Story County, IA HOA Rules: Board Governance (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies to
- Major subdivisions of 10+ development lots
- Common open space minimum
- 15 percent of subdivision
- Maintenance mechanism
- HOA, deed covenants, or similar
- Approval authority
- Story County Board of Supervisors
- Excluded land
- Streets, parking, exclusive-use parcels don't count
Summary
Story County doesn't regulate homeowners association bylaws or elections directly, but its subdivision rules require one to exist: major subdivisions of 10 or more lots must set aside at least 15 percent of the tract as common open space, and § 88.05(2) requires an HOA, deed covenants, or an equivalent Board of Supervisors-approved mechanism to maintain it.
In all major subdivisions of 10 development lots or more there shall be a minimum of 15 percent of the subdivision dedicated or reserved as common open space, as defined in Section 85.08, Definitions. ... Suitable provisions for maintenance and upkeep of common open space shall be provided through a homeowners association, deed covenants, or through other similar provisions as approved by the Board of Supervisors.
Full Breakdown
Under the Land Development Regulations at Story County Code of Ordinances § 88.05(2), any major subdivision, one platting ten or more development lots, must dedicate or reserve a minimum of 15 percent of the subdivision as common open space, defined in § 85.08. That open space cannot be land reserved for the exclusive use of one tenant or owner, dedicated streets, alleys or other public rights-of-way, or vehicular drives, parking, loading and storage areas; it has to be shared, usable land shown clearly on the plat.
The county's only governance requirement is on the maintenance side: suitable provisions for upkeep of the common open space must run through a homeowners association, deed covenants, or another similar mechanism, and the Board of Supervisors must approve whichever mechanism the developer proposes. In practice this means a developer platting ten or more lots has to form an HOA, or record equivalent covenants, and get the county's sign-off on its maintenance plan before the Board of Supervisors will approve the subdivision. The ordinance does not otherwise dictate how the association is organized, how dues are set, or how board elections are run; those are private matters governed by the association's own recorded declaration and by state law, not by county ordinance.
Violations & Fines
Because the open-space and maintenance-mechanism requirement is part of subdivision approval itself, the county's leverage is at plat approval: the Board of Supervisors will not approve a major subdivision plat unless an acceptable maintenance mechanism for the common open space is in place. Once approved, a failure to keep the open space maintained through the approved HOA or covenant is enforceable as a Land Development Regulation infraction under Chapter 93, carrying a civil penalty of up to $750 for a first violation and up to $1,000 for each repeat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Story County require an HOA for every subdivision?
What can serve as the required maintenance mechanism besides an HOA?
Does the county regulate how the HOA runs its board or sets dues?
What land can't count toward the 15 percent open-space requirement?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Story County
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