(Spirit Lake)– The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is holding a series of informational meetings this month to discuss proposed rule changes regarding public lands.
One of those meetings will be held Monday, October 27th at 6:00 p.m. at the Dickinson County Community Building in Spirit Lake.
DNR officials say the proposed changes are intended to clarify the application procedure, formalize the permit denial process and provide better management of public lands and waters.
They add the proposed rules will also provide for potential penalties for those who violate permit conditions or don’t get a permit prior to construction on public lands.
The proposed changes also provide for greater enforcement ability by the DNR in cases where private entities have encroached on public land.
Public lands are defined as being owned by the citizens of Iowa and include many lakes, 14 rivers, wildlife management areas, state forests and state parks.
The proposed rules do not pertain to docks. They are covered under a separate chapter of Iowa law and were recently revised.
In addition to the October 27th meeting in Spirit Lake, meetings are also planned for Tuesday, October 14th in Des Moines and Thursday, October 23rd in Dubuque.
