Laws & ordinances

Chapter 98 — water and sewer (city website) CH98-WATER

Connect if a main is within 100 feet. Water rates FY 2027–2031 and tank sales as posted on avamissouri.org.

Code of Ordinances — how Ava’s code is organized Code Ch. 1

Official Code of Ordinances, City of Ava, Missouri, on Municode. Supplement 32 through Ord. 1163 (Feb 24, 2026).

Ordinance 1137 — B-3 permitted uses / small animal practice Ord. 1137

May 28, 2024. Amends 110-153 B-3 uses and 110-8 definitions.

Ordinance 1156 — animals and residential prohibited uses Ord. 1156

Amends Chapter 10 Animals and Chapter 110 Sec. 110-241. Includes hen chickens.

Ordinance 1163 — Chapter 18 Buildings and Building Regulations Ord. 1163

Repealed old Chapter 18 and adopted the 2021 I-Codes and 2020 NEC.

Ordinance 1173 — temporary moratorium on data centers Ord. 1173

One-year moratorium on approvals for data centers, cryptocurrency mining, and similar uses.

Ordinance 1175 — zoning map, NE city limits R-1 to AG Ord. 1175

June 23, 2026. Rezones property northeast of the corporate limits from R-1 to AG Agriculture.

Ordinance 1177 — community center code of conduct Ord. 1177

Amends Chapter 66 Parks and Recreation to establish a community center code of conduct.

Ordinance 1178 — City assets and right-of-way (Chapter 98) Ord. 1178

Enacts Article VIII of Chapter 98 Utilities: City Assets and Right-of-Way Management.

Ordinance 1179 — airport hangar land lease Ord. 1179

Revises Ava Bill Martin Memorial Airport land lease for building hangars.

Ordinance 1182 — conflict of interest disclosure Ord. 1182

Adopted 7/14/2026. Procedure to disclose potential conflicts of interest for certain officials.

Ordinance 1183 — solid waste user charges (corrects 1181) Ord. 1183

Adopted 7/28/2026. Repeals Ord. 1181 and corrects Chapter 82 Sec. 132(F) solid waste user charges.

2021 International Building Code — chapter index (Ava adopted) IBC 2021

Chapter map of the 2021 IBC. Full text is the ICC book on file with the City Clerk.

2021 International Fire Code — Ava IFC 2021

Fire code for occupancies, fire lanes, and construction fire safety.

2021 International Residential Code — Ava one- and two-family IRC 2021

IRC 2021 is Ava’s code for one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses.

2020 National Electrical Code — Ava amendment (#12 AWG) NEC 2020

Ava adopted NEC 2020 and forbids conductors smaller than #12 AWG.

Missouri Sunshine Law (RSMo 610) — public records RSMo 610

Public governmental bodies must answer records requests; typical deadline is 3 business days.

RSMo 67.280 — adoption of building codes by reference RSMo 67.280

Missouri lets cities adopt technical codes by reference if a copy stays on file.

Missouri Revised Statutes Chapter 79 — Cities of the Fourth Class RSMo 79

Ava is a fourth-class city. Chapter 79 is the state enabling law for mayor/board of aldermen government.

Can we burn construction debris? FAQ-BURN

No open burning of construction debris in Ava.

Can I keep chickens in Ava? FAQ-CHICKENS

Up to 6 hens on large enough R-1/R-2/R-3 lots; no roosters. Coop required (Ord. 1156).

AvaBot on the City of Ava website (CivicPlus) FAQ-CIVICPLUS

Ask AvaBot button on avamissouri.org takes people to the city chatbot.

What flood map date does Ava use? FAQ-FLOOD

IBC 1612.3 flood insert date is August 4, 1988.

Do I use IRC or IBC? FAQ-IRC-VS-IBC

1–2 family dwellings and qualifying townhouses: IRC 2021. Apartments and commercial: IBC 2021.

Business licenses in Ava FAQ-LICENSE

Business licensing is in the city code (typically Chapter 22). Scanned licenses live on the city scan drive.

What are Ava’s quiet hours? FAQ-NOISE

Noise ordinance: 10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m.

When is a Certificate of Occupancy required? FAQ-OCCUPANCY

Required when occupancy changes or a building is finished for use.

When do I need a building permit in Ava? FAQ-PERMIT

Most new work needs a permit. Ordinary repairs under $200 that do not change structure do not.

Job-site photo inspection (AvaBot) FAQ-PHOTO

Staff only — snap a job-site photo after sign-in. Not a public inspection.

Work in the city right-of-way FAQ-ROW

Ord. 1178 plus an excavation permit. A building permit is not enough.

Who is the Building Official? FAQ-WHO-BUILDING

Jason Lininger, jlininger@avamissouri.org, 417-250-7003.

Is 14-gauge wire allowed in Ava? FAQ-WIRE-12

No. Ava forbids conductors smaller than #12 AWG (NEC 2020 / Ord. 1163 Sec. 18-54).