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Draft chapter 1: Code of Ordinances

§ 1.12 Right Of Entry

The 2026 draft's § 1.12 beside the current code's § 1.12: removed words are struck through, added words underlined.

Comparison with a draft: not adopted. The archive holds no public hearing, ordinance or vote adopting the recodified Code through the October 20, 2026 meeting packet. Until one is adopted, every page here compares the consolidated code with a draft that can still change: the revised draft with the October 6 changes is not in the archive.

A comparison with the August 2026 draft recodification prepared by Iowa Codification for the City. The draft has not been adopted and can still change; the current code (unofficial compilation) governs until a recodified Code is adopted. Matches between sections are made by machine from the texts and are reviewed where uncertain.

Wording changed largely rewritten (61% same words)

The city's explanation

“Updated right-of-entry provisions, including the process for obtaining an administrative search warrant when entry is refused.”

The city's summary of the draft (staff memo, September 9, 2026), p. 1

Notable changes

  • New requirement: … 1. Right of Entry. Whenever necessary to make an inspection to enforce any ordinance, or whenever there is reasonable cause to believe that there exists an ordinance violation in any building or upon any premises within the jurisdiction of the City, any authorized official of the City may, upon presentation of proper credentials, enter such building or premises at all reasonable times to inspect t… If consent to enter upon or inspect any…

What changed

1. Right of Entry. Whenever necessary to make an inspection to enforce any ordinance, or whenever there is reasonable cause to believe that there exists an ordinance violation in any building or upon any premises within the jurisdiction of the City, any authorized official of the City may, upon presentation of proper credentials, enter such building or premises at all reasonable times to inspect the same and to perform any duty imposed upon such official by ordinance; provided, except in emergencies, such official shall first give the owner or occupant, if they can be located after reasonable effort, 24-hour written notice of the authorized official’s intention to inspect. In the event the owner or occupant refuses entry, the official is empowered to seek assistance from any court of competent jurisdiction in obtaining such entry.
2. Warrants. If consent to enter upon or inspect any building, structure structure, or property pursuant to a municipal ordinance is withheld by any person having the lawful right to exclude, the City officer or employee having the duty to enter upon or conduct the inspection may apply to the Iowa District Court in and for the County, pursuant to Section 808.14 of the Code of Iowa, for an administrative search warrant. No owner, operator or occupant occupant, or any other person having charge, care, or control of any dwelling unit, rooming unit, structure, building, or premises shall fail or neglect, after presentation of a search warrant, to permit entry therein by the municipal officer or employee.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 808.14)

Word-level comparison of the current text with the draft's; spacing and paragraph breaks come from the documents' text. Footnotes are left out.

Current code

§ 1.12 Warrants

If consent to enter upon or inspect any building, structure or property pursuant to a municipal ordinance is withheld by any person having the lawful right to exclude, the City officer or employee having the duty to enter upon or conduct the inspection may apply to the Iowa District Court in and for the County, pursuant to Section 808.14 of the Code of Iowa, for an administrative search warrant. No owner, operator or occupant or any other person having charge, care, or control of any dwelling unit, rooming unit, structure, building, or premises shall fail or neglect, after presentation of a search warrant, to permit entry therein by the municipal officer or employee.

2010 Code, Chapter 1 · source page

2026 draft

§ 1.12 Right Of Entry

1. Right of Entry. Whenever necessary to make an inspection to enforce any ordinance, or whenever there is reasonable cause to believe that there exists an ordinance violation in any building or upon any premises within the jurisdiction of the City, any authorized official of the City may, upon presentation of proper credentials, enter such building or premises at all reasonable times to inspect the same and to perform any duty imposed upon such official by ordinance; provided, except in emergencies, such official shall first give the owner or occupant, if they can be located after reasonable effort, 24-hour written notice of the authorized official’s intention to inspect. In the event the owner or occupant refuses entry, the official is empowered to seek assistance from any court of competent jurisdiction in obtaining such entry.

2. Warrants. If consent to enter upon or inspect any building, structure, or property pursuant to a municipal ordinance is withheld by any person having the lawful right to exclude, the City officer or employee having the duty to enter upon or conduct the inspection may apply to the Iowa District Court in and for the County, pursuant to Section 808.14 of the Code of Iowa, for an administrative search warrant. No owner, operator or occupant, or any other person having charge, care, or control of any dwelling unit, rooming unit, structure, building, or premises shall fail or neglect, after presentation of a search warrant, to permit entry therein by the municipal officer or employee.

(Code of Iowa, Sec. 808.14)

August 2026 draft · page 13

Back to draft chapter 1 · All changes

Data last updated October 22, 2026. Built from the archive's documents; see how the data is built.