Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Atwood, Kansas

Atwood’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Building permits inside Atwood city, issued by the zoning officer

  • Not required in A-1 zoned areas used only for agricultural purposes as provided by K.S.A. 12-715b
  • Permit void six months after issuance unless work or use commences
  • Application requires plat, plot plan, utility contact proof and filing fee set by city council

  “A building permit is required if any change in the use of the property is made, any alteration of the structural components is made, or any new construction, including water wells, and private water lines and sewer lines.”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Atwood city limits

  • Zoning is Chapter 46 of the city code (Ord. No. 740, 2-15-2001)

  “The following table summarizes uses permitted in each of the zoning districts described in this article:”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Atwood city zoning districts (A-1, R-1, R-2, R-3, MH, MP, C-1, C-2, M-1, M-2)

  “the jurisdictional area is hereby divided into zoning districts that are designated as follows: a-1 agricultural district r-1 single-family residential district r-2 duplex residential district r-3 multifamily residential district m-p mobile home park district m-h mobile home subdivision district c-1 retail business district c-2 highway business district m-1 light industrial district m-2 heavy industrial district”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  A-1 Agricultural District inside Atwood city

  minimum lot area: >= 3 acres · minimum lot width: >= 160 ft

  “minimum lot area: three acres for all uses. (2) minimum lot width: 160 feet.”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — R-1 Single-Family Residential District inside Atwood city

    “minimum lot area: 7,000 square feet. (2) minimum lot width: 50 feet.”

  • Specified — R-2 Duplex Residential District inside Atwood city

    “minimum lot area: 6,000 square feet for single-family residences and 8,000 square feet for two-family residences.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  R-1 Single-Family Residential District inside Atwood city

  • Except as modified by article VI of chapter 46
  • Accessory buildings: rear yard, at least 3 ft from side/rear lot line (Sec. 46-243)

  front yard: >= 25 ft · side yard: >= 8 ft · rear yard: >= 10 ft

  “except as modified by the provisions of article vi of this chapter, minimum yard sizes shall be as follows: (1) front yard: 25 feet. (2) side yard: eight feet. (3) rear yard: ten feet.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — A-1 Agricultural District inside Atwood city

    “except as modified by the provisions of article vi of this chapter, minimum yard sizes shall be as follows: (1) front yard: 40 feet. (2) side yard: 16 feet. (3) rear yard: 40 feet.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  R-1 Single-Family Residential District inside Atwood city; R-2 is also 30 percent (Sec. 46-283)

  maximum lot coverage: <= 30 percent

  “(2) minimum lot width: 50 feet. (3) maximum lot coverage: 30 percent.”

• Building heightSpecified

  A-1 Agricultural District inside Atwood city

  maximum height: <= 35 ft (or 2.5 stories)

  “maximum structure height: 2½ stories or 35 feet.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-1 Single-Family Residential District inside Atwood city

    “maximum structure height: 2½ stories or 35 feet.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Recreational vehicles in FIRM A-type flood zones inside Atwood city; general RV occupancy rule not found

  • Fewer than 180 consecutive days, fully licensed and ready for highway use, or meet permitting, elevation and anchoring requirements for manufactured homes
  • Unoccupied RV storage on owner's own lot permitted in residential areas, not within ten feet of street right-of-way or sidewalk in front or side yard (Sec. 46-250)

  flood zone RV stay: < 180 days (unless meeting manufactured home requirements)

  “must either be on the site for fewer than 180 consecutive days, and be fully licensed and ready for highway use or meet the permitting, elevation, and the anchoring requirements for manufactured homes of this article.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile homes in the M-P Mobile Home Park District inside Atwood city; rules for M-H subdivision district and other districts not reviewed

  • Park minimum two acres; each space at least 45 by 90 feet
  • Public water and sewer required; skirting, tie-downs, pads required
  • Planning commission and city council plan approval

  “Permitted uses. Mobile home parks. For a specific listing of permitted and conditionally permitted uses, see the table of permitted uses in section 46-251.”

• Accessory dwellingsProhibited

  Accessory buildings inside Atwood city

  • Accessory building may not be built before the principal building is commenced

  “no accessory building shall be used for dwelling purposes.”

• Well permitRequired

  Water wells inside Atwood city (city building permit)

  • Building permit not required in A-1 areas used only for agriculture

  “A building permit is required if any change in the use of the property is made, any alteration of the structural components is made, or any new construction, including water wells, and private water lines and sewer lines.”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  Mobile home parks in the M-P district inside Atwood city only; general new-home connection rule not found

  • Individual water and sewer connections at each mobile home lot

  “Sewage disposal shall be provided to the mobile home park by a public sewer system.”

• Agricultural exemptionConditional

  A-1 zoned areas inside Atwood city

  • Only areas used solely for agricultural purposes
  • Per K.S.A. 12-715b

  “a building permit is not required in a-1 zoned areas used only for agricultural purposes as provided by k.s.a. 12-715b.”

• Subdividing landLimited

  Flood-related standards for subdivision proposals inside Atwood city; the general subdivision regulations were not reviewed

  • Base flood elevation data required for proposals over 50 lots or five acres

  “all subdivision proposals shall have adequate drainage provided to reduce exposure to flood hazards.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Special flood hazard areas with base flood elevation data inside Atwood city

  • Engineer, architect or surveyor certification to floodplain administrator
  • Manufactured homes must be anchored and elevated (Sec. 16-117(4))

  lowest floor above base flood elevation: >= 2 ft

  “New construction and substantial improvement of any residential structure shall have the lowest floor, including basement, elevated to two feet above the base flood elevation.”

• Permit processPartial

  Building permit applications to the zoning officer inside Atwood city

  • Application needs plat, scaled plot plan, utility contact proof and filing fee
  • Permit void six months after issuance if work or use not commenced

  decision time: <= 10 days (or further period agreed by applicant)

  “A building permit shall be either issued or refused by the zoning officer within ten days after receipt of an application or within the further period as may be agreed to by the applicant.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder inside Atwood city
• Building code adopted — Building code inside Atwood city
• Inspections — Inspections inside Atwood city
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Atwood city
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Atwood city

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.