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

Rules another office applies inside Wakarusa Township

Wakarusa 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 residential construction on private land inside Wakarusa township, unincorporated Douglas County

  • Before the permit is issued, the county requires septic/sewage approval and water supply approval from the health department, a water meter approval (rural water district), road-entrance approval, a plot plan with recorded boundary survey, a completed building permit application, and two copies of construction drawings.
  • Construction within the special flood hazard area requires a local floodplain development permit.

  “the following requirements must be provided to the douglas county zoning and codes, prior to obtaining a building permit.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Detached one- and two-family dwellings and their accessory buildings in unincorporated Douglas County, including unincorporated land inside Wakarusa township

  • 2018 International Residential Code, as amended, applies to one- and two-family dwellings up to three stories.
  • 2018 International Building Code applies to commercial and multi-family structures; 2018 IPC, IMC, IFGC and IECC apply to other systems, with a residential exception; 2017 NEC applies to electrical systems.
  • Residential permit checklist lists 2018 IBC, IRC, IFGC, IMC, IPC and 2017 NEC.
  • The source describes the county building code as applying in the unincorporated area; the city-limits exception was not verified.

  “the provisions of the international residential code, 2018 edition, adopted pursuant to article 2 of this chapter, as amended”

• InspectionsRequired

  New residential construction in unincorporated Douglas County, including unincorporated land inside Wakarusa township

  • Required inspections listed on the checklist include footing and foundation, plumbing, electrical, mechanical, framing, insulation, final septic approval, final well or water meter inspection, final entrance permit approval, and final inspection before occupancy.

  “owner or agent is responsible for the coordination of all applicable inspections noted above.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts for unincorporated land inside Wakarusa township, under the Douglas County zoning regulations

  • Districts apply only within the unincorporated territory of Douglas County; land within incorporated cities is governed by those cities.
  • The official zoning district map was not opened; which district a given parcel is in must be checked on the county map.

  “the zoning regulations apply to all development activity, public and private, within the unincorporated territory of douglas county, kansas”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Published — AG-1 (Agricultural) district in unincorporated Douglas County, applicable to unincorporated land inside Wakarusa township that is zoned AG-1

    “the ag-1 district is intended to accommodate a full range of agricultural activities such as the raising of crops or livestock”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  AG-1 (Agricultural) district, unincorporated land inside Wakarusa township

  • Chart lists minimum parcel area of 20 and maximum density of 1 dwelling unit per 20 acres; the unit 'acres' is read from the density row.
  • Footnote [2] allows smaller parcels when maximum density is maintained with an agricultural preservation easement.
  • Minimum frontage and minimum width or depth values are in the same chart and were not cleanly extracted.

  minimum parcel area: 20 acres (parcels with less area may be created when maximum density is maintained with an agricultural preservation easement)

  “rear setback 30’ 30’ 30’ 30’ 30’ minimum parcel area 20[2] 20[2] 20[2] 20[2] 20[2]”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  AG-1 (Agricultural) district, unincorporated land inside Wakarusa township

  • The rear setback is 30 feet for every road classification in the chart.
  • Front and exterior-side setbacks are measured from a base setback from the road centerline that depends on road classification; those values were not reliably extracted and are not stated here.
  • Interior-side setback values are in the same chart and were not reliably extracted.

  rear setback: 30 feet

  “rear setback 30’ 30’ 30’ 30’ 30’ minimum parcel area 20[2] 20[2] 20[2] 20[2] 20[2]”

• Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

  AG-1 (Agricultural) district, unincorporated land inside Wakarusa township

  • The chart lists maximum height 35 feet; the chart's cell values were extracted without column labels for every district.

  maximum height: 35 feet

  “maximum height 35’ 35’ 35’ 35’ 35’ maximum density 1 du/20 acres”

• Manufactured homesAllowed (with conditions)

  Residential design manufactured homes as a residential use in AG-1 districts in unincorporated Douglas County, including unincorporated land inside Wakarusa township

  • Shown as a permitted use marked with an asterisk (p*), so it is allowed subject to the use-specific standards.
  • Mobile homes are not addressed by this row; the regulations mention mobile homes only in the accessory dwelling rule.

  “residential design manufactured homes are a type of detached dwelling.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory dwelling units on AG-1 land in unincorporated Douglas County, including unincorporated land inside Wakarusa township

  • Permitted as an accessory use with specific use standards (asterisk in the permitted use table).
  • Occupancy limited to a relative or family member, a caregiver, or a farm employee for at least three years after the certificate of occupancy; an affidavit of occupancy is required before the certificate issues.
  • Not allowed within or attached to a mobile home; may be in a manufactured home.
  • Must comply with the county construction codes.
  • A newly constructed detached accessory structure must be at least 25 feet from the primary structure.
  • One accessory dwelling unit is permitted per parcel that contains a dwelling.

  minimum distance from primary structure (new detached accessory structure): >= 25 feet

  “the accessory dwelling unit shall be occupied by one of the following for not less than three years following the issuance of the certificate of occupancy for the accessory dwelling unit: (1) a relative/family member, (2) a caregiver, or a (3) farm employee.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  On-site sewage disposal systems for new homes on land inside Wakarusa township

  • The county health department at 200 Maine Street, Suite B, Lawrence, KS, approves the sewage disposal system.
  • Phone 785-843-3060 and email [email protected] are listed on the checklist.
  • The Douglas County Sanitary Code text and any state (KDHE) overlay were not opened.

  “approval of sewage disposal system and water supply must be secured from the douglas county health department, located at 200 maine street, suite b, lawrence, ks.”

• Septic permitRequired

  New on-site sewage disposal systems for homes on land inside Wakarusa township

  • Approval must be secured from the health department before the county building permit issues.
  • The permit application procedure, form and fee were not opened.

  “approval of sewage disposal system and water supply must be secured from the douglas county health department, located at 200 maine street, suite b, lawrence, ks.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  New on-site sewage disposal systems for homes on land inside Wakarusa township

  • The final septic system approval comes from the health department, listed among the county's final inspections.

  “final septic system approval (douglas county health department) final well water supply (douglas county health department)”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  New single-family homes on land inside Wakarusa township: water service through the servicing rural water district or a private well

  • Water comes from either a new meter approved by the servicing rural water district or a well approved by the health department.
  • The checklist does not address sewer service or a mandate to connect to a district where one is available; this is not claimed.

  “approval for a new water meter for new single family residential dwelling.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divisions on unincorporated land inside Wakarusa township

  • Land division must conform to the zoning regulations.
  • Only one residence is allowed per recorded deed.
  • The county subdivision regulations were not opened.

  “only one residence is allowed per recorded deed. land division must conform to zoning regulations.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Road access entrance for a new home on land inside Wakarusa township; approver depends on the road

  • Approval comes from Douglas County Public Works, KDOT, or the township board, as appropriate.
  • Township trustee approval is also listed as the final entrance approval on the checklist.

  “approval of the road access entrance from the douglas county public works department, kansas department of transportation, and/or township board, as appropriate.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Construction inside the special flood hazard area on land in unincorporated Douglas County, including unincorporated land inside Wakarusa township

  • The lowest floor, including basement, must be elevated one foot above the regulatory flood elevation, and two feet in certain cases (checklist text is cut off).
  • No construction is allowed in the regulated floodway, per the search summary; not verified on the checklist.

  lowest floor elevation above regulatory flood elevation: >= 1 feet (two feet above regulatory flood elevation in certain cases)

  “construction within the special flood hazard area requires a local floodplain development permit.”

• Permit processPublished

  Building permit application process for new homes in unincorporated Douglas County, including unincorporated land inside Wakarusa township

  • Items to submit before a permit: approval of septic and water, water meter approval, road-entrance approval, plot plan and recorded boundary survey, completed application, and construction drawings.
  • Submit to the county Zoning and Codes office at 3755 E 25th Street, Lawrence, KS, 785.331.1343.

  “building permit application - completed 6. two copies of construction drawings for all buildings, additions, and/or remodels being constructed.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for residential construction inside Wakarusa township
• Local zoning — Whether Wakarusa township itself adopts and administers a zoning ordinance for land inside its limits
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size for unincorporated land inside Wakarusa township
• Lot coverage — Lot coverage for unincorporated land inside Wakarusa township
• Living in an RV — Residential occupancy of recreational vehicles on private land inside Wakarusa 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.