Zoning, building permits and septic rules in University Heights, Iowa

University Heights’s own rules

• Building permitLimited

  Paving work inside University Heights city limits

  • Applies to paving greater than 100 square feet in area, per the index title of Ordinance 194; the ordinance text was not opened.
  • General building permits for new houses were not confirmed as required; see unknown building_permit_requirement claim notes.

  paving area threshold: > 100 square feet

  “194 (pdf) - amending ordinance 79 (pdf) to require a building permit for paving greater than 100 square feet in area, and items related to board of adjustment.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Limited — Fences over six feet inside University Heights city limits

    “it shall be unlawful to install or construct or cause to be installed or constructed any fence over six feet in height without obtaining a permit from the university heights building official”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Residential properties in University Heights city (housing/property maintenance code)

  • This is the property maintenance (housing) code, not the building construction code; the Building & Housing page says it applies to all residential properties.

  “in 2018, university heights adopted the 2015 international property maintenance code (ipmc)”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Adopted — Construction inside University Heights city limits

    “192 (pdf) - providing for the adoption of 2015 building, residential, plumbing, mechanical, fuel gas, and electrical codes, and repealing ordinance 147.”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside University Heights city limits (Johnson County, IA)

  • The zoning ordinance is Ordinance No. 79, amended by many later ordinances (index lists amendments through Ordinance 260).
  • The city index states the posted code may not reflect the most current legislation; the official complete code is kept at the office of the City Attorney.

  “79 (pdf) - regulating and restricting the location, construction, use of buildings and structures, and the use of land in the city of university heights.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Main single-family residential (R-1) district inside University Heights city limits

  • Corner lots must set back from each street by the front setback depth.
  • Setbacks stay open and unobstructed except as otherwise provided.
  • Ordinance 255 allows existing non-conforming R-1 side walls of the principal dwelling to be extended parallel to the side lot line in an addition, without moving closer to that line.

  front setback (R-1): 25 feet · side setback (R-1): 5 feet · rear setback (R-1): 30 feet

  “the following minimum setbacks shall be provided: zone r-1 r-3 b c front setback 25 ft. 25.ft. 10 ft. 30 ft. side setback 5 ft. 10 ft. 0 ft. 15 ft. rear setback 30 ft. 3 ft. 20 ft. 20 ft.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Main building height in any zone inside University Heights city limits (general rule, not R-1 specific)

  • Ordinance 79 has been amended for height calculation (Ordinance 187) and for the CH hotel zone (Ordinance 226); those amendments were not opened.
  • Ordinance 152 raised height for multiple-family PUD projects from 35 to 39 feet.

  maximum main building height: <= 30 feet (see ordinance amendments for PUD and CH zones) · maximum structure height: <= 35 feet (see ordinance amendments for PUD and CH zones)

  “unless otherwise provided, building height of the main building in any zone may not exceed thirty (30) feet and maximum structure height may not exceed thirty-five (35) feet.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Accessory structures in any zone inside University Heights city limits

    “unless otherwise provided, building height of an accessory structure in any zone may not exceed fifteen (15) feet and maximum structure height may not exceed twenty (20) feet.”

• Manufactured homesProhibited

  Trailer homes and mobile homes in the R-1 single-family residential zone inside University Heights city limits

  • Stated in the R-1 use list of Ordinance 79 as amended by Ordinance 255.
  • Other zones were not checked for this rule.

  “8. trailer homes and mobile homes are prohibited. other temporary structures may not be used for human occupancy or living.”

• Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)

  Private sewage disposal systems on land inside University Heights city limits

  • Ordinance 38 is a town-era ordinance; the city index lists it without a repeal notation, but its current force was not confirmed.
  • The city bars private systems where public sewer connection is practicable; where it is not practicable, the Johnson County Board of Health issues the permit.
  • The city Article I Sewers and Sewage Disposal code text was referenced but not opened.

  “no private sewage disposal system shall be installed or operated in the town of university heights, iowa, if connection to a public sewer is practicable. if connection to a public sewer is not practicable, no private sewage disposal system shall be installed until a permit for a private sewage disposal system is obtained from the johnson county board of health.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Non-sewered sanitation (private septic) inside University Heights city limits

  • Permitted only where public sewer connection is not practicable, and then only after a Johnson County Board of Health permit.
  • Ordinance 38 status not confirmed as current.

  “no private sewage disposal system shall be installed or operated in the town of university heights, iowa, if connection to a public sewer is practicable.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  Properties inside University Heights city limits not connected to public sewer

  • Connection duty is triggered by public sewer availability; Ordinance 38 section 1 also makes connection mandatory where practicable.
  • Section 2 concerns existing properties; the duty for a new home is inferred from section 1 and should be confirmed in the current code.

  “all property owners not connected to a public sewer shall discontinue the use of all private sewage disposal systems and shall connect to the public sewer within one year from the date that connection to the public sewer becomes available.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Division of land inside University Heights city limits

  • Ordinance 210 text was not opened; standards and procedure unknown.
  • Ordinance 191 (parkland set-aside or fee in lieu, amended by 211 and 234) also applies to developers per the index.

  “210 (pdf) - regulating subdivisions of land.”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Parking and driveways in the front yard of R-1 lots inside University Heights city limits

  • Parking and driveways in the front yard are limited to one-third of the front setback; the rest of the front yard stays open.
  • Lots adjacent to the east side of Olive Court may use the rear yard under a separate limit.
  • Pre-December 1, 2008 driveways have non-conforming status rules.

  maximum front-yard parking and driveway area (R-1): one-third of the front setback (Olive Court lots may use rear yard)

  “in single-family residential (r-1) zones - parking spaces and driveways may be located in the front yard provided that the parking spaces may not exceed an area greater than one-third (1/3) of the front setback”

Rules another office applies inside University Heights

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

• Septic permitRequired

  Private sewage disposal systems inside University Heights city limits where a public sewer connection is not practicable

  • Applies only where connection to a public sewer is not practicable.
  • Permit is issued by the Johnson County Board of Health, per Ordinance 38.

  “if connection to a public sewer is not practicable, no private sewage disposal system shall be installed until a permit for a private sewage disposal system is obtained from the johnson county board of health.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask University Heights or Johnson County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction inside University Heights city limits
• Inspections — New construction inside University Heights city limits
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy certificates for new homes inside University Heights city limits
• Living in an RV — Occupancy of recreational vehicles on private land inside University Heights city limits
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside University Heights 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.