The current Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) was adopted on December 19, 2019 and became effective on January 15, 2020. For copies of previous development ordinances, please contact the Planning, Development and Sustainability Department.

Johnson County Unified Development Ordinance (UDO)

IMPORTANT: This document shows the ordinance as originally adopted. It does not show any amendments that have been adopted by the Board of Supervisors since January of 2020. All individual amendments to the UDO adopted since January 2020 can be found below. The Ordinance Number at the beginning of each bullet indicates the date of adoption (e.g. Ordinance 12-22-20-01 was adopted December 22, 2020). Amendments are listed in reverse-chronological order based on date of adoption (most recent amendments are listed first).

Click here to download the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) but be sure to check for amendments below as well.

Amendments to the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO)

Ordinance 08-24-23-01 Amendment to update and modify certain definitions and requirements for subdivision regulations and performance agreement contingency requirements.

Ordinance 08-03-23-02 Amendment to update and modify certain definitions and requirements for environmental regulations, grading permits, erosion control and site stabilization.

Ordinance 05-19-22-01 - Amendment to create a new Renewable Energy zoning district and revise certain requirements related to utility scale solar energy systems, battery energy storage systems, and public utility facilities.

Ordinance 12-16-21-01 - Amendment to adopt by reference and provide local amendments to the 2021 International Building Codes (IBC and IRC), as well as the State Electrical, Mechanical, and Plumbing codes.

Ordinance 08-24-21-03 - Amendment to revise the definition of Stream Corridors, and update and modify certain definitions and requirements for stormwater management.

Ordinance 08-24-21-02 - Amendment to update certain requirements for Public Utility Facilities and Utility Scale Solar Systems, and add requirements for Battery Energy Storage Systems.

Ordinance 08-24-21-01 - Amendment to revise the landscape planting requirements for public utility facilities.

Ordinance 07-22-21-02 - Amendment to update and modify certain definitions and requirements for sensitive areas.

Ordinance 07-22-21-01 - Amendment to update certain definitions and references, modify allowed uses, and clarify development application requirements and procedures.

Ordinance 05-27-21-02 - Amendment to repeal and replace the Iowa City Airport Zoning Ordinance

Ordinance 12-22-20-02 - Amendment to update allowed uses in the C-Commercial and C-AG-Agribusiness zoning districts, update certain parking and signage regulations, updated requirements for public utility facilities and utility scale solar energy systems, and update requirements related to site planning

Ordinance 12-22-20-01 - Amendment to update regulations for agricultural exemption determination, commercial communication towers, and short term rentals in response to changes in Iowa Code

Ordinance 10-22-20-02 - Amendment to revise definitions and supplemental conditions related to animal slaughter uses and limited slaughter as an administrator-approved accessory  use in certain zoning districts

Ordinance 10-22-20-01 - Amendment to clarify the definition of Agricultural Unit, add a definition of Agricultural Experiences, and modify allowed uses in certain zoning districts to address agricultural experiences

Ordinance 07-23-20-01 - Amendment to change certain definitions, references, and requirements related to agricultural exemption

Ordinance 03-26-20-01 - Amendment to add a definition of slope and provide for specific allowed impacts to protected slopes

Zoning, Land Use and the UDO

Zoning is a method of land use regulation designed to minimize the negative impacts of certain types of land use by separating them from one another. This is achieved by restricting uses to classified districts, such as residential, agricultural, commercial, and industrial zones. The regulations are intended to allow these different land uses to be located and organized in a manner that promotes public health, safety, comfort and general welfare, to conserve property values, and to facilitate the adequate provision of transportation, water, sewage, schools, parks, and other public requirements.

Most of the laws and regulations we live by are determined at the federal and state level. States recognize, however, that the regulation of land use is better understood and controlled at the local level. Therefore, under State-delegated authority, Johnson County has its own Code of Ordinances which contains the "Property and Land Use" zoning regulations.

The County Unified Development is a legal document, but it will not be upheld in a court of law unless its regulations show a direct relationship to a "rational planning process." As a result, most municipal governments develop living comprehensive planning documents (Johnson County's comprehensive planning documents are available here).

The Planning, Development and Sustainability Department has two primary purposes: to administrate the regulations contained within the Zoning Ordinance, and to maintain a planning process that reflects the evolving needs of Johnson County.

The unincorporated area of Johnson County is broadly divided into 3 general land use areas: agricultural/rural areas, preservation areas, and growth areas including residential, commercial, and industrial growth. Growth areas also include the 9 unincorporated villages and many fringe areas located around the incorporated cities. The County has zoning responsibility in all areas except within the cities. There are 27 individual zoning districts, which can be generally grouped into Ag, Residential, Commercial, Industrial, Preservation, and other specialized, public, or institutional uses:

- A Districts – Rural
- R Districts – Residential
- C Districts – Commercial
- M Districts – Industrial
- ERP – Environmental Preservation
- RE - Renewable Energy
- P District - Public
- SWDRR District - Solid Waste and Resource Reclamation/Recycling

These general district types are further divided into more specific sub-districts (e.g. C-Commercial, CH-Highway Commercial, C-Ag-Agri-Business, Ag-T- Agritourism, etc.).

Any parcel of land, with the exception of farms, that is not zoned to allow for a residential or commercial use must be rezoned before a building permit can be issued for construction of a building for that parcel. Please visit the Planning, Development and Sustainability Department for information on zoning and rezoning applications.

If you have any issues accessing the files linked on this page, please call our office at 319-356-6083 for assistance.