Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Solon, Iowa

Solon’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction of residential dwellings, including single-family dwellings and duplexes, inside Solon city limits.

  • Exempt items under 155.03 include: a. one-story detached accessory buildings used as tool and storage sheds, playhouses and similar uses; provided the floor area does not exceed 144 square feet; b. fences not over 6 feet high; f. sidewalks, driveways, platforms, decks, stoops and patios not more than 30 inches above grade.
  • Construction may proceed after the permit is issued, so status is conditional rather than prohibited.
  • Chapter 155.05 authorizes the mayor or mayor pro tem and the zoning officer to issue permits.

  exempt shed floor area maximum: <= 144 square feet (one-story detached accessory building used as tool/storage shed, playhouse or similar use)

  “for the construction of residential dwellings including singlefamily dwellings or duplex units.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside the corporate limits of Solon city, Iowa. Solon city administers its own zoning code (Chapters 165 through 175).

  • Zoning code applies to uses, structures and development inside Solon city limits; newly annexed land is governed by Chapter 165.10 (not opened).
  • Zoning code is the city's own ordinance; this is not a county or township rule.

  “chapters 165 through 175 of this code of ordinances shall be known and may be cited as the “zoning code of the city of solon, iowa.””

• Zoning districtsPartial

  Land inside Solon city limits: the zoning district list and map.

  • Official zoning map is adopted by reference in Section 165.07; the map itself was not opened.
  • District dimensional standards and use tables were not opened; only the district list is confirmed.

  number of zoning districts: 8 districts

  “the city is divided into eight districts, designated as follows: a-1 agricultural r-1 residential r-2 residential r-3 residential r-4 residential c-r retail commercial c-g general commercial c-h highway commercial i-l light industrial”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Solon or Johnson County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction inside Solon city limits.
• Inspections — Building inspections for new homes inside Solon city limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings in Solon R-1 Residential district (and A-1 Agricultural if applicable).
• Minimum lot size — Single-family lots in Solon R-1 Residential district and A-1 Agricultural district.
• Setbacks — Yard setbacks for single-family homes in Solon R-1 Residential and A-1 Agricultural districts.

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Solon means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

• Water Crystal Quest Filter any source — well, rain, or creek — to drinking-clean.
• Power Bluetti Solar generators and home battery backup for living off the grid.
• Septic Soil percolation test kit Run your own perc test before paying an engineer — the first thing a septic office asks about.
• Water Well water test kit Bacteria, nitrates, hardness — know what the well on a parcel is really pumping.

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