Zoning Ordinance, Section 2: Establishment of Zoning Districts
§ 2.01 Establishment Of Districts And Offical Zoning Map And Rules And
The text in force on August 11, 2010, and every version since 2010.
Unofficial compilation built from the City's published 2010 Code chapters and the text of adopted ordinances. Effective dates are inferred from adoption records; scanned chapters were OCR'd. The City of Tiffin's adopted Code of Ordinances governs. Not legal advice.
2.01 ESTABLISHMENT OF DISTRICTS AND OFFICAL ZONING MAP AND RULES AND
REGULATIONS THEREOF
A. Adoption of Official Zoning Districts and Regulations and Conformity The City of Tiffin is hereby divided into the following zoning districts as shown by the following “Schedule of Districts”, which are hereby adopted, including the regulations of each district referred to in Section 3 by their respective letter/number abbreviations and all of which are declared a part of this Ordinance. Further, the regulations set by this Ordinance must apply uniformly within each district to each class or kind of structure or land, except as provided. No building, structure, or land may be used or occupied, and no building or structure or part thereof may be erected, constructed, reconstructed, moved, or structurally altered unless in conformity with all of the regulations specified for the district in which it is located.
“SCHEDULE OF DISTRICTS” (regulations for each district are found in Section 3 under their respective listings) Residential Districts R-1E Estate-Family R-1A Single-Family, Low-Density R-1B Single Family, Medium-Density R-1C Single Family, High-Density R-M Single Family, Manufactured R-2 Two-Family, Medium Density R-4 Multi-Family, 4-Plex R-6 Multi-Family, 6-Plex R-8 Multi-Family, 8-Plex R-12 Multi-Family, 12-Plex Commercial District C-1B Neighborhood Business District C-2B Community Business District C-10 Restricted Office District C-20 Office and Research District C-1S Downtown Center District Industrial District M-1 Light Industrial M-2 Heavy Industrial Planned Area Development PAD Planned Area Developments Public Zoning P-1 Public Uses
B. Official Zoning Map: The locations and boundaries of these districts are shown on the Official Zoning Map, which, together with all explanatory matter on it, is hereby adopted by reference and declared a part of this Ordinance.
1. Identification: The Official Zoning Map must have the signature of the Mayor, attested by the City Clerk, with the following statement: “This is to certify that this is the Official Zoning Map referred to in Ordinance No. 2007-287 of the City of Tiffin, Iowa, passed on November 14, 2007.”
2. Filing and Posting: The Official Zoning Map, or a true copy of it must be on file in the office of the Tiffin City Clerk, and it is the final authority on the correct zoning status of the land, water areas, buildings, and other structures in the City.
3. Changes in Official Zoning Map
a. If in accordance with the provisions of Section 14 “Administration and Enforcement Violations and Penalties” of this Ordinance and Iowa Code §414.4, changes are made in district boundaries or other matter portrayed on the Official Zoning Map, the changes must be entered on the map promptly after the amendment has been approved by the City Council, with an entry on the Official Zoning Map as follows: “By official action of the City Council, the following changes were made on the Official Zoning Map.” The changes made must be shown by ordinance numbers and date of publication. No amendment of this Ordinance that involves matters portrayed on the Official Zoning Map will not become effective until after the change and entry are made on the map.
b. Replacement of the Official Zoning Map. In the event that the Official Zoning Map becomes damaged, destroyed, lost, or difficult to interpret because of the nature or number of changes and additions, the City Council adopt an ordinance approving a new Official Zoning Map that will supersede the prior Official Zoning Map. The new Official Zoning Map may correct drafting or other errors or omissions in the prior Official Zoning Map, but no such correction must have the effect of amending the original Official Zoning Map or any subsequent amendment. The new Official Zoning Map must be identified by the signature of the Mayor, attested by the City Clerk, and containing the following words: “This is to certify that this Official Zoning Map supersedes and replaces the Official Zoning Map previously adopted.” Unless the prior Official Zoning Map has been lost or destroyed, the prior map or any significant parts of it remaining must be preserved, together with all available records pertaining to its adoption or amendment.
4. Rules for Determination of Boundaries: Where uncertainty exists as to the boundaries of districts as shown on the Official Zoning Map, the following rules apply:
a. Boundaries indicated as approximately following the centerline of streets, highways, or alleys must be construed to follow such centerlines;
b. Boundaries indicated as approximately following platted lot lines must be construed as following such lot lines;
c. Boundaries indicated as following corporate limits must be construed as following corporate limits;
d. Boundaries indicated as following railroad lines must be construed to be midway between the main right-of-way
e. Boundaries indicated as following shore lines must be construed to follow such shore lines, and in the event of change in the shore line, boundaries must be constructed to move with the actual shore line; boundaries indicated as approximately following the center lines of streams, rivers, canals, lakes, or other bodies of water must be construed to follow those center lines;
f. Boundaries indicated as parallel to or extensions of features indicated in subsections (a) through (e) must be so construed. Distances not specifically indicated on the Official Zoning Map must be determined by dimensions shown on the map, or in the absence of dimensions, by the scale of the map;
g. In the case of further uncertainty, or where physical or cultural features existing on the ground are at variance with those shown on the Official Zoning Map, or in other circumstances not covered by subsections (a) through (f) above, the Board of Adjustment must interpret the district boundaries.
ITS INTENT AND DESCRIPTION USES AND STRUCTURES AND REGULATIONS Residential Districts R-1E: Estate-Family R-1A Single-Family, Low-Density R-1B Single-Family, Medium-Density R-1C Single-Family, High-Density R-M Single-Family, Manufactured R-2 Two-Family, Medium-Density R-4 Multi-Family, 4-Plex R-6 Multi-Family, 6-Plex R-8 Multi-Family, 8-Plex R-12 Multi-Family, 12-Plex
Commercial District C-1B Neighborhood Business District C-2B Community Business District C-10 Restricted Office District C-20 Office and Research District C-1S Downtown Center District
Industrial District M-1 Light Industrial M-2 Heavy Industrial
Planned Area Development PAD Planned Area Developments
Public Zoning P-1 Public Uses
R-1E RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT ESTATE FAMILY
History
Dates: an Iowa ordinance takes effect when it is published after adoption. Where the clerk's certificate records the publication date it is used; otherwise the adoption date stands in for it. "Not yet consolidated" means the ordinance amends this section but its new text has not been checked into this compilation yet: read the ordinance.
Data last updated October 15, 2026. Built from the archive's documents; see how the data is built.