Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Cotter, Iowa

Rules another office applies inside Cotter

Cotter 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 (septic) for homes inside Cotter city, where no publicly owned treatment works is available; the administering authority is the Iowa DNR or the local county board of health

  • The rule defines the administrative authority as the department or the local county board of health, as authorized by Iowa Code section 455B.172 and chapter 137.
  • Which of the two administers a particular Cotter city permit (DNR or Louisa County board of health) was not verified; Louisa County's own septic office was not opened.

  ““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

  New or altered private sewage disposal systems for buildings inside Cotter city (Louisa County, IA) where no publicly owned treatment works is available

  • Permit is issued by the administrative authority (DNR or local county board of health) before construction.
  • No PSDS may be installed, repaired, or rehabilitated where a publicly owned treatment works is available or where a local ordinance requires connection to a potw (69.1(3)(a)(1)).
  • Once a PSDS is required, a permit is needed before installation or alteration per 69.1(4).

  “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 inside Cotter city, where no publicly owned treatment works is available

  • Inspection is conducted by the administrative authority (DNR or local county board of health) before the system is backfilled.
  • A final as-built drawing is kept with the construction permit.

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

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Homes inside Cotter city where no publicly owned treatment works is available

  • Off-grid domestic sewage disposal is allowed only through an approved private sewage disposal system permitted by the administrative authority.
  • Holding tanks are allowed only if all other PSDS options are impractical (69.2(6)).

  “(3) when a potw is not available, every building wherein persons generate domestic sewage shall be provided with an approved psds. a holding tank for waste may be used only if all other psds options are impractical.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Building permits for construction inside Cotter city
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit exemption inside Cotter city
• Building code adopted — Building code adoption for new construction inside Cotter city
• Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside Cotter city
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes inside Cotter 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.