A. The following regulations shall be applied to the specific uses listed below in any district where that use is allowed. Any violations of the following zoning regulations in this section may also be deemed to constitute nuisances, and may also be addressed pursuant to the provisions of title 4, chapter 4, "Nuisances", of this Code.
1. The following vehicles and/or equipment, when parked or maintained within any area zoned for residential purposes, shall be defined as "commercial or industrial storage" and shall constitute a violation of this title, unless determined by the City to be an accessory use of a home occupation in accordance with the standards set forth in this subsection:
a. Any bus or motor driven passenger vehicle designed for the transport of over nine (9) persons.
b. Any ambulance equipped with life support systems and used to transport to medical facilities sick and injured persons who require emergency medical care.
c. Any truck designed primarily for carrying livestock, merchandise, and freight of any kind and having a cargo capacity greater than two (2) tons including dump trucks, flatbed trucks, stake trucks and garbage packers.
d. Any pickup truck with a cargo box length greater than eight feet (8'), and maximum cargo capacity greater than two (2) tons, provided no more than one pickup truck used for commercial purposes shall be parked or maintained on the premises, regardless of size.
e. Any light delivery or panel delivery truck greater than twenty feet (20') in length or eight feet (8') in height, provided no more than one panel delivery truck used for commercial purposes shall be parked or maintained on the premises, regardless of size.
f. Any trailer in excess of twelve feet (12') in overall length, except this subsection shall not be construed to include mobile homes or recreational travel trailers, or trailers for personal recreational uses, regardless of length.
g. Any truck-tractor (semitruck) or road tractor.
h. Any backhoe, cement breaker, grader, end loader, dragline, or similar equipment intended to be used, or normally identified with commercial construction, landscaping, residential construction, or commercial or industrial service purposes.
B. Storage Of Vehicles And Equipment: Storage of a "commercial or industrial vehicle or equipment", as defined in subsections A1b through A1f of this section, on the premises of the resident occupant shall be permitted and considered an accessory use to a "home occupation" for the purposes of this subsection; provided, any commercial or industrial vehicle parked or maintained on the premises shall be limited to a single rear axle; said commercial or industrial vehicle or equipment is owned or operated by the resident occupant; the vehicle or equipment is stored in a standard garage constructed and intended for the storage of passenger cars or vans with overhead door opening not greater than ten feet (10') in height and conforming to setback, yard, height and size restrictions for accessory buildings and garages as specified in this title, and provided, there is no more than one garage on the premises, the vehicle or equipment is concealed from public view at all times during storage, and no more than one vehicle and one item of equipment as described in subsection A1h of this section used for commercial or industrial use is stored on the premises at any time.
1. This subsection shall not be interpreted to include the following:
a. Recreational vehicles and vans used for private, noncommercial transport and recreational activities which are used, owned or leased by the person residing on the premises on which the vehicle is being parked and maintained;
b. Equipment actively engaged in legal construction work upon the premises where the equipment is maintained, and shall exclude such vehicles or equipment only during the period of construction and a reasonable cleanup period thereafter not to exceed forty eight (48) hours;
c. Equipment and vehicles used as part of an on premises agricultural operation within an undeveloped area of greater than ten (10) acres and zoned for residential purposes;
d. Equipment stored for private, noncommercial use for on premises landscape and lawn maintenance; and
e. Pickup trucks, light delivery, and panel trucks of a weight capacity and size less than the standards set forth in subsections A1d and A1e of this section.
C. Multi-Family Entertainment And Service Centers: Multi-family entertainment and service centers shall be allowed as an accessory use when provided as part of an apartment, condominium, townhouse project, or as an accessory use to a single-family development, and limited primarily to residents and their guests. Multi-family entertainment and service centers shall be designed into the project or development to minimize the negative impact of the use on the surrounding residential properties.
D. Short Term Rental: All dwellings or dwelling units as defined in Title 8, Chapter 2, Article A of this Code and Chapter 2, Section 2, "Definitions" within this title, offered for a fee for a period of thirty (30) days or less shall be subject to the requirements of Title 8, Chapter 2, Article A, "Building Code", Subsection 15, Rental Housing of this Code, this title, and Iowa Code chapter 423A subject to the exemptions provided therein, and any requirements imposed by the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals, except that no inspection fee shall be charged.
E. Alternative Dwelling Units: The following may serve as dwellings on a short term or long term basis:
1. Manufactured Or Mobile Home: Is to be used as a place for long term residential occupancy: greater than one hundred eighty (180) consecutive days in any calendar year.
a. Use matrix:
Zoning | OS | RE | RS | R-1 | SF-CR | SF-VJ | MH | RM | RH | VJHB |
Manufactured or mobile home | P | P | P | P | P | P | P | |||
Second dwelling unit |
b. Units located outside of a manufactured or mobile home park:
(1) Must meet the bulk regulations and setbacks of the zoning district where they are located.
(2) The appearance of the foundation must be visually compatible with the surrounding residential structures.
(3) Must meet the specific use regulations for Residential Districts related to enclosed garage space (subsection 9-10-4B of this title).
(4) Must meet the off street parking regulations for single- family detached dwellings (chapter 15 of this title).
2. Park Home Or Park Model: Is to be used for long term placement of a trailer intended for temporary residential occupancy for recreational, camping or seasonal use: no more than one hundred eighty (180) (non-consecutive) days in any calendar year.
a. Use matrix:
Zoning | OS | RE | RS | R-1 | SF-CR | SF-VJ | MH | RM | RH | VJHB |
Park home or park model | Pc | |||||||||
Second dwelling unit | P | P | Pc | Pc | ||||||
Short term rental as part of an approved campground or recreational vehicle park | Pc | |||||||||
Short term rental not part of an approved campground or recreational vehicle park |
b. Parking and drives:
(1) Must meet the off street parking regulations for single- family detached dwellings (chapter 15 of this title).
3. Recreational Vehicle:
a. Occupancy of a recreational vehicle is not an allowed use unless located in an approved campground or recreational vehicle park.
b. Recreational vehicles may be used for sleeping purposes only, for a time period of no more than thirty (30) (non-consecutive) days in any calendar year, and only for non-paying guests of the occupant of a single family dwelling. A recreational vehicle must be located in conformance with all City regulations governing parking and storage. Vehicles cannot be used for sleeping purposes when parked on any public or private street, off street parking lot or loading area. (Ord. 2269, 1-8-2018)
4. Tiny Home: Is to be used as a place for long term residential occupancy: greater than one hundred eighty (180) consecutive days in any calendar year.
a. Use matrix:
Zoning | OS | RE | RS | R-1 | SF-CR | SF-VJ | MH | RM | RH | VJHB |
Tiny home | P | P | P | P | P | P | P | |||
Second dwelling unit | P | P | Pc | Pc |
b. Parking and drives:
(1) Must meet the off-street parking regulations for single- family detached dwellings (chapter 15 of this title).
c. A minimum ten foot by ten foot (10' x 10') storage shed or twenty foot by fourteen foot (20' x 14') garage shall be provided within the property upon which the home is located for exclusive use by the occupants of the tiny home. Existence of the shed or garage shall be verified by the Development Services Director or designee prior to release of the electric meter for the tiny home.
F. Second Dwelling Units: The design, size and placement of second dwelling units on a lot shall conform to all applicable codes for the zoning district. The property owner must occupy either the main or second dwelling unit as their permanent residence. The second dwelling unit can be used as a rental, but cannot be sold separately from the main dwelling unit. (Ord. 2068, 11-17-2014; Ord. 2136, 1-26-2016; Ord. 2357, 5-6-2019; Ord. 2358, 5-6-2019; Ord. 2560, 4-3-2023)