Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Cherryvale, Kansas

Cherryvale’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Cherryvale city limits: the city's own zoning regulations (titled Cherryvale, Kansas Zoning Regulations) administered by the city

  • Source is the 2025 Zoning Handbook compilation of the city's zoning regulations; the handbook is hosted on a city media library, not the city code site.
  • The city code site (cherryvaleks.citycode.net) incorporates the 1996 zoning regulations by reference; that version was not opened, and the handbook's amendment history was not checked.
  • Ordinance 19-4718 (use limitations - zoning) appears on the city ordinance list (cherryvaleusa.com/ordinances-resolutions) and was not opened, so later amendments are not confirmed.

  “the provisions of these regulations shall apply to all structures and land in the incorporated area of cherryvale, kansas.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts for land inside Cherryvale city limits: A-1, R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, B-1 to B-4, I-1 and I-2

  • The official district maps are filed in the office of the city clerk and were not opened; only the map-filing sentence and district list in the handbook were checked.

  “3. zoning district maps: the boundaries of the districts are shown on the official zoning district maps which are filed in the office of the city clerk.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  A-1 agricultural district inside Cherryvale city limits

  • Article 5 supplementary district regulations may modify yard rules ('except as modified by the provisions of article 5').

  minimum lot area: >= 1 acre (all uses in A-1) · minimum lot width: >= 150 feet

  “4. intensity of use regulations: minimum lot area: 1 acre for all uses. minimum lot width: 150 feet.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-1 residential low density district inside Cherryvale city limits

    “4. intensity of use regulations: minimum lot area: 7,000 square feet. minimum lot width: 50 feet.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  A-1 agricultural district inside Cherryvale city limits (principal buildings)

  • Article 5 may modify these yard sizes.
  • Accessory buildings: none in required front or side yard; rear yard placement at least 5 feet from rear lot line; cannot cover more than 30 percent of required rear yard (article 5, accessory buildings item 3).

  front yard: >= 30 feet · side yard: >= 20 feet · rear yard: >= 40 feet

  “6. yard regulations: except as modified by the provisions of article 5, minimum yard sizes shall be as follows: front yard: 30 feet. side yard: 20 feet. rear yard: 40 feet.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-1 residential low density district inside Cherryvale city limits (principal buildings)

    “6. yard regulations: except as modified by the provisions of article 5, minimum yard sizes shall be as follows: front yard: 25 feet. side yard: 10 feet. rear yard: 30 feet.”

• Building heightSpecified

  A-1 agricultural district inside Cherryvale city limits

  maximum structure height: <= 35 feet

  “5. height regulations: maximum structure height: 35 feet.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-1 residential low density district inside Cherryvale city limits

    “5. height regulations: maximum structure height: 35 feet.”

• Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

  A camper (RV) used for housing on a lot inside Cherryvale city limits while the principal residential structure is under construction

  • Temporary housing for up to 12 months; the zoning administrator may extend 6 additional months on showing of good cause by the owner.
  • Owner must remove the temporary housing or bring the property into conformance when the period ends or the principal structure is complete, whichever occurs first.
  • Any RV occupancy outside this construction-period allowance was not found in the handbook's text reviewed.

  temporary housing period: <= 12 months (may be extended 6 months for good cause)

  “f. housing: during construction of the principal residential structure, a basement, garage, camper or mobile home may be utilized for temporary housing for a period not to exceed twelve (12) months.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Camping or temporary housing on a lot inside Cherryvale city limits, only during construction of a principal residential structure

  • Same construction-period allowance as the RV claim: basement, garage, camper or mobile home, up to 12 months, extendable 6 months for good cause.
  • Recreational camping outside a construction project was not addressed in the handbook text reviewed; the city code's other sections were not opened.

  “f. housing: during construction of the principal residential structure, a basement, garage, camper or mobile home may be utilized for temporary housing for a period not to exceed twelve (12) months.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile or manufactured homes on individual lots in the A-1 agricultural district inside Cherryvale city limits

  • Permitted only on a permanent foundation, per the A-1 permitted-use text.
  • Lot minimums and yard rules for A-1 apply (see minimum lot size and setback claims).

  “2. permitted uses: generally, farming and ranching operations, single-family homes (including mobile homes on permanent foundations), recreational, religious, educational, institutional and public uses are permitted.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Limited — Manufactured home parks in the R-4 mobile home park residential district inside Cherryvale city limits (park-level rule, not single lots)

    “4. intensity of use regulations: minimum lot area: 2 acres. minimum lot width: 150 feet.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Cherryvale or Montgomery County directly.

• Building permit — Whether a building permit is required for new construction inside Cherryvale city limits
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for building inside Cherryvale city limits
• Building code adopted — Building codes adopted for construction inside Cherryvale city limits
• Inspections — Whether building inspections are required for construction inside Cherryvale city limits
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes inside Cherryvale 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.