ISU Extension and Outreach launches online guide to Iowa zoning to support housing understanding

AMES — Iowa State University Extension and Outreach has launched the Online Guide to Iowa Zoning, a new publicly accessible mapping and data tool designed to help policymakers, planners and community leaders better understand how local zoning regulations shape housing development across the state.

Developed with funding from the Iowa Finance Authority, the guide brings together zoning maps and housing-related zoning regulations for hundreds of Iowa cities in a single, interactive online platform. The resource allows users to explore zoning districts city by city and compare key housing-related standards across similar communities.

“Iowa communities are facing real challenges when it comes to housing availability, affordability and development speed,” said Gary Taylor, professor of urban planning and development at Iowa State University. “Zoning plays an important role in all three, but the information is often difficult to access or compare. This guide is meant to make zoning more transparent and easier to understand.”

The Online Guide to Iowa Zoning focuses on housing-related provisions within local zoning codes. These include what types of residential uses are allowed, along with standards such as minimum lot sizes, density limits, setbacks and parking requirements. The guide reflects zoning maps and ordinances adopted by cities as of Dec. 31, 2024, and is intended to serve as a snapshot in time rather than a real-time regulatory database.

The project includes zoning information from 243 Iowa cities, ranging from the state’s largest metropolitan areas to smaller rural communities. Cities were selected to ensure representation across population sizes and counties, including the largest cities statewide, cities in Iowa’s most populous counties, and at least one city from each county not otherwise represented.

“Local zoning decisions are often made in isolation,” Taylor said. “By putting this information side by side, communities can better see how their regulations compare to similar cities and consider how zoning may be influencing housing outcomes.”

In addition to interactive maps, the guide provides tools to help users compare zoning characteristics across similar communities. Comparison tables allow users to examine key housing-related standards among cities with similar population size and growth patterns, while a companion dashboard uses census and housing data to provide broader context on housing demand and development trends.

A final report summarizing project findings on the use of zoning standards such as exclusive single-family zoning, minimum lot sizes and setbacks, parking requirements, planned unit developments, by-right approval of residential projects and others is posted on the project homepage.

Because zoning terminology can be complex, the guide also includes explanatory materials to help users understand how zoning terms are defined and how they are used within the project.

“Zoning can feel technical and inaccessible,” Taylor said. “Our goal was to create a tool that helps people understand what the rules mean in practice and how they shape housing choices in their community.”

For more information, contact Gary Taylor at gtaylor@iastate.edu.