Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Silver Lake, Kansas

Silver Lake’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Erection, move, addition or structural alteration of buildings inside Silver Lake city. This is the city's zoning compliance permit; a separate city building-code permit was not located.

  • Permit is issued by the administrative official.
  • Permit must comply with the zoning ordinance, except where the board of zoning appeals orders otherwise.
  • Permits lapse if work has not begun within 90 days of issuance (§ 16-2401(e)).

  “no building, fence or other structure shall be erected, moved, added to, or structurally altered without a permit therefor, issued by the administrative official.”

• InspectionsLimited

  Buildings inside Silver Lake city in areas covered by a recorded final plat. A general building inspection rule for other land was not located.

  • Occupancy requires the building inspector to be satisfied the building complies with the building code and other applicable law.
  • Applies only to land in an area for which a final plat has been filed.

  “no building constructed in any area for which a final plat has been filed shall be occupied in any manner until the building inspector is satisfied that the building or buildings comply with all applicable requirements of the building code”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Work requiring a zoning compliance permit inside Silver Lake city.

  • Certificate of zoning compliance is issued after completion of the work.
  • Failure to obtain it is a violation under § 16-2402.
  • The city Certificate of Occupancy requirement under the building code was not located; this claim is limited to the zoning certificate.

  “failure to obtain a certificate of zoning compliance shall be a violation of this article and punishable under § 16-2402.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  All land inside Silver Lake city limits (Kansas), under the city's own Zoning Ordinance (Code Book Chapter XVI, Article 2).

  • Applies only to land within the corporate limits of the city; unincorporated Shawnee County land is not covered by this ordinance.
  • Zoning map is adopted by reference (§ 16-202) and an official copy is kept by the city clerk.

  “the jurisdiction of this chapter shall apply to all land located within the corporate limits of the city of silver lake, kansas.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts inside Silver Lake city limits.

  • District boundaries are on the 'zoning district map' adopted by reference (§ 16-202); the map image itself was not opened.

  “the city is hereby divided into districts designated as follows:”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Lots in the 'R-1' single-family dwelling district inside Silver Lake city.

  • Single lot of record that predates the ordinance may be used for a single-family dwelling even if smaller, if its boundaries touched other land under other ownership and were not changed.

  minimum lot area: >= 8000 square feet (single lot of record exception (see conditions)) · minimum average lot width: >= 60 feet (single lot of record exception (see conditions))

  “every lot of land shall have an area of not less than 8,000 square feet and an average width of not less than 60 feet”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — Lots in the 'R' single-family dwelling district inside Silver Lake city.

    “every lot of land shall have an area of not less than 10,000 square feet and an average width of not less than 70 feet”

  • Specified — Farm tracts in the 'A-1' agriculture district inside Silver Lake city.

    “farm tracts in this district shall be ten acres or larger.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Front yard in the 'R-1' single-family dwelling district inside Silver Lake city.

  • Greater front yard may be required for arterial and collector streets.
  • Corner lots have a front yard on each street side.
  • Side and rear yard depths for the R-1 district were not verified in this research.

  minimum front yard depth: >= 25 feet (arterial and collector streets)

  “there shall be a front yard having a depth of not less than 25 feet except as required for arterial and collector streets.”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — Front yard in the 'R' single-family dwelling district inside Silver Lake city.

    “there shall be a front yard having a depth of not less than 30 feet except as required for arterial and collector streets.”

  • Specified — Front yard in the 'A-1' agriculture district inside Silver Lake city.

    “there shall be a front yard having a depth of not less than 30 feet except as required for arterial and collector streets.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Buildings in the 'A-1' agriculture district inside Silver Lake city.

  • Within 150 feet of any residential district, maximum height is 35 feet (§ 16-605(a)).

  maximum building height more than 150 feet from a residential district: <= 75 feet (within 150 feet of a residential district the limit is 35 feet)

  “(b) when a building or structure is more than 150 feet from any residential district, the building or structure shall not exceed 75 feet in height.”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — Buildings in the 'R' single-family dwelling district inside Silver Lake city.

    “no building shall exceed 35 feet in height, except as otherwise provided in the additional height, area and use regulations in this article.”

  • Specified — Buildings in the 'R-1' single-family dwelling district inside Silver Lake city.

    “no building shall exceed 35 feet in height, except as otherwise provided in the additional height, area and use regulations in this article.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile and manufactured homes in designated 'M-P' mobile home park districts inside Silver Lake city.

  • Applies to mobile home park districts only; whether single manufactured homes are allowed on individual lots in other districts was not verified.
  • Park spaces must be at least 2,800 square feet, and the park must meet the § 16-1304 site and spacing rules.

  maximum density: <= 8 trailers per gross acre · minimum space per trailer: >= 2800 square feet

  “mobile home parks shall have a maximum density of eight trailers per gross acre and a minimum space of 2,800 square feet for each trailer.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land inside Silver Lake city being divided into lots.

  • Zoning compliance permits are not issued for structures on lots in areas that have not been subdivided, unless approved under the subdivision regulations.
  • Pre-existing platted lots and lots of record are exempt from that permit bar.

  “after the date of the adoption of these subdivision regulations by the planning commission and governing body, no zoning compliance permit or zoning permit shall be issued for any structure that is located upon a lot in an area that has not been subdivided, unless approved in the manner as provided for in these subdivision regulations.”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Land inside Silver Lake city in mapped floodplain areas.

  • Floodplain rules are incorporated by reference from the city's separate 'floodplain management ordinance for the city of silver lake, kansas', whose text was not opened.
  • Whether a specific floodplain development permit is required was not verified.

  “there is hereby incorporated by reference for the purpose of providing floodplain zoning regulations within the city of silver lake, kansas”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning compliance permit application inside Silver Lake city.

  • Applications require plans in duplicate, drawn to scale.
  • Permit expires if work has not begun within 90 days (§ 16-2401(e)).
  • Building official approval is required for parking layouts in C-1, C-2, I-1 and I-2 districts (§ 16-2102).

  “all applications for zoning compliance permits shall be accompanied by plans in duplicate, drawn to scale, showing the actual dimensions and shape of the lot to be built upon”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Silver Lake or Shawnee County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from permits inside Silver Lake city.
• Building code adopted — Building code adoption inside Silver Lake city.
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling floor area inside Silver Lake city.
• Lot coverage — Maximum lot coverage in residential districts inside Silver Lake city.
• Living in an RV — RV occupancy on private land inside Silver Lake 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.