Bill Text: IA SF132 | 2017-2018 | 87th General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: A bill for an act relating to special exceptions and variances from city zoning regulations.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-02-01 - Subcommittee: Guth, Allen, and Greene. S.J. 198. [SF132 Detail]
Download: Iowa-2017-SF132-Introduced.html
Senate File 132 - Introduced SENATE FILE BY BOWMAN A BILL FOR 1 An Act relating to special exceptions and variances from city 2 zoning regulations. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: TLSB 1996XS (2) 87 aw/sc PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 414.12, subsections 2 and 3, Code 2017, 1 2 are amended to read as follows: 1 3 2. To hear and decide special exceptions to the terms of 1 4 the ordinance upon which such board is required to pass under 1 5 such ordinance, unless procedures to hear and decide special 1 6 exceptions are otherwise provided by ordinance. 1 7 3. To authorize upon appeal in specific cases such variance 1 8 from the terms of the ordinance as will not be contrary to the 1 9 public interest, where owing to special conditions a literal 1 10 enforcement of the provisions of the ordinance will result in 1 11unnecessary hardshippractical difficulty, and so that the 1 12 spirit of the ordinance shall be observed and substantial 1 13 justice done. 1 14 EXPLANATION 1 15 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 1 16 the explanation's substance by the members of the general assembly. 1 17 This bill relates to special exceptions and variances from 1 18 city zoning regulations. 1 19 Under current law, a city's zoning board of adjustment is 1 20 granted the power to hear and decide special exceptions to 1 21 city zoning regulations. The bill provides that the board 1 22 of adjustment is granted such powers unless procedures are 1 23 otherwise provided by the city council by ordinance. 1 24 Current law also allows the board of adjustment to authorize 1 25 a variance from zoning regulations not contrary to the public 1 26 interest if, based upon special conditions, literal enforcement 1 27 of the provisions of the zoning regulations will result in 1 28 unnecessary hardship. The bill allows the granting of a 1 29 variance if literal enforcement of the provisions of the 1 30 ordinance will result in practical difficulty, rather than 1 31 unnecessary hardship. LSB 1996XS (2) 87 aw/sc