Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Galena, Kansas

Galena’s own rules

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Buildings inside Galena city limits (Code Chapter IV, Buildings and Construction).

  • Only the code table of contents was opened; the adopted edition year and amendments are not verified.

  “article 1a. standard building and structural codes incorporated article 2. building code article 3. electrical code”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Galena city limits. Galena city adopts and administers its own zoning regulations (Code Chapter 16, Article 2) with a city planning commission that also serves as board of zoning appeals (16-105).

  • Code is the 2015 compilation; the chapter 16 PDF was uploaded in 2019. Current amendments not checked against city clerk.

  “for the purpose of this article the city is divided into zones designated as follows:”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts inside Galena city limits: R single-family, R-1 and R-2 residential, R-3 multi-family, C-1 and C-2 business, M-1 and M-2 industrial, A agricultural, MHP mobile home park, MHS mobile home subdivision.

  • Boundaries are shown on the zoning map adopted by 16-205 ('a zoning map of the city of galena' dated January 12, 2005); the map itself was not opened.
  • District standards for A, R-3, C, M, MHP and MHS were not opened in this pass.

  “abbreviated districts designations residential r single-family residential r-1 two-family residential r-2 multi-family residential r-3 business districts retail business c-1 general business c-2 industrial districts general industry m-1 heavy industry m-2 agricultural a mobile home park mhp mobile home subdivision mhs”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single-family R-1 district lots inside Galena city limits (section 16-218). Other districts not checked.

  • Interior and corner lots carry the same minimum area.
  • Section 16-218 shows ord. 13-12 in its history note; the 2015 code text was used.

  minimum lot area, interior lot: >= 5000 square feet · minimum lot area, corner lot: >= 5000 square feet · minimum lot width at front building line, interior lot: >= 50 feet · minimum lot width at front building line, corner lot: >= 50 feet · minimum lot depth: >= 100 feet

  “the lot size in an r-1 district shall be as follows: (a) the minimum lot area shall be 5,000 square feet for an interior lot and 5,000 square feet for a corner lot. (b) the minimum lot width at the front building line shall be 50 feet for an interior lot and 50 feet for a corner lot. (c) the minimum lot depth shall be 100 feet.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Single-family R-1 district buildings inside Galena city limits (section 16-219). Other districts not checked.

  • Corner lots: 15 feet on all sides abutting a street.
  • Garage or carport entrance: 15 feet from the access street; for an alley, 15 feet from the alley centerline.

  front yard: >= 15 feet · side yard, each side: >= 8 feet (corner lots: 15 feet on sides abutting a street) · rear yard: >= 10 feet · garage or carport entrance from access street: >= 15 feet (alley: measured from alley centerline)

  “the yards in an r-1 district shall be as follows: (a) the front yard shall be a minimum of 15 feet. (b) the side yard shall be a minimum of eight feet on one side and eight feet on the other side, except that on corner lots the setback for all buildings shall be a minimum of 15 feet on all the sides abutting a street. (c) the rear yard shall be a minimum of 10 feet.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile homes placed on lots in the R-1 single-family district inside Galena city limits.

  • Permitted only if all conditions of Chapter 16, Article 3 (mobile home placement guidelines) are complied with; Article 3 was not opened.

  “single-family dwellings and their accessory uses are permitted outright in an r-1 district. mobile homes are permitted if all conditions of article three of this chapter are complied with.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Limited — Mobile homes placed on lots in the R-2 two-family residential district inside Galena city limits.

    “(c) mobile homes are permitted if all conditions of article three of this chapter are complied with.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdividing land inside Galena city limits.

  • Subdivision regulations are Article 5 of Chapter 16; the article text (plat and lot-split rules) was not opened.

  “article 4. flood plain zoning article 5. subdivision regulations”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — New homes inside Galena city limits
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Galena city limits
• Inspections — New homes inside Galena city limits
• Certificate of occupancy — New homes inside Galena city limits
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Galena city limits

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.