[{"_1":2,"_86":-5,"_87":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6543803,"mediaKeyId","3388782-e5fc87186e3877cac70ecaad02a5d10e","parentId",3388782,"title","Cedar Falls to rewrite ADU rules after state law change; council allows two‑bedroom ADUs and aligns egress rules with building code","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",4838000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3388782-e5fc87186e3877cac70ecaad02a5d10e&start=4838&end=4838","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3388782-e5fc87186e3877cac70ecaad02a5d10e/thumbnail_4838000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6543803/Cedar-Falls/Black-Hawk-County/Iowa/Cedar-Falls-to-rewrite-ADU-rules-after-state-law-change-council-allows-twobedroom-ADUs-and-aligns-egress-rules-with-building-code","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6543803-b9ee7551a0a0ed8b81819f94132a1797/orig.mp4?Expires=1770445342&Signature=UqWqFx78VLGYCfOokWoSx1g0j1N7xySLHJZ~ckI~rkluec0VybRwhRP7h1mxugmzZ95da4KiE1jKUXrdicCv6zXJaQB9ZkxrO9XVfDtTzvAf~bnaImA~ykOB6BMQ600WFXvSjhCp8AaLQDk-EJr54ZtK76lSsrqu4BQEeGogGvE4i1s3X0l2GXkq-idk-bsG4HB1HeqX3Aa4ddG962T72aYbBlGB09jQ6wMkTzXAM7mnP02-6zvqCw~hALgjf3fBFWAxtd5S87-9Ig7GGtVhEpq6~7dY8XW-t76QvtV4MQCOnX8FFZMtzZkvVibHEI23da4IJUq5jv~WUsDcdzFSZQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Cedar Falls","date","2025-05-19T00:00:00Z","article","Cedar Falls city staff told the Committee of the Whole on May 19 that recent state legislation requires changes to the city’s accessory dwelling unit (ADU) ordinance, and the committee directed staff to rewrite the local code accordingly and to allow two‑bedroom ADUs.

City planner Chris Seve told the committee that “Governor Reynolds signed the new state law into effect on May 1,” and summarized the law’s requirements: cities must allow at least one ADU per single‑family residence, cannot require owner occupancy, cannot limit ADU size to less than 1,000 square feet, must allow mobile homes on a permanent foundation, cannot require exterior design matching the primary dwelling, and may not impose additional parking requirements.

Why it matters: the law removes several local constraints on ADUs and expands opportunities for small rental units or accessory homes on single‑family lots. The committee’s direction will trigger a local ordinance rewrite to align municipal code with state requirements while clarifying fire‑safety and utility metering details.

Key council directions and votes
- State-law compliance and code rewrite: Council directed staff to prepare ordinance language to make the city’s ADU rules compliant with the newly enacted state statute and the state building code (Chapter 103A). Council members emphasized that changes are required to remove the owner-occupancy restriction and to change the size limit consistent with the state law.
- Bedrooms and egress: The committee approved allowing two‑bedroom ADUs (the local ordinance had limited ADUs to one bedroom) and directed staff to align egress requirements with the state building code rather than the city’s prior two‑egress‑window requirement for basement units; staff noted the building code requires one egress window per bedroom and two points of egress overall.

Discussion highlights
City staff walked through the specific conflicts between the city’s November 2024 ADU ordinance provisions and the new state law; staff recommended removing design-match requirements and owner-occupancy language, adjusting square-foot language to reflect the state limit (1,000 square feet), and revising the utilities provision to permit shared service when metering can separate usage.

Public comment and rationale
Two local property owners spoke in favor of allowing larger and two‑bedroom ADUs, saying the change would enable renovation of underused structures such as garages and help provide rental housing and income for homeowners. Gabe Groenhouse offered a concrete example of converting a garage with a foundation to create an ADU of roughly 1,000 square feet.

Implementation notes and next steps
Staff will draft the ordinance changes needed to comply with the state law and the state building code, and return to council with proposed language for formal adoption. Staff flagged points for the rewrite: remove owner-occupancy requirements, change the maximum-size language to reflect the state standard of up to 1,000 square feet (or 50% of principal dwelling where allowed by the statute), permit mobile homes on permanent foundations, allow shared utilities when metering is feasible, and apply the state building-code egress standards.

Ending
Council members said the changes present an opportunity to expand housing options and to support homeowners while remaining mindful of safety and neighborhood character; staff will bring ordinance text back for formal consideration.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Cedar Falls Committee of the Whole: May 19, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Following a new state law requiring jurisdictions to allow accessory dwelling units, Cedar Falls' committee directed staff to update local ADU rules, remove an owner-occupancy requirement, allow up to two bedrooms in ADUs (and the state‑law maximum sizing), and to apply state building-code egress standards.","taxTitle","Cedar Falls, Black Hawk County, Iowa","taxId",51799,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_46":80,"_48":81,"_50":82,"_52":83,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":84,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":85,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6543808,"Cedar Falls council approves demolition and temporary parking at former U.S. Bank site; directs staff on citations and permit proposals",4601,219000,4820000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3388782-e5fc87186e3877cac70ecaad02a5d10e&start=219&end=4820","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3388782-e5fc87186e3877cac70ecaad02a5d10e/thumbnail_219000.jpg","/articles/6543808/Cedar-Falls/Black-Hawk-County/Iowa/Cedar-Falls-council-approves-demolition-and-temporary-parking-at-former-US-Bank-site-directs-staff-on-citations-and-permit-proposals","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6543808-cf41fc15b9abad09693139996b90c912/orig.mp4?Expires=1770445342&Signature=FYaTORPhLIZMma8uBHtUqm6uPOedZkVkjkPuqPIBM2kl812KH9UEJ0WAHbATwmSWJzFWRgRjVqtvt1Nw2OPgILbJoFd0inqGcgNXwuhZOEXRCtAe0gRWY~zLyu98WW5ufU3hAvCdTljcQTX4k2OVXH1p-i4SY597nJ0vILD7IAOD~TsF5LyXqhapIxBq3yWCIj8tsIoLI6ePbHoXmegdh54~gA~~ZrNNNJM4dno~up8iWVHMPvTPBzROpaPIqb2jCf~bR7w-~JGA-a6iR07lv2kRx7Q5hdIVLBh27~qIimT20DVHudB29TnoMixgs-lA12BXJ5FVnWRbPHkbUdd~lA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Cedar Falls City Council Committee of the Whole on May 19 approved demolition and temporary paving of the recently acquired U.S. Bank property, asked staff to develop a permanent surface-lot plan and directed staff to prepare proposals on raising parking citations and permit rates.

The committee voted to proceed with asbestos testing, abatement and putting a temporary paved lot in place this year; staff said demolition would likely follow major summer events with temporary parking available by September. Marcy, a city staff presenter, summarized the options for the council and said, “I’m not looking for any action on this. At this point. We’ll get to that in the second parking discussion.”

Why it matters: city staff and a consultant determined downtown parking occupancy frequently approaches consultant thresholds that signal a need for more supply. The committee’s decisions set in motion short-term actions to add vehicle capacity while preserving council input on a longer-term choice between a surface lot and a parking structure that would carry much larger capital costs.

What council decided and why
- U.S. Bank site: The council approved moving forward with asbestos testing, demolition planning and temporary paving of the former U.S. Bank site, with a more finished surface-lot design to follow next year. Staff estimated a temporary conversion would add roughly 60–65 public spaces and said a surface lot was estimated at about $900,000. A multi-level parking structure was presented as an alternative, estimated to yield about 335 spaces at a total cost the presentation listed in a range described to council as roughly $14,000,000–$25,000,000 (about $40,000–$70,000 per space), figures staff attributed to the consultant’s estimate.
- Citations and permits: The committee approved immediate implementation of an increased parking citation rate (per the staff proposal discussed) and asked staff to return with an incremental permit-rate plan plus a one-time (full) increase scenario for comparison. Staff had proposed raising monthly municipal lot permits to $70 and increasing basic citations from $10 to $25 with a $5 late fee if unpaid after 30 days; council directed staff to model incremental permit increases and to present the revenue and operational impacts of both incremental and one-step approaches.
- Paid parking system: Council directed staff to return with a more detailed paid-parking proposal for council and public review rather than adopting a paid system immediately. The committee agreed to bring back a public presentation (no action expected at that meeting) in June to inform discussion; staff also will continue quarterly occupancy counts and add the temporary lot’s spaces to future counts.

Discussion highlights
Council members and downtown business representatives emphasized balancing revenue needs with impacts on merchants and employees. Several councilors, including Ganfield and Cruz, favored waiting to see how the temporary lot changes demand before committing to a costly parking structure; others urged advancing a paid-parking proposal to address a projected operating deficit in the parking fund.

Business and community comments urged incremental implementation and stronger communication with downtown employers about where staff should park. A downtown business owner, Troy Davis, said rising operating costs make permit and citation increases difficult for small businesses and asked the council to consider mitigation for employees and service staff.

Implementation details and timeline
Staff said demolition and temporary paving would be scheduled after large summer events (Sturgis and RAGBRAI) and envisioned temporary parking in use by September, with longer-term design work for a permanent lot to follow. Staff also told the committee that if permit and citation increases were not adopted, parking enforcement costs would start coming from the general fund.

What’s next
- Staff will (a) begin asbestos testing and procurement steps for demo of the U.S. Bank building, (b) prepare costs and an implementation timeline for a temporary paved lot and a more finished permanent surface-lot design, and (c) provide detailed revenue models showing incremental permit increases and a one-step permit scenario along with the effect of higher citation fines.

Ending
Council members said they want to protect downtown businesses while addressing the parking fund shortfall and recognized the U.S. Bank lot conversion as a near-term measure to expand supply. The committee scheduled a public presentation on paid-parking options for a June meeting for additional discussion and community feedback.","The Cedar Falls Committee of the Whole directed staff to demo the former U.S. Bank building and create a temporary lot, approved full implementation of higher parking citation rates and asked staff to return with incremental and one-time permit-rate options and a paid-parking proposal for council review.","actionData","errors"]

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Cedar Falls to rewrite ADU rules after state law change; council allows two‑bedroom ADUs and aligns egress rules with building code

Cedar Falls council approves demolition and temporary parking at former U.S. Bank site; directs staff on citations and permit proposals