Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Harveyville, Kansas

Harveyville’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

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

  • Permit must be obtained from the city clerk before work begins (Sec. 4-210).
  • Owner-builder permits are available only for the owner's own residence (Sec. 4-226).

  building permit fee: 100 USD ($25 where total estimated cost is under $6,000)

  “without a building permit being first obtained therefor from the city clerk, after approval by the chief building official or his or her duly authorized assistant.”

• Owner-builder exemptionConditional

  Owner doing own building work on own residence inside Harveyville city limits

  • Work must be on the owner's own residence, for personal use and permanent occupancy, without compensation.
  • Owner must secure a permit, pay required fees, do the work to code, and get inspection and approval (Sec. 4-226).
  • No one may be employed to assist except a city-licensed contractor.

  “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 and occupancy of buildings and structures inside Harveyville city limits

  • The adopted edition is the International Building Code, 2000 edition, as the code text states. Later editions are not stated as adopted in the cited section.
  • Administered by the city clerk as building official (Sec. 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, 2000 edition”

• InspectionsRequired

  Building construction work covered by a city building permit inside Harveyville city limits

  • Inspections of layout and foundation are required before pouring (Sec. 4-216).
  • An inspection fee applies before approval (Sec. 4-218).

  initial inspection fee: 25 USD (plus actual costs; subsequent inspections at actual cost)

  “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”

• Certificate of occupancyLimited

  Occupancy of a building inside Harveyville city limits after permitted work

  • The city issues a certificate of approval on completion of permitted work; the code does not use the term certificate of occupancy and does not say it is required for every new dwelling (Sec. 4-215).
  • Approval is subject to the inspection fee in Sec. 4-218.

  “upon the completion of any work under a building permit, the chief building official, the building inspector or his or her designee is authorized to issue a certificate of approval for the occupancy and use of the building or structure.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Harveyville city limits: the city's own zoning regulations (Ordinance No. 232) are incorporated into the city code by reference. Not applicable to unincorporated Wabaunsee County.

  • The incorporated zoning text was not available online; only the incorporating section was verified. District standards were not confirmed.
  • Fees in Sec. 16-202 apply to zoning actions.

  zoning certificate fee (primary building): >= 25 USD (or $.20 per square foot, whichever is greater) · zoning certificate fee (accessory building): 15 USD

  “there are hereby incorporated by reference as if set out fully herein, the zoning regulations adopted by the governing body of the city of harveyville, kansas, as prepared by the city and consisting of ordinance no. 232”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Lots using subsurface soil absorption septic systems inside Harveyville city limits. This is a septic permit threshold, not a zoning lot-area rule.

  • No permit may be issued for a subsurface soil absorption system on a lot under one acre (Sec. 15-309).

  minimum lot area for subsurface soil absorption septic system: >= 1 acre (43,560 square feet)

  “no permit shall be issued for any private sewage system employing subsurface soil absorption facilities where the area of the lot is less than one acre (43,560 square feet).”

• Septic permitRequired

  Construction of a private sewage disposal system for a lot inside Harveyville city limits

  • Permit is signed by the superintendent before construction (Sec. 15-307).
  • No permit for subsurface soil absorption on a lot under one acre (Sec. 15-309).

  private sewage permit and inspection fee: 5 USD

  “before commencement of construction of a private sewage permit signed by the superintendent.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Private sewage disposal system installed inside Harveyville city limits

  • Inspection must occur at any stage of construction; the applicant must notify the superintendent before underground portions are covered (Sec. 15-308).
  • Permit does not take effect until installation is completed to the superintendent's satisfaction.

  “he or she shall be allowed to inspect the work in any stage of construction, and in any event, the applicant for the permit shall notify the superintendent when the work is ready for final inspection”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Homes inside Harveyville city limits with no public sanitary sewer available

  • Privies, cesspools and septic tanks are unlawful except as the code allows (Sec. 15-304).
  • Where no public sewer is available, the building sewer must go to a private system that complies with Article 3 (Sec. 15-306).
  • Private systems may not discharge to a public sewer or natural outlet (Sec. 15-309).

  “except as hereinafter provided, it shall be unlawful to construct or maintain any privy, privy vault, septic tank, cesspool, or other facility intended or used for the disposal of sewage.”

• Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

  New homes on lots inside Harveyville city limits that abut a street with public water mains or a public sanitary sewer

  • Water: owner must connect to a public water main that is located near the property (Sec. 15-204(a)).
  • Sewer: connection required only if a public sewer is within 100 feet of the property line, with 90 days after official notice (Sec. 15-305).
  • Water connection requires a city permit and fees (Secs. 15-204(b), 15-207).

  sewer connection distance threshold: <= 100 feet (measured to the property line)

  “provided such public sewer is within 100 feet of the property line.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision and lot splits of land inside Harveyville city limits and the surrounding area named in the regulations

  • Regulations were prepared by the Wabaunsee County Planning Commission and adopted by the city (Sec. 16-301).
  • Plats must be approved and the register of deeds checks fees before recording (Sec. 16-302).

  preliminary plat fee: 100 USD (plus $2 per lot) · lot split fee: 50 USD

  “there are hereby incorporated by reference, as if set out fully herein, certain regulations governing the subdivision of land located within the city of harveyville, kansas and certain surrounding area as described therein”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Building, zoning, sewer and subdivision permit fees inside Harveyville city limits

  • Fees are set in the code sections cited; the city code states the fees but the code version date is not stated on the page.
  • Fees for land owned by a township, city, county, state or federal government are waived under Secs. 16-202(e) and 16-302(e).

  building permit fee: 100 USD ($25 where total estimated cost is under $6,000) · zoning certificate fee (primary building): >= 25 USD (or $.20 per square foot, whichever is greater)

  “the fee for a building permit shall be $100, however a $25 fee shall be required to obtain a permit where the total estimated cost, the reasonable value of all services, labor and materials required, is under $6,000.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building permit application inside Harveyville city limits

  • Application is made in writing to the city clerk on the city's form (Sec. 4-211(a)).
  • Plans or drawings may be required by the chief building official (Sec. 4-212).
  • A permit lapses after one year unless work starts (Sec. 4-211(d)).

  “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.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Published (with conditions) — Building permit process for work inside Harveyville city limits, administered by the city clerk as building official (Sec. 4-204)

    “this and other articles of the city relating generally to building and structures shall be administered and enforced by the city clerk.”

Still unanswered

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

• Zoning districts — Zoning district map and district list for Harveyville city
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling floor area inside Harveyville city limits
• Setbacks — Zoning setbacks for Harveyville city districts
• Lot coverage — Lot coverage limits in Harveyville city districts
• Building height — Building height limits in Harveyville city districts

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.