Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Buffalo, Iowa

Buffalo’s own rules

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Building construction inside Buffalo city limits

  • Adopted 2009 edition of the International Building Code; the code states that new editions 'shall automatically become effective' when published (not verified against later amendments).
  • Adoption paragraph cites ord. 431, 2010.

  “the city adopts the 2009 edition of the international building code in full except for additions or deletions adopted elsewhere in this code. as new editions become published they shall automatically become effective and prevail as the official building code of the city.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Adopted (with conditions) — Residential construction (one- and two-family dwellings) inside Buffalo city limits

    “international residential code and the international electrical code are adopted as supplements to the international building code. (ord.431,2010)”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  All land inside the corporate limits of Buffalo city, Iowa

  • Applies only inside city limits; land outside the city is not governed by this chapter.
  • Use and dimensional limits vary by district (see zoning_districts, minimum_lot_size, setbacks and building_height claims).

  “the city is divided into the following districts: (code of iowa, 1973, sec. 414.7) a. country home district b. single-family dwelling district c. two-family dwelling district d. multiple-family dwelling district e. local business district f. central business district g. light industrial district h. heavy industrial district”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Buffalo city limits

  • Districts listed in 6-7.0301: a country home, b single-family dwelling, c two-family dwelling, d multiple-family dwelling, e local business, f central business, g light industrial, h heavy industrial.
  • The district map is adopted as part of the code (6-7.0302); the map image itself was not reviewed.

  “the location and boundaries of these districts are shown on the official district map.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single-family dwelling lots in the "a" country home district of Buffalo city

  • Lots of record platted and recorded on August 4, 1969 or earlier may be used for permitted uses even if smaller (district 'a' intensity-of-use exception).

  minimum lot area: >= 20000 square feet (legally platted lots of record on August 4, 1969 may be used) · minimum average lot width: >= 100 feet

  “every lot or tract of land upon which a single-family dwelling is erected shall have an area of not less than twenty thousand (20,000) square feet and an average width of not less than one hundred (100) feet, except that if a lot or tract has less area or width than herein required and was legally platted and was of record on august 4, 1969 that lot may be used for any of the uses permitted by this section.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Lots in the "b" single-family dwelling district of Buffalo city

    “every lot or tract of land shall have an area of not less that seven thousand five hundred (7,500) square feet and a width of not less than seventy-five (75) feet”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Buildings in the "a" country home district of Buffalo city

  • Front yard may be deeper where 30 percent or more of the frontage on the same block side is built with a greater or lesser setback (6-7.0307 a(1)); front yard not required to exceed 100 feet under that rule.
  • Side yard: 12 feet on each side, with a reduced 10% of lot width (minimum 5 feet) for lots of record of 75 feet or less (6-7.0307 b).
  • Rear yard: 40 feet or 20% of lot depth, whichever is larger, not to exceed 50 feet (6-7.0307 c).
  • Accessory buildings may not project beyond the front yard line (6-7.0307 a(3)).

  front yard depth: >= 50 feet (reduced or increased where 30% of block frontage has observed setbacks) · side yard width: >= 12 feet (reduced for narrow lots of record) · rear yard depth: >= 40 feet (or 20% of lot depth, whichever is larger; not more than 50 feet)

  “there shall be a front yard having a depth of not less than fifty (50) feet, unless thirty (30) percent or more of the frontage on the same side of the street between two intersecting streets is improved with buildings that have observed a greater or less depth of front yard”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Buildings in the "b" single-family dwelling district of Buffalo city

    “there shall be a front yard having a depth of not less than thirty (30) feet, unless thirty (30) percent or more of the frontage on the same side of the street between two intersecting streets is improved with buildings that have observed a greater or less depth of front yard”

• Building heightSpecified

  Buildings in the "a" country home district of Buffalo city

  • Height limit is exceeded only as provided in sections 6-7.0106 and 6-7.0107 (exceptions not reviewed).

  maximum building height: <= 40 feet (also limited to 2.5 stories; exceptions in 6-7.0106 and 6-7.0107)

  “no building hereafter erected or altered shall exceed two and one-half (2 1/2) stories or shall it exceed forty (40) feet in height except as provided in sections 6-7.0106 and 6-7.0107.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Buildings in the "b" single-family dwelling district of Buffalo city

    “no building shall exceed two and one-half (2-1/2) stories or shall it exceed thirty-five (35) feet in height except as provided in sections 6-7.0106 and 6-7.0107.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  Private sewage disposal systems for land inside Buffalo city limits where no public sanitary or combined sewer is available

  • Permit signed by the city superintendent (3-3.0302).
  • Section 3-3.0307 says the health officer may impose additional requirements; the health officer's role was not verified further.

  “before commencement of construction of a private sewage disposal system the owner shall first obtain a written permit signed by the superintendent”

• Septic permitRequired

  Construction of a private sewage disposal system inside Buffalo city where no public sewer is available (3-3.0301)

  • Application on a city form with plans and information the superintendent requires.
  • Construction may not begin until the permit is issued.

  private sewage disposal permit and inspection fee: 50 USD

  “a permit and inspection fee of fifty dollars ($50.00) shall be paid to the city at the time the application is filed”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Privies, septic tanks and other sewage disposal facilities inside Buffalo city limits

  • The general ban is 'except as hereinafter provided' (3-3.0203).
  • A private sewage system is allowed only where no public sanitary or combined sewer is available under 3-3.0204 (3-3.0301), with a permit (3-3.0302).
  • Building sewer must connect to the public sewer within 60 days once it becomes available (3-3.0308).

  “it shall be unlawful to construct or maintain any privy, privy vault, septic tank, cesspool, or other facility intended or used for the disposal of sewage”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  Houses and buildings in Buffalo city abutting a street or right-of-way with a public sanitary or combined sewer

  • Connection is required only where the public sewer is within 100 feet of the property line.
  • Owner must connect within 60 days after official notice (3-3.0204).
  • When a public sewer becomes available, the building sewer must be connected within 60 days (3-3.0308).
  • Requirement for individual homes to connect to public water was not verified in this research.

  distance from property line to public sewer: <= 100 feet (measured to the property line)

  “is hereby required at his expense to install suitable toilet facilities therein, and to connect such facilities directly with the proper public sewer in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, within sixty (60) days after date of official notice to do so, provided that said public sewer is within one hundred feet (100) (30.5 meters) of the property line.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Floodplain development (any man-made change to land, including buildings) inside Buffalo city's floodplain overlay districts (Chapter 10)

  • Permit issued by the public works director as administrator (6-10.0401), before the work starts (6-10.0402).
  • Applies to placement of factory-built homes in the floodplain.
  • Permits must also show other federal, state and local approvals, including Iowa DNR approval for floodplain construction where required (6-10.0401(2)).
  • Applicability outside the mapped floodplain districts was not verified.

  “a floodplain development permit issued by the administrator shall be secured prior to any floodplain development (any man-made change to improved and unimproved real estate, including but not limited to buildings or other structures, mining, filling, grading, paving, storage of materials or equipment, excavation or drilling operations), including the placement of factorybuilt homes.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Building permit fees for construction inside Buffalo city limits

  • Building permit fees are computed from square-foot valuations for residential buildings (2.3-1.04); the valuation table is incomplete in this extract; garage fees are separate from house valuation.
  • Permit and inspection fees for private sewage systems (3-3.0302) and a $500 excavation deposit (2.3-1.07) also apply.
  • Fees may be revised by ordinance; the 2021 compilation was the version reviewed.

  house valuation, wood frame construction: 55 USD per sq ft (brick veneer $65 per sq ft; finished basement adds $10 per sq ft; second floor adds $25 per sq ft) · private sewage system permit and inspection fee: 50 USD

  “for the purpose of determining the valuations of buildings and improvements thereto for building permit fees, the following values per square foot shall be multiplied by the total square foot of the building or improvements thereto for residential buildings. 1. houses: a. wood frame construction b. brick veneer construction $55.00/sq. ft. $65.00/sq. ft.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction of a home inside Buffalo city limits
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy for new homes inside Buffalo city limits
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum floor area for a dwelling inside Buffalo city limits
• Lot coverage — Maximum lot coverage in Buffalo city zoning districts
• Living in an RV — Occupancy of recreational vehicles on private land inside Buffalo 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.