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Board approves first reading to allow detached accessory structures in front yards
Summary
The Muscatine County Board of Supervisors approved on the first of three readings an amendment to the county zoning ordinance to remove a prohibition on detached accessory structures in front yards, aligning the ordinance with a state code requirement for accessory dwelling units; setbacks and sight-line rules will still apply.
The Muscatine County Board of Supervisors on Oct. 6 approved on the first of three readings an amendment to the county zoning ordinance that removes a ban on detached accessory structures in front yards, a change county staff said is needed to align local rules with state law governing accessory dwelling units.
County staff told the board that state code requires accessory dwelling units (ADUs) to be allowed in some front-yard situations if minimum setbacks are met. The county’s existing zoning text prohibited detached accessory structures in front yards, prompting frequent variance requests, staff said. Repealing the prohibition would eliminate that inconsistency while preserving setback and sight-line requirements.
“Mister Furnace,” a county staff member who presented the change, said the zoning commission recommended repealing the single-line prohibition that currently reads, “no detached accessory structure is permitted within the limits of a front yard.” He said subdivisions and homeowners associations would still be able to enforce private covenants that restrict placement of sheds, garages or barns.
During public comment, resident Angela Woodhouse said a prior request for a front-yard garage had been denied and that the ordinance change would help homeowners in similar situations.
Board members noted the county has routinely received variance requests for front-yard accessory structures and that regularly granting variances can suggest an ordinance is unreasonable. The board closed the public hearing and approved the ordinance amendment on the first of three readings.
The ordinance change does not alter required minimum setbacks or sight-line restrictions; staff said those remain in effect for the applicable zoning districts. The item will return for the second and third readings on subsequent agendas as required by county procedure.
