Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Spring Hill Township, Kansas

Rules another office applies inside Spring Hill Township

Spring Hill 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 structures, decks and roofs on land in Spring Hill township outside Spring Hill city limits (unincorporated Johnson County)

  • Address must be confirmed as unincorporated before applying; no permit is issued without an address.
  • A permit is also required to enlarge, alter, repair, move or demolish, and to repair or replace electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing work.
  • Structures over 200 sq. ft. for residential use require a permit, and any structure regardless of size has setback requirements.

  “all decks, roofs and new structures require a permit.”

• Owner-builder exemptionConditional

  Homeowner doing their own construction work on land in Spring Hill township outside Spring Hill city limits (unincorporated Johnson County)

  • Exemption from the county contractor licensing rule applies only if the residence is for the use and occupancy of the homeowner.
  • The residence may not be built for sale or lease; rental property cannot use a homeowner-pulled permit.
  • Commercial projects must have a licensed general contractor and licensed subs; the owner cannot do the work.

  “in order to receive an exemption to the johnson county contractor licensing regulations, which requires the use of a licensed contractor to do the work, the residence must be for the use and occupancy of the homeowner only. it may not be built for sale or lease.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Building permits for work on land in Spring Hill township outside Spring Hill city limits (unincorporated Johnson County)

  • Johnson County's unincorporated area uses the Johnson County Code of Regulations for Buildings and Construction, 2018 edition, with the 2018 International Residential Code; cities in the county apply their own building codes.

  “energy efficiency compliance submittal shall comply with johnson county code of regulations for buildings and construction 2018 edition and the 2018 international residential code, chapter 11”

• InspectionsRequired

  Permitted residential construction on land in Spring Hill township outside Spring Hill city limits (unincorporated Johnson County)

  • Inspections are required during construction (footing, foundation, framing, rough-ins, insulation, final, and others); no inspection is done without approved plans on site.
  • Notice: concrete inspections need 2 hours minimum notice; all other inspections need a minimum of 1/2 day notice.
  • If a septic or entrance permit was required, a final inspection report from Environmental and Public Works must be received before a final building inspection is scheduled.

  “required inspections (if applicable) an inspection will not be done without approved plans on the job site.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts for land in Spring Hill township outside city limits (unincorporated Johnson County)

  • The county's zoning regulations list article 9 for rural districts and article 10 for residential districts; the district tables were not retrieved.

  “article 9 - rural districts article 10 - residential districts”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Structures on land in Spring Hill township outside city limits (unincorporated Johnson County), including accessory structures of any size

  • Setback requirements apply to any structure regardless of size; contact county planning for the applicable setback.
  • Numeric setback distances by district were not retrieved from official text.

  “any structure regardless of size has setback requirements, contact the planning department, 913-715-2200 or by email.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory dwelling units on land in Spring Hill township outside Spring Hill city limits (unincorporated Johnson County)

  • The county zoning page lists two ADU review tracks: administrative review, and public hearing required.
  • Which track applies, and the ADU standards, were not retrieved.

  “accessory dwelling unit – administrative review accessory dwelling unit – public hearing required”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Private on-site septic systems on land in Spring Hill township outside Spring Hill city limits where no public sewer is available (Johnson County Department of Health and Environment)

  • Johnson County Department of Health and Environment (JCDHE) runs the on-site sewage treatment systems program under the Johnson County Environmental Sanitary Code.
  • The township-level permit contact for private sewage disposal is the county environmental department at 913-715-6900.

  “jcdhe licenses the individuals who design and install private on-site sewage treatment systems in the areas of johnson county served by the johnson county environmental sanitary code.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Private sewage treatment system on land in Spring Hill township outside Spring Hill city limits where the property is not served by a public wastewater collection system

  • Permit needed for new or repaired private systems; the septic page says a JCDHE permit is required in most cases for repairs and that JCDHE should be contacted before building additions, fencing, decking, exterior buildings or alterations.
  • A septic or sewer permit is listed as a possible requirement for new single-family dwellings and must be finaled before the building final inspection.

  “the residential on-site program issues permits for private sewage treatment systems where property owners are not served by a public wastewater collection system.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  New and transferred private septic systems on land in Spring Hill township outside Spring Hill city limits

  • JCDHE inspects new residential on-site systems and existing residential systems subject to property transactions.
  • A resale inspection of the existing private system is required before a residential property is bought or sold; buyer or seller may request it.
  • Inspection applies where the property is not served by public sewer.

  “the program inspects new residential and commercial on-site septic systems and existing commercial and residential systems subject to property transactions.”

• Off-grid sanitationAllowed (with conditions)

  Private on-site sanitation for a home on land in Spring Hill township outside Spring Hill city limits without public sewer

  • Allowed only with a JCDHE permit and inspection under the Environmental Sanitary Code; septic systems must be properly designed and operated.
  • Septic location verification and a site plan showing the existing septic tank and laterals are required for new structures.

  “the residential on-site program issues permits for private sewage treatment systems where property owners are not served by a public wastewater collection system.”

• Agricultural exemptionConditional

  Buildings used solely for agricultural use on land in Spring Hill township outside city limits (unincorporated Johnson County)

  • The county's accessory and agriculture page says the steps 3 and 4 of the permit process are skipped for an agricultural building used solely for an agricultural use.
  • Which steps those are, and whether the exemption reaches zoning or setback rules, were not verified; a permit is still needed for residential accessory structures over 200 sq. ft.

  “if the following applies, skip steps 3 and 4 in the permit process below: agricultural building or structure a building or structure used solely for an agricultural use.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Division of land on property in Spring Hill township outside city limits (unincorporated Johnson County)

  • Land division is governed by the county's zoning and subdivision regulations adopted March 17, 1994; buyers and sellers should check the county planning office that resulting parcels meet minimum standards.
  • Specific lot-split and plat standards were not retrieved.

  “these regulations govern the subdivision of land and the types of land uses that are permitted in different zoning districts.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Driveway entrance on land in Spring Hill township outside city limits (unincorporated Johnson County)

  • Entrance permit is required if this is the first structure on the property or an additional entrance is being added.
  • Contact Johnson County Public Works at 913-715-8300 for the entrance permit.

  “for an entrance permit (driveway) contact johnson county public works at 913-715-8300, if this is the 1st structure on your property or you are adding an additional entrance.”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Development in a mapped floodplain on land in Spring Hill township outside city limits (unincorporated Johnson County)

  • The county zoning page lists a floodplain development permit among its planning applications.
  • Floodplain-trigger criteria and the permit standards were not retrieved; contact county planning for floodplain information at 913-715-2200.

  “floodplain development permit preliminary and final development plan application preliminary and final plat application rezoning”

• Short-term rentalsLimited

  Short-term rental of a dwelling on land in Spring Hill township outside city limits (unincorporated Johnson County)

  • The county zoning page lists a short-term rental permit among its planning applications.
  • Permit standards and conditions were not retrieved.

  “short-term rental permit sign permit special permit tract lot split”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Building permit fees for work on land in Spring Hill township outside city limits (unincorporated Johnson County)

  • Fees are calculated from a fee chart or quoted by county staff; the county's building permit fee chart was not opened.
  • Fees are due at permit issuance for residential permits; card payments carry a 2.4% service fee.

  “you can calculate your own or call for the fee amount, 913-715-2200.”

• Permit processPublished

  Building permit process for land in Spring Hill township outside city limits (unincorporated Johnson County)

  • Permits must be applied for online through MyGovernmentOnline (MGO Connect); faxed applications are not accepted.
  • Each application requires a site plan, the building permit application, and subcontractor or homeowner installation forms as applicable.

  “johnson county building codes uses mgoconnect to apply and generate building permits.”

Still unanswered

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

• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for a new home in Spring Hill township
• Local zoning — Land inside Spring Hill township limits: whether the township itself adopts and administers a zoning ordinance
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size for a new home in Spring Hill township outside city limits
• Lot coverage — Lot coverage for structures in Spring Hill township outside city limits
• Building height — Building height in Spring Hill 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.