Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Primghar, Iowa

Primghar’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Erecting, moving, placing, adding to or structurally altering buildings or structures inside Primghar city

  • Permit is issued by the zoning administrator
  • Permit is null and void if the purpose is not commenced within one year of issuance
  • Zoning/building permit; no separate building code adoption verified

  permit validity: 1 year

  “buildings or other structures shall not be erected, moved, placed, added to, or structurally altered without a permit issued by the zoning administrator.”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Primghar city limits

  • Ordinance adopted under chapter 414, Code of Iowa, administered by the zoning administrator

  “for the purpose and intent of this ordinance the city of primghar, iowa, is hereby divided into the following zoning districts”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts inside Primghar city: FP, AG, R-1, R-2, R-3, C-1, C-2, I-1, I-2

  “fp floodplain/conservation district ag agricultural district r-1 single family residential district r-2 multiple family residential district r-3 mobile/manufactured home district c-1 downtown commercial district c-2 highway commercial district i-1 light industrial district i-2 heavy industrial district fo fire overlay district (downtown)”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  All structures intended for residential occupancy placed, erected, assembled or constructed in Primghar city (all districts)

  • Main body must have a minimum exterior dimension of at least 24 feet
  • Continuous frost-protected perimeter foundation required, except mobile/manufactured homes where a perimeter foundation is incompatible with the structural design

  minimum floor area: >= 800 sq ft · minimum exterior dimension of main body: >= 24 ft

  “2. minimum floor area: a minimum floor area of not less than eight hundred (800) square feet.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  R-1 single family residential district, Primghar city

  • Two-family dwelling 10,000 sq ft plus 1,000 sq ft per unit over two
  • Minimum lot width 70 feet
  • Where neither public water nor sewer is reasonably available, minimum lot is one acre (Sec. 14.5)

  minimum lot area single family: >= 7000 sq ft · minimum lot width: >= 70 ft (except at entry points off cul-de-sacs)

  “minimum lot area - single family dwelling 7,000 sq. ft. two family dwelling 10,000 sq. ft. - minimum lot area + 1,000 sq. ft. per dwelling unit in excess of two (2) dwelling units. minimum lot width - 70 feet - except at entry points off cul-de-sacs.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — AG agricultural district, Primghar city

    “lot area - 1 acre - minimum lot area lot width - 100 feet - minimum lot width”

• SetbacksSpecified

  R-1 single family residential district, Primghar city

  • Rear yard 25 feet and street side yard (corner lot) 25 feet
  • Subject to supplemental district regulations

  front yard: >= 25 ft · side yard: >= 10 ft · rear yard: >= 25 ft

  “front yard - 25 feet - minimum required setback side yard - 10 feet - minimum required setback or rear yard - 25 feet - minimum required setback street side yard (corner lot) - 25 feet - minimum required setback”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — AG agricultural district, Primghar city

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

• Lot coverageSpecified

  R-2 multiple family residential district, Primghar city (R-1 also lists 70% open space per ordinance table; not separately quoted)

  • Coverage includes ground level paving and accessory buildings

  maximum ground coverage: <= 70 percent

  “minimum open space - 70% - maximum ground coverage including ground level paving and accessory buildings”

• Building heightSpecified

  R-1 single family residential district, Primghar city

  • AG district: 35 ft for dwellings and non-agricultural buildings, no limit for agricultural buildings

  maximum height: <= 35 ft

  “maximum height - 35 feet front yard - 25 feet - minimum required setback side yard - 10 feet - minimum required setback”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Recreational vehicles on residential lots inside Primghar city

  • Short-term seasonal parking on a front-yard driveway, not on right-of-way
  • Long-term storage in side or rear yard or enclosed garage
  • May not be used for business purposes in any zoning district
  • Campgrounds are a separate visitor habitation use

  maximum habitation: <= 14 consecutive days in any three-month period

  “recreational vehicles shall be customarily or ordinarily used for vacation or recreation purposes and not used as a place of human habitation for more than fourteen (14) consecutive days in any three (3) month period. recreational vehicles shall not be used for business purposes in any zoning district.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile/manufactured homes inside Primghar city

  • R-3 mobile/manufactured home district exists
  • Must meet 24 ft dimension and 800 sq ft floor area minimums of Sec. 15.7
  • Perimeter foundation required unless incompatible with structural design, then pier footing system

  “except that a perimeter foundation shall not be required for a mobile or manufactured home if a perimeter foundation in incompatible with the structural design of the building.”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  New single-family dwellings in residential districts inside Primghar city

  • Section addresses lots where public water and sewer are not reasonably available; an express mandatory connection rule was not located
  • Such lot must follow district regulations and be at least one acre

  minimum lot where no public water/sewer: >= 1 acre

  “in any residential district where neither public water supply or public sanitary sewer are reasonably available, one (1) single family dwelling may be constructed, provided the specified lot shall follow the site development regulations for the zoning district it is located in and the minimum lot shall be a minimum of one (1) acre”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Creation of lots inside Primghar city

  • City also posts 2009 subdivision regulations (not opened)

  minimum street frontage: >= 25 ft

  “no lot shall be created after the adoption of this ordinance unless it abuts at least twenty-five (25) feet on a public street.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Zoning/building permit fees inside Primghar city

  • Fee amount set by council resolution, not found in the ordinance
  • Fees double for permits issued after construction or moving has begun
  • City, county, state and federal governments 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 council.”

• Permit processPartial

  Zoning/building permit applications inside Primghar city

  • Fee is set by council resolution; fee schedule not located
  • Application includes plans; construction must match the application

  “application for zoning/building permits shall be obtained from city hall prior to starting or proceeding with a project”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Primghar or O'Brien County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Primghar city
• Building code adopted — Building code inside Primghar city
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Primghar city
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Primghar city
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping inside Primghar 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.