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

Rules another office applies inside Little Walnut Township

Little 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.

• Building permitRequired

  Work covered by the Butler County Building Code 2016 in unincorporated Butler County, including unincorporated land inside Little Walnut township

  • The owner-builder sentence applies to single-family dwellings not exceeding two stories; the permit requirement for other work is stated only in the licensing clause that bars permits to unlicensed contractors.
  • Construction proceeds after the permit is issued; permit fees and application steps were not found in the excerpt checked.

  “the owner of any single family dwelling not exceeding two stories in height, shall not be required to obtain a contractor’s license, but shall be required to obtain permits,”

• Owner-builder exemptionConditional

  Owner-occupant doing the work on a single-family dwelling not exceeding two stories in unincorporated Butler County, including unincorporated land inside Little Walnut township

  • Exempt only from the contractor license requirement; permits are still required.
  • Limited to single-family dwellings not exceeding two stories in height.

  “the owner of any single family dwelling not exceeding two stories in height, shall not be required to obtain a contractor’s license, but shall be required to obtain permits,”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Building construction in unincorporated Butler County, Kansas, including unincorporated land inside Little Walnut township; the county code's own territorial clause was not checked

  • Adopted by Butler County Board of Commissioners resolution 16-06 on 23 February 2016; later amendments or a newer edition were not checked.
  • Municipal building codes inside cities are outside this claim.

  “butler county building code 2016 as adopted by the butler county board of commissioners by resolution 16-06 on the 23rd of february, 2016”

• InspectionsRequired

  New construction that needs an environmental permit in unincorporated Butler County, including unincorporated land inside Little Walnut township

  • Final environmental and building inspections must be passed before a certificate of occupancy is given.
  • The form asks for 24-hour notice before an inspection.

  “certificates of occupancy will only be given after final environmental & building inspections are passed.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  New dwellings with an environmental permit in unincorporated Butler County, including unincorporated land inside Little Walnut township

  • Certificates of occupancy issue only after final environmental and building inspections pass.

  “certificates of occupancy will only be given after final environmental & building inspections are passed.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts for unincorporated Butler County, including unincorporated land inside Little Walnut township where the county map applies

  • The regulations include zoning district maps and overlays by their own terms.
  • District map for Little Walnut township was not opened; the district assigned to any parcel must be checked on the county map.

  “these regulations, including the zoning district maps and overlays made a part thereof, shall be known and may be cited as”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  AG-40 agricultural district land in unincorporated Butler County, including any AG-40-mapped land inside Little Walnut township

  • Applies to tracts of at least 40 acres in the AG-40 district; AG-80 tracts have a separate half-quarter-section rule.
  • Existing tracts under 40 acres should be checked as legal lots of record, per the chart.

  minimum tract acreage: >= 40 acres (equal to a quarter of a quarter section in AG-40)

  “tracts with at least 40 acres located in the ag-40 district and tracts with at least 80 acres located in ag-80 district are required to have a minimum acreage that is equivalent to a quarter of a quarter section or a half of a quarter section respectively.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Rural residential (RR) district land in unincorporated Butler County, including any RR-mapped land inside Little Walnut township; RR mapping inside the township was not verified

    “minimum lot size is 5 acres if a lagoon is proposed.”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  AG-40 agricultural district land in unincorporated Butler County, including any AG-40-mapped land inside Little Walnut township

  • Setbacks are measured from property lines.
  • Structures used for agricultural purposes are not exempt from front yard setback requirements.
  • Non-residential accessory structures: 25 feet from side property line and 50 feet from rear property line for residential dwellings; 25 feet for non-residential accessory structures at rear.
  • Minimum lot width and depth 660 feet; maximum width-to-depth ratio 4:1.
  • Chart is marked amended by resolution 1 Nov 2011, form updated 9/6/2012.

  front setback, residential dwelling: >= 75 feet (measured from front property line) · side and rear setback, residential dwelling: >= 50 feet (measured from side and rear property lines)

  “75 feet from the front property line for any residential dwelling.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Rural residential (RR) district land in unincorporated Butler County, including any RR-mapped land inside Little Walnut township

    “75 feet from front property line. 50 feet from side and rear property lines for any residential dwelling.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  On-site sewage systems on unincorporated land inside Little Walnut township

  • Kansas Department of Health and Environment pre-approves septic tanks, so a state rule applies to tank approval.
  • Installers must be licensed and registered with the county Division of Environment.

  “all septic tanks must be pre-approved by the kansas department of health & environment division of water quality”

• Septic permitRequired

  New on-site septic or lagoon systems on unincorporated land inside Little Walnut township

  • New systems require a soil profile.
  • Environmental permit is valid for 180 days from approval or last inspection; extensions must be requested in writing.
  • Installation requires a licensed installer registered with the county Division of Environment.

  new septic or lagoon permit fee: 200 USD (requires soil profile; form dated 4/4/2023)

  “new---requires soil profile lagoon septic $200 $200”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  New on-site septic or lagoon systems on unincorporated land inside Little Walnut township

  • 24-hour notice must be given before an inspection.
  • Final environmental inspection must pass before a certificate of occupancy.

  “24 hour notice must be given prior to an inspection”

• Well permitRequired

  New water wells on unincorporated land inside Little Walnut township

  • Well permit is issued to the owner or driller; contractor and electrician lines are on the same form.
  • Well is shown on the site sketch against required setbacks (form lists setbacks from septic systems and property lines).

  well permit fee: 100 USD (issued to owner or driller)

  “issued to owner or driller: well $100 currently licensed office verified”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Environmental (well, septic, lagoon) permits in unincorporated Butler County, including inside Little Walnut township; building-permit fees not checked

  • Fees are listed on a form dated 4/4/2023; the county may have a newer schedule.
  • Replacement of tank or laterals is $75.

  new septic or lagoon permit fee: 200 USD (requires soil profile) · replacement tank and laterals permit fee: 75 USD (partial rework/cleanout/add-on or replacing tank and laterals) · well permit fee: 100 USD (issued to owner or driller)

  “partial rework/cleanout/add-on or replacing tank and laterals $75 $75”

• Permit processPartial

  Environmental permit process in unincorporated Butler County, including inside Little Walnut township; building-permit process not documented

  • Permit issued by the department of building inspection on a county form; applicant signature required.
  • Permit valid 180 days from approval or last inspection; extensions requested in writing.
  • 24-hour notice before inspection; certificate of occupancy after final inspections.

  “environmental permit is good for 180 days from the date of approval or last inspection”

Still unanswered

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

• Local zoning — Whether Little Walnut township itself adopts and administers a zoning ordinance for land inside its limits
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size for land inside Little Walnut township
• Lot coverage — Lot coverage for land inside Little Walnut township
• Building height — Building height for land inside Little Walnut township
• Living in an RV — Long-term RV occupancy on private land inside Little 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.