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

Rules another office applies inside Crawford Township

Crawford 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

  New site-built structures, modular, mobile and manufactured homes, and storage buildings in unincorporated Cherokee County, which includes land inside Crawford township; the permit is issued by the county Department of 911 Mapping

  • Resolution 07-2018 fee schedule: building permit applications, non-commercial, $25.00; a 911 address and proof of ownership must accompany the application.
  • Modular, mobile and manufactured homes: the owner/occupant must notify the county before moving the home into the county, and proof of title is required before a building permit is issued.
  • Mobile and modular homes must have been manufactured after June 15, 1976 and conform to national standards (text cut off on the page).
  • The resolution states that it repeals resolution 03-2018; no effective date is stated on the page.
  • Scope is unincorporated areas of the county; the township itself does not appear to issue permits.

  non-commercial building permit application fee: 25 USD (fee schedule in Resolution 07-2018; commercial fees not stated on the opened page)

  “the department of 911 mapping shall issue all building permits for the unincorporated areas of cherokee county, kansas.”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private sewer and septic (onsite wastewater) systems in unincorporated Cherokee County, including land inside Crawford township

  • Enforcement of the county's environmental code for private sewers and drains was moved from the county Health Department to the county Department of Emergency Management by Resolution 07-2018.
  • The county code and permits govern; state design standards (KDHE Bulletin 4-2) were not confirmed on the opened pages.

  “the board of county commissioners is transferring the administrative responsibilities for enforcement of regulations pertaining to construction and reconstruction of private sewers and drains in the unincorporated areas of cherokee county from the cherokee county health department to the cherokee county department of emergency management.”

• Septic permitRequired

  New or reconstructed septic/wastewater systems on property in unincorporated Cherokee County, including land inside Crawford township

  • Permit applications are on the county Wastewater System Permit form; separate reconstruction and new-installation fees apply.
  • Installation plans must be drawn by a licensed contractor; revisions to the original plan must be approved before installation.
  • Special systems (chamber, drip, aerobic, mound, recirculation sand filter, evapotranspiration, wetland, cluster) need special approval.
  • Form-listed minimum distances (not verified against the code): 10 ft from system to property line (lagoon 50 ft); 20 ft to dwelling foundation (lagoon 50 ft); 10 ft to private water line; 25 ft to public water line; 100 ft to area wells.
  • Penalty for non-compliance: owner has 30 days after written notice; fees doubled if not completed within 30 days; contractor penalty of $10 every 30 days of delay (per the county sanitarian page).

  reconstruction permit fee: 30 USD (wastewater system permit form, 2026) · new installation permit fee: 40 USD (wastewater system permit form, 2026)

  “in the event the property has not completed application(s) and obtained the requisite permit(s), and the owner receives written notice from the county, the owner shall have 30 days to comply.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Whether an owner-builder may build a home inside Crawford township without a licensed contractor
• Building code adopted — Which building code, if any, is adopted for construction inside Crawford township
• Inspections — Whether building inspections are required for construction inside Crawford township
• Certificate of occupancy — Whether a certificate of occupancy is required for a new home inside Crawford township
• Local zoning — Whether Crawford township administers its own zoning ordinance for land inside Crawford 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.