Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Winthrop, Iowa

Winthrop’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Erection, reconstruction, or alteration of buildings, fences and tree planting inside Winthrop city (R-1 district), issued by the city

  • Permit void if construction is not started within 90 days of issuance.
  • No permit is needed for an unenclosed porch, deck or outside stair; a remodel that does not enlarge the structure; small playhouses, tents, dog and pet houses under 100 square feet; interior remodels; repairs not enlarging the structure; or parking an RV on the owner's premises when not used as a dwelling.
  • Permit is not issued for buildings or fences that do not comply with city ordinances.
  • Special permit (public hearing before city council) is required for uses not listed as permitted, and for any waiver or exception.

  permit void if construction not started within: 90 days

  “no building footprint, area, size or fence shall hereafter be altered or improved; or tree planted, unless a restricted residence permit, provided by the building official, considered by the city council, and signed by the mayor has been approved for each erection, reconstruction, or alteration.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  New buildings and changes in use or occupancy inside Winthrop city, issued by the building official (mayor)

  • Certificate of occupancy is not issued for uses that do not comply with city ordinances.
  • No fee for a certificate of occupancy.

  “nor shall any new building be occupied for any purpose or use until a certificate of occupancy has been issued by the building official.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  All land inside Winthrop city limits (Buchanan County, Iowa). The city administers its own Restricted Residence District zoning ordinance, Chapter 155.

  • Only the R-1 restricted residence district is regulated; land in the N-R non-residential classification is not regulated by Chapter 155.
  • Land annexed into the city is automatically classified R-1 until changed by amendment.
  • Chapter 155 cross-references Chapter 125 for mobile home parks; the current code places manufactured and mobile home rules in Chapter 146.

  “this chapter shall be known as the restricted residence district ordinance for the city of winthrop, iowa.”

• Zoning districtsPartial

  Land inside Winthrop city limits. The city map has two classes: R-1 restricted residence (regulated) and N-R non-residential (not regulated by Chapter 155).

  • The official map is maintained at city hall; the text of Chapter 155 is online but the map image was not located as a published online document.
  • Dimensional rules in this record apply only to the R-1 district.

  “the official restricted residence district map is hereby made part of this ordinance and is maintained at city hall.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Dwelling units in the R-1 restricted residence district, Winthrop city

  • Dwelling units must have full walls separating them from the rest of the structure.
  • Porches, porticoes and entryways are excluded from the square footage calculation.
  • All dwellings must be at least 19 feet wide (Chapter 155.05).

  minimum floor area, single-story dwelling unit: >= 1000 square feet (porches, porticoes and entryways excluded) · minimum floor area, two-story dwelling unit: >= 1400 square feet (porches, porticoes and entryways excluded) · minimum dwelling width: >= 19 feet

  “dwelling unit-minimum square footage: all dwelling units must contain full walls separating it from the remaining structure and must be a minimum of: single story (1,000 square feet.), two story (1,400 square feet).”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  R-1 restricted residence district, Winthrop city (the only district regulated by Chapter 155)

  • Lots of record that are substandard may hold one single-family dwelling regardless of size (Chapter 155.05 non-conforming lots, lots of record), if all other requirements are met.
  • Two or more vacant contiguous substandard recorded lots in common ownership must be combined.

  lot area, one family dwelling: 8000 square feet (lots of record may be built on regardless of size) · lot area, two family dwelling: 8000 square feet · lot area, multiple family or other permitted use: 10000 square feet · lot width, one or two family dwelling: 66 feet

  “lot area: one family dwelling - 8,000 square feet. two family dwelling - 8,000 square feet. multiple family or other permitted use - 10,000 square feet.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  R-1 restricted residence district, Winthrop city; principal and accessory buildings

  • Schools and churches are exempt from front yard setback requirements.
  • Accessory buildings are not allowed in front yards.
  • On lots of record the average setback of adjacent dwellings may be used for the front yard.
  • Lots abutting two or more streets have a 20-foot side yard from the side street lot line.
  • Accessory building must be unattached and at least 5 feet from the principal building, exterior wall to exterior wall.
  • No fence, wall, retaining wall, or unenclosed deck closer than 1 foot from a lot line (Chapter 155.05).

  front yard setback: 20 feet (average of adjacent dwellings may be used on lots of record) · side yard setback: 5 feet (20 feet from side street lot line on corner lots) · rear yard setback: 5 feet · accessory building setback from principal building: >= 5 feet · fence, wall or unenclosed deck from lot line: >= 1 feet

  “side yards: five (5) foot setback for all principally permitted uses, measured from the exterior wall”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  R-1 restricted residence district, Winthrop city; all buildings on one lot

  • Covers the dwelling plus all accessory buildings on one lot.

  maximum building coverage, dwelling plus accessory buildings: <= 50 percent of lot area

  “maximum building coverage: the sum of the dwelling and all accessory buildings square footage, located on any one lot, shall not exceed fifty (50) percent of the lot's total square footage.”

• Building heightSpecified

  R-1 restricted residence district, Winthrop city

  • Height is measured from final grade to the highest point of a wall (accessory buildings also have a roof limit).

  principal building maximum height: <= 45 feet · principal building maximum stories: <= 4 stories · accessory building maximum wall height: <= 10 feet · accessory building maximum roof height: <= 20 feet · accessory building maximum stories: <= 1 stories

  “maximum height: principal building - 45 feet, measured from the final grade to the highest point of a wall.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Recreational vehicles on private land inside Winthrop city

  • Parking an RV on the owner's premises is exempt from the restricted residence permit only when it is not regularly used as a dwelling unit.
  • Temporary dwelling during construction or after a natural disaster is allowed for up to one year, then must be removed within 30 days (Chapter 155.05(1)(k)).
  • The 1-dwelling-per-premises rule still applies.

  “parking of recreational vehicles on the owner's premises and not regularly used as a dwelling unit when so parked.”

• Tiny homesLimited

  Small dwellings (tiny homes) used as a residence inside Winthrop city

  • The minimum dwelling size and width rules in Chapter 155 apply to any dwelling.
  • Tiny homes that do not meet the minimum floor area cannot be occupied as a permanent dwelling; a temporary dwelling is allowed only during construction or after a disaster.

  minimum floor area, single-story dwelling unit: >= 1000 square feet

  “dwelling unit-minimum square footage: all dwelling units must contain full walls separating it from the remaining structure and must be a minimum of: single story (1,000 square feet.), two story (1,400 square feet).”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured or mobile homes located outside a manufactured home community or mobile home park inside Winthrop city

  • Such a home must be placed on a permanent foundation to be converted to real estate, unless an exception applies.
  • All dwellings must be placed on a permanent foundation and attached to the real estate, with skirting approved by council and wheels, tires and tongue removed (Chapter 155.05).
  • Manufactured home communities and parks must meet zoning and state requirements and may be established as R-1 principal uses.

  “all dwellings must be placed on a permanent foundation and be attached to the real estate on which they are erected or located.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  A second dwelling unit on a lot inside Winthrop city (R-1 district)

  • Only one single-family dwelling is allowed per premises.
  • Accessory buildings customarily used with a dwelling, such as a guest or summer house, are allowed as accessory uses; they cannot be used for a separate business.
  • Accessory buildings must be unattached and sit in the rear yard.

  single-family dwellings per premises: 1 count

  “there shall be no more than one (1) single family dwelling erected or located on the same premises.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Sewage disposal for a building inside Winthrop city where no public sanitary sewer is available

  • Any on-site system must be approved and comply with Chapter 98 and county board of health rules.
  • Outside that case, constructing or maintaining an on-site or other sewage disposal facility is unlawful (Chapter 98.01), so privies and cesspools are not an allowed substitute.

  “except as otherwise provided in this chapter, it is unlawful to construct or maintain any on-site wastewater treatment and disposal system or other facility intended or used for the disposal of sewage.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  Properties inside Winthrop city abutting a street with a public sanitary or combined sewer

  • Connection is required within 30 days after official notice from the city, provided the public sewer is within 200 feet of the property line and can convey sewage by gravity.
  • Billing begins on the date of official notice to connect.
  • Where no public sewer is available, an approved on-site system is required (Chapter 98.02).

  distance from property line to public sewer: <= 200 feet · connection deadline after official notice: 30 days

  “such compliance to be completed within 30 days after date of official notice from the city to do so provided that said public sewer is located within 200 feet of the property line of such owner and is of such design as to receive and convey by gravity such sewage as may be conveyed to it.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Platting and subdivision of land inside Winthrop city

  • Procedural guidelines for subdivision platting and preliminary and final plat checklists are attached to the code.
  • Chapter 160 full text was not opened.

  “chapter 160 - subdivision regulations 601”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Restricted residence permit and special permit fees inside Winthrop city

  • Fee for a permit under 100 square feet or for a tree is zero.
  • Certificate of occupancy has no fee.
  • Special permit application fee is non-refundable $50 (Chapter 155.08(5)).

  restricted residence permit fee (improvement 100 sq ft or larger): 25 USD (no fee under 100 square feet or for a tree) · special permit application fee: 50 USD

  “said fee shall be twenty-five dollars ($25) if the size of the proposed improvement is one hundred (100) square feet or larger in size.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Permit application for buildings, fences and tree planting inside Winthrop city

  • Applications are in writing on the building official's form with plans and specifications.
  • Special permits require at least 21 days' notice before the council meeting and a public hearing with 4 to 20 days' newspaper notice.
  • The mayor is the building official.

  “the mayor of winthrop shall be the building official and be responsible for the administration and enforcement of this ordinance.”

Rules another office applies inside Winthrop

Winthrop does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)

  On-site wastewater systems inside Winthrop city where no public sanitary sewer is available. The city runs the public sewer; the Buchanan County board of health issues on-site permits.

  • Public sewer connection is governed by the city (Chapter 95); on-site systems are governed by the county board of health (Chapter 98).

  “no person shall install or alter an on-site wastewater treatment and disposal system without first obtaining a permit from the county board of health.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Installing or altering an on-site wastewater treatment and disposal system inside Winthrop city

  • Compliance with Iowa Administrative Code 567 chapter 69 and any county board of health rules (Chapter 98.03).
  • Required only where no public sanitary sewer is available under Chapter 95.05.

  “no person shall install or alter an on-site wastewater treatment and disposal system without first obtaining a permit from the county board of health.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit exemption inside Winthrop city
• Building code adopted — Construction standards inside Winthrop city
• Inspections — Inspections of new construction inside Winthrop city
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Winthrop city
• Septic inspection — Inspection of on-site wastewater systems inside Winthrop city

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.