Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Fontanelle, Iowa

Fontanelle’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Erecting, altering, using or occupying any building or structure inside Fontanelle city limits

  • The mayor is the building official and administers the chapter (section 155.02).
  • Permit applies before erection, alteration, use or occupancy; construction may proceed after the permit is issued.

  “155.03 permit required. no building or other structure shall be erected, altered, used or occupied within the city without first receiving a permit therefor.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Occupancy of a building or change of use of a parcel inside Fontanelle city limits

  • Application is made coincident with the building permit application.
  • A certificate is issued within three business days after a written request following completion.
  • A temporary certificate may be issued for a period (text truncated in the reviewed copy).

  certificate of occupancy fee: 0 USD

  “155.15 certificate of occupancy. no building shall be occupied or the use of a parcel of land changed before a certificate of occupancy has been issued.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Fontanelle city limits, under the city's own Chapter 155 building and land use regulations (restricted residence district)

  • The code defines one district, the restricted residence district, which covers all city area except one described tract.
  • No separate zoning ordinance text or zoning map was located in the code PDF reviewed; this claim rests on the Chapter 155 district provisions.
  • Section 155.17 cites Iowa Code sec. 414.24.

  “155.17 restricted residence district. the following area is hereby defined and established as a restricted residence district: (code of iowa, sec. 414.24) all that area lying within the corporate limits of the city except the following described area:”

• Zoning districtsPartial

  Non-residential buildings and uses inside the restricted residence district of Fontanelle city

  • Residences, school houses, churches and similar structures are excepted from the special use permit requirement.
  • A special use permit requires the affirmative vote of three-fourths of the full council.

  council vote for special use permit: three-fourths of the full council

  “no building or other structure, except residences, school houses, churches and other similar structures, shall be erected, altered, used or occupied within the restricted residence district as defined herein without first receiving from the council a special use permit therefor. no such special use permit shall be issued without the affirmative vote of three-fourths of the full council.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Partial — Land inside Fontanelle city limits: the restricted residence district defined in section 155.17

    “155.17 restricted residence district. the following area is hereby defined and established as a restricted residence district: (code of iowa, sec. 414.24) all that area lying within the corporate limits of the city except the following described area:”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Lots and buildings inside Fontanelle city within the restricted residence district (section 155.17); this is the only district in the code reviewed, so it is also the main single-family residential district

  • Front yard applies except as provided in section 155.20 (between-buildings and adjacent-building exceptions, and double frontage).
  • Accessory buildings not attached to the principal building are subject to the 3-foot rule in section 155.23.

  front yard minimum: >= 20 feet (measured from the front lot line; 155.20 exceptions) · side yard minimum: >= 7 feet · rear yard minimum: >= 30 feet (or 20 percent of lot depth, whichever is smaller) · detached accessory building setback: >= 3 feet (from any side or rear yard line)

  “within the restricted residence district there shall be a front yard of not less than 20 feet (measured from the front lot line), except as follows: (code of iowa, sec. 414.24)”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Building permits on tracts inside Fontanelle city limits

  • Permits are limited to two per tract existing as of April 19, 1979 unless the tract has been platted under the subdivision regulations (Chapter 165).
  • Chapter 165 subdivision regulations exist per the table of contents; its text was only partly read.

  “no more than two building permits for each separate tract existing as of april 19, 1979, shall be issued unless the tract has been platted in accordance with subdivision regulations”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Building permit applications inside Fontanelle city limits

  • The fee is stated in the code text reviewed; the code PDF's currency was not verified, and a 2026 third-party guide says fee amounts are not clearly posted, so confirm with City Hall.

  application fee: 2 USD

  “155.05 fees. a fee of $2.00 shall accompany the application.”

• Permit processPartial

  Building permit process inside Fontanelle city limits

  • Permit applications go to the mayor as building official (section 155.02).
  • A permit lapses if construction is not begun within one year of issuance (section 155.14).
  • Variances need a two-thirds vote of all council members (section 155.26).
  • Application content and plan details are set in sections 155.04 and 155.05; the full checklist was not read.

  “application shall be made in writing, filed with the building official and contain the following information:”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Fontanelle or Adair County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Fontanelle city limits
• Building code adopted — Construction inside Fontanelle city limits
• Inspections — Construction inside Fontanelle city limits
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Fontanelle city limits
• Minimum lot size — Single-family lots inside Fontanelle city limits

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.