NWIPDC will assist a City in updating the City’s Code of Ordinances or Code Book. The process generally takes about six months to complete. The process entails taking all the City’s new ordinances, amendments and changes since the last time the city’s code book was updated and incorporating these changes into the new updated code book. We also make changes to the code book to reflect changes in Code of Iowa. Updating the code book is a perfect opportunity to make additional changes and revisions to as needed by the City.
- A city shall compile a code of ordinances containing all of the city ordinances in effect, except grade ordinances, bond ordinances, zoning map ordinances, ordinances vacating streets and alleys, and ordinances containing legal descriptions of urban revitalization areas and urban renewal areas.
- A city may maintain a code of ordinances either by compiling at least annually a supplement to the code of ordinances consisting of all new ordinances and amendments to ordinances which became effective during the previous year and adopting the supplement by resolution or by adding at least annually new ordinances and amendments to ordinances to the code of ordinances itself.
- A city which does not maintain the city code of ordinances as provided in paragraph "b" shall compile a code of ordinances at least once every five years.
Generally we assist Cities update codes once every five (5) years. At this time all new ordinances are included in the update, as well as new Code of Iowa changes or updates. This is also a time when cities will look at what has or has not been working with in the city’s code book and provisions are added or changed. Example – nuisance provisions are added or modified. The codification or updating of the code book is done by ordinance.
- If a proposed code of ordinances contains only existing ordinances without change in substance, the council may adopt the code by ordinance.
- If a proposed code of ordinances contains a new ordinance or an amendment to existing ordinances, the council shall hold a public hearing on the proposed code before adoption. The clerk shall publish notice of the hearing as provided in section 362.3. Copies of the proposed code of ordinances must be available at the city clerk's office and the notice must so state. Within thirty days after the hearing, the council may adopt the proposed code of ordinances. A new ordinance or an amendment to an existing ordinance becomes effective upon publication of the ordinance adopting the code of ordinances unless a subsequent effective date is provided within an ordinance. If the council substantially amends the proposed code of ordinances after the hearing, notice and hearing must be repeated before the code may be adopted.
3. A code of ordinances compiled and maintained at least annually, or compiled at least once every five years, is presumptive evidence of the passage, publication, and content of the ordinances codified therein as of the date of the clerk's certification of the ordinance adopting the code or supplement.
