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

Rules another office applies inside Freedom Township

Freedom 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

  Erection or alteration of any structure on land under Ellis County zoning, including unincorporated land in Freedom township (inferred from county jurisdiction; Article 1 jurisdiction text not opened).

  • A zoning certificate is required before erecting or altering any structure; the county describes it as similar to a building permit, not as a building permit itself.
  • Agricultural land and buildings used only for agricultural purposes are exempt under section 3.04, except in designated flood plain areas.
  • The City of Ellis and other municipalities have their own requirements.
  • Building code adoption and building inspection rules were not verified.

  zoning certificate: required

  “prior to the erection or alteration of any structure, an application for a zoning certificate shall be obtained. a zoning certificate is similar to a building permit.”

• Local zoningVaries (with conditions)

  Land in unincorporated Ellis County, Kansas, including land inside Freedom township. This is a county aggregate covering township and municipal zoning; it does not establish that Freedom township itself adopted a zoning ordinance.

  • Ellis County administers its own zoning regulations (edition of August 16th, 2021) for unincorporated land.
  • Cities such as the City of Ellis have their own ordinances inside their limits; those are not covered by this claim.
  • Whether Freedom township has adopted its own zoning was not verified; see the township-specific unknown claim.

  “the planning and zoning division strives to ensure that the ellis county zoning regulations and subdivision regulations are followed in providing proper land use and development of ellis county properties.”

• Zoning districtsPartial

  Zoning districts in the unincorporated Ellis County regulations, including Freedom township land (inferred).

  • The regulations list Article 4 districts, including an A-1 agricultural district in the table of contents; district text was not opened.
  • The zoning map was not located as a linked file.

  “article 4: zoning districts section 4.01.... establishment of districts section 4.02.... zoning map”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Agricultural-zoned land split by survey in unincorporated Ellis County, including Freedom township land (inferred). Applies to agricultural lot splits only.

  • Some restrictions on further division of both properties without full platting may apply.
  • Minimum lot sizes for the A-1 agricultural district and other Article 4 districts were not opened and are not recorded here.

  parent property before lot split, minimum: >= 40 acres · new lot created, minimum with public water supply: >= 2 acres · new lot created, minimum with private water well: >= 3 acres

  “agricultural zoned land can be split through a survey with these requirements: parent property before lot split contains a minimum of 40 acres new lot created contains a minimum of: 2 acres (with public water supply) 3 acres (with private water well)”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Private sewage disposal in unincorporated Ellis County, including Freedom township land (inferred).

  • Sewage may not be discharged beneath or on top of the ground without an approved system.
  • It is unlawful to operate a malfunctioning system that discharges effluent to the surface.
  • The approving agency for private systems was not identified in section 3.38.

  “to discharge sewage either beneath or on top of the ground without an approved system.”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  Structures used for habitation or employment with indoor plumbing in unincorporated Ellis County, including Freedom township land (inferred).

  • The section requires connection to a municipal type, public benefit, or approved private sewerage disposal system; it does not in this excerpt require connection to public sewer where available.
  • No public water connection requirement was found in section 3.38.
  • Availability rules for public sewer or water in Freedom township were not verified.

  “hereafter all structures used for habitation, employment or otherwise - providing indoor plumbing facilities shall be connected to a municipal type, public benefit, or approved private sewerage disposal system.”

• Agricultural exemptionAvailable

  Land and buildings used for agricultural purposes within the unincorporated Ellis County zoning regulations, including Freedom township land (inferred).

  • Does not apply to feedlots or to areas designated as a flood plain.
  • Applies only so long as the land and buildings are used for agricultural purposes and not otherwise.
  • Section 3.05 heading in the same article reads 'agritourism exemption add language', indicating unfinished text; not relied on.
  • Kansas state law (K.S.A. 19-2960) was not opened.

  “except for feedlots and areas designated as a flood plain, these regulations shall not apply to the use of land for agricultural purposes, nor for the erection or maintenance of buildings thereon for such purposes so long as such land and buildings are used for agricultural purposes and not otherwise.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divided in unincorporated Ellis County, including Freedom township land (inferred).

  • Approval from the county zoning administrator is required for any division of land, per the Planning & Zoning page.
  • Subdivision Regulations (https://www.ellisco.net/331/Subdivision-Regulations) exist but were not opened; platting thresholds are not recorded.

  “anytime land is divided in ellis county there must be approval from the county zoning administrator.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning and land-use permit fees in unincorporated Ellis County, including Freedom township land (inferred).

  • The county page links a fee schedule (https://www.ellisco.net/DocumentCenter/View/4427/Zoning-Fees); that document was not opened, so no fee amounts are recorded here.

  “additional resources fee schedule service request online form contact us”

• Permit processPartial

  Zoning certificate and other county land-use applications for unincorporated Ellis County, including Freedom township land (inferred).

  • Application forms and other materials are obtained at the zoning administrator office at 1515 W. 55th St., Hays, KS; the page does not show an online zoning certificate application.
  • Agricultural lot splits require a survey and zoning administrator approval.

  “other permits & applications forms and other materials may be found at the office of the zoning administrator”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption in Freedom township, Ellis County, Kansas
• Building code adopted — Building code adoption in Freedom township, Ellis County, Kansas
• Inspections — Building inspections for new homes in Freedom township, Ellis County, Kansas
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes in Freedom township, Ellis County, Kansas
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in unincorporated Ellis County, including Freedom township (inferred)

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.