Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Bloomfield, Iowa

Bloomfield’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Bloomfield city limits, Davis County, Iowa.

  • Chapter 165 applies district regulations and incorporates the Official Zoning Map.

  “For the purpose of this chapter, the following seven (7) classes of districts are hereby established within the City as shown on the Official Zoning Map which, together with any explanatory matter thereon, is hereby adopted by reference and declared to be a part a this chapter.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  On-site sewage disposal inside Bloomfield city limits where public sanitary sewer is unavailable.

  • An approved on-site system is required where public sanitary sewer is unavailable.
  • System specifications must comply with Iowa Administrative Code 567, Chapter 69 and County Board of Health regulations.
  • The City code generally prohibits on-site wastewater systems except as otherwise provided.
  • When public sewer becomes available, direct connection and abandonment of the on-site system are required.

  “an approved on-site wastewater treatment and disposal system”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  Property inside Bloomfield city limits served by an on-site wastewater system when public sewer becomes available.

  • The direct connection must comply with the City's sanitary-sewer chapters; the on-site system must be abandoned and filled with suitable material.

  “a direct connection shall be made to the public sewer”

• Permit processPartial

  Public-sewer connection permits inside Bloomfield city limits.

  • The application must state property location, property description, and intended sewer use, and include pertinent plans, specifications, or other information.
  • The permit generally requires completion within 60 days; the City may grant an extension for conditions beyond the owner's control or peculiar hardship.
  • The sewer connection permit may be revoked for violation of the sanitary-sewer chapters.

  sewer connection charge: 100 USD (Charge reimburses City costs of making sewer service available.) · completion deadline after permit issuance: 60 days (Extension may be granted for conditions beyond the owner's control or peculiar hardship.)

  “The permit shall require the owner to complete construction and connection [...] within sixty (60) days after the issuance of the permit”

Rules another office applies inside Bloomfield

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

• Living in an RVProhibited

  Use of trailers for dwelling purposes in the R-1 Single-Family Residence District inside Bloomfield city limits.

  • This claim is limited to R-1; other districts were not fully reviewed.

  “Single-family dwellings. No temporary buildings, trailers or mobile homes, tents, portable or potentially portable structures shall be used for dwelling purposes.”

• Camping on your landProhibited

  Use of tents for dwelling purposes in the R-1 Single-Family Residence District inside Bloomfield city limits.

  • This claim is limited to R-1; other districts were not fully reviewed.

  “Single-family dwellings. No temporary buildings, trailers or mobile homes, tents, portable or potentially portable structures shall be used for dwelling purposes.”

• Tiny homesProhibited

  Portable or potentially portable structures used for dwelling purposes in the R-1 Single-Family Residence District inside Bloomfield city limits.

  • This claim concerns portable or potentially portable tiny-home structures and is limited to R-1; treatment of permanently constructed small dwellings was not fully reviewed.

  “portable or potentially portable structures”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory apartment use in the R-1 Single-Family Residence District inside Bloomfield city limits.

  • An R-1 private garage may include one dwelling-unit apartment only if there is no apartment in the principal dwelling.

  “may include a one dwelling unit apartment”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  On-site wastewater systems inside Bloomfield city limits.

  • The system type, capacity, location, and layout must comply with Iowa Administrative Code 567, Chapter 69 and additional County Board of Health requirements.

  “The type, capacity, location and layout of a private on-site wastewater treatment and disposal system shall comply with the specifications and requirements set forth by the Iowa Administrative Code 567, Chapter 69, and with such additional requirements as are prescribed by the regulations of the County Board of Health.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Installation or alteration of an on-site wastewater treatment and disposal system inside Bloomfield city limits.

  “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 Bloomfield or Davis County directly.

• Building permit — General residential building construction inside Bloomfield city limits.
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders constructing inside Bloomfield city limits.
• Building code adopted — Building-code adoption for construction inside Bloomfield city limits.
• Inspections — General residential building inspections inside Bloomfield city limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy for structures inside Bloomfield 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.