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

Rules another office applies inside Dodge Township

Dodge 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 permitLimited

  Structures used for a special event on private land in unincorporated Ford County, which includes Dodge township outside city limits. This is not a general building-permit rule.

  • Applies only to structures used in conjunction with a special event; the event itself is limited to 10 days.
  • A general residential building-permit requirement for Dodge township was not located in the zoning regulations.

  “f. any structure used in conjunction with the special event shall meet all sight distance requirements, shall be the subject of a valid building permit, and shall be promptly removed upon the cessation of the event.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Dodge township (Ford County, KS) that lies outside incorporated city limits. Zoning is administered by Ford County, not by Dodge township; no separate Dodge township zoning ordinance was located.

  • Section 1-103 limits the county regulations to the unincorporated portion of Ford County; land inside the City of Dodge City is governed by the city, not by this rule.
  • No official statement that Dodge township itself has adopted or not adopted zoning was located.

  “1-103 jurisdictions: these regulations shall apply to all lands within the unincorporated portion of ford county, kansas.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts of unincorporated Ford County, which include parcels in Dodge township outside city limits

  • The district maps are referenced but not opened; which district applies to a Dodge township parcel was not verified.
  • Districts listed: ag agricultural, rr rural residential, sr suburban residential, r-1 single-family residential, v-1 village, ao airport overlay, fp floodplain, frd floodwater retarding dam breach impact.

  “the unincorporated portion of ford county is hereby divided into districts of which they shall be in number known as: “ag” agricultural district “rr” rural residential district “sr” suburban residential district “r-1” single-family residential district “v-1” village district “ao” airport overlay district “fp” floodplain district “frd” floodwater retarding dam breach impact district”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Lots in the AG agricultural district of unincorporated Ford County, applicable inside Dodge township only where the county zoning map places a parcel in AG

  • A maximum of two dwellings may be established on each forty acres, with at least one acre and 165 feet of lot width per dwelling.
  • Applies only to parcels mapped in the AG district; Dodge township district map was not located.

  minimum lot area: >= 40 acres (quarter/quarter (1/4 of 1/4 of a section) lots are deemed to meet the requirement even if they net less than 40 acres) · maximum dwellings per 40 acres: <= 2 dwellings · minimum land per dwelling: >= 1 acres

  “1. lot area: every lot shall be a minimum of 40 acres. a lot described as a quarter/quarter (i.e. ¼ of ¼ of a section) shall be deemed to meet the lot size requirements even though said lot may net less than a full 40 acres. 2. intensity of use: a maximum of two (2) dwellings may be established on each forty (40) acres (i.e. ¼ of ¼ of a section). a minimum of one (1) acres of land with a minimum of 165 feet of lot width must be provided for each dwelling.”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — Single-family dwellings in the R-1 single-family residential district of unincorporated Ford County, applicable inside Dodge township only where the county zoning map places a parcel in R-1

    “6. lot area per dwelling unit: every dwelling hereafter erected, constructed, reconstructed, moved or altered, shall provide a minimum lot area of 20,000 square feet per dwelling unit.”

  • Specified — Dwellings in the RR rural residential district of unincorporated Ford County, applicable inside Dodge township only where the county zoning map places a parcel in RR

    “6. lot area per dwelling unit: every dwelling hereafter erected, constructed, reconstructed, moved or altered shall provide a minimum lot area of 435,600 square feet or ten (10) acres per dwelling unit.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Dwellings in the R-1 single-family residential district of unincorporated Ford County, applicable inside Dodge township only where the county zoning map places a parcel in R-1

  • Applies only to parcels mapped in the R-1 district.
  • Front, side and rear minimums are stated as the minimum depth or distance in the cited section.

  front yard minimum: >= 30 ft · side yard minimum (each side): >= 15 ft · rear yard minimum: >= 20 ft

  “2. front yard: the depth of the front yard shall be at least 30 feet. 3. side yard: there shall be a side yard on each side of a dwelling. no side yard shall be less than 15 feet. 4. rear yard: the depth of the rear yard shall be at least 20 feet.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Dwellings in the RR rural residential district of unincorporated Ford County, applicable inside Dodge township only where the county zoning map places a parcel in RR

    “2. front yard: the depth of the front yard shall be at least 75 feet. 3. side yard: there shall be a side yard on each side of a dwelling. no side yard shall be less than 50 feet. 4. rear yard: the depth of the rear yard shall be at least 50 feet.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Non-agricultural buildings in the RR rural residential district of unincorporated Ford County, applicable inside Dodge township only where the county zoning map places a parcel in RR

  • Applies only to parcels mapped in the RR district.
  • The limit is stated for nonagricultural buildings or structures.

  maximum building height: <= 35 ft (and/or 2-1/2 stories)

  “1. height: nonagricultural buildings or structures shall not exceed 35 feet and/or 2-1/2 stories in height.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Buildings in the R-1 single-family residential district of unincorporated Ford County, applicable inside Dodge township only where the county zoning map places a parcel in R-1

    “1. height: buildings or structures shall not exceed 35 feet and/or 2-1/2 stories in height.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Recreational vehicle parks and campgrounds on private land in unincorporated Ford County, which includes Dodge township outside city limits. This is not a general rule on living in an RV on one's own parcel.

  • Applies only where the zoning regulations allow a recreational vehicle park or campground; the district and conditional-use status of this use was not verified.
  • Under no circumstances may a manufactured home be parked in a recreational vehicle park or campground.

  minimum tract area for recreational vehicle park or campground: >= 2 acres · minimum space area per trailer or recreational vehicle: >= 1400 sq ft

  “49. recreational vehicle park or campground, provided: a. the tract to be used as a recreational vehicle park or campground shall not be less than two (2) acres in area. under no circumstances shall a manufactured home be parked in a recreational vehicle park or campground. b. the minimum area for a space for parking one trailer or recreational vehicle shall be 1,400 square feet,”

• Manufactured homesProhibited

  Mobile homes and manufactured homes placed inside the mapped floodway on land in unincorporated Ford County, including Dodge township outside city limits

  • The ban applies to the floodway only; it does not cover existing manufactured home parks and existing manufactured home subdivisions.
  • Floodway fringe placement is governed by the floodplain overlay standards, not this ban.

  “e. placement of mobile homes and manufactured homes is prohibited in the floodway, except in existing manufactured home parks and existing manufactured home subdivisions.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Residential construction on land in the mapped floodway fringe overlay in unincorporated Ford County, including Dodge township outside city limits

  • Applies only where a parcel lies in the mapped floodway fringe overlay; the flood map for Dodge township was not located.
  • Placement of mobile and manufactured homes in the floodway is prohibited (see the separate claim).

  lowest floor elevation above base flood elevation: >= 1 ft (applies to new construction or substantial improvements of residential structures)

  “a. require new construction or substantial improvements of residential structures to have the lowest floor, including basement, elevated to at least one (1) foot above the base flood elevation.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction inside Dodge township, Ford County, KS
• Building code adopted — Construction inside Dodge township, Ford County, KS
• Inspections — Construction inside Dodge township, Ford County, KS
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of new construction inside Dodge township, Ford County, KS
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling floor area in unincorporated Ford County, including Dodge township outside 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.