This provision lists what a municipality may do with projects financed under the chapter and limits how it may operate them.
A municipality shall not have the power to operate any project financed under this chapter, as a business or in any manner except as specifically provided in this chapter. In addition to any other powers which it may now have, each municipality shall have the following powers: 1. To acquire, whether by construction, purchase, gift or lease, and to improve and equip, one or more projects. The projects shall be located within this state, may be located within or near the municipality, but shall not be located more than eight miles outside the corporate limits of the municipality, provided that ancillary improvements necessary or useful in connection with the main project may be located more than eight miles outside the corporate limits of the municipality or, in the case of a project which includes portable equipment for pollution control, that the situs of the principal place of business of the owner of such portable equipment is located within the municipality or not more than eight miles outside of the corporate limits of the municipality. 2. To lease to others one or more projects for such rentals and upon such terms and conditions as the governing body may deem advisable in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, but in no case shall the rentals be less than the average rental cost for like or similar facilities within the competitive commercial area. 3. To sell to others one or more projects for such payments and upon such terms and conditions as the governing body may deem advisable in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. 4. To enter into loan agreements with others with respect to one or more projects for such payments and upon such terms and conditions as the governing body may deem advisable in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. 5. To issue revenue bonds for the purpose of defraying the cost of any project and to secure payment of such bonds as provided in this chapter. However, in the case of a project suitable for the use of a beginning businessperson, the bonds may not exceed the aggregate principal amount of five hundred thousand dollars. 6. To grant easements for roads, streets, water mains and pipes, sewers, power lines, telephone lines, all pipelines, and to all utilities. 7. To issue revenue bonds for the purpose of retiring existing indebtedness of any private or state of Iowa college or university or of any person who incurred the indebtedness to finance a project for any private or state of Iowa college or university, to secure payment of the bonds as provided in this chapter, and to enter into agreements with others with respect to these bonds for such payments and upon such terms and conditions as the governing body may deem advisable in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. The retiring of any existing indebtedness of a private or state of Iowa college or university or of any person who incurred the indebtedness to finance a project for a private or state of Iowa college or university shall be deemed a “project” for the purposes of this chapter. 8. To issue revenue bonds for the purpose of retiring any existing indebtedness of a health care facility, clinic, or voluntary nonprofit hospital, to secure payment of the bonds as provided in this chapter, and to enter into agreements with others with respect to these bonds for such payments and upon such terms and conditions as the governing body may deem advisable in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. The retiring of any existing indebtedness of a health care facility, clinic, or voluntary nonprofit hospital shall be deemed a “project” for the purposes of this chapter. 9. To issue revenue bonds for the purpose of retiring any existing indebtedness on a facility for an organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code which is exempt from federal income tax under section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code, to secure payment of the bonds as provided in this chapter, and to enter into agreements with others with respect to these bonds for the payments and upon the terms and conditions as the governing body may deem advisable in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. The retiring of any existing indebtedness on a facility for an organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code is a “project” for the purposes of this chapter. [C66, 71, 73, 75, §419.2; C77, 79, §419.2, 419.7; C81, §419.2; 82 Acts, ch 1049, §3] 94 Acts, ch 1162, §2; 2010 Acts, ch 1069, §138, 139; 2023 Acts, ch 64, §65