Landowners in lake path hope legislature acts to limit eminent domain
“A group of southern Iowa landowners is hoping a last-minute effort from lawmakers could roll-back construction plans for a lake near Osceola. Doug Robins of Osceola says the farm ground that’s been in his family since 1971 may go under water if lawmakers don’t act.
“We thought the 2006 law was going to solve everything and two weeks later they came up with the loopholes to get around it,” Robins says.
The City of Osceola and other local governments in the area are planning to build a 900 acre lake for drinking water and as a water supply for businesses, like a meat processing plant in Osceola. Developers hope to start buying land for the project this year, but Republican Representative Bobby Kaufmann of Wilton is making one last attempt to forbid Iowa governments from using eminent domain to acquire land for lakes that would be used from recreation.”
Henderson, O. Kay. Radio Iowa 21 May 2013.