of law may, if necessary, use the improved portion of the established crossing after yielding to all oncoming traffic.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 321G.13[1h])
4. Trails. Snowmobiles shall not be operated on all-terrain vehicle trails except where so designated.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 321G.9[4f])
5. Parks and Other City Land. Snowmobiles shall not be operated in any park, playground or upon any other City-owned property without the express permission of the City. A snowmobile shall not be operated on any City land without a snow cover of at least one-tenth of one inch.
6. Sidewalk or Parking. Snowmobiles shall not be operated upon the public sidewalk or that portion of the street located between the curb line and the sidewalk or property line commonly referred to as the “parking” except for purposes of crossing the same to a public street upon which operation is authorized by this chapter.
2026 draft
§ 75.04 Operation Of Snowmobiles
The operators of snowmobiles shall comply with the following restrictions as to where snowmobiles may be operated within the City:
1. Streets. Snowmobiles shall be operated only upon streets that have not been plowed during the snow season and on such other streets as may be designated by resolution of the Council.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 321G.9(4)(a))
2. Exceptions. Snowmobiles may be operated on prohibited streets only under the following circumstances:
A. Emergencies. Snowmobiles may be operated on any street in an emergency during the period of time when and at locations where snow upon the roadway renders travel by conventional motor vehicles impractical.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 321G.9(4)(c))
B. Direct Crossing. Snowmobiles may make a direct crossing of a prohibited street provided all of the following occur:
(1) The crossing is made at an angle of approximately 90 degrees to the direction of the street and at a place where no obstruction prevents a quick and safe crossing;
(2) The snowmobile is brought to a complete stop before crossing the street;
(3) The driver yields the right-of-way to all on-coming traffic that constitutes an immediate hazard; and
(4) In crossing a divided street, the crossing is made only at an intersection of such street with another street.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 321G.9(2))
SNOWMOBILES
3. Railroad Right-of-Way. Snowmobiles shall not be operated on an operating railroad right-of-way. A snowmobile may be driven directly across a railroad right-of-way only at an established crossing and notwithstanding any other provisions of law may, if necessary, use the improved portion of the established crossing after yielding to all oncoming traffic.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 321G.13(1)(h))
4. Trails. Snowmobiles shall not be operated on all-terrain vehicle trails except where so designated.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 321G.9(4)(f))
5. Parks and Other City Land. Snowmobiles shall not be operated in any park, playground, or upon any other City-owned property without the express permission of the City. A snowmobile shall not be operated on any City land without a snow cover of at least one-tenth of one inch.
6. Operation of Snowmobiles, Sidewalk, or Parking. Snowmobiles shall not be operated upon the public sidewalk or that portion of the street located between the curb line and the sidewalk or property line commonly referred to as the “parking” or right-of-way except for purposes of crossing the same to a public street upon which operation is authorized by this chapter, except in those areas designated by resolution of the Council.
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Data last updated October 22, 2026. Built from the archive's documents; see how the data is built.