Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Macedonia, Iowa

Macedonia’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New construction, additions and changed outside dimensions of buildings inside Macedonia city limits.

  • The city's permit list says no permit is required for siding, roofing, painting, repairs, one-story sheds up to 120 sq ft, and sidewalks, driveways, patios and decks not more than thirty inches; see city-codes page.
  • Construction may proceed after the permit is issued.

  “building permits required 1. new construction of houses, garages, sheds, commercial buildings.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Macedonia city limits: the city adopts and administers its own zoning ordinance (Chapter 165, Zoning Regulations).

  • Source is the city's 2016 code compilation posted on its website; later ordinances 177 to 183 are posted separately and were not checked against Chapter 165.
  • Chapter 55.06 defines 'zoning ordinance' as Pottawattamie County's ordinance, but only for the animal-control chapter; it does not change the city's own zoning ordinance.
  • Chapter 165 district schedules (sections 165.08 to 165.11) were not read in full.

  “the ordinance codified in this chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “zoning ordinance of the city of macedonia, iowa.””

• Zoning districtsPartial

  Zoning districts inside Macedonia city limits.

  • Districts named in the table of contents: Class A residential, Class A business, Class A warehouse, Class A industrial. The zoning map (165.07) and district schedules were not opened.

  “165.06 establishment of districts. the city is divided into the following types of districts: 1. class a residential districts. residential districts; 2. class a business districts. main street retail business districts; 3. class a industrial and warehouse districts.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  All residential dwelling units inside Macedonia city limits (not district-specific).

  • Dwelling width of at least 22 feet applies for at least 65 percent of the dwelling length, excluding attached garages, porches or accessory structures.
  • Dwellings must sit on a permanent frost-free foundation and have a minimum roof pitch of 3:12.

  minimum floor space: >= 900 square feet · minimum dwelling width: >= 22 feet (for at least 65 percent of the length of the dwelling unit, excluding attached garages, porches or other accessory structures)

  “all dwelling units shall provide for a minimum of 900 square feet of floor space.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Lots created by subdivision inside Macedonia city when not served by public sewer and water (subdivision design standard).

  • Applies to subdivision lots; Chapter 165 district minimums were not read.

  minimum lot area: >= 10000 square feet (lots not served by public sewer and water) · minimum lot width: >= 100 feet (lots not served by public sewer and water) · minimum lot depth: >= 150 feet (lots not served by public sewer and water)

  “c. the minimum dimensions for lots shall be 10,000 square feet with a width of 100 feet and depth of 150 feet when not served by public sewer and water.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Lots created by subdivision inside Macedonia city when served by public sewer and water (subdivision design standard, not the Chapter 165 district minimums).

    “b. the minimum dimensions for lots shall be 10,000 square feet with a width of 80 feet and a depth of 120 feet when served by public sewer and water.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Lots in subdivisions inside Macedonia city (subdivision design standard). Chapter 165 Class A residential setbacks were not read.

  • Front depth is measured from the right-of-way line.
  • Values are subdivision design standards; the zoning district setbacks may differ.

  front yard depth, dwelling: >= 35 feet (measured from right-of-way line) · front yard depth, other uses: >= 45 feet (measured from right-of-way line) · side yard width, single-family dwelling: >= 10 feet · side yard width, multiple dwelling: >= 45 feet · side yard width, other purposes: >= 10 feet

  “e. the minimum side yard width for single-family dwellings shall be 10 feet, for multiple dwellings, 45 feet, and for other purposes, 10 feet.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Plans, plats and re-plats of subdivisions inside Macedonia city.

  • Plats must go to the planning and zoning commission and get its recommendations before council approval.

  “all plans, plats, or re-plats of subdivisions or re-subdivisions of land in the city or adjacent thereto, laid out in lots or plats with the streets, alleys, or other portions of the same intended to be dedicated to the public in the city, shall first be submitted to the commission and its recommendations obtained before approval by the council.”

• Permit processPartial

  Building permit applications inside Macedonia city limits.

  • Application goes to City Hall at 322 Main Street; the published page does not describe review steps, timelines beyond the council deadline, or inspections.

  “please stop by city hall for permit application.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit exemption inside Macedonia city limits.
• Building code adopted — Construction standards inside Macedonia city limits.
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Macedonia city limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Macedonia city limits.
• Lot coverage — Maximum lot coverage in Macedonia city's zoning districts.

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.