Iowa Code Title I. State Sovereignty and Management [Chs. 1-38D] § 28I.1. Authority of governing bodies--joint commission

1. The governing bodies of two or more adjoining cities, independently or together with the governing body or bodies of the county or counties within which such cities are located, or the governing bodies of two or more adjoining counties, or a county and its major city or cities, or the governing bodies of one or more counties together with the governing bodies of one or more cities adjoining such county or counties, or any of the above together with a school district, benefited water district, benefited fire district, sanitary district or any other similar district which may be formed under an Act of the legislature may cooperate in the creation of a joint planning commission which may be designated to be a regional or metropolitan planning commission, as agreed among the governing bodies. The governing bodies of cities, counties, school districts or other governmental units may cooperate with the governing bodies of the cities and counties or other authorized governing bodies of any adjoining state or states in the creation of such a joint planning commission where such cooperation has been authorized by law by the adjoining state or states.

2. The joint planning commission shall be separate and apart from the governmental units creating it, may sue and be sued, contract for the purchase and sale of real and personal property necessary for its purposes, and shall be a juristic entity as the term is used in section 97C.2, subsection 6.