Story County, IA Code Violation Reporting: How to Report (2026)

Chapter 72 sets the enforcement procedure for every Board of Health regulation in the Story County Code of Ordinances, which includes the public health nuisance rules of Chapter 55, private well and septic rules, aquatic facility rules, and electronic smoking device rules (Section 72.02). The Story County Environmental Health Department (EH) and its Director are the county employees authorized to enforce this chapter (Section 72.03). Under Section 72.04, once an environmental health issue is brought to EH's attention, the department's first move is voluntary compliance: EH attempts inspection, notification, and a request that the violator fix the problem on their own.

Only after those reasonable efforts fail and administrative remedies are exhausted may EH issue a citation. If EH has reasonable grounds to believe a violation exists, Section 72.05 requires a formal, multi-step process: the violation is brought to the EH Director's attention, an investigation determines whether a violation actually exists, and if it does, a written Notice of Violation goes to the violator, and to the complainant if appropriate, and to the property owner if a tenant is the violator. That notice must describe the violation and the code sections violated, give the location and time, allow 30 days to correct the problem or submit a compliance schedule, warn that missing the deadline can lead to prosecution as a simple misdemeanor or a citation with a fine, note that each day a violation continues can count as a separate offense, and explain that the recipient can appeal to the Board of Health within 30 days, which stays enforcement and requires a Board decision within 30 days of the appeal.