Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Colfax, Iowa

Colfax’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Erecting, constructing, enlarging, moving, removing, converting or demolishing any building or structure inside Colfax city limits

  • The owner of the property must apply for the zoning/building permit.
  • No zoning/building permit is issued except in conformity with chapter 165, or after written order from the board of adjustment.
  • Permit fees are set by city council resolution (not in the code text).

  “no building or structure shall be erected, constructed, enlarged, moved, removed, converted, or demolished unless a separate permit for each building or structure has first been obtained from the zoning administrator. the owner of the property must apply for the zoning/building permit.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction, alteration and repair of buildings inside Colfax city limits

  • 155.10 adopts the international property maintenance code, 2018 edition, as published by the international code council, subject to city amendments.
  • The edition of the building, residential, mechanical, fuel gas, plumbing, electrical, fire, energy and existing building codes (155.03 through 155.09 and 155.11 through 155.12) was not opened in this pass.

  “155.02 adoption of building codes. the following codes are hereby adopted as, and constitute, the building codes of the city of colfax, iowa, to regulate the erection, construction, enlargement, alteration, repair, moving,”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside the limits of Colfax city, Iowa; the city's own zoning ordinance (Code chapter 165) governs use and bulk rules there.

  • 165.50: a zoning administrator designated by the city council administers and enforces chapter 165.
  • 165.03: the district regulations are minimum regulations applied uniformly within each district.
  • The chapter sets 165.20 districts established, including AG, CN, RS, RM, MH, AC, BC, LI and AX districts (per the chapter table of contents).

  “a zoning administrator designated by the city council shall administer and enforce this chapter.”

• Zoning districtsPartial

  Zoning districts of Colfax city, Iowa (the official zoning map is adopted by reference)

  • Districts named in the code: AG, CN, RS, RM, MH, AC, BC, LI and AX (per the chapter 165 table of contents).
  • The official zoning map referenced in section 165.04 was not opened.

  “these districts are established as identified on the official zoning map which, together with all explanatory matters thereon, is hereby adopted by reference and declared to be part of this chapter.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Main single-family residential lots in the RS residential single-family district inside Colfax city limits (table rows 5 rs and 10 rs)

  • The 5 rs row applies to existing lots of record at the time of adoption of chapter 165 (asterisk note in the table).
  • Lot width minimums are 40 feet (5 rs row) and 75 feet (10 rs row).

  minimum lot area, 5 rs row: >= 5000 square feet (applies to existing lots of record at the time of adoption) · minimum lot area, 10 rs row: >= 10000 square feet

  “5 rs* 5,000 40 20 6 20 2½ stories or 35 feet 10 rs 10,000 75 25 8 35 2½ stories or 35 feet *applies to existing lots of record at the time of adoption of this chapter.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Main single-family residential lots in the RS residential single-family district inside Colfax city limits (table rows 5 rs and 10 rs)

  • Table rows apply as printed; the 5 rs row applies to existing lots of record at the time of adoption of chapter 165.
  • Fences and projections in the district are governed by other chapter 165 provisions and were not analyzed.

  minimum front yard, 5 rs row: >= 20 feet (applies to existing lots of record at the time of adoption) · minimum front yard, 10 rs row: >= 25 feet · minimum side yard, 5 rs row: >= 6 feet (applies to existing lots of record at the time of adoption) · minimum side yard, 10 rs row: >= 8 feet · minimum rear yard, 5 rs row: >= 20 feet (applies to existing lots of record at the time of adoption) · minimum rear yard, 10 rs row: >= 35 feet

  “5 rs* 5,000 40 20 6 20 2½ stories or 35 feet 10 rs 10,000 75 25 8 35 2½ stories or 35 feet”

• Building heightSpecified

  Principal buildings in the RS residential single-family district inside Colfax city limits (table rows 5 rs and 10 rs)

  • Height limit is stated as the lesser of the two values in the table row.
  • Chimneys, steeples, water towers and similar appurtenances are exempt from the height rules in sections 165.22 through 165.36 (chapter 165 supplementary text).

  maximum height, stories: <= 2.5 stories (lesser of stories or feet) · maximum height: <= 35 feet (lesser of stories or feet)

  “6. height limits. chimneys, church steeples, cooling towers, elevator bulkheads, fire towers, monuments, stacks, tank, water towers, or necessary mechanical appurtenances are exempt from height regulations in sections 165.22 through 165.36.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Non-sewered privies, septic tanks, cesspools and similar disposal facilities inside Colfax city limits

  • 95.04 is titled prohibited acts and lists privy, privy vault, septic tank and cesspool disposal facilities as prohibited 'except as provided in these chapters'.
  • The verb governing the list was cut off in the extracted text; the exact prohibition wording and any exceptions in chapter 123 were not verified, so the value is limited rather than prohibited.

  “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 and buildings used for human occupancy inside Colfax city limits that abut a street or right-of-way with a public sanitary or combined sewer

  • The owner must install suitable toilet facilities and a building sewer connecting directly with the proper public sewer, at the owner's expense.
  • 96.01 (sewer connection permit, Chapter 96): the permit requires the owner to complete construction and connection of the building sewer to the public sewer within 60 days after the issuance of the permit, extendable for conditions beyond the owner's control or peculiar hardship.
  • No water-service connection requirement was located in the passages opened.

  sewer main tap permit fee: 25 USD (for a new main tap, paid to the clerk for issuing the permit) · sewer main tap inspection fee: 75 USD (for inspecting the work) · sewer connection charge for new main taps: 500 USD (paid before permit issuance to reimburse city costs of making sewer service available)

  “95.05 sewer connection required. (code of iowa, sec. 364.12[3f]) (iac, 567-69.1[3]) 1. the owners of any houses, buildings, or properties used for human occupancy, employment, recreation or other purposes, situated within the city and abutting on”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Platting and subdividing land inside Colfax city limits

  • Chapter 170 subdivision regulations apply; subdivider pays for required public improvements, including sanitary sewer systems that connect to an approved outlet.
  • Full platting procedure in chapter 170 was not opened.

  “the subdivider shall at his or her expense provide the subdivision with a complete sanitary sewer system”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Sewer main tap and connection fees only, under Code chapter 96; building and zoning permit fees are not in the code text and are set by council resolution

  • Fees listed apply to new main taps; the zoning/building permit fee schedule is set by city council resolution (165.51) and was not located.
  • The fee figures were taken from the code text as printed in the July 2022 supplement.

  sewer main tap permit fee: 25 USD (new main tap) · sewer main tap inspection fee: 75 USD (inspecting the work) · sewer connection charge: 500 USD (new main taps)

  “96.02 permit fee and connection charge for new main taps. before any permit is issued, the person who makes the application shall pay $25.00 to the clerk to cover the cost of issuing the permit for a new main tap, supervising and regulating, and a $75.00 fee for inspecting the work. in addition, there shall be a connection charge in the amount of $500.00 paid before issuance of a permit to reimburse the city for costs borne by the city”

• Permit processPartial

  Zoning/building permit application process inside Colfax city limits

  • The owner of the property must apply for the zoning/building permit.
  • No permit is issued except in conformity with chapter 165 or after written order from the board of adjustment.
  • The expiration clause and any application forms were not captured in full; the process is described only in outline.

  “zoning/building permits shall be applied for with the city clerk and shall be approved by the zoning administrator and shall expire two years after the date of issuance if work is begun within one year of issuance or after one year if no substantial beginning of construction has occurred.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction inside Colfax city limits
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Colfax city limits
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy for new homes inside Colfax city limits
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum floor area for a dwelling inside Colfax city limits
• Lot coverage — Lot coverage limits inside Colfax 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.