RAGBRAI Rural Zoning

SUMMARY

• No zoning permits are required for the sales of beverages (non-alcohol), food, goods, and services during the designated timeframe of the RAGBRAI special event while in Woodbury County from private property in the AP, AE, GC, HC, LI, and GI districts.   The right-of-way areas must not be encroached.  No zoning permits are required as long as alcohol is not provided.  However, Siouxland District Health, 712-279-6119, must be contacted for permits governing the sales of food and beverages.
    
• The sales of alcohol requires a complete Conditional Use Permit application to be filed with the Woodbury County Zoning Commission and Board of Adjustment.  Permit requests are strongly recommend to be submitted as soon as possible prior to any first day of a month well in advance to the start of RAGBRAI.  The Zoning Commission meets on the 4th Monday of the month and the Board of Adjustment meets on the 1st Monday of the month.   Please call 712-279-6609 for information.   See Conditional Use Permit - Instructions and Documentation Required below for further information.

BACKGROUND

RAGBRAI, Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa, will begin in Sioux City, Iowa on July 22, 2023.  On November 8, 2022, the Woodbury County Board of Supervisors adopted Ordinance No. 69, which amends the Woodbury County Zoning Ordinance to add RAGBRAI as a special event to the Land Use Summary Table.  This action places the Special Event of RAGBRAI into two zoning categories.  "Special Event - RAGBRAI" and "Special Event RAGBRAI, with alcohol".   Special Event RAGBRAI is classified as a "Temporary Use (TU)" while Special Event RAGBRAI, with alcohol, requires a "Conditional Use Permit" that is reviewed by the Zoning Commission and considered for approval by the Board of Adjustment.  Please review the subsequent information for details.

ZONING ORDINANCE REQUIREMENTS

Section 5.07:    Special Event – RAGBRAI and Special Event – RAGBRAI with Alcohol

1.    Purpose. The purpose of this Ordinance is to assist county officials to control the public health and safety issues created by the infusion of a large number of people in the county by establishing regulations for vendors in the unincorporated areas of Woodbury County during the Des Moines Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI).

2.    Definitions.  
  
A.    RAGBRAI.  The term RAGBRAI is an acronym for the Des Moines Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa event.  
  
B.    Use, Temporary.  A use permitted within a designated zoning district and established for a fixed period of time with the intent of terminating such use upon the expiration of the time period.  In the case of RAGBRAI, when held in Woodbury County, Iowa, the temporary use shall be limited to a period of time starting no more than one day prior to the start of the official event date in Woodbury County and terminating no more than one day after the completion date of RAGBRAI in Woodbury County.
  
3.    Special Event – RAGBRAI.  The sale of food, beverages (excluding alcohol products), goods, and services during the designated timeframe of RAGBRAI when hosted in Woodbury County, Iowa is a temporary use and shall be limited to a period of time starting no more than one day prior to the start of the official event date in Woodbury County and terminating no more than one day after the end of said event.  The temporary use shall only be conducted from private property and shall not be conducted from the right-of-way.  Temporary uses for RAGBRAI may not be appropriate in every zoning district.  Refer to the Section 3.03.4: Land Use Summary Table of Allowed Uses in each Zoning District for the appropriate zoning district.  The sale of alcohol products is prohibited unless a Conditional Use Permit is obtained from the Woodbury County Board of Adjustment.  
  
4.    Special Event – RAGBRAI with alcohol.  Conditional Use Permit required.  If a property owner desires to offer alcohol as part of the Special Event – RAGBRAI, a conditional use permit application shall be submitted to the Community and Economic Development office as per the subsections 2.02.9 and 5.07 of the Zoning Ordinance.  The application must come accompanied with a temporary site plan that shall show the location of all existing buildings, existing parking, proposed temporary tents, canopies, structures, and fences, proposed temporary parking, and other features as required by the Zoning Director.
  
5.    Documentation.  The property owner shall be responsible for obtaining and complying with all necessary federal, state and local permits including, but not limited to liquor licensing and submit all appropriate documentation to the Zoning Director for review and the Planning and Zoning Commission and Board of Adjustment if a conditional use permit is required.  

TEMPORARY USE AND CONDITIONAL USE ZONING DISTRICTS

To specifically locate the zoning district in which the property is located, you may perform a "Property Search" on the Assessor's website (see example screenshot below).  You may search for the property using the property owner's "name," "address," or other search options.  

Once a property is identified, a "Parcel Report" page will appear (see example screenshot below).  Under the first category, "Summary," look for the "Zoning District" option.   To the right of this, you should see the Zoning District name (e.g. - "AP - Agricultural Preservation," "AE - Agricultural Estates, "SR - Suburban Residential, "GC - General Commercial", "LI - Limited Industrial," "GI - General Industrial," etc.).

PROPERTY SEARCH 

CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT - INSTRUCTIONS AND DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED

The Woodbury County Zoning Ordinance Section 2.02-9-C requires the following documentation to be submitted as part of a conditional use permit application in addition to requirements in Section 5.07.

• Specific description of the proposed conditional use.
• Mapping drawn to scale showing the subject property, all structures and other improvements with the proposed conditional use identified thereon.
• A statement in response to the standards and other considerations for approval of the conditional use within Section 2.02-9-F of the Woodbury County Zoning Ordinance.
• A certified abstractor's listing of the names and mailing addresses of all owners of real property lying within 500 feet of the subject property, except that in the case of a conditional use to allow an airport or a sanitary landfill, or construction of a telecommunication tower, the certified abstractor's listing shall include a listing of the names and mailing address of all owners of real property lying within one (1) mile of the subject property.
• The property owner shall be responsible for obtaining and complying with all necessary federal, state and local permits including, but not limited to liquor licensing and submit all appropriate documentation to the Zoning Director for review and the Planning and Zoning Commission and Board of Adjustment.
• A filing fee of $300.00 payable to the Woodbury County Treasurer.  The owner(s)/applicant(s) shall pay the additional costs associated with the processing, printing, and the mailing of notifications of the public hearings when the number of mailings required exceeds 30.  The owner(s)/applicant(s) shall pay the additional costs of the legal publication notice(s) in newspaper(s) when the fees exceed $100.00.

APPLICATIONS RECEIVED WITHOUT ALL THE AFOREMENTIONED DOCUMENTATION WILL BE RETURNED.

CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT PROCESS

• Application is filed with the Community and Economic Development Office.
• Application is placed upon the Zoning Commission agenda for review and a recommendation.
• Zoning Commission submits findings and recommendation report to the Board of Adjustment.
• The Board of Adjustment holds a public hearing.
• The Board of Adjustment renders decision on conditional use permit application based upon the standards and other considerations in the Zoning Ordinance (Section 2.02-9.F).

STANDARDS AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

STANDARD #1

The conditional use requested is authorized as a conditional use in the zoning district within which the property is located and that any specific conditions or standards described as part of that authorization have been or will be satisfied.

STANDARD #2

The proposed use and development will be in harmony with the general purpose and intent of this ordinance and the goals, objectives and standards of the general plan.

STANDARD #3

The proposed use and development will not have a substantial or undue adverse effect upon adjacent property, the character of the neighborhood, traffic conditions, parking, utility facilities, and other factors affecting the public health, safety and general welfare.

STANDARD #4

The proposed use and development will be located, designed, constructed and operated in such a manner that it will be compatible with the immediate neighborhood and will not interfere with the orderly use, development and improvement of surrounding property.

STANDARD #5

Essential public facilities and services will adequately serve the proposed use or development.

STANDARD #6

The proposed use or development will not result in unnecessary adverse effects upon any significant natural, scenic or historic features of the subject property or adjacent properties.

OTHER CONSIDERATION #1

The proposed use or development, at the particular location is necessary or desirable to provide a service or facility that is in the public interest or will contribute to the general welfare of the neighborhood or community.

OTHER CONSIDERATION #2

All possible efforts, including building and site design, landscaping and screening have been undertaken to minimize any adverse effects of the proposed use or development.

LIMITATIONS

• The Board of Adjustment may set a time limit for establishment of the use authorized by a conditional use permit as a condition for approval.  If teh use has not been established within that time, the Board of Adjustment may consider revocation of the conditional use permit.  
• If the use or development for which the conditional use permit was granted ceases to exist for a period of ninety days, the certificate of occupancy shall be terminated.  The use or development shall not be reinstated unless the Board of Adjustment issues another conditional use permit.

APPEAL OF THE ACTIONS OF THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT

• Any interested party may appeal a decision of the Board of Adjustment as provided by the Code of Iowa.  Such an appeal suspends the effect of the action of the Board of Adjustment until the appeal has been resolved.  

RESOURCES

• Application for a Conditional Use Permit
• Conditional Use Permit Process Summary
• Zoning Ordinance - Conditional Uses (Section 2.02-9)
• Zoning Ordinance - RAGBRAI Special Events (Section 5.07)