A. Authority. This Ordinance is adopted pursuant to the authority granted the City of Mount Vernon under Chapter 354, Code of Iowa, enabling cities to regulate the development of land within their jurisdictions and to promote good planning practice.
B. Purposes. The purposes of this Chapter are to:
1. Serve the public health, safety, and general welfare of the city and residents of Mount Vernon and its surrounding jurisdiction.
2. Provide for the orderly development and growth of the city by prescribing rules and standards insuring the functional arrangement of streets, public improvements, open spaces, community facilities, and utilities.
3. Promote the creation of well-planned and attractive residential, commercial, and industrial developments within the city and its jurisdiction.
4. Avoid excessive costs to the taxpayers of Mount Vernon or the residents of the jurisdiction of the city for the provision of public services and utilities, while maintaining high standards for these services.
5. Protect the unique environment of the City of Mount Vernon by avoiding environmental damage whenever feasible and appropriate and by encouraging flexibility in the design of subdivisions.
6. Provide the City of Mount Vernon with the ability to grow incrementally through the eventual annexation of new developments.