The city of Cedar Rapids this week passed an ordinance requiring developers to leave 4 inches of topsoil on lots after construction, the Iowa Chapter of Sierra Club reported. The law allows 3 inches of topsoil, counting sod as another inch. The city originally wanted to require 8 inches of topsoil, but the draft never made it to the council table after developers objected. A city consulting firm tested soil on 26 lots developed by nine firms over the past six years, in 13 developments, and found compacted clay and no soil restoration. In 2015 the Iowa Department of Natural Resources decided a developer or homebuilder can decide how much topsoil to replace. The state previously required 4 inches.