Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Allison, Iowa

Allison’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Buildings and additions inside the city's fire limits (downtown area defined in section 148.01 along Main Street)

  • Plans must be submitted to the council and a building permit granted by at least four council members voting in favor.
  • Section 148.03 requires noncombustible exterior walls and roofs for buildings or additions in the fire limits.

  “no person shall build, erect or place any building or any addition to any building in the fire limits as described in section 148.01 without first having submitted plans and specifications of such building or additions thereto, to the council and having obtained a building permit for the same”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Required — Construction, addition or relocation of any building or structure, including accessory buildings and fences, inside Allison city limits

    “no person shall construct any building or structure, including accessory buildings and fences, or add to any existing buildings or relocate any building already constructed without first obtaining a permit from the public works director of the city.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Allison city limits in the restricted residence district the city established in its code (the entire platted area except the B-1 district, plus the extensions described in section 155.03).

  • Section 155.01 states there shall be no use in the restricted residence district except residences, schoolhouses, churches and similar structures, unless a special permit is granted under the chapter.
  • Section 155.04 requires a council special permit before other buildings or structures are erected, reconstructed or occupied in the district.
  • Section 155.05 lets the council issue special permits; written objections from owners of adjacent property within 300 feet require a three-of-five council vote after hearing, and no special permit is granted when 60 percent of residing real estate owners in the district object.
  • No agricultural or rural-residential zoning district was found in the captured text, and no zoning map was captured.
  • Code adopted October 22, 2018 by Ordinance No. 256; the supplement record was not captured, so later amendments are not ruled out.

  “155.03 restricted residence district. the following area is hereby defined and established as a restricted residence district: the entire platted area of the city, except the area zoned b-1”

• Zoning districtsPartial

  Named districts inside Allison city limits: restricted residence district, B-1 central commercial district and B-2 district.

  • The code names the restricted residence district (chapter 155), the B-1 central commercial district (section 155.12) and a B-2 district with use exceptions (section 155.12).
  • No zoning map or complete district schedule was located in the captured code, so the district list is partial.

  “the b-l central commercial district is designed to accommodate the needs of the central business district, allowing a wide range of services and goods permitted”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Lots created in a new subdivision inside Allison city limits under chapter 165 (subdivision regulations). Not a general lot-size rule for existing lots.

  • The 15,000 square foot minimum applies where neither public water supply nor sanitary sewer is accessible to the subdivision.
  • The same design-standards list sets a lower minimum (seven thousand five hundred square feet) where public water is available but sanitary sewer is inaccessible; the opening words of that item were not captured in the search window.
  • The council may lower the area on the city engineer's recommendation if percolation tests show a smaller area is adequate for the septic tank installation.
  • Lot size is not stated as a general district minimum for the restricted residence district in the captured text.

  lot area where neither public water nor sanitary sewer is accessible: >= 15000 square feet (may be lowered on city engineer recommendation with percolation test results)

  “c. where neither public water supply nor sanitary sewer is accessible to the subdivision, lots shall not be less than fifteen thousand square feet in area.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Buildings and structures erected, reconstructed or altered in the restricted residence district inside Allison city limits (single-family residential district).

  • Side setback is five feet from the adjoining side lot line; front setback is twenty feet from the front lot line.
  • Corner lots bordering two or more public streets are treated as having more than one front lot line, each at twenty feet from any lot line adjoining a public street.
  • The council may waive the yard width and alignment requirement by majority vote on application filed with the building permit application.
  • No rear setback figure was found in the captured text.
  • Section 155.09 separately sets a case-by-case setback for fences near alleys or streets, set by the public works director and the council.

  side yard setback: >= 5 feet (measured to adjoining side lot line) · front yard setback: >= 20 feet (measured to front lot line; corner lots 20 feet from each lot line adjoining a public street; council may waive)

  “all buildings or other structures hereafter erected, reconstructed or altered within the restricted residence district shall be placed not closer than five feet to the adjoining side lot line and not closer than twenty feet to the front lot line.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Camping inside city parks only; no rule for camping on private land was located

  • Camping is allowed only in portions of a park prescribed or designated by the council.
  • The city may refuse or rescind camping privileges for cause.
  • Parks are closed between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. except for those camping in designated areas (section 47.05).

  “47.06 camping. no person shall camp in any portion of a park except in portions prescribed or designated by the council, and the city may refuse camping privileges or rescind any and all camping privileges for cause.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile and manufactured homes placed outside a manufactured home community or mobile home park inside Allison city limits

  • The home must be placed on a permanent frost-free foundation system meeting the manufacturer's or state building code's support and anchorage requirements.
  • The foundation must be visually compatible with permanent foundations of surrounding residential structures.
  • The home must be installed under the state building code (section 146.03 cites Iowa Code 103A.10 and 414.28).
  • Section 146.02 converts such a home to real estate when placed on a permanent foundation.

  “a mobile home or manufactured home located outside of a manufactured home community or mobile home park shall be placed on a permanent frost-free foundation system”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Privy, septic tank, cesspool or other sewage disposal facility inside Allison city limits

  • The construction or maintenance of such facilities is barred except as provided in the code chapters; the exceptions were not located in the captured text.
  • Where public sewer is within 100 feet of the property line, connection is required (see sewer claim).

  “5. septic tanks. construct or maintain any privy, privy vault, septic tank, cesspool, or other facility intended or used for the disposal of sewage except as provided in these chapters.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  Houses, buildings and properties used for human occupancy inside Allison city limits that abut a street, alley or right-of-way with a public sanitary or combined sewer

  • Connection is required only if the public sewer is within 100 feet of the owner's property line.
  • Compliance is due within 60 days after the city's official notice to connect.
  • Section 95.07 provides a process for a required sewer connection notice, hearing and city-made connection with costs assessed (forms in the appendix).

  distance from public sewer to property line: <= 100 feet (connection required only when the public sewer is within this distance)

  “provided that said public sewer is located within 100 feet of the property line of such owner”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Water (with conditions) — Residences and business establishments inside Allison city limits that are intended or used for human habitation, occupancy or use

    “90.03 mandatory connections. all residences and business establishments within the city limits intended or used for human habitation, occupancy or use shall be connected to the public water system, if it is reasonably available”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision of land inside Allison city limits

  • Before a final plat is approved and recorded, the subdivider must install the required improvements or enter into a contract for them.
  • Subdivisions must meet design standards including lot area minimums (see minimum lot size claim).

  “before the final plat of any subdivision shall be approved and recorded, the subdivider shall make and install the improvements described in this section.”

• Permit processPartial

  Building permit process inside Allison city limits

  • Permit application goes to the public works director (section 155.02).
  • Special permits in the restricted residence district are decided by council after published notice and a possible hearing (sections 155.05 to 155.07).
  • Application forms, timelines and inspection steps were not located in the captured text.

  “no person shall construct any building or structure, including accessory buildings and fences, or add to any existing buildings or relocate any building already constructed without first obtaining a permit from the public works director of the city.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit exemption inside Allison city limits
• Building code adopted — Which building code applies to construction inside Allison city limits
• Inspections — Building inspections for new construction inside Allison city limits
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new dwellings inside Allison city limits
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum floor area for a dwelling inside Allison 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.