House File 2276 - Enrolled
House File 2276
AN ACT
RELATING TO THE ZONING OF MATERNITY GROUP HOMES.
2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 414.27 Zoning for maternity group
2 homes.
3 1. It is the intent of this section to assist in improving
4 the quality of life of new and expecting mothers by making
5 available to them community residential opportunities in the
6 residential areas of this state. In order to implement this
7 intent, this section shall be liberally construed.
8 2. a. “Maternity group home” means a community-based
9 residential home that provides room and board, personal care,
10 supervision, training, support, and education in a family
11 environment for women who are either pregnant or who have given
12 birth within the preceding twenty-four months and live with
13 their children, and includes overnight room accommodations and
14 administrative and office space for those persons who provide
15 such services.
16 b. “Permitted use” means the same as defined in section
17 414.22.
18 c. “Residential” means the same as defined in section
19 414.22.
20 3. Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter to the
21 contrary, a city, city council, or city zoning commission shall
22 consider a maternity group home a residential use of property
23 for the purpose of zoning and shall treat a maternity group
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24 home as a permitted use in all residential zones or districts,
25 including all single-family residential zones or districts,
26 of the city. A city, city council, or city zoning commission
27 shall not require that a maternity group home, its owner, or
28 its operator obtain a conditional use permit, special use
29 permit, special exception, or variance. However, new maternity
30 group homes owned and operated by public or private agencies
31 shall be dispersed throughout the residential zones and
32 districts and shall not be located within contiguous city block
33 areas.
34 4. Any restriction, reservation, condition, exception, or
35 covenant in any subdivision plan, deed, or other instrument
1 of or pertaining to the transfer, sale, lease, or use of
2 property in a city that permits residential use of property but
3 prohibits the use of property as a maternity group home for new
4 and expecting mothers, to the extent of the prohibition, is
5 void as against the public policy of this state and shall not
6 be given legal or equitable effect.
______________________________ ______________________________
PAT GRASSLEY AMY SINCLAIR
Speaker of the House President of the Senate
I hereby certify that this bill originated in the House and
is known as House File 2276, Ninetieth General Assembly.
______________________________
MEGHAN NELSON
Chief Clerk of the House
Approved _______________, 2024 ______________________________
KIM REYNOLDS
Governor