Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Sherrill, Iowa

Rules another office applies inside Sherrill

Sherrill 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)

  Private sewage disposal systems on land inside Sherrill city limits (Dubuque County, Iowa). The administrative authority is the state department or the local county board of health.

  • Dubuque County board of health's own rules, fees and permit forms were not located; the county health department site did not resolve.

  “"administrative authority" means the department or the local county board of health as authorized by iowa code section 455b.172 and chapter 137.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Installing or altering a private sewage disposal system on land inside Sherrill city limits

  • Construction may proceed only after a construction permit issued by the administrative authority is obtained.
  • Repairs that do not change the treatment or disposal of the waste are not considered alterations (567-69.1(3)b).

  “no psds shall be installed or altered as described in 69.1(3) "b" unless a construction permit issued by the administrative authority is obtained prior to construction.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Newly constructed private sewage disposal systems on land inside Sherrill city limits

  • Inspection is by the administrative authority before the system is backfilled; the rule also requires an as-built drawing kept on file with the construction permit.

  “the administrative authority shall conduct an at-location inspection of all newly constructed psdss before the system is backfilled.”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  New or repaired private sewage disposal systems on land inside Sherrill city limits. Sherrill city's own sewer-connection ordinance was not located.

  • A potw may be considered unavailable when the potw, or any building or exterior drainage facility connected to it, is more than 200 feet from any proposed building or exterior drainage facility on a lot that abuts and is served by a potw (567-69.1(3)a(1)); final availability is determined by the administrative authority.
  • When a potw becomes available within 200 feet, any building then served by a private system must be connected within a time frame and under conditions set by the administrative authority (567-69.1(3)a(2)).
  • A local ordinance requiring connection also triggers the bar (567-69.1(3)a(1)); no Sherrill city ordinance was found to confirm one.
  • The captured official copy's header lists a chapter rescission date of 7/12/31 pursuant to Iowa Code 17A.7; its meaning was not verified and this claim does not rely on it.

  public sewer availability distance: 200 feet (measured to a proposed building or exterior drainage facility on a lot that abuts and is served by a potw)

  “no psds shall be installed, repaired, or rehabilitated where a publicly owned treatment works (potw) is available or where a local ordinance requires connection to a potw.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — New construction inside Sherrill city limits
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder rules inside Sherrill city limits
• Building code adopted — Land inside Sherrill city limits
• Inspections — Building (non-septic) inspections inside Sherrill city limits
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy certificates inside Sherrill 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.