Title VI, COUNTY, TOWNSHIP AND POLITICAL SUBDIVISION GOVERNMENT

65.550. Proceedings in case of neglect or refusal to organize. — 1. In case any township in any county in which township organization has been or may hereafter be adopted shall refuse or neglect to organize and elect township officers at the time required by law for holding towns…

65.560. Failure of appointed officers to qualify — annexation of townships. — Whenever it shall be made to appear to the county commission that the township officers appointed by them, as provided in section 65.550, shall have failed to qualify as required by law, so that such to…

65.570. Division of township — disposition of property. — When a township, seized of real estate, shall be divided into two or more townships, the township trustees and county assessor of the several townships constituted by such division shall meet as soon as may be after the fi…

65.580. Meetings to carry this law into effect, how called. — Whenever a meeting of the township trustees and county assessor of two or more townships shall be required to carry into effect the provisions of sections 65.540 to 65.590, such meeting may be called by either of such …

65.590. Debts of divided township, how charged. — Debts owing by a township so subdivided or altered shall be apportioned in the same manner as personal property of such township, and each township shall be thereafter charged with its share of such debts, according to such apport…

65.600. County collector and assessor — tenure upon adoption of township organization. — 1. In any county in this state which may hereafter adopt township organization, the person holding the office of the collector of the revenue in such county, at the time in March when townshi…

65.610. Abolition of township organization — procedure. — 1. Upon the petition of at least ten percent of voters at the last general election of any county having heretofore adopted township organization, praying therefor, the county commission shall submit the question of the ab…

65.620. Abolition of township government — effect. — 1. Whenever any county abolishes township organization the county treasurer and ex officio collector shall immediately settle his accounts as treasurer with the county commission and shall thereafter perform all duties, exercis…

65.650. Township zoning, submitted to the voters, when — township plan, formulated. — The township board of any township in a county which has not voted to adopt countywide planning or zoning pursuant to the provisions of sections 64.510 to 64.695, or sections 64.800 to 64.905, m…

65.652. Planning commission, established when, members, terms, compensation, chairman. — Such township planning commission shall consist of the township trustee, the commissioner of the county commission who represents the township, one member of the township board selected by th…

65.657. Ballot, form — majority vote required. — 1. Before the township board of any such township shall adopt any plan or create any commission provided for in sections 65.650 to 65.700, it shall order the question as to whether or not the township board shall adopt township pla…

65.660. Commission, powers — may collect fee, adopt rules — records, commission to keep. — The township planning commission may create and adopt rules for the transaction of its business and shall keep a public record of its resolutions, transactions, findings, and recommendation…

65.662. Master plan developed, purpose — contents — procedure to adopt. — The township planning commission shall have power to make, adopt and publish an official master plan of the township for the purpose of bringing about coordinated physical development in accordance with the…

65.665. Improvements, must be approved by commission, exceptions. — From and after the adoption of the official master plan or portion thereof and its proper certification and recording, thereafter no improvement of a type embraced within the recommendations of such official mast…

65.667. Regulations of commission, scope, commission may change, how. — The township planning commission may also prepare, adopt, change and amend, as parts of the official master plan or otherwise, sets of regulations governing subdivisions of land in unincorporated areas, and a…

65.670. Subdivision plats, must be approved, when, exceptions. — Whenever the township planning commission has adopted, recorded and filed certified copies of any part of the official master plan relating to major highways or to subdivision regulations, thereafter no plat of a su…

65.672. County commission may establish setback lines from roads, how. — After any plan for major highways, or portion thereof, has been prepared by the township planning commission, filed and certified as provided in sections 65.650 to 65.700, the county commission may establish…

65.675. Board of adjustment, established when, powers. — The township board shall provide for a board of adjustment with powers to modify or vary the regulations, in specific cases, in order that unwarranted hardships, which constitute an unreasonable deprivation of use as distin…

65.677. Building regulations, unincorporated areas, township board to regulate, when. — For the purpose of promoting health, safety, morals, comfort or the general welfare of the unincorporated portion of the township, to conserve and protect property and building values, to secu…

65.680. Division of unincorporated territory into districts, purposes. — For any or all of the purposes of section 65.652, the unincorporated territory may be divided into districts of such number, shape and area as may be deemed best suited to carry out the purpose of sections 6…

65.682. Zoning commission, appointed when, powers, duties. — The township board shall provide for the manner in which such regulations, restrictions and boundaries of such districts shall be determined, established and enforced, and from time to time amended, supplemented or chan…

65.685. Change in prescribed use of land, hearing required. — After the adoption of a zoning plan or regulations adopted pursuant thereto, no use of any parcel of land included in the plan or regulations shall be changed without a public hearing and the person or body which condu…

65.687. Designation of zoning official, when — permit required for building alterations, when. — Any township board which has adopted a zoning plan, as provided in sections 65.650 to 65.700, shall appoint an officer or shall designate one of the existing officials to enforce the …

65.690. Board of zoning adjustment, members, terms, compensation not allowed — powers, duties — grant of variances, when — judicial review. — 1. Any township board which appointed a township planning or township zoning commission and which has adopted a zoning plan, as provided i…

65.692. Regulations, change of by township board, procedure, hearing required. — The regulations imposed and the districts created under authority of sections 65.650 to 65.700 may be amended from time to time by the township board by order after the order establishing the same ha…

65.695. Regulations more restrictive than private restrictions, regulations control. — Wherever the township zoning regulations made under authority of sections 65.650 to 65.700 require a greater width or size of yards, courts or other open spaces, or require a lower height of bu…

65.697. Violation of zoning regulations, penalty — injunctions may be issued, procedure — inspection by official, when, failure to correct violation, penalty. — 1. Any owner, lessee or tenant of land located within any unincorporated area covered or affected by any official maste…

65.700. Termination of township zoning, procedure, effect. — 1. Upon receipt of a petition signed by a number of voters in the township equal to five percent of the total vote cast in the township at the next preceding election for governor requesting submission of the question, …

65.701. Definitions. — As used in sections 65.652 and 65.690, the term "freeholder" or the phrase "resident freeholder" shall be defined to mean "resident". The provisions of this section shall have no effect on pending litigation. ­­-------- (L. 1996 H.B. 1207 § 1) Effective 6-2…

65.702. Sawmill or planing mill included in agricultural or horticultural classification. — For purposes of a zoning law, ordinance, or code authorized and enacted under sections 65.650 to 65.700, a zoning or property classification of agricultural or horticultural shall include …

65.710. Home-based work — limitation on zoning restrictions. — 1. As used in this section, the term "home-based work" means any lawful occupation performed by a resident within a residential home or accessory structure, which is clearly incidental and secondary to the use of the …

66.010. Violation of county ordinance, where prosecuted — costs and procedures — judges of county municipal courts, appointment, qualifications — divisions — recording of proceedings — certain violations of state traffic laws may be heard. — 1. Any county framing and adopting a c…

66.020. Style of prosecutions — complaints — sufficiency of testimony. — 1. All prosecutions for the violation of such a county ordinance shall be titled: "The county of ______ against ______" (naming the county and the person or persons charged). 2. The complaint when made by a …

66.030. Informations by county counselor. — All informations involving violation of county ordinances shall be made by the county counselor, or his assistants, on their oath of office and shall be filed with the court as soon as practicable, and before the party accused shall be …

66.040. Warrants, how directed and executed. — All warrants issued by the court shall be directed to the sheriff or peace officer of the county and executed by them at any place within the county, and not elsewhere, unless said warrants are endorsed in the manner provided for war…

66.050. Cause heard, when — postponement — bond. — When any person shall be arrested, charged with a violation of a county ordinance, and brought before the court, it shall be the duty of the court to hear and determine forthwith the complaint alleged against the defendant, unles…

66.060. Forfeiture of recognizance, when — procedure — record of judgment required, when. — 1. In case of a breach of any recognizance entered into as provided herein, the recognizance shall be deemed forfeited and the court shall cause it to be prosecuted against the principal a…

66.070. Several persons jointly charged — amendment of complaint. — Complaints filed alleging violation of a county ordinance may include any number of persons charged with the same offense, and no proceedings shall be dismissed or defendant discharged by reason of any informalit…

66.080. Punishment assessed, when — maximum penalty. — 1. If the defendant pleads or is found guilty of a violation of a county ordinance, the judge shall declare and assess the punishment prescribed by ordinance according to his finding or verdict of the jury and render judgment…

66.090. Prosecuting witness to give security for costs, when. — In the event a complaint is made by a person other than the county counselor or a peace officer, the court may require the complainant to give security for the costs in such action. ­­-------- (L. 1951 p. 397 § 9, A.…

66.100. Fines recorded — how paid. — All fines paid in prosecutions involving the violation of a county ordinance shall be recorded in a separate docket of fines, and the officer collecting such fines shall turn them over to the county treasurer to be credited as provided by ordi…

66.110. Court fees and costs, how collected — disposition. — In each proceeding had in circuit court involving a violation of a county ordinance the same fees and costs shall be allowed and collected as in other misdemeanor cases. All such fees and costs charged and collected sha…

66.120. Change of venue — disqualification of judge — procedure. — A change of venue and disqualification of judge shall be allowed for the same reasons and proceeded upon in the same manner as in other misdemeanor cases. ­­-------- (L. 1951 p. 397 § 11, A.L. 1978 H.B. 1634) Effe…

66.130. Sheriff to enforce ordinances. — The sheriff or other law enforcement officials authorized by county charter or ordinance of such county are charged with the enforcement of all county ordinances. ­­-------- (L. 1951 p. 397 § 12, A.L. 1978 H.B. 1634) Effective 1-02-79

66.140. Procedure same as in misdemeanor cases. — Unless in conflict with the provisions of this chapter, all provisions of law relating to proceedings before associate circuit judges in circuit courts in misdemeanors shall apply to actions before such courts involving the violat…

66.200. Municipal records transmitted to county agency, when. — The official responsible for law enforcement in any municipality in a first class county having a charter form of government shall cause an exact copy of all the police records of the municipality pertaining to all v…