Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Exira, Iowa

Exira’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Exira city limits. Exira city adopts and administers its own zoning regulations (Chapter 25 of its code).

  • The code PDF is labelled 2026; the text read does not state an adoption or effective date, so effective_at is null.
  • Chapter 25 was located by table of contents and section 25.27; the full chapter was not read.

  “minimum lot, yard, height, and coverage standards for the base districts are set out in tables 3a and 3b.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Land inside Exira city limits: base zoning district standards are published in Tables 3a and 3b of Chapter 25.

  • Only Table 3a (lot and yard) was read; Table 3b and the district use tables were not read.

  “table 3a. minimum lot and yard standards. dist. min lot area min width front side street side rear ar 40,000 sf for new nonfarm residential lots”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Single-family residential lots in the district labelled 'r' in Table 3a of Exira Chapter 25 (inside Exira city limits).

  • Table 3a as read: 6,000 sf for single-family lots and 8,000 sf for duplex lots in district r; minimum width 50 ft single-family and 70 ft duplex.

  minimum lot area, single-family: >= 6000 sq ft · minimum lot area, duplex: >= 8000 sq ft · minimum lot width, single-family: >= 50 ft · minimum lot width, duplex: >= 70 ft

  “r 6,000 sf single-family; 8,000 sf duplex 50 ft single-family; 70 ft duplex 20 ft 5 ft each / 10 ft total 15 ft 20 ft”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — New nonfarm residential lots in the district labelled 'ar' in Table 3a of Exira Chapter 25 (inside Exira city limits). The printed district code is used; the district name was not expanded in the text read.

    “ar 40,000 sf for new nonfarm residential lots 100 ft 30 ft 15 ft 30 ft 30 ft”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  New nonfarm residential lots in district 'ar' in Table 3a of Exira Chapter 25 (inside Exira city limits).

  • Table 3a as read: front 30 ft; side 15 ft; street side 30 ft; rear 30 ft.

  front yard setback: >= 30 ft · side yard setback: >= 15 ft · street side yard setback: >= 30 ft · rear yard setback: >= 30 ft

  “ar 40,000 sf for new nonfarm residential lots 100 ft 30 ft 15 ft 30 ft 30 ft”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Lots in district 'r' in Table 3a of Exira Chapter 25 (inside Exira city limits).

    “r 6,000 sf single-family; 8,000 sf duplex 50 ft single-family; 70 ft duplex 20 ft 5 ft each / 10 ft total 15 ft 20 ft”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Base zoning districts inside Exira city limits; coverage standards are in Table 3b of Chapter 25.

  • Only the statement that coverage standards exist in Table 3b was read; the numeric coverage limits were not read.

  “table 3b. height, coverage, and district notes. 185 2026 city of exira code of ordinances dist. max height max lot coverage ar 40 ft 30%”

• Building heightSpecified

  Base zoning districts inside Exira city limits; height standards are in Table 3b of Chapter 25.

  • Only the statement that height standards exist in Table 3b was read; the numeric height limits were not read.

  “table 3b. height, coverage, and district notes. 185 2026 city of exira code of ordinances dist. max height max lot coverage ar 40 ft 30%”

• Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)

  On-site sewage disposal proposed within a subdivision inside Exira city limits. The city requires the permit; the permit is issued by county or Iowa DNR.

  • Subdivision context only; single-lot septic authority was not read.
  • Named permit issuers in the city's text: the appropriate county or the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

  “in situations of on-site sewage disposal, the sub-divider shall provide to the city appropriate permits issued by the appropriate county or the iowa department of natural resources.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  Lots created by a subdivision inside Exira city limits. This is the only sewer-connection rule read; it does not establish whether a single new home on an existing lot must connect.

  • Applies where sewer is available to the subdivision under the city's standards; the chapter 21 sanitary sewer utility section was not read.
  • Where existing sewer outlets are not within reasonable distance, private facilities or septic tanks may be permissible as a temporary measure pending future sewer service.

  “where existing sewer outlets are not within reasonable distance, installation of private sewer facilities or septic tanks may be permissible as a temporary measure pending future sewer service.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Creation of subdivisions inside Exira city limits (Chapter 27, Subdivision Regulations).

  • Requirements apply to the sub-divider; the Chapter 27 improvement sections read were 27.19.2 to 27.19.5.

  “the sub-divider shall construct sanitary sewers according to the standards and specifications of the city, and provide a connection for each lot to the sanitary sewer.”

• Permit processPartial

  Permits administered by the City of Exira.

  • The city forms page lists a building permit form, but the forms page does not describe the review steps; it is a services and forms list, not a requirement.

  “building permit golf cart permit utility billing account closure request”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Building permit requirement for new dwellings inside Exira city limits.
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Exira city limits.
• Building code adopted — Building code adoption inside Exira city limits.
• Inspections — Building inspection inside Exira city limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy inside Exira 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.