Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Valley Falls, Kansas

Valley Falls’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Erecting, enlarging, relocating or remodeling any building or structure inside Valley Falls city limits

  • Permit must be obtained before work begins on the building or its foundation.
  • Application must be signed by the owner or a city-licensed contractor; an owner may apply if the owner performs the work (Section 4-211(b)).
  • Code text names the city clerk as issuing office; the city page says the city administrator issues permits.

  “it shall be unlawful for any person to hereafter erect or cause to be erected within the city any building or structure of any kind or enlarge or add to the outside dimension thereof, or relocate any building or structure already erected or which may hereafter be erected or remodel any building or structure within the city without a building permit being first obtained therefor from the city clerk”

• Owner-builder exemptionConditional

  Property owner doing construction on their own residence intended for personal use and permanent occupancy, inside Valley Falls city limits

  • Owner must satisfy the building official of ability to perform the work.
  • Owner must secure a permit, pay required fees, do work per the code, and apply for inspection and receive approval.
  • No one may be employed to assist except a city-licensed builder or contractor; work must be without compensation.
  • Permit and inspection still apply; this is a licensing exception, not a permit exemption.

  “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, removal, use and occupancy of buildings and structures inside Valley Falls city limits

  • Adopted by ordinance 2022-05 per the code history line; the adoption date is not stated on the page.
  • The code host labels this text 'unofficial draft 3'; confirm against the official copy filed with the city clerk.
  • The city's building official is the city administrator (Section 4-204).

  “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, 2021 edition”

• InspectionsRequired

  Building construction work covered by a city building permit inside Valley Falls city limits

  • Inspector may require inspections at each successive construction stage (Section 4-216(c)).
  • Owners doing their own work must apply for inspection and receive a certificate of approval (Section 4-219).

  “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”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Valley Falls city limits: the city's own zoning and subdivision regulations (incorporated by Chapter 15 Article 2)

  • The code host labels this text 'unofficial draft 3'; confirm the adopted text against the official copy filed with the city clerk.
  • The city's zoning ordinance PDF (valleyfalls.org) was too large to open in this run, so district-level rules were not read.
  • Amended by ordinances 16-216 through 16-222 per the code history line; Ord. 16-221 amends the supplementary height, area and bulk regulations.

  “the zoning and subdivision regulations for the city was prepared in book form by the valley falls planning commission under the date of may, 1996, and the same is hereby declared to be approved and incorporated by reference”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  New construction inside Valley Falls city limits that connects to the city water and sewer mains

  • The page shows city water and sewer connection charges for new construction but does not state a mandatory-connection rule or a distance threshold; mandatory connection is not established.
  • Sewer connection fee is the cost of installation; water fee is non-refundable.

  new construction water connection fee: 1800 USD (non-refundable; sewer connection fee is the cost of installation)

  “construction fees - the following charges are for connecting to the city's water and sewer mains, this is for new construction, these fees are non-refundable. new construction fee for water is $1,800.00. new construction fee for sewer is - cost of installation”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Division of land inside Valley Falls city limits

  • Subdivision standards sit in the same zoning and subdivision regulations incorporated by Section 15-201; the subdivision articles were not read.

  “the zoning and subdivision regulations for the city was prepared in book form by the valley falls planning commission under the date of may, 1996, and the same is hereby declared to be approved and incorporated by reference”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Building permit fees for construction inside Valley Falls city limits

  • Fee is based on total project price; the page does not state a fee for projects above a total price that is not stated, and does not give a fee-schedule effective date.

  building permit fee, first $1,000 of project price: 25 USD (based on total price of the project) · building permit fee, each additional $1,000 of project price: per 2 USD (applies after the first $1,000)

  “permit fees - based upon the total price of the project, per $1,000. $25 for the first $1,000, then $2 dollars for each additional $1,000 thereafter.”

• Permit processPartial

  Building permit application and approval process inside Valley Falls city limits

  • Code requires a written application on city forms, approval by the chief building official, and issuance from the city clerk (Sections 4-210 and 4-211).
  • The city page describes only the variance and conditional-use request steps, not a full permit checklist.
  • Variance requests go to the board of zoning appeals with a 28-day wait after newspaper publication, per the city page.

  “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 Valley Falls or Jefferson County directly.

• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes inside Valley Falls city limits
• Zoning districts — Zoning districts of Valley Falls city
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling floor area in the main single-family residential district inside Valley Falls city limits
• Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size in the main single-family residential district inside Valley Falls city limits
• Setbacks — Yard setbacks in the main single-family residential district inside Valley Falls 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.