Draft 08-02-2017

JOHNSON COUNTY, IOWA COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

F U T U R E L A N D U S E +
D E V E L O P M E N T G U I D E L I N E S

The following overview outlines of the intent and purpose of the Johnson County Future Land Use Map and defines the Future
Land Use Categories. Further detailed is a Zoning Compatibility Matrix and Land Use Development Guidelines created to assist
with rezonings and development approvals.

FUTURE LAND USE MAP

The Future Land Use map serves as a guide to help direct where certain land uses should occur. Future Land Use Categories
provide a means for describing preferred uses of land within the County and serve as a basis for zoning decisions. The following
are definitions for each future land use category.

DEFINITIONS - FUTURE LAND USE CATEGORIES

Agricultural
Typical uses include land devoted to agriculture, including crop production and animal husbandry, and very low-density
residential development to include farmstead splits and small farm development. This land use category may also include
areas of land significantly impacted by wetlands or floodplain and areas of steep topography or natural tree cover or
other sensitive areas preserved as open space.

Residential
This land use category is dominated by single-family detached dwellings with a preferred density of 1 unit per acre or
denser. This category may also include single family dwelling units that are attached horizontally to one or more units,
typically referred to as duplexes, townhomes, and row-houses and multifamily dwelling units attached both horizontally
and vertically with two or more dwelling units, typically referred to as apartments or condominiums. Areas zoned for
residential shall be limited to locations that can support and accommodate the designated residential densities. Lots
should include public or private street frontage and driveway access. Development may further include residential
clustered developments; religious, educational and institutional uses and structures; child day care centers; and public
and private parks and recreational areas and structures.

Commercial
This land use category is for retail, service, office, and other traffic generating commercial uses. The category is restricted
to areas that have the infrastructure to support the traffic and utility demands of these uses. Site and building design
should include features to minimize negative impacts from noise, light, and traffic.

Intense Commercial/Low Intensity Industrial

This land use category is for uses equal to or more intense than those allowed in the commercial land use category, but
limited to low intensity industrial uses. These can include high intensity commercial uses including oversize equipment;
high traffic generating uses including event centers and vehicle and equipment sales; and those with a limited
manufacturing component, such as distilleries, breweries.

Industrial
This land use category allows for manufacturing and other potentially noxious land uses. Site sizes can range from small
single user building lots to large facilities. Industrial uses are generally located away from urban residential areas.
Areas reserved for this type of land use are typically not compatible with other areas of lower intensity use.
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Public
This category includes land owned and used by local, state, and federal governments including educational,
environmental, operational, and recreational uses.

North Corridor Development Area

The North Corridor is generally defined as the area between Highway 1 on the east and State Highway 965 on the west.
It extends north from the city limits of Iowa City and Coralville, and east of North Liberty to the Linn County border. It
includes all or parts of the Big Grove, Jefferson, Newport, and Penn townships, and is the most rapidly growing portion
of the County based on 2000 Census and available building permit data. The North Corridor is scenic in nature and is
the location of three recreational areas: Coralville Lake, Lake Macbride State Park, and Macbride Nature Recreation
Area. This area is intended to accommodate rural residential development as well as ag-tourism related establishments
where appropriate.

Village
This area includes the Countys unincorporated villages that have developed in harmony with agricultural land uses and
often provide services to the agricultural community. These settlements may have developed around a church, post
office or commercial enterprise. Typically, development in unincorporated villages is served by private water and sewage
disposal systems and has a greater density than is found throughout rural and agricultural areas. Development in these
areas should be in accordance with any adopted village plans.

City Fringe
Fringe Areas are city and county joint planning areas designed to protect the interests of the municipalities, their growth
areas, and areas of the County immediately outside city growth areas. State statute grant cities the authority to review
subdivisions within an area up to two miles beyond their corporate boundaries to facilitate orderly and compatible
development in the adjacent areas. Fringe Areas are typically administered through a 28E Agreement between the city
and county. Development in these areas will be in accordance with the adopted fringe area agreement.
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EXISTING ZONING REGULATIONS

The existing zoning regulations highlight Johnson Countys intent and regulatory authority when siting any type of land
use.

A District Agricultural Regulations.

The Agricultural District is intended to preserve agricultural resources and protect agricultural land from
encroachment of urban land uses. As a matter of policy, it is hereby determined that the highest and best
use of these lands is agriculture and that the rural character of these areas be preserved.

AR District Agricultural Residential Regulations.

A residential area that was originally known as the A2 zoning district and renamed to the AR Agricultural
Residential Zoning District. This zoning district was created to zone and plat property near Coralville Lake and
Lake McBride. The zoning district is intended for smaller lots that are generally less than one acre in area.

R Districts Residential Regulations (Including R, R3, R5, R10, R20, RUA, RUB, RTF, RMF).
The Residential zoning district is the primary zoning district used to zone and plat new housing developments.
The numerical indicator, after the R, is used to denote the density of the development. For example, a parcel
of ground that is zoned R3 must contain at least three acres of zoned ground for every house. Parcels that
are simply zoned R, without a numerical indicator, may contain one house or more per every one acre of
zoned land. The RUA, and RUB zoning districts are intended for residential development that is less than one
acre per house or development that is closer to urban densities. The RTF zoning district is a zoning district
where two attached dwelling units may be permitted on a single parcel. The RMF zoning district is the multi-
family zoning district for Johnson County.

RC District Rural Conservation.

The Rural Conservation zoning district is intended to compliment the Clustered Subdivision Ordinance by
encouraging the protection and conservation of open spaces, as well as agricultural, environmental, and
historically significant features by grouping or clustering residential lots on land suited for development and
preserving at a minimum fifty (50) percent of the land to be subdivided for open space. It is also intended to
establish cohesive neighborhoods, enhance recreational usage, and maintain rural identity for subdivision of
15 lots or more.

RMF District Residential Multi-Family.

The Residential Multi-Family zoning district is the multi-family zoning district for Johnson County.

RMH District Manufactured Housing Residential Regulations.

The purpose of the RMH-Manufactured Housing Residential District is to provide for the location of mobile
homes, modular homes, manufactured housing and the development of manufactured housing parks. It is
further intended to provide for the placement of such residences on individual subdivided lots.
C District Commercial Regulations.
The C District is intended to establish and preserve a business district convenient and attractive for a wide
range of retail uses and businesses, government and professional offices, and places of amusement in a
setting conducive to and safe for pedestrian traffic. The uses permitted are generally low intensity in nature
due to the small size of the principal building, low number of employees, and low traffic generators.

CH District Highway Commercial Regulations.

The CH District is intended to establish and preserve higher impact commercial areas consisting of shopping
centers and commercial strips where customers reach individual business establishments primarily by
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automobile. The uses permitted are generally high intensity in nature due to the large size of the principal
building, high number of employees, and high traffic generators.

C-AG District Agri-Business Regulations.

The Agri-Business District is intended to provide for the location of independently operated, agricultural based
commercial and industrial activity. The designation of these areas will serve to recognize the special
requirements certain businesses have to effectively serve the agricultural community.

AWDRR District Agricultural, Solid Waste Disposal and Environmental Resource Reclamation
District.
The Agricultural, Solid Waste Disposal, and Environmental Resource Reclamation District is meant to provide
areas within Johnson County where it is appropriate to site and operate sanitary landfills and composting
facilities while attempting to minimize any potential negative impacts of these necessary uses on surrounding
properties.

ML District Light Industrial Regulations.

The ML Light Industrial zoning district is intended for light manufacturing and industrial uses that are more
intense than those uses more appropriate to the Commercial and Highway Commercial zoning districts. Any
use, except Commercial Wind Energy Facilities, residential those most noxious and intense uses specifically
confined to the MH Heavy Industrial zoning district may be permitted in the ML Light Industrial zoning
district.

MH District Heavy Industrial Regulations.

The MH Heavy Industrial zoning district is intended for the most intense uses to include Auto wrecking, junk
yards, and similar salvage storage. The bulk storage of oils, petroleum and similar flammable liquids as well
as intense uses such as explosive storage and manufacture, industrial-scale livestock slaughter facilities, and
smelting.

P District Public Regulations.

It is intended that the Public District provide reference on the zoning map to public uses of land. Thus land
owned by the United States Federal Government, the State of Iowa, Johnson County, Cities, or Public School
Districts will be designated Public Use.
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ZONING COMPATIBILITY MATRIX

The following matrix identifies, for each of the future land use categories, the zoning districts that may be appropriate to zone land
based on its designation on the Future Land Use Map. Reference squares marked with a Y indicate the identified zoning district
is compatible with the corresponding land use category. Reference squares marked with an M indicate the identified zoning
district may be partially compatible with the corresponding land use category. Blank squares indicate the zoning district is not
compatible with the corresponding land use category.

Compatible Zoning

AWDRR - Agricultural, Solid Waste Disposal and

RMH - Manufactured Housing Residential

Environmental Resource Reclamation

RMF Residential Multi-Family
AR - Agricultural Residential

CH - Highway Commercial
RC - Rural Conservation

MH - Heavy Industrial
C-AG - Agri-Business

ML - Light Industrial
C - Commercial
R - Residential
A - Agricultural

P - Public
Future Land Use Categories
Agricultural Y M M M Y
Residential Y Y Y Y Y Y M Y
Commercial M Y Y Y Y
Industrial M Y Y Y Y Y
Public M Y
North Corridor Development Area M Y Y Y Y Y Y
Village* Y Y Y Y M M M M M M M M Y
City Fringe** Y M M M M M M M M M M M Y

Y = Yes Compatible
M = Maybe Compatible
[blank] = Not Compatible
* All development within villages should comply with adopted village plan.
** All development within two-miles of any city may be subject to city review.
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LAND USE DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES

In addition to conforming with the recommendations of the Future Land Use Map and the Zoning Compatibility Matrix,
all rezonings and development proposals should follow the Land Use Development Guidelines provided herein.

Major Use Types

The Land Use Development Guidelines are separated into the following major use types. All of these uses are subject
to the rules, regulations and limitations of the Countys zoning and subdivision regulations.

Agriculture Defined as the use of land for agricultural purposes, including farming, dairying, pasturage,
agriculture, horticulture, floriculture, viticulture, and animal and poultry husbandry, and the necessary
accessory uses for packing, treating or storing the produce; provided, however, that the operation of any such
accessory uses shall be secondary to that of normal agricultural activities and provided further that the above
uses shall not include the commercial feeding of garbage or offal to swine or other animals.

Examples: farms, nurseries, greenhouses, orchards, tree farms.

Minor Agricultural Tourism Defined as any agriculturally based operation or activity that brings visitors to an
active farm, and meets a strict set of limits on intensity (e.g. customer vehicle trips, deliveries, hours of
operation, number of employees, number of visitors).

Examples: small-group farm tours, temporary and unattended (honor-till) farm produce stands and road-side
stands, bed-and-breakfast on a farm.

Major Agricultural Tourism Defined as any agriculturally based operation or activity that brings visitors to an
active farm and exceeds the intensity limits for minor agricultural tourism.

Examples: large-group farm tours; dude ranches; farm-stays; staffed farm produce stands located within
dedicated sales structures; wineries and distilleries with on-site sales, tasting, and/or tours; pumpkin patches;
corn mazes; orchards, vineyards, and other fruit and vegetable patches providing farm produce for on-site
sale and/or self-picking/harvesting; Christmas tree farms with on-site sales, on-site dining or restaurants.

Residential Any non-agriculturally related residential dwelling or dwellings.

Examples: detached single-family homes, townhomes and rowhouses, manufactured homes, and multi-family
residential buildings and apartments.

Commercial/Retail Any commercial activity that is not related to an approved agricultural tourism activity.

Examples: retail stores; banks; bakeries, restaurants, and bars; automotive sales or services; farm, truck, and
power equipment sales or services; self-storage operations; professional offices; personal services such as
hair salons. Industrial Any industrial type activity.

Examples: trucking, shipping, distribution and warehousing; manufacturing and assembly; chemical or
material storage or processing; mining; ready-mix concrete and HMA plants;.
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Decision Matrix
The following matrix identifies development elements that should be considered before taking these actions: amending
the Future Land Use Map, approving a rezoning, or approving a development application for any parcel in the County.
REQ indicates the listed development element is required for the corresponding major use type. ENC indicates the
listed development element is recommended or encouraged for the corresponding major use type, but not required.
Blank squares indicate the identified development element is not required or recommended for the corresponding major
use type.

MAJOR USE TYPES

Commercial/Retail
Minor Ag Tourism

Major Ag Tourism

Residential
Agriculture

Industrial
DEVELOPMENT ELEMENTS
Future Land Use Map The proposed rezoning or use is consistent
with the land use designation shown on the Future Land Use Map and REQ REQ REQ REQ REQ REQ
any Land Use Overlays.
Zoning and Subdivision Requirements The proposed rezoning REQ REQ REQ REQ REQ REQ
or use complies or can comply with all zoning and subdivision regulations.
Paved Road The proposed use has sufficient access to an asphalt or
concrete (ACC or PCC) road that otherwise meets the County road ENC ENC ENC ENC
standards.
Public Health Regulations - The proposed use has the ability to meet REQ REQ REQ REQ REQ
Public Health Department standards for water and waste water.
Emergency Services The proposed use has access to adequate REQ REQ REQ REQ REQ
sheriff, fire, and EMS protection.
Environmental Impact The proposed rezoning or use complies with
the Sensitive Areas Ordinance and does not negatively impact historic or
archeologically significant sites, or areas with unique features such as
ENC REQ REQ REQ REQ
wetlands, water areas, floodplains, nature preserves and parks, special
native vegetation areas, critical wildlife habitat, steep slopes, and
sensitive soils.
Negative Impacts The proposed rezoning or use does not negatively
impact the appearance, use, or enjoyment of neighboring properties.
ENC ENC ENC REQ REQ
Such impacts may include excessive noise, traffic, light, glare, heat,
vibration, dust, fumes, smells, vagrancy, and other negative matters.

REQ = Required Development Element

ENC = Recommended Development Element[blank] = Not a Required Development Element