Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Larchwood, Iowa

Larchwood’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New buildings, structures, accessory structures, moves, additions and structural alterations inside Larchwood city limits; issued by the city zoning administrator

  • This is the city's zoning/building permit under the zoning ordinance. Construction may proceed after the permit is issued.
  • Permit fee is set by council resolution (section 17.7). Fees double for work started before a permit is issued.
  • Building-code permit rules were not located; this claim covers the zoning/building permit only.

  “no land shall be occupied or used, and no buildings or structures, or accessory buildings or structures shall not be erected, moved, added to, placed or structurally altered without first obtaining a permit issued by the zoning administrator”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside the corporate limits of Larchwood city, Iowa (Lyon County). Zoning is adopted and administered by the city; the county zoning ordinance does not govern in-city land.

  • The source is the 2011 Larchwood zoning ordinance (ordinance number left blank in the copy reviewed, replacing a 1995 ordinance). Whether it has been amended or superseded since 2011 was not confirmed; the city clerk should confirm the current version.
  • Section 22 (effective date) and section 24 (adoption) were not opened.

  “this ordinance shall be known and may be cited and referenced as the “zoning ordinance of the city of larchwood, iowa”, to the same effect as if the full title were stated.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts of Larchwood city (AC, R-1, R-2, R-3, C-1, C-2, GI)

  • The official zoning map was referenced in section 3.1 but was not opened; the list of districts is from the ordinance text.

  “the city is hereby divided into zoning districts or zones as follows: ac r-1 r-2 r-3 c-1 c-2 gi agriculture/conservation district single family residential district multiple family residential district mobile/manufactured housing district downtown commercial district highway commercial district general industrial district”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Single-family residential (R-1) district inside Larchwood city limits

  • Two-family dwelling lots have a 12,000 sq. ft. minimum (see parameter exception).
  • Quick-reference table in the ordinance repeats the 8,000 sq. ft. figure.
  • Minimum lot width is 75 feet.

  minimum lot area, single family dwelling: >= 8000 sq ft (two family dwelling requires 12,000 sq ft)

  “lot area - single family dwelling two family dwelling 8,000 sq. ft. - minimum lot area 12,000 sq. ft. - minimum lot area”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Agriculture/conservation (AC) district inside Larchwood city limits

    “lot area - 1 acre - minimum lot area unless the district follows a floodway, floodplain, river or other natural corridor, then no minimum lot area is required.”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Agriculture/conservation (AC) district inside Larchwood city limits

  • Setbacks apply to each development in the AC district, subject also to the supplemental district regulations.

  front yard: >= 50 ft · side yard: >= 25 ft · rear yard: >= 50 ft · street side yard: >= 50 ft

  “front yard - 50 feet - minimum required setback side yard - 25 feet - minimum required setback rear yard - 50 feet - minimum required setback street side yard - 50 feet – minimum required setback”

• Building heightSpecified

  Agriculture/conservation (AC) district inside Larchwood city limits

  • Height limit applies to dwellings and non-agricultural buildings and structures; no limitation for agricultural buildings, provided no structure is used for a non-agricultural use.
  • Height exemptions apply under section 11.10.

  maximum height, dwellings and non-agricultural buildings: <= 35 ft (agricultural buildings have no limit; height exemptions in section 11.10)

  “maximum height - 35 feet for dwellings and non-agricultural buildings and structures, except for height exemptions in accordance with section 11.10. no limitation for agricultural buildings”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Single-family residential (R-1) district inside Larchwood city limits

    “height - 35 feet - maximum height, except for height exemptions in accordance with section 11.10.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Recreational vehicles on a lot inside Larchwood city limits

  • Parking or storage of an RV is allowed on the premises; permanent human occupancy is not allowed.
  • In residential zoning districts, human habitation of an RV is limited to 14 consecutive days in a calendar year.
  • Short-term personal use on a front-yard driveway is permitted for less than 30 consecutive days, not on the right-of-way.

  maximum consecutive days of habitation per calendar year in residential districts: <= 14 days

  “3. recreational vehicles parked or stored on a premises or any lot shall not be used for permanent human occupancy. in residential zoning districts, recreational vehicles shall only allow human habitation for not more than fourteen (14) consecutive days in a calendar year.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile and manufactured homes in the R-3 mobile/manufactured housing district inside Larchwood city limits

  • Use is limited to the R-3 mobile/manufactured housing district; the permitted-use list of section 7.2 was not opened.
  • Mobile home parks must meet the park requirements of section 7.6, including city street and emergency-plan standards.
  • Zoning/building permit required (section 7.7).

  minimum lot area per mobile or manufactured home lot: >= 4000 sq ft

  “mobile or manufactured home lot requirements: lot area - 4,000 square feet - minimum lot area”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Platting of land inside Larchwood city limits

  • The zoning ordinance refers to the city's subdivision regulations for preliminary plats, which were not located or opened.
  • The zoning ordinance is titled as both zoning and subdivision regulations in its cover text, but the subdivision text itself was not reviewed.

  “b. preliminary plat. the applicant shall also submit a preliminary plat and all the necessary documentation as required under the subdivision regulations of all or that portion of the project to be platted.”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Development in the floodway and FEMA 100-year floodplain within the AC district inside Larchwood city limits

  • Exclusions: bridges, elevated roadways, open space parks, certain major utility facilities or essential services, and flood control levees.
  • AC-zoned land may not be used to meet side or rear yard requirements of other districts.
  • All development in the AC district must comply with the floodplain regulations in the city code (not located).

  “no development allowed within the designated floodway of any water course or within the 100 year floodplain as identified by fema (federal emergency management agency) on the city’s floodplain map. however, these provisions are exclusive of bridges, elevated roadways, open space parks, certain major utility facilities or essential services, and flood control levees.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Zoning/building permit fees inside Larchwood city limits

  • Fee is set by council resolution, not in the ordinance; the resolution schedule was not located.
  • Fees for permits issued after construction, erection, placement, moving or alteration has begun double.
  • Tax-levying governmental agencies are exempt from scheduled fees.

  “before receiving a zoning/building permit the owner or the owner’s agent shall pay to the city the permit fee as provided by resolution of the city council. fees for permits issued after the construction, erection, placement, moving or alteration has begun shall double. tax levying governmental agencies shall be exempt from paying any scheduled fees.”

• Permit processPartial

  Zoning/building permit process inside Larchwood city limits

  • Permits are issued by the zoning administrator based on approved plans and applications and authorize only the use and construction shown.
  • The application form (section 17.4) and the appeal process were not opened.

  “zoning/building permits issued on the basis of plans and applications, approved by the zoning administrator, authorize only that use and construction.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction of a home inside Larchwood city limits
• Building code adopted — Building code edition used for construction inside Larchwood city limits
• Inspections — New residential construction inside Larchwood city limits
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy approval for new homes inside Larchwood city limits
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum floor area of a dwelling inside Larchwood 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.