Industrial and utility uses in unincorporated Polk County must keep noise from being excessive at the lot line, and heavy-industrial and extractive/disposal uses require conditional-use permits with noise-abatement plans. Home occupations must produce no noise detectable at the property line.
The Polk County Zoning Ordinance controls industrial noise through lot-line performance standards: public and utility uses must not produce noise excessive at the lot lines, and the Zoning Administrator can require licensed-engineer certification. Heavy industrial, extractive (mining), and disposal uses need conditional-use permits and must submit machinery noise levels and noise-abatement methods for review. Home occupations are held to a stricter test: no noise detectable at the property line. Firearm ranges must submit actual noise levels and abatement procedures.
Zoning violations are misdemeanors abatable under Chapter 2 of the Polk County Code; conditional-use permit noise conditions are enforced as permit conditions, and nuisance actions can assess civil penalties.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Des Moines, IA
Des Moines has no city ordinance restricting lawn ornaments on residential property. Chapter 60 (Housing) requires reasonable property maintenance and could ...
Des Moines, IA
Des Moines has no city ordinance regulating residential inflatable holiday displays. Chapter 48 (Noise) standards could theoretically apply to overnight blow...
Des Moines, IA
Des Moines has no municipal ordinance regulating residential holiday lights. Display timing, brightness, and animation are governed primarily by HOA and cond...
Des Moines, IA
Des Moines requires building permits for permanent outdoor kitchen installations with gas lines, electrical wiring, plumbing, or structural roofs under Chapt...
Des Moines, IA
Des Moines has no smoker-specific ordinance. Open burning is regulated under Chapter 70 (Fire Prevention) and Iowa Code 100B with cooking-fire exemptions. Io...
Des Moines, IA
Des Moines Fire Code under Chapter 26, Article XII adopts the International Fire Code (IFC). IFC 308.1.4 prohibits open-flame cooking devices and LP-gas tank...
See how Des Moines's industrial noise rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.