Zoning, building permits and septic rules in LeRoy, Kansas

LeRoy’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Building work inside LeRoy city limits, including new buildings and structures.

  • The permit requirement is stated in section 4-210 as a condition on starting work; the opening sentence of section 4-210 was not captured.
  • The Council minutes of September 2, 2025 mention Ordinance 452 amending section 4-210; that amendment was not opened and may change this rule.

  “without a building permit being first obtained therefor from the city clerk, after approval by the chief building official or his or her duly authorized assistant. the application for such permit shall be made and the permit obtained before work is commenced upon any building or structure or the foundation thereof, or before the removal of any building begins.”

• Owner-builder exemptionConditional

  Owner-performed construction on the owner's own residence, for personal use and permanent occupancy, inside LeRoy city limits.

  • The owner must satisfy the building inspector of ability, secure a permit, pay required fees, follow the code, and apply for inspection and a certificate of approval.
  • The work must be done without compensation; no employee may assist except a city-licensed builder or contractor.

  “nothing herein contained shall prohibit any property owner from personally performing any building or construction work within and upon his or her own residence and intended for his or her personal use and permanent occupancy”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction, alteration, and occupancy of buildings inside LeRoy city limits.

  • The code text adopts the 2015 edition of the International Building Code; the compiled code gives no stated adoption date, and a newer edition may have been adopted later.

  “there is hereby adopted and incorporated by reference, for the purpose of establishing rules and regulations for the construction, alteration, removal, demolition, equipment, use and occupancy, location and maintenance of buildings and structures, the international building code, 2015 edition”

• InspectionsLimited

  Owner-performed building work on the owner's own residence inside LeRoy city limits.

  • The inspection duty is stated in the owner-work section; the general inspections section (4-215) was not opened.

  “the owner shall satisfy the building inspector as to his or her ability to perform such work, secure a permit, pay required fees, do work in accordance with this article, and apply for an inspection and receive a certificate of approval.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside LeRoy city limits. LeRoy city adopts its own zoning regulations and incorporates them into its code by reference.

  • The zoning regulations text is not reproduced in the code PDF reviewed; the incorporation section leaves the ordinance number blank (ord. ______), so district rules were not verified.
  • The county identity (Coffey County) comes from the city's older ordinance compilation, not from the zoning section itself.

  “there are hereby incorporated by reference as if set out fully herein, the zoning regulations adopted by the governing body of the city, as prepared by the city and consisting of ord. ______, passed and entitled, "zoning regulations of the city of leroy, kansas".”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Mobile homes inside LeRoy city limits only; not a general minimum for site-built dwellings.

  minimum mobile home width: >= 10 feet · minimum mobile home floor area: >= 450 square feet

  “any mobile home shall have a minimum width of ten feet and contain a minimum of 450 square feet.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Mobile home spaces inside LeRoy city limits; mobile home parks are not the same as single-family lots.

  • Only one mobile home per space; no more than one mobile home per platted city lot (section 16-403(i)).

  minimum mobile home space, city at large: >= 7000 square feet (mobile home parks use 5,000 square feet)

  “the minimum mobile home space shall be 5,000 square feet for mobile home parks and 7,000 square feet (one 140 by 50 lot) for the city at large.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Mobile homes and structures on a mobile home site inside LeRoy city limits.

  minimum distance from other buildings, houses, mobile homes, or city streets: >= 30 feet

  “no mobile home or any structure shall be located closer than 30 feet from any other building, house, mobile home or city street.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Single-wide, double-wide, and multiple-wide mobile homes located inside LeRoy city limits.

  • Outside trailer parks and mobile home subdivisions, the home must meet a fair-market-value test of 75% of dwellings within 250 feet, verified by a licensed appraiser.
  • Double and multiple-wide homes must be on a permanent foundation.
  • No permit is issued for mobile homes used for permanent storage or commercial use (section 16-402(f)).

  “single, double or multiple wide mobile homes are allowed only in trailer park or mobile home subdivisions unless the following conditions are met.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Allowed — Modular and residential-design manufactured homes inside LeRoy city limits.

    “modular and residential-design manufactured homes are allowed in any residential district.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  Private sewage disposal systems for buildings inside LeRoy city limits where no public sewer is available.

  • Construction must follow the state water pollution control requirements (section 15-415), and the city or county health officer may impose additional requirements (section 15-416).

  “before commencing construction of a private sewage disposal system, the owner shall first obtain a written permit signed by the utility superintendent.”

• Septic permitRequired

  New private sewage disposal systems for buildings inside LeRoy city limits where no public sewer is available.

  • A permit and inspection fee applies; the fee sentence was truncated in the text captured.

  “before commencing construction of a private sewage disposal system, the owner shall first obtain a written permit signed by the utility superintendent.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Buildings inside LeRoy city limits where no public sanitary sewer is available under section 15-402.

  • Privies, septic tanks, and cesspools are unlawful except as provided in the sewer article (section 15-411).
  • A private system needs a city permit and must follow the state water pollution control requirements (section 15-415).

  “where a public sanitary sewer is not available under the provisions of § 15-402, the building sewer shall be connected to a private sewage disposal system complying with the provisions of §§ 15-411 to 15-416.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  Houses and buildings for human occupancy inside LeRoy city limits that abut a street or alley with a public sanitary sewer.

  • Connection is required only if the public sewer is within 140 feet of the property line.
  • Connection must be made within 90 days after official notice.
  • Water connection rules were not verified.

  distance to public sewer: <= 140 feet (property line distance triggers the connection requirement)

  “provided, that said public sewer is within 140 feet of the property line.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divisions inside LeRoy city limits and the surrounding area described in the city's subdivision regulations.

  • The subdivision regulations are incorporated by reference (section 16-301); their text was not captured.

  “governing the subdivision of land located within the city and certain surrounding area as described therein, as adopted by the governing body of the city.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Building permits issued for work inside LeRoy city limits.

  • No fee is required where the total estimated cost is under $2,000.
  • Ordinance 452 may have amended the fee rules and was not checked.

  building permit fee: 25 USD (no fee where total estimated cost is under $2,000)

  “the fee for a building permit shall be $25, however, no fee shall be required to obtain a permit where the total estimated cost, the reasonable value of all services, labor and materials required, is under $2,000.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Published (with conditions) — Mobile home location use permits inside LeRoy city limits.

    “application shall be accompanied by a fee of $25.”

• Permit processPartial

  Building permit applications for work inside LeRoy city limits.

  • Applications go to the city clerk; the inspection process was not fully captured.

  “a building permit shall be issued upon an application in writing to the office of city clerk on a form or forms provided for the purpose.”

Still unanswered

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

• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy approval for buildings inside LeRoy city limits.
• Zoning districts — Zoning district map and district list for LeRoy city.
• Lot coverage — Lot coverage for residential lots inside LeRoy city limits.
• Building height — Building height for residential structures inside LeRoy city limits.
• Living in an RV — Occupancy of recreational vehicles inside LeRoy 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.