Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Walnut Township, Kansas

Walnut Township’s own rules

• Local zoningAbsent (with conditions)

  Land inside Walnut township limits (Atchison County, Kansas): no township zoning ordinance is administered there

  • Area 11 in the Part IV list of the county plan is Walnut township, non-target area, so the no-zoning sentence covers Walnut township.
  • The no-zoning statement is in a 2021 county plan; the 2020 county solid waste plan says the county has no comprehensive land use and zoning codes plan.
  • Zoning-only topics are answered from the no-zoning statement. Septic/sanitary code, floodplain, and road/driveway rules still apply.
  • City of Atchison zoning applies only inside Atchison city limits and is not a Walnut township rule.

  “walnut township, non-target area, at present there is no zoning applicable in areas 7, 8, 9, 10, or 11.”

• Zoning districtsNot published (with conditions)

  Walnut township: no zoning district map or classifications apply

  • No zoning districts exist because no zoning applies (see local_zoning claim).

  “at present there is no zoning applicable in areas 7, 8, 9, 10, or 11.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeNone

  Single-family dwellings inside Walnut township; no single-family or agricultural district exists because no zoning applies

  • Based on the no-zoning statement; no zoning district exists in which a minimum dwelling size would be set.
  • Septic and sanitary permit requirements still apply to any dwelling.

  “at present there is no zoning applicable in areas 7, 8, 9, 10, or 11.”

• Minimum lot sizeNone

  Parcels inside Walnut township; no single-family or agricultural district exists because no zoning applies

  • Based on the no-zoning statement; no zoning lot-size minimum applies.
  • Subdivision and land-division rules are separate and not verified (see subdivision claim).

  “at present there is no zoning applicable in areas 7, 8, 9, 10, or 11.”

• SetbacksNone

  Structures inside Walnut township; no single-family or agricultural district exists because no zoning applies

  • Based on the no-zoning statement; no zoning setback applies.
  • Road right-of-way and driveway rules still apply (see driveway_access claim).

  “at present there is no zoning applicable in areas 7, 8, 9, 10, or 11.”

• Lot coverageNone

  Parcels inside Walnut township; no single-family or agricultural district exists because no zoning applies

  • Based on the no-zoning statement; no zoning lot-coverage limit applies.

  “at present there is no zoning applicable in areas 7, 8, 9, 10, or 11.”

• Building heightNone

  Structures inside Walnut township; no single-family or agricultural district exists because no zoning applies

  • Based on the no-zoning statement; no zoning height limit applies.

  “at present there is no zoning applicable in areas 7, 8, 9, 10, or 11.”

• Living in an RVUnrestricted

  RV occupancy on private land inside Walnut township

  • No county land-use rule restricts RV occupancy because no zoning applies.
  • Sanitary code (wastewater disposal permit for on-site sewage) still applies; see septic_permit claim.

  “at present there is no zoning applicable in areas 7, 8, 9, 10, or 11.”

• Camping on your landUnrestricted

  Temporary camping on private land inside Walnut township

  • No county land-use rule restricts camping because no zoning applies.
  • Sanitary code and on-site sewage rules still apply to any sewage disposal (see septic_permit claim).

  “at present there is no zoning applicable in areas 7, 8, 9, 10, or 11.”

• Tiny homesUnrestricted

  Tiny-home occupancy on private land inside Walnut township

  • No county land-use rule restricts tiny-home occupancy because no zoning applies.
  • Septic and sanitary rules still apply.

  “at present there is no zoning applicable in areas 7, 8, 9, 10, or 11.”

• Manufactured homesUnrestricted

  Manufactured-home occupancy on private land inside Walnut township

  • No county land-use rule restricts manufactured-home occupancy because no zoning applies.
  • Floodplain development rules apply to placement in a special flood hazard area (see floodplain_development claim).

  “at present there is no zoning applicable in areas 7, 8, 9, 10, or 11.”

• Accessory dwellingsUnrestricted

  Accessory dwellings on private land inside Walnut township

  • No county land-use rule restricts accessory dwellings because no zoning applies.
  • Each dwelling still needs on-site sewage treatment approval where applicable (see septic_permit claim).

  “at present there is no zoning applicable in areas 7, 8, 9, 10, or 11.”

Rules another office applies inside Walnut Township

Walnut Township does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  On-site wastewater systems for land inside Walnut township (unincorporated Atchison County)

  • Administered by the Atchison County health department/home health under the 1998 sanitary code.
  • Floodplain form says on-site sewage requires evidence of NEKES permit approval; a NEKES letter is sufficient. The NEKES role is not further verified.
  • Fees and licenses are from the 1998 schedule; current amounts were not found.

  “be it further resolved, pursuant to k.s.a. 19-3703, that the administration of said environmental/sanitary codes shall be by the atchison county health department/home health.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Off-grid sanitation (on-site sewage) on land inside Walnut township

  • Sanitary code applies countywide in unincorporated areas, excluding incorporated cities and agricultural premises over ten acres.
  • On-site sewage treatment requires a sanitary permit under the county form.
  • Full text of the sanitary code was not opened.

  “regulating the location, construction, maintenance, and use of septic systems, alternative waste water disposal systems or privies, and the removal and disposal of materials from such facilities”

• Well permitRequired

  Private water wells on land inside Walnut township

  • The 1998 resolution sets a fee for a private water well permit application, so a permit application applies under the sanitary code.
  • Fee from 1998 schedule; current amount not verified.

  private water well permit fee: 25 USD (1998 fee schedule; current amount not verified)

  “the fees to be charged in the administration of said codes and for the filing of applications for permits and licenses shall be as follows: wastewater disposal system, $100; private water wells, $25;”

• Agricultural exemptionConditional

  Agricultural premises inside Walnut township under the county environmental/sanitary codes (not a building-permit exemption)

  • The codes exclude any premises under one ownership exceeding ten (10) acres used only for agricultural purposes as defined in K.S.A. 19-3706.
  • Premises not meeting that test remain subject to the codes.
  • Resolution adopted October 14, 1998.

  minimum premises size for agricultural exclusion: > 10 acres (premises used only for agricultural purposes under one ownership)

  “the codes shall apply to and be in effect for all areas of atchison county, kansas, except for incorporated cities, any premises under one ownership which exceeds ten (10) acres in area and which is used only for agricultural purposes as defined in k.s.a. 19-3706 and indian reservation land”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Development inside a special flood hazard area or floodway in Walnut township

  • An elevation certificate is required when the development is in an area of special flood hazard.
  • A no-rise certificate is required if in a floodway.
  • Applies only where the parcel is in a mapped flood hazard area; the county form asks the question for each project.

  “is the development in an area of special flood hazard? if yes, an elevation certificate will be required”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Sanitary-code permit and license fees for land inside Walnut township

  • Fee schedule adopted by Resolution No. 1173, approved October 14, 1998.
  • Amounts may be outdated; no newer county fee schedule was located.
  • Building and zoning fees not found.

  wastewater disposal system permit fee: 100 USD (1998 schedule; current amount not verified)

  “wastewater disposal system, $100; private water wells, $25; wastewater installer license, $50; wastewater hauler license, $25”

• Permit processPartial

  Floodplain and sanitary-related permit applications for land inside Walnut township

  • The county floodplain application is published; the sanitary permit and building steps are not published in the sources opened.
  • Completed applications may be delivered to the county GIS department or emailed.

  “completed applications may be delivered to atchison county gis department or emailed to [email protected] or [email protected].”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Walnut Township or Atchison County directly.

• Building permit — New residential construction inside Walnut township
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from permits inside Walnut township
• Building code adopted — Adopted residential building code inside Walnut township
• Inspections — Residential building inspection inside Walnut township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for a new dwelling inside Walnut township

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.