Johnson County, IA Building Safety: Childcare Center Rules (2026)

Johnson County's Unified Development Ordinance, Volume Two of the county code, governs land use 'For the Unincorporated Areas of Johnson County' only; an Iowa City, Coralville, or North Liberty address falls under that city's own zoning, not this chapter. Within the county's rural districts, the UDO defines a Child Care Center at Sec. 4(46) as a facility licensed by the State of Iowa under Iowa Code Section 237A that serves seven or more children at a time. That headcount is what separates a center from the smaller Child Care Home and Child Development Home uses, which the same ordinance allows by right.

Because a center serves more children, the UDO lists it as a Conditional Use, not an accessory use, in every rural district: Sec. 6(C)(6) for the A-Agricultural district, Sec. 7(C)(4) for AR-Agricultural Residential, Sec. 8(C)(3) for SF-Small Farmstead, and Sec. 11(C)(2) for RC-Rural Conservation. A Conditional Use Permit application goes to the five-member Board of Adjustment, which under Sec. 29(F)(1) must weigh whether the site safeguards neighboring health and safety, protects water, air and light, avoids hurting nearby property values, and fits the character of the area before granting it.

If owners of at least 60 percent of the land within 500 feet file a written petition against the center, or a city with extraterritorial jurisdiction over the parcel votes to oppose it, Sec. 29(B)(9) raises the bar to a concurring vote of four of the five Board members instead of a simple majority. Once granted, the operator has one year under Sec. 29(F)(4) to establish the use or the permit lapses automatically.