Iowa Code Title I. State Sovereignty and Management [Chs. 1-38D] § 6B.45. Mailing copy of appraisal

1. When any real property or interest in real property is to be purchased, or in lieu thereof to be condemned, the acquiring agency or its agent shall submit to the person, corporation, or entity whose property or interest in the property is to be taken, by ordinary mail, at least ten days prior to the date upon which the acquiring agency or its agent contacts the property owner to commence negotiations, a copy of the appraisal in its entirety upon such real property or interest in such real property prepared for the acquiring agency or its agent, which shall include, at a minimum, an itemization of the appraised value of the real property or interest in the property, any buildings on the property, all other improvements including fences, severance damages, and loss of access. In determining fair market value of property, the acquiring agency shall not consider only the assessed value assigned to such property for purposes of property taxation. The appraisal sent to the condemnee shall be that appraisal upon which the condemnor will rely to establish an amount which the condemnor believes to be just compensation for the real property. All other appraisals made on the property as a result of the condemnation proceeding shall be made available to the condemnee upon request. In lieu of an appraisal, a utility or person under the jurisdiction of the utilities board, or any other utility conferred the right by statute to condemn private property, shall provide in writing by certified mail to the owner of record thirty days prior to negotiations, the methods and factors used in arriving at an offered price for voluntary easements including the range of cash amount of each component. An acquiring agency may obtain a signed written waiver from the landowner to allow negotiations to commence prior to the expiration of the applicable waiting period for the commencement of negotiations.

2. Only the appraisal prepared under this section shall be forwarded to the compensation commission by the acquiring agency.