Ankeny, IA Parking Rules: Driveway Rules (2026)

Ankeny Code of Ordinances § 156.01 makes it unlawful to commence or proceed with construction of any automobile driveway that runs from the roadway of an improved street across the sidewalk area to the adjacent lot line without first obtaining a City permit. Under § 156.02 the property owner or an agent authorized in writing must apply, and § 156.03 requires the applicant to file a plan with the Community Development Department showing the extent, nature and location of the work relative to the street and adjacent property; the City must approve the plan and collect the fee, set by Council resolution under § 156.04, before the permit is granted.

Section 156.05 sets the dimensional standard: on lots under 100 feet wide at the right-of-way line, a single-family driveway cannot exceed 24 feet in width at the sidewalk; on lots 100 feet or wider, a driveway may reach 12 feet per garage stall up to a 36-foot total, except that a driveway on a cul-de-sac bulb stays capped at 24 feet regardless of lot width. No driveway may sit within 4 feet of a sewer intake throat unless the City's engineering staff approves an exception.

Wider lots are limited to two driveways serving the same lot, spaced at least 20 feet apart, with a curb at least 6 inches high required between them to keep that strip pedestrian-only. Section 156.06 requires the Community Development Department to be notified before the concrete is poured so the City can inspect the forms, and § 156.07 lets the City designate one-way traffic flow between multiple driveways serving one property, with the owner required to post the control signage at their own expense.