The City Development Board reviews cities’ requests for boundary changes, approves/denies requests, and maintains records on city development actions. The board also addresses islands of unincorporated land and unincorporated secondary roads adjacent to city boundaries and provides land use planning assistance for sustainable community growth.
Municipal Boundary Adjustments
Annexation in Iowa simply means that a city is adding nearby land into its official city limits. In other words, when a city annexes territory, it is expanding its boundaries to include areas that were previously outside the city. This process is defined in Iowa law as “the addition of territory to a city.” Cities may pursue annexation when they need room to grow, want to manage development just outside their borders, or need to provide municipal services—like water, sewer, police, or fire protection—to areas that depend on the city but lie outside its limits. An annexation “Within an Urbanized Area” occurs when the annexation territory is located within two (2) miles of a city other than the city to which the annexation is directed. An annexation “Not Within an Urbanized Area” occurs when the annexation territory is NOT located within 2 miles of another urbanized area.
100% Voluntary Annexation
A 100% voluntary annexation in Iowa occurs when all landowners in a territory adjoining a city agree in writing to be annexed into that city. In this type of annexation, every property owner within the proposed area signs the application requesting annexation.
An 80/20 voluntary annexation in Iowa is a type of voluntary annexation in which at least 80% of the landowners in the territory consent to being annexed, and up to 20% of the land area may be included without the owners’ consent. This option exists to prevent creating irregular boundaries or “islands” of unincorporated land and to allow cities to create more uniform, logical municipal limits.100% Voluntary Annexation NOT Within an Urbanized Area
In Iowa, an involuntary annexation occurs when a city seeks to annex territory without the consent of some or all of the affected property owners and occurs when a city believes it can provide significant services or benefits to adjacent territory.
Secondary road annexation in Iowa is a process where a city gains jurisdiction over a portion of a county‑controlled secondary road that borders the city but has not yet been incorporated into the city limits.
Severance is one of the boundary adjustment actions recognized in Iowa law and is the process of removing land from within a city’s boundary so that the territory is no longer part of the municipality.
Incorporation is the formal legal process by which an unincorporated area becomes an incorporated municipality with its own city government and authority to provide services, levy taxes, and adopt ordinances.
The City Development Board offers these tools and resources for general informational use only. They should not be relied upon as definitive statements of Iowa law regarding boundary adjustments. For additional guidance, please consult Iowa Code Chapter 368 and Iowa Administrative Code 263. City staff should work with their City Attorney for any legal questions related to boundary adjustments.
Land use planning affects daily life, from fiscal sustainability to public health. Smart land use maximizes existing infrastructure and aligns with a broader regional quality-of-life vision. Decisions should support the following sustainable community principles:
Mix land uses
Take advantage of compact building design
Create housing opportunities and choices
Create walkable communities
Foster distinctive, attractive communities with a strong sense of place
Preserve open space, farmland, natural beauty, and critical environmental areas
Strengthen and direct development toward existing communities
Provide a variety of transportation choices
Make development decisions predictable, fair, and cost-effective
Encourage community and stakeholder collaboration in development decisions
