Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Martensdale, Iowa

Martensdale’s own rules

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Construction inside Martensdale city limits

  • The adopted edition is the 2015 international code series; currency against the state-adopted edition was not checked.
  • An official copy is kept by the building official.

  code edition: 2015

  “the 2015 edition of the international series of codes and its appendices are hereby adopted.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Martensdale city limits. The city adopts and administers its own zoning ordinance (Chapter 165 zoning regulations; zoning ordinance text is in a separate volume).

  • The zoning ordinance is a separate volume that the code incorporates; the code editor's note states it is in full force and effect.
  • Zoning ordinance amendments are listed in the chapter 165 editor's note (ordinances 05.01.00, 05.02.00, 01.01.2011, 02.02.2017).
  • The zoning ordinance text in the separate PDF was only partly legible; district-level rules were not confirmed.

  “a zoning ordinance and amendments thereto, contained in a separate volume, are a part of this code of ordinances and are in full force and effect.”

• Zoning districtsPartial

  Land inside Martensdale city limits

  • The zoning ordinance divides the city into districts and adopts an official zoning map; the map and the full district list were not legible in the text reviewed.
  • District names such as residential and agricultural classes appear in the zoning text but were not confirmed against the map.

  “ordinance regulating and restricting the location,construction, and use of building,and structures, and the use of land in the city of martensdale,iowa and for said purposes dividing the city into districts”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Plats and re-plats of land inside Martensdale city or adjacent to it

  • The planning and zoning commission reviews plats before council approval.
  • Subdivision regulations are chapter 170 of the code; its text was not read.

  “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.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — New construction inside Martensdale city limits
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction inside Martensdale city limits
• Inspections — Construction inside Martensdale city limits
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of new homes inside Martensdale city limits
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Martensdale 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.