Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Sully, Iowa

Sully’s own rules

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Change of use of any building or part of a building inside Sully city

  • The certificate is issued by the building inspector/zoning administrator.
  • The certificate requirement is quoted for change of use; occupancy of a newly erected or altered building is governed by section 165.07(1) and (2), which were not read.
  • Also applies to all nonconforming uses under the same section.

  “no change of use shall be made in any building or part thereof until a certificate of occupancy has been issued by the building inspector/zoning administrator.”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Sully city limits (Jasper County), under the city's zoning regulations, chapter 165

  • Commercial/industrial district legal descriptions in 165.03 name Jasper County, confirming the same-name check.
  • The compiled code shows no adoption or effective date for chapter 165; effective date not stated.
  • Territory annexed later is classified residential until changed by amendment (165.03(3)).

  “165.03 establishment of districts. the city is hereby divided into residential districts and commercial and/or industrial districts, as follows:”

• Zoning districtsPartial

  Zoning districts inside Sully city limits

  • The code defines two classes: residential (everything not designated commercial or industrial) and commercial/industrial (listed by legal description).
  • No district map was opened; individual commercial and industrial parcels are listed only by legal description.

  “1. residential. the residential districts include all of the areas within the corporate limits which are not specifically designated as commercial or industrial districts.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Lots in the residential districts of Sully city (the main single-family/residential district; the code has no separate agricultural or rural-residential district)

  • The text of an exception for lots of official record before the chapter's effective date is cut off in the captured text and was not read.
  • One dwelling per lot: there shall be no more than one dwelling placed on a lot.

  minimum lot area: >= 6400 square feet (lots of official record before the chapter effective date (exception text not read)) · minimum lot width: >= 60 feet

  “lot areas shall be not less than six thousand four hundred (6400) square feet and lot width not less than sixty (60) feet.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Main buildings in the residential districts of Sully city

  • Corner lots: side yard adjoining the street must be at least 25 feet.
  • Accessory buildings may be located only in rear yards, at least 2 feet from any lot line and 25 feet from any street line (165.08(6)).
  • Commercial property: 10-foot front yard setback (165.09(5)), not covered here.

  front yard depth: >= 25 feet · interior side yard width: >= 5 feet (corner lots: 25 feet on the side adjoining the street) · rear yard depth: >= 15 feet

  “b. each side yard width five (5) feet except that on corner lots the side yard adjoining the street shall have a width of not less than twenty-five (25) feet.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Lots in the residential districts of Sully city, including accessory buildings

  • Computed on the combined area if more than one lot is used.

  maximum lot coverage by all buildings and structures: <= 40 percent of lot area

  “4. percentage of lot covered by buildings, dwellings and other structures. all dwellings or other structures, including accessory building, shall not cover more than forty percent (40%) of the area of the lot.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Dwellings and structures in the residential districts of Sully city

  • Excluded from the height limit: water tanks and utility poles, church steeples, television antennas, flagpoles, and chimneys or smoke stacks of schools, colleges, universities and sanitariums.
  • Commercial districts allow up to 50 feet (165.09(3)), not covered here.

  maximum building height: <= 40 feet (excluded items listed in conditions) · maximum stories: <= 3 stories

  “2. height of buildings. no dwelling or structure shall be erected to exceed the height of forty (40) feet or to exceed three (3) stories, except as hereinafter provided.”

• Manufactured homesProhibited

  House trailers and mobile homes in residential districts inside Sully city

  • The ban is limited to residential districts; the commercial district section 165.09(1)(g) covers mobile home parks, but its text was cut off in the captured page and was not read.
  • Chapter 146 (manufactured and mobile homes) was indexed but not opened.

  “i. house trailers, mobile homes, etc. shall not be permitted in residential districts. [see section 165.09(1)(g)]”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

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

  • Connection is required only where the public sewer is within 150 feet of the property line and can convey sewage by gravity.
  • Compliance is due within 18 months after official notice from the city.
  • Connection must be made by a state-licensed plumber and requires a city permit (96.01, 96.03).
  • Connection requires inspection and written approval by the superintendent before backfill (96.09).
  • Water connection rules (chapter 90) were not opened; water connection is not established here.

  distance to public sewer: <= 150 feet (from property line; sewer must convey by gravity)

  “such compliance to be completed within eighteen (18) months after date of official notice from the city to do so provided that said public sewer is located within one hundred fifty (150) 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)

  Subdivision of land inside Sully city limits, under chapter 170 of the city code

  • Chapter 170 text (plat approval, required plat information, design standards, variations) was not opened; the requirements are listed in the index only.

  “building and land use regulations see zoning regulations ch. 165 and subdivision regulations ch. 170”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Sewer connection permits in Sully city

  • The charge is set by council resolution, not in the code; the resolution amount was not found.

  “before any permit is issued, the person who makes the application shall pay a connection charge in an amount determined by resolution of the council.”

• Permit processPartial

  Sewer connection permits in Sully city (building sewer to public sewer)

  • Written permit from the city required before any connection, and the application must describe the property and purpose.
  • The owner must complete the connection within 60 days after permit issue, with extensions possible for hardship.
  • Building permit and zoning permit processes (165.12) were not read.

  “the application for the permit shall set forth the location and description of the property to be connected with the sewer system and the purpose for which the sewer is to be used”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — New construction inside Sully city
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction inside Sully city
• Building code adopted — Adoption of a building code inside Sully city
• Inspections — Building inspection of new construction inside Sully city
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling floor area inside Sully 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.