Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Thompson, Iowa

Thompson’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Erecting, altering or extending a building inside Thompson city limits (issued by the city clerk).

  • Permit and certificate of occupancy are issued by the city clerk under Chapter 165.
  • Application must be in writing, delivered to the clerk, with plans in duplicate (Ch. 165.20).
  • Construction may proceed after the permit is issued.

  “no land shall be used or occupied and no building hereafter erected, altered or extended shall be used or changed in use until a certificate of occupancy and a building permit shall have been issued by the city clerk in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Use or occupancy of any land or building erected, altered or extended inside Thompson city limits.

  • Issued by the city clerk, in accordance with Chapter 165.
  • Chapter 165.15: no certificate of occupancy issued unless the chapter's provisions are complied with.

  “no land shall be used or occupied and no building hereafter erected, altered or extended shall be used or changed in use until a certificate of occupancy and a building permit shall have been issued by the city clerk in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.”

• Zoning districtsPartial

  Zoning districts of Thompson city (Chapter 165).

  • Three district types are named in the code text: Class A residential, Class A business and Class A industrial.
  • The zoning map itself (adopted June 4, 1983) was not opened; district boundaries are not confirmed.

  “apartment houses to house three or more families are permitted to be constructed in the class a residential districts, class a business districts or class a industrial districts”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Class A residential district (one- and two-family residential) and other residential dwelling units inside Thompson city, excluding mobile homes located within a mobile home park.

  • Minimum floor space 900 square feet; minimum exterior width 22 feet.
  • Does not apply to mobile homes within a mobile home park.

  minimum floor space: >= 900 square feet (does not apply to mobile homes located within a mobile home park)

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

• SetbacksSpecified

  Class A residential district (one- and two-family residential) inside Thompson city.

  • Corner lots: front yard depth not less than 25 feet and side yard 15 feet.
  • Rear yard provision does not apply to a garage where an alley provides access to the rear yard.
  • Chapter 165.14 dwelling standards also apply to dwelling units.

  front yard depth: >= 25 feet · each side yard width: >= 5 feet (corner lots: 15 feet side yard) · rear yard depth: >= 25 feet (does not apply to a garage where an alley provides access to the rear yard)

  “each lot in class a residential districts shall have front, side and rear yards not less than the following depth and width: a. front yard depth - 25 feet. b. each side yard width - five feet. c. rear yard depth - 25 feet. when an alley provides access to the rear yard, this provision shall not apply to a garage. d. corner lots shall have not less than 25 feet for a front yard depth and 15 feet for the side yard.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Class A business district (main street retail business district) inside Thompson city; commercial use buildings with accessory buildings.

  • Applies to buildings used for commercial purposes.

  maximum lot coverage: <= 90 percent (commercial use buildings with accessory buildings)

  “5. percentage of lot coverage. no building with its accessory building, to be used for said commercial purposes, shall occupy in excess of 90 percent of the area of the lot.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Class A business district (main street retail business district) inside Thompson city.

  maximum building height: <= 50 feet

  “no building in a class a business district shall be erected to a height in excess of 50 feet.”

• Living in an RVProhibited

  Occupying a travel trailer on any premises inside Thompson city (all districts).

  • Exception: an unoccupied trailer may be parked in an accessory building, or in a yard other than the front yard, in any district.
  • While parked or stored under that exception, no living quarters may be maintained and no business conducted in the trailer.
  • The chapter's text names 'travel trailer'; motorhomes and other RV types are not separately addressed in the sections reviewed.

  “except as provided herein, no person shall park or occupy any travel trailer on any premises in any district. the parking of an unoccupied trailer in an accessory building or in a yard other than the front yard shall be permitted in any district, provided no living quarters shall be maintained or any business conducted in such trailer while so parked or stored.”

• Permit processPartial

  Building permit application inside Thompson city, filed with the city clerk.

  • Application is in writing, delivered to the clerk, with plans in duplicate showing size, location on lot, materials and construction type (Ch. 165.20).
  • Fee schedule and review timelines were not located; the process is only partly published in the sections reviewed.
  • City Hall lists in-person and phone contact at 167 2nd Ave W, 641-584-2785 on the official home page.

  “every application for a building permit shall be in writing and delivered to the clerk, and shall be accompanied by a detailed set of plans in duplicate, showing the size of the proposed building or structure”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from permits in Thompson city.
• Building code adopted — Building code adoption inside Thompson city.
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Thompson city.
• Minimum lot size — Class A residential district (one- and two-family) lot area inside Thompson city.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Thompson 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.