SSB 3050 Mowing highway right of ways
- Thread starter Fishbonker
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Why would they want to be able to mow earlier in the year?
I'm sure it happens but I've never personally seen a pheasant in the hwy median
seven twenty
PMA Member
I don’t think the median is part of the “right of way”. Numerous studies have shown that pheasants tend to nest in the ditches though.
Gotchya
Pheasants and multiple species of song birds nest in the right of way and medians. More rural roads have been my experience but I have found several nests. When a hens options are a weedless corn field with no ground cover or a grassy roadside I am pretty sure I know where the nest will be. May not save the pheasant population leaving it how it is but there will be a negative impact with the change.
150 Class
Well-Known Member
The farmer owns the land to the center of the road. The rest of us have an easement to use the road. That’s how I view it.
While I dont necessarily disagree with this, I know the State and Counties do not allow row crop farming into the ROWs. A farmer near Rudd was farming almost 15 acres of State ROW, and that was a big debacle. One step further, county gis and ONX type systems, farmers only "own" up to the ROW. So they dont "own" to the center of the roads anymore or pay taxes to the center of the roads like they used to (just simply my understanding, no idea if thats the true case)
Daver
PMA Member
Disclaimer...I am not 100% sure on how this or even if it is enforced the same way in every county, etc. But I happened to be looking over some details of a recent property purchase by a friend of mine in Washington County and we were both a little confused as one document, I think it was the deed, indicated a little more acreage than what he thought he was purchasing. He checked and it turns out that basically the ditches and to the center of the roads were considered his property.
I just don't know if he is then taxed on that "extra" or not...but if he was...yeah, I could see why someone would feel like they should be able to plant it. FWIW.
So- you peaked my interest. I just looked at some land in SW Iowa that I know the owners, and it does indeed show they own to the center of the roads. And then in North East Iowa, only to the edge of the ROW. So it is a very county by county thing, which I find very interesting.
hillrunner
PMA Member
Every piece of land I've ever purchased I've had the privilege of buying the ground under the road.
Fishbonker
Life Member
This bill is reportedly not going to move.
Good!! and all of my property shows I only own to the ROW, not the ditches or road itself FYI--Warren county
The governments of all states and counties need to pass law where the ROW is the same in all counties and states. Then no more question as to what is owned and by whom. The mowing of all ROW should not happen till after the nesting is done. Some farmers are tearing out all the fence rows and tree lines that all animals use for shelter and places to find food. The advent of big farms and bigger equipment, have made this happen. Some people just believe in the all mighty $$$$ , and do not care for anything else in the world.
northcedar
Well-Known Member
Around here farmers mow the road ditches to keep noxious weeds down and to keep them from turning into brush. If your mom is traveling down a narrow township rd and needs to move off the shoulder for any reason I'd rather have her in a mowed ditch as opposed to a wild ditch where she can hit some loser's junk tv or broken nail filled dresser.