The following subsections include, but do not limit, the conditions that are deemed to be nuisances in the City:
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 657.2)
1. Offensive Smells. Erecting, continuing or using any building or other place for the exercise of any trade, employment, or manufacture which, by occasioning noxious exhalations, unreasonably offensive smells, or other annoyances, becomes injurious and dangerous to the health, comfort or property of individuals or the public.
2. Filth or Noisome Substance. Causing or suffering any offal, filth, or noisome substance to be collected or to remain in any place to the prejudice of others.
3. Water Pollution. Corrupting or rendering unwholesome or impure the water of any river, stream, or pond, or unlawfully diverting the same from its natural course or state, to the injury or prejudice of others.
4. Blocking Public and Private Ways. Obstructing or encumbering, by trees, hedges, fences, billboards, buildings, or other obstructions (including moveable objects), the public roads, private ways, streets, alleys, commons, landing places, or burying grounds. All obstructions, whether natural or manmade, which hinder persons from having an adequate view of traffic so as to prevent them from the continued safe travel on a public street.
5. Prostitution; Gambling; Gang Activity. Real or personal property kept for the purpose of prostitution and lewdness; unlawful gambling; places resorted to by persons participating in criminal gang activity prohibited by Chapter 723A of the Code of Iowa, or places resorted to by persons using controlled substances, as defined in Code of Iowa Section 124.101, subsection 5, in violation of law, or real or personal property where drunkenness, quarreling, fighting or breaches of the peace are carried on or permitted to the disturbance of others.
6. Billboards. Billboards, signboards, and advertising signs, whether erected and constructed on public or private property, which so obstruct and impair the view of any portion or part of a public street, avenue, highway, boulevard, or alley or of a railroad or street railway track as to render dangerous the use thereof.
7. Obstructing Air Traffic. Any object or structure erected within one thousand (1,000) feet of the limits of any municipal or regularly established airport or landing place, which may endanger or obstruct aerial navigation including take-off and landing, unless such object or structure constitutes a proper use or enjoyment of the land on which the same is located.
8. Storing of Flammable Material. Depositing or storing of flammable material, including (but not limited to) old rags, rope, cordage, rubber, bones, and paper, by dealers in such articles within the fire limits of the City, unless in a building of fireproof construction.
9. Air Pollution. Emission of dense smoke, noxious fumes, or fly ash.
10. Weeds, Brush. Dense growth of all weeds, vines, brush, or other vegetation in the City so as to constitute a health, safety, or fire hazard, or which otherwise constitute a nuisance under this chapter. For purposes of this subsection, all growths of grass or weeds in excess of six inches (6”) in height shall be deemed to be a nuisance. Exempt from this subsection are growths used primarily for educational and/or research purposes, so long as the growths are controlled. Also exempt from this subsection is ornamental grass.
11. Diseased or Damaged Trees or Plant Materials. Any dead, diseased, or damaged trees or plant materials, which may harbor serious insect or disease pests or diseases injurious to other trees or plant materials, or any healthy tree in such a state of deterioration that any part of such tree is likely to fall and damage property or cause injury to persons.
12. Damaged Vehicles. The storage of damaged vehicles, as defined in Chapter 51 of this Code of Ordinances.
13. Junk or Abandoned Vehicles. The storage of junk or abandoned vehicles, as defined in Chapter 52 of this Code of Ordinances.
14. Sewage. The discharge or exposure of sewage, garbage, or any other organic waste matter into or on any public place.
15. Poison. The deposit of any poisonous material or thing on any premises, so as to allow access to it by any animal or person.
16. Stagnant Water. Breeding places for mosquitoes, to include stagnant water in fish ponds, swimming pools, tires, open barrels, and other devices holding water.
17. Unsafe Signs. Any sign or sign structure which is structurally unsafe, or constitutes a hazard to safety or health by reason of its location, inadequate maintenance or dilapidation, or is not kept in good repair, or is capable of causing electric shocks to persons likely to come in contact with it, or which obstructs free ingress or egress from a required door, window, fire escape, or other required exit.
18. Obscene Signs. Signs accessible to the general public containing statements, words, or pictures of an obscene or pornographic character.
19. Construction Debris. Depositing or permitting to be deposited dirt, debris, or other sedimentation resultant from grading, construction, demolition, or repair activities:
A. Onto public rights-of-way in amounts which could cause a danger to public health, safety, or welfare; or
B. Into public storm sewers or drainage ways in amounts which could cause an obstruction to the flow of same; or
C. Into a public stream, river, or lake in amounts which could cause pollution of same.
20. Dangerous Structures. Residential or nonresidential structures, the condition of which constitutes a hazard to safety or to health as determined by the Building Official.
21. Vacant Buildings or Sheds. Unoccupied buildings or sheds found to be frequently open or accessible and vacated for more than six months.
22. Faulty Water Service. Discharge of water upon or under public streets or sidewalks by reason of faulty water service.
23. Noise Pollution. Any sound which disturbs humans or which causes or tends to cause an adverse psychological or physiological effect on humans as defined in Chapter 54 of this Code of Ordinances.
24. Litter. Any decomposable or non-decomposable solid or other waste material as defined in Chapter 53 of this Code of Ordinances.
25. Hazardous Accumulations. Accumulation of rubbish or trash and rank growth of weeds or other vegetation and plants tending to harbor vermin and/or rodents, or which are otherwise conducive to hazard.
26. Snow and Ice on Sidewalks. All snow and ice not removed from public sidewalks forty-eight (48) hours after the snow and ice have ceased being deposited thereon from one continuous event.
27. Tree Limbs. All tree limbs which are less than eight (8) feet above the surface of any public sidewalk or which are less than fourteen (14) feet above the traveled way of any public street.
28. Structures Damaged by Fire or Decay. All buildings, walls, and other structures which have been damaged by fire, decay, or otherwise to an extent exceeding half of their original value and which are so situated as to endanger the safety of the public.
29. Open Accumulation of Inoperable Vehicles, Machinery, or Appliances. Accumulation in the open of parked, stored, discarded, or disused machinery; unlicensed, unregistered or damaged or inoperable vehicle; household appliance; automobile or other vehicle body, parts, or components thereof, or any material parked, stored, discarded, or disused in a manner conducive to the harboring of rats, mice, snakes, or vermin, or to fire, health, or safety hazards from such accumulation of other material or from the rank growth of vegetation among the items so accumulated. This subsection does not apply to any vehicle in an enclosed building or so located upon the premises as not to be readily visible from any public place or from any surrounding private property. This subsection also does not apply with regard to any vehicle on the premises of a business enterprise operated in a lawful place, other than in a residential district, and operated in a lawful manner, when the keeping or maintenance of such vehicle is necessary to the operation of such business enterprise; or to a vehicle in an appropriate storage place or depository maintained in a lawful place and manner by the City or any other public agency or entity.
30. Floodlights. Permitting or allowing the illumination of floodlights, yard lights, or similar lights to be focused in such a fashion so as to encroach upon the peaceful enjoyment of neighboring property.
31. Vehicles on Lawns. Vehicles parked on a lawn or parking surface not in compliance with Section 174.08 of this Code of Ordinances.
32. Dangerous Machinery. All dangerous, unguarded machinery in any public place, or so situated or operated on private property as to attract the public.
33. Loose Overhanging Objects. Loose, overhanging objects or accumulations of ice or snow, which by reason of location above ground level constitute a danger of falling on persons in the vicinity thereof.
34. Fireworks. All use or display of fireworks except as permitted by law or this Code of Ordinances. The use of illegal fireworks will be deemed an immediate nuisance and shall be subject to enforcement by municipal infraction.
35. Required Improvements. Failure to install any improvement required by any portion of this Code or Ordinance, or other law or agreement.
36. Abandoned Appliances. Abandoning or otherwise leaving unattended any refrigerator, ice box, or similar container, with doors that may become locked or fastened, which are outside of enclosed buildings and may become accessible to children or others, or allowing any such refrigerator, ice box, or similar container, to remain outside of enclosed buildings on premises in the person’s possession or control, abandoned or unattended and so accessible to children or others.
37. Cottonwood Trees. The planting of cotton-bearing cottonwood trees and all other cotton-bearing poplar trees.
38. Nuisance Houses. Houses that require more than one police response to the same location or address within a 180-day period, during which police response an officer makes a determination that something at or on the location or address is injurious to health, indecent, or unreasonably offensive to the senses, or is an obstruction to the free use of property, essentially interfering unreasonably with the comfortable enjoyment of life or property.