Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Villisca, Iowa

Villisca’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Erection, construction, alteration, enlargement, moving or demolition of buildings inside Villisca city limits

  • The permit comes from the public works director.
  • Section 6-14-1 says a building permit is required only for the building projects stated in the chapter; the project list was not captured in this research.
  • Construction may proceed only after the approved permit is issued.

  “no person shall proceed with the erection, construction, conversion, alteration, enlargement, extension, raising, or demolition or moving of any building, structure, or property or any portion thereof without having first received an approved building permit with building specifications from the public works director”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Construction inside Villisca city limits

  • The adopting text says the latest editions are adopted in full as well, except as later deleted, modified or amended.
  • Office copies are kept by the city clerk (section 6-13-2).

  edition: 2012 International Building Code and 2012 International Residential Code

  “the 2012 edition of the international building code, as published by the international code council, and the 2012 international residential code, as published by the international code council are hereby adopted in full except for such portions deleted, modified or amended.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  All land inside Villisca city limits

  • The city's zoning ordinance is Title VI, Chapter 18 of the Villisca code; it applies to all land within the city.
  • Zoning district boundaries are on an official zoning map adopted by reference; that map was not opened in this research.

  “the following four (4) classes of districts are hereby established within the city as shown on the "official zoning map"”

• Zoning districtsPartial

  Land inside Villisca city limits

  • Section 6-18-2 lists the district classes in the text; the official zoning map it adopts by reference was not opened, so parcel-level district assignment is not established here.
  • Section 6-18-2 says four classes but the text then lists six classes (A, R, RM, C, HC, M).

  “a -agricultural district r -residence district rm -mobile home park district c -commercial district hc -highway commercial district m -industrial district”

• Minimum dwelling sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  One- and two-family dwellings, including manufactured homes, in the A (agricultural) district inside Villisca city limits

  • Applies to building permits issued after the effective date of the ordinance.
  • Also requires a minimum width of 20 feet for any building elevation and a gable or hip roof style (6-18-6(1)(b)(i)-(ii)).

  minimum principal structure floor area: >= 640 square feet

  “for all building permits issued after the effective date of this ordinance, the principal structure shall have a floor area of not less than six hundred forty square feet (640')”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — One- and two-family dwellings in the R (residence) district inside Villisca city limits

    “for all building permits issued after june 6, 1985, the principal structure shall have a floor area of not less than six hundred forty square feet (640')”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  A (agricultural) district inside Villisca city limits

  • Lot area is measured exclusive of road right-of-way.

  minimum lot area: >= 43560 square feet · minimum lot width: >= 150 feet

  “i. lot: 43,560 square feet (1 acre), exclusively of road right-of-way. ii. width: one hundred fifty feet (150').”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  R (residence) district, one-family dwellings inside Villisca city limits

  • Two-family and multi-family dwellings have larger front and side figures in the same section (30 feet front; 10 feet per side).

  minimum front yard depth, one-family: >= 25 feet · minimum side yard width, one-family, each side: >= 5 feet · minimum rear yard depth, dwelling: >= 35 feet (forty feet for any other building)

  “7. minimum front yard depth. a. twenty-five feet (25') for a one-family dwelling. b. thirty feet (30') for a two-family or multi-family dwelling. [...] 8. minimum side yard width. a. five feet (5') on each side for a one-family dwelling. b. ten feet (10') on each side for a two-family or multi-family dwelling.”

• Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

  A (agricultural) district principal buildings inside Villisca city limits

  • Height limit for the R district was not captured in the opened text.

  maximum building height: <= 35 feet (2 ½ stories)

  “a. building height limit: 2 ½ stories or thirty-five feet (35') maximum”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Use of recreational vehicles or travel trailers as a residence inside Villisca city limits

  • Occupancy needs prior council approval.
  • Parking of RVs and travel trailers in residential districts must be on surfaced areas (traffic code, Title III, section 3-3-29 item 20).

  “no recreational vehicle or travel trailer shall be used as a permanent residence or occupied in city limits without prior council approval.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Placement of mobile homes inside Villisca city limits

  • Outside a mobile home park, placement requires a special permit under section 6-1-3 (not opened).
  • Manufactured homes are allowed as one- and two-family dwellings in the A district under section 6-18-6, subject to the dwelling standards.

  “all mobile homes shall be placed or parked in a mobile home park unless permitted otherwise by state law.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land subdivisions inside Villisca city limits

  • Subdivision regulations are Title VI, Chapter 19; the plat approval steps were not read.
  • Subdivider must deposit a fee with the city clerk, credited to the general fund.

  subdivision deposit fee: 10 USD

  “6-19-11 fees. before a preliminary plat may be considered by the commission, the subdivider or his agent shall deposit with the city clerk a fee of ten dollars ($10.00) to be credited to the general fund of the city.”

• Permit processPartial

  Building permit application inside Villisca city limits

  • Application must include a lot plan showing dimensions and shape; the rest of section 6-14-2, the permit fees, lapsed permits and appeals (6-14-3 to 6-14-5) were not opened.

  “all applications for building permits shall be accompanied by a plan showing the actual dimensions and shape of the lot to be built upon”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit exemption inside Villisca city limits
• Inspections — Inspections for construction inside Villisca city limits
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new dwellings inside Villisca city limits
• Lot coverage — Maximum lot coverage inside Villisca city limits
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Villisca 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.