Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Concordia, Kansas

Concordia’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction and demolition work inside Concordia city limits.

  • The building official may determine case-by-case whether a permit is required for unique circumstances.
  • Listed scopes include new fences, accessory buildings not normally occupied and under 600 square feet, pools, signs, masonry, retaining walls over four feet or holding a surcharge, demolition, irrigation, roofing, fire systems, and in-ground pools.

  “Generally, construction and/or demolition of buildings, including renovations involving structural changes, changes to exit path of travel, construction of decks, and changes to mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems require a building permit.”

• Owner-builder exemptionConditional

  An owner constructing or exclusively occupying a single-family dwelling inside Concordia city limits.

  • The owner must personally purchase and install all construction materials and comply with the chapter.
  • The exemption is unavailable if the owner has an open exempt permit for another address or received a certificate of occupancy under this exemption for another address within the preceding 12 months.
  • It does not eliminate licensing requirements for contractors performing mechanical, electrical, or plumbing work.

  prior certificate-of-occupancy lookback: < 12 months (For a different address under this exemption)

  “To be exempted from general contracting licensing requirements, one of the following must apply:”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  All land within Concordia city corporate limits.

  • The regulations also apply to City-owned property unless expressly provided otherwise.

  “The jurisdiction of these zoning regulations shall apply to all land located within the corporate limits of the City of Concordia, Kansas.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Land within Concordia city corporate limits.

  • District-specific uses and dimensional controls apply.
  • The City zoning regulations expressly create R-1, R-2, and R-3 residential districts.

  “The following three residential zoning districts are hereby created: R-1, Low Density Residential District; R-2, Medium Density Residential District; and R-3, High Density Residential District.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  Private wastewater disposal systems inside Concordia city limits.

  • The private system must comply with City article requirements and state health-department recommendations.
  • Additional requirements may be imposed by the health officer.

  “The application for such permit shall be made on a form furnished by the city”

• Septic permitRequired

  Construction of a private wastewater disposal system inside Concordia city limits.

  • The application must use the City form and include plans, specifications, and other information deemed necessary by the superintendent.
  • The permit and inspection fee is due when the application is filed.
  • The system must comply with state health-department recommendations.

  permit and inspection fee: 25 USD (Paid at filing)

  “Before commencement of construction of a private wastewater disposal system, the owner shall first obtain a written permit signed by the superintendent.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Private wastewater disposal systems constructed inside Concordia city limits.

  • Installation must be completed to the superintendent's satisfaction before a permit becomes effective.
  • The applicant must notify the superintendent when ready for final inspection and before underground portions are covered.
  • Inspection is to occur within 96 hours after notice is received.

  inspection timing: <= 96 hours (After receipt of notice by superintendent or representative)

  “The inspection shall be made within 96 hours of the receipt of notice by the superintendent or representative.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Private wastewater disposal inside Concordia city limits where public sanitary sewer is unavailable under City Code section 20-407.

  • Private wastewater systems are authorized only where public sanitary sewer is unavailable under section 20-407.
  • A written permit, installation inspection, and compliance with City and KDHE-related requirements apply.
  • No permit may issue for a soil-absorption system under 20,000 square feet with public water or under 40,000 square feet with private water.
  • A septic tank may not discharge to a natural outlet.

  minimum lot area with public water: >= 20000 square feet (Private wastewater system employing subsurface soil absorption facilities) · minimum lot area with private water: >= 40000 square feet (Private wastewater system employing subsurface soil absorption facilities)

  “Where a public sanitary sewer is not available under the provisions of section 20-407, the building sewer shall be connected to a private wastewater disposal system complying with the provisions of this article.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  Houses, buildings, or properties used for human occupancy, employment, recreation, or other purposes inside Concordia city limits.

  • The property must abut a street, alley, or right-of-way containing a City sanitary sewer.
  • The public wastewater collection system must be within 150 feet of the property line.
  • Connection is required within 90 days after official notice and at the owner's expense.

  sewer availability distance: <= 150 feet (Measured from property line) · connection deadline: <= 90 days (After official notice)

  “within 90 days after the official notice to do so, provided that such public wastewater collection system is within 150 feet of the property line.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Development in Concordia's special flood hazard areas identified by the City floodplain regulations.

  • The ordinance applies to identified unnumbered A zones and future FIRM revisions.
  • Development must comply fully with the floodplain ordinance and other applicable regulations.

  “In all areas covered by this ordinance, no development shall be permitted, except through the issuance of a floodplain development permit”

• Permit processPartial

  Construction requiring a City building permit inside Concordia city limits.

  • The code describes permit-triggering work and gives the building official case-by-case discretion for unique circumstances.
  • The opened provision does not state a complete general-building-permit application workflow.

  “The building official may determine on a case-by-case basis whether a building permit is required for unique circumstances.”

Rules another office applies inside Concordia

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

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single-family dwelling structures in Concordia's R-1 Low Density Residential District.

  • A lot smaller than Table 6-2 may receive a zoning certificate if it existed as a separate legal lot before the effective date of the regulations.

  minimum lot area: >= 8400 square feet (Single-family dwelling in R-1)

  “1. Single-family dwelling 8,400 7,600 6,800”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Residential lots in Concordia's R-1 Low Density Residential District.

  • The provision applies to principal buildings.
  • A preexisting separate legal lot smaller than Table 6-2 may receive a zoning certificate.

  maximum principal-building lot coverage: <= 50 percent (Residential districts)

  “Maximum lot coverage by principal buildings shall not exceed fifty percent (50%).”

• Building heightSpecified

  Buildings and structures in Concordia's R-1 Low Density Residential District.

  • The R-3 exception allowing additional height does not apply to R-1.

  maximum height: <= 35 feet (R-1 residential district) · maximum stories: <= 3 stories (R-1 residential district)

  “No building or structure shall exceed three (3) stories or thirty-five (35) feet in height except in the R-3 district”

Still unanswered

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

• Inspections — Building construction inside Concordia city limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — New or altered buildings inside Concordia city limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings in Concordia's R-1 Low Density Residential District.
• Living in an RV — Long-term RV occupancy on private land inside Concordia city limits.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Concordia 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.