​Cities in Iowa are required to follow proper bid and quote procedures when contracting for public improvement projects. Many of the rules,…

Eminent domain provides state and local governments in Iowa the ability to require private property owners to sell their property for a…

​By some estimates energy consumption in buildings accounts for one-third of all the energy used in the U.S. and two-thirds of the…

Primarily used to add data sets to computer mapping programs in the early stages, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) now incorporate a wide…

State Regulation of Golf Carts Under Code of Iowa Section 321.247 golf carts: Are not required to be registered or licensed by…

Adding or restoring housing stock is a goal many cities have, but one that can be difficult to achieve. Allocating city resources,…

Many communities around the state have dilapidated buildings. These buildings are in various stages of vacancy and/or disrepair – some may be…

The Index of Iowa Laws links to Code of Iowa chapters and sections that are applicable to municipal government. Users should be…

Involuntary annexation means that some or all of the property owners within the proposed annexation area are opposed to the action. As…

​Junkyards can serve a valuable purpose to a community, but they also pose unique zoning and regulation con­siderations. State regulations of junkyards…

Many communities are faced with abandoned school buildings as local school districts build new facilities or relocate schools. Outsiders may see the loss…

Mobile food vendors, or “food trucks”, have long been a part of vending at food festivals, local and state fairs, seasonal events…

The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is a component of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) which has three basic functions: Flood InsuranceWhen a city becomes…

Nearly all cities must manage nuisance properties in their community at some point. Such properties are unappealing, can cause surrounding property valuations to decline and create a poor image…

While the Code of Iowa regulates certain land use activities, many cities establish additional procedural regulations for the handling of zoning issues.…

Within a city’s overall building and housing stock is its assortment of rental property. While much of the housing and building code carries…

Cities benefit from planned development and property regulation. Typical­ly, this is achieved through a zoning ordinance. However, small cities may not have…

Cities are responsible for maintaining most of the public property in the community, including the city streets. However, there are some questions…

A growing principle in municipal government planning efforts is the incorporation of sustainability concepts. These ideas can reach into nearly all parts…

A number of cities in Iowa now allow urban chickens in residential areas and more are considering such policies. Proponents point to…

While many cities have factory-built homes within their boundaries, they are limited in how they can zone such residences. The Code of Iowa and…

​State law allows cities certain powers and abilities to provide services and shape the development of areas outside their established boundaries. This…