Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Victoria, Kansas

Victoria’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Building work inside Victoria city limits (Chapter IV, Article 2 permit provisions)

  • Application is in writing to the city clerk on city forms and must list the owner, location, work, dimensions, class of occupancy and construction, materials, cost, dates, and contractor (section 4-211).
  • Application may be signed by the owner or a city-licensed contractor (section 4-211(b)).
  • Fees are set by the building inspector on the fee schedule in section 4-213.
  • The exact sentence requiring a permit for each building type was not located in the text opened; the permit requirement is inferred from the permit-issuance provision.

  “it shall be unlawful for any owner or authorized agent who intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish, or change the occupancy of a building or structure”

• Owner-builder exemptionAvailable (with conditions)

  Owner-occupants building one- and two-family residences in Victoria city

  • The contractor definition excludes one- and two-family residences and accessory buildings for the owner's personal use and permanent occupancy.
  • This exception is in the contractor licensing definitions, so it exempts the owner from the builder-license rules, not from the building permit or inspections.
  • Owner-applicant permit rules were not read separately.

  “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; provided, 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.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Construction, alteration, removal, demolition, equipment, use, occupancy and maintenance of buildings inside Victoria city limits

  • Adopted edition is the International Building Code, 2015 edition, under K.S.A. 12-3009 through 12-3012 (section 4-202).
  • Section 4-302 (titled electrical code) also adopts the 'uniform building code, 2015 edition'; treat the electrical adoption as unclear.
  • The code text opened is the 1994 code as amended; the current edition was not verified.
  • Section 4-302(c) limits corrugated steel/metal roofing and siding on accessory structures in residential districts.

  building code edition: 2015 International Building Code

  “the international building code, 2015 edition, as recommended by the international conference of building officials”

• InspectionsRequired

  Building work inside Victoria city limits, inspected by the city building inspector

  • Inspection points listed in the code's Article 2 table of contents include foundations and footings and request for inspection.
  • The building inspector has a duty to examine buildings in the process of erection (section 4-206(c)).
  • Full text of the inspection section was not read; the requirement comes from the listing and the inspector's duties.

  “upon the completion of any building construction work covered by this article, it shall be the duty of the person doing such work to notify the building inspector and request that it be inspected”

• Certificate of occupancyLimited

  Completed building work inside Victoria city limits under a building permit

  • Certificate is called a certificate of approval and is issued by the chief building official, building inspector, or designee.
  • The text is permissive ('authorized to issue'); no sentence requiring an occupancy certificate for every building was found.

  “upon the completion of any work under a building permit, the chief building official or the building inspector or his or her designee is authorized to issue a certificate of approval for the occupancy and use of the building or structure”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Victoria city limits. The city adopts and administers its own zoning regulations (Chapter XVI, Article 2), not county zoning.

  • Zoning regulations were incorporated by ord. b-421 (April 13, 1998) and amended by ords. b-497, b-518, and b-525.
  • The city's planning page says the zoning regulations have a 2022 effective date and that 'some of these regulations have been changed'; confirm current text with city hall.
  • Official map is the zoning district map filed with the zoning administrator (section 16-202).
  • Victoria city code does not name its county on the pages opened; Ellis County identity is unconfirmed on an official page (see search_notes).

  “the zoning regulations and official zoning map herein incorporated by reference shall govern all use of the land and the location of buildings and other structures placed within the city”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Victoria city zoning districts (article 5 of the city's zoning regulations)

  • The index lists article 5 as 'zoning districts'; the article PDF exceeds the 10 MB reader limit, so the district list itself was not read.
  • Official zoning map is incorporated by reference in section 16-202 and filed with the zoning administrator.

  “article 4: general provisions * article 5: zoning districts * article 6: conditional use permits”

• Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

  Houses and buildings for human occupancy inside Victoria city limits, depending on whether a public water main or sewer is nearby

  • Water: the owner must connect to a public water main when located near one (section 15-204).
  • Sewer: the owner must connect where a public sanitary sewer is within 140 feet of the property line (section 15-402), with notice and a 90-day period.
  • Sewer connection requires a permit and a $15 application fee (section 15-403).

  distance from property line to public sanitary sewer: <= 140 feet

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

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Development inside Victoria city limits, including construction in special flood hazard areas (Chapter XVI, Article 3)

  • Floodplain permits are required for each building or structure; zone A has elevation standards (section 16-306 onward).
  • Official flood map is the county FIRM panel no. 225b and amendments (section 16-305), which is a county panel reference.
  • Applicability beyond the special flood hazard area was not confirmed; check section 16-306 subsections.

  “no person, firm, or corporation shall erect, construct, enlarge, or improve any building or structure or make other developments, as defined in the definitions section of this article, in the city, or cause the same to be done without first obtaining a separate development permit for each building or structure.”

• Permit feesPublished

  Building permit fees for work inside Victoria city limits

  • The fee schedule in section 4-213 dates from ord. b-408 (passed 11-10-1997) and is in the 1994 code as amended; a newer schedule may exist and was not found.
  • Class B (remodeling up to $1,000) and class C (fences, siding, roofing) are $10 each under section 4-213.

  building permit fee, class A (all floors, basements, garages): 0.06 USD per square foot (class B and class C fees are flat $10 each)

  “all floors, basements, garages: $0.06 per square foot”

• Permit processPublished

  Building permit application process inside Victoria city limits

  • Application goes to the city clerk on city forms; the building inspector issues approval; a certificate of approval is issued on completion (sections 4-211, 4-215).
  • Sewer connection permits are separate and go through the city clerk and utility superintendent (section 15-404).

  “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 Victoria or Ellis County directly.

• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size for the main single-family residential district inside Victoria city limits
• Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size for the main single-family residential district inside Victoria city limits
• Setbacks — Front, side and rear setbacks for the main single-family residential district inside Victoria city limits
• Lot coverage — Maximum lot coverage for the main single-family residential district inside Victoria city limits
• Building height — Maximum building height for the main single-family residential district inside Victoria 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.