Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Shueyville, Iowa

Shueyville’s own rules

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  New construction and alterations inside Shueyville city limits

  • The city adopts the 2021 International Building Code (with Appendix K) and 2021 International Residential Code (with Appendices F and J), the Iowa State Electrical Code (IAC 661-504), the Iowa State Mechanical Code (IAC 641-61) and the Iowa State Plumbing Code (IAC 641-25), with the city's amendments, collectively known as the Johnson County building code.
  • Chapter 155 says the city is adopting Johnson County ordinance no. 12-16-21-02 (amending the Johnson County unified development ordinance).

  “are hereby adopted and along with said amendments shall be known collectively as the johnson county building code or the building code.”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Shueyville city limits (City of Shueyville, Johnson County, Iowa)

  • Zoning ordinance is Chapter 165 of the city code; it governs only land inside the city, not the Johnson County unincorporated area.
  • Identity check: the code names Johnson County, Iowa as the county (definition of 'county') and the city's zoning chapter is the city's own code, not a county ordinance.

  “this chapter shall be known and may be cited as "the city of shueyville, iowa, zoning ordinance."”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Land inside Shueyville city limits

  • The official zoning map is on file with the city clerk; the text names districts R-1, R-2, R-3, RPUD, C-1, C-2, I, A and P. The map itself was not opened, so parcel-level district assignments are not stated here.

  “the areas designated and shown on the zoning map of the city, a certified copy of which is on file in the office of the clerk, shall be zoned class r-1.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Single-family house in the R-1 single-family residential district inside Shueyville city limits

  • Multi-story dwelling minimum 1,500 square feet of floor area living space; one-story minimum 1,200 square feet of living space.

  minimum living space, one-story dwelling: >= 1200 square feet · minimum floor area living space, multi-story dwelling: >= 1500 square feet

  “no house shall be built having less than 1,500 square feet of floor area living space in a multi-story dwelling, nor less than 1,200 square feet of living space in a one-story dwelling.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Dwelling in the class A agricultural district inside Shueyville city limits

    “no house shall be built having less than 1,500 square feet of floor area living space in a multi-story dwelling, or less than 1,200 square feet of living space in a one-story dwelling.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Dwelling in the class A agricultural district inside Shueyville city limits

  • The text says lot area 'should be' not less than one acre (a guideline wording in the source); recorded as written.

  minimum lot area: >= 1 acre · minimum lot width: >= 100 feet

  “lot area should be not less than one acre and lot width shall be not less than 100 feet.”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — Single-family dwelling in the R-1 single-family residential district inside Shueyville city limits

    “singlefamily dwelling 1 acre 100 feet (w) 100 feet (d) 30 feet 20 feet 30 feet 2½ stories or 37.5 feet”

  • Specified — Single-family dwelling in the R-2 old town single-family residential district inside Shueyville city limits

    “singlefamily dwelling 6,000 square feet 50 feet (w) 100 feet (d) 30 feet 10 feet 30 feet 2½ stories or 37.5 feet”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Dwelling in the class A agricultural district inside Shueyville city limits

  • Other structures in the A district: 50-foot front and rear and 30-foot side yards (item 7.c, non-dwelling structures).

  minimum front yard, dwelling: >= 30 feet · minimum side yard, dwelling (each side): >= 20 feet · minimum rear yard, dwelling: >= 30 feet

  “every dwelling in any class a district shall be required to have a front and rear yard with a minimum of 30 feet before any structure may be erected, and a side yard on each side with a minimum of 20 feet before any structure may be erected.”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — Single-family dwelling in the R-1 single-family residential district inside Shueyville city limits

    “singlefamily dwelling 1 acre 100 feet (w) 100 feet (d) 30 feet 20 feet 30 feet 2½ stories or 37.5 feet”

  • Specified — Single-family dwelling in the R-2 old town single-family residential district inside Shueyville city limits

    “singlefamily dwelling 6,000 square feet 50 feet (w) 100 feet (d) 30 feet 10 feet 30 feet 2½ stories or 37.5 feet”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Lots in the R-1 single-family residential district inside Shueyville city limits

  • If more than one lot is used, the percentage is computed on the combined size of the lots.

  maximum lot coverage, dwellings, accessory buildings and parking areas: <= 40 percent

  “no dwelling or other structure including accessory buildings and parking areas, shall cover more than 40 percent of the area of the lot.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Lots in the class A agricultural district inside Shueyville city limits

    “no dwelling or other structure, including accessory buildings, shall cover more than 40 percent of the area of the lot.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Single-family dwelling in the R-1 single-family residential district inside Shueyville city limits

  • Accessory garages and storage sheds have separate maximum heights (2.5 stories or 37.5 feet for garages; 18 feet for storage sheds) in the same table.

  maximum height, single-family dwelling: <= 37.5 feet (or 2.5 stories, whichever the table states)

  “singlefamily dwelling 1 acre 100 feet (w) 100 feet (d) 30 feet 20 feet 30 feet 2½ stories or 37.5 feet”

• Tiny homesLimited

  Small or tiny homes used as a dwelling inside Shueyville city limits; the R-1 and A districts set minimum sizes

  • Must be a dwelling with a permanent foundation or crawl space.
  • Must be built on, or placed on and secured to, a permanent foundation.
  • In R-1 and A districts, a house must meet the minimum living-space floor areas in the district minimum-size rules.

  minimum living space, one-story dwelling (R-1): >= 1200 square feet (multi-story dwelling minimum is 1,500 square feet)

  “all residential dwellings constructed or placed on a lot or parcel of land in the city shall be built on, or placed on, and appropriately secured to, a permanent foundation.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  A manufactured or mobile home used as a dwelling outside a manufactured home community or mobile home park, inside Shueyville city limits

  • Must be placed on a permanent frost-free foundation system meeting the manufacturer's or state building code support and anchorage requirements.
  • Foundation must be visually compatible with permanent foundation systems of surrounding residential structures.
  • Installed under the state building code.
  • Manufactured homes are treated as single-family detached dwellings for zoning purposes (Chapter 165 definition 51).

  “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 that meets the support and anchorage requirements”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Sanitation for a home inside Shueyville city limits that is not connected to a public sewer

  • Only an approved on-site wastewater treatment and disposal system is allowed; the system must be installed under a county board of health permit.
  • Design must follow IAC 567 chapter 69 as adopted by Chapter 95.05.

  “every building wherein persons reside, congregate or are employed shall be provided with an approved on-site wastewater treatment and disposal system complying with the provisions of this chapter.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Platting and subdivision of land inside Shueyville city limits (Chapter 170 subdivision regulations)

  • Subdivisions of fewer than eight lots must provide a central private water system approved by the city engineer (Chapter 170 water rule).
  • Subdivisions producing more than 1,500 gallons of wastewater per day need a central sewage treatment system.

  “if an existing public sanitary sewer system is available within one mile, the developer shall connect to the existing system.”

Rules another office applies inside Shueyville

Shueyville 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)

  On-site wastewater systems for buildings inside Shueyville city limits: the Johnson County board of health issues the permit; the state rule (IAC 567 chapter 69) sets the design specifications; the city code adopts both.

  • Permit from the county board of health is required under the city code (Chapter 95.04).
  • Specifications come from Iowa Administrative Code 567, chapter 69, and any additional requirements of the county health authority (Chapter 95.05 and Chapter 90.07).

  “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.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Installing or altering an on-site wastewater (septic) system for a home inside Shueyville city limits; the permit is issued by the county board of health.

  • Construction may proceed after the permit is issued.
  • Applies to installing or altering the system; it does not state a separate rule for inspection.

  “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 Shueyville or Johnson County directly.

• Building permit — New residential construction inside Shueyville city limits
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction of a home inside Shueyville city limits
• Inspections — Inspections of new construction inside Shueyville city limits
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of new homes inside Shueyville city limits
• Living in an RV — Living in a recreational vehicle on private land inside Shueyville 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.