Page 94 - ISVB

92

Point 9: Intrusion Minimization Plan

Most of the Byway traverses open country A relatively small portion of the Byway is of the sites themselves is the greatest threat.
with broad vistas of the Iowa River, framed located within city limits. These townscapes State and Federal historic preservation
by ridges and hillsides rolling to the horizon. vary in the type and density of development regulations, as well as the vigilant oversight of
Construction of cell towers, transmission and include residential, commercial, and local historic preservation groups, afford some
lines, and new buildings modify the landscape industrial zones. Except in the Amanas and protection, and should be encouraged in future
through time. Most of the land within the historic downtowns, places of historic and planning and management of the Corridor.
Byway Corridor is in crops, pasture, or forest, cultural interest are scattered within the
and retains the central visual qualities of towns, not concentrated in a single district or Outdoor advertising, in particular large
the 19th-20th century farmscape. Although neighborhood. Signs, brochures, and other billboards, are one intrusive threat to the
significantly altered from its natural state, media are therefore essential to draw the Byway that are perhaps best regulated
visitors can still get a feel for the original visitor’s attention from convenience stores, at present and into the future. Laws and
landscape. This is particularly enhanced by the discount stores, and modern industrial plants regulations pertaining to this topic are listed in
pronounced topographic contrasts between to the historic and cultural sites that represent Point 10. Among these the Federal Highway
the broad valley floor and the steep bluffs the Byway’s intrinsic qualities. Beautification Act and Chapter 106C of the
(particularly on the north side of the valley) Code of Iowa provide the greatest protection
that rise to rolling uplands. The valley retains The outward expansion of cities, new houses by restricting the placement of billboards along
its original relief, thus making it easier for the in rural areas, cell towers, transmission lines, Byways. County and city zoning ordinances,
visitor to imagine its natural state of prairie and similar kinds of development will continue where they exist, also regulate the dimension
and forests. Trees, indeed, still line the stream to introduce visually intrusive elements into and placement of signs. In general, larger
valleys, and cloak the deep draws that finger the Byway viewshed. The effect of these and more intrusive signs tend to be permitted
their way into the bluffs. For about half of its intrusions is mitigated to some extent by the primarily in areas zoned for commercial
length, the Byway overlooks publicly owned or Byway’s emphasis on cultural and historical and industrial use. Nearby Marshall
managed conservation and recreation lands intrinsic qualities, which are often expressed in County specifically prohibits billboards on
that provide a glimpse of what much of the relatively small sites where intrusive elements agricultural lands. Such a restriction should be
valley bottoms once looked like. may not greatly mar the visitor experience, encouraged throughout the Byway corridor to
unless located in close proximity. Destruction minimize this aspect of intrusion.