Bolthole Index

Johnson County, Kansas

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Fairway, Kansas

Fairway, Kansas requires a building permit for construction inside city limits, and the city issues it through its own online portal1. Fairway also adopts and enforces its own zoning under Chapter 15 of the city code2. Septic permits are not covered by anything we could confirm for Fairway itself; Johnson County's Environmental Division issues them where no public wastewater system serves a property3.

At a glance

Building permit
Required inside Fairway; issued by the city1
Zoning
Fairway's own zoning code; most lots are R-1 single-family24
New homes
Planning Commission approval before the permit1
Building code
2012 I-codes with local amendments5
R-1 minimum lot
6,000 sq ft and 60 ft wide6
Septic
Not confirmed inside Fairway; Johnson County Environmental handles septic permits where there is no public sewer3
Minimum home size (R-1)
1,800 sq ft one-story; 900 sq ft other structures, excluding garage7

Who to call

Building permits

City of Fairway, Building & Planning (City Hall)

Building permits, inspections, and Planning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals applications inside Fairway city limits

(913)262-0350

buildingpermits@fairwaykansas.org

5240 Belinder Road, Fairway, KS 66205

Septic permits

Johnson County Environmental Division (Department of Health and Environment)

Septic (on-site sewage) system permits and inspections in Johnson County where no public wastewater system serves the property

913-715-6900

11811 S. Sunset Drive, Suite #2700, Olathe, KS 66061

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 24, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Fairway means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Fairway, Kansas have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and setbacks?

Fairway, Kansas has its own zoning, written into Chapter 15 of the city code and administered with a planning commission and a board of zoning appeals2. The city's zoning districts are R-1 single-family residential, R-2P planned residential, B-1 neighborhood business, B-2 office and B-3P planned business and mixed use, and no agricultural district is listed4. The city's own office says most Fairway projects are residential and must meet the R-1 standards8.

In the R-1 district, Fairway requires a lot of at least 6,000 square feet and 60 feet wide6. R-1 front setbacks are at least 40 feet and rear setbacks at least 25 feet; side setbacks are 6 feet for lots under 80 feet wide, 8 feet for lots 80 to 100 feet wide, and 10% of width above that9. A principal dwelling in R-1 is limited to 2½ stories and 30 feet10. R-1 also sets a minimum ground floor area of 1,800 square feet for one-story homes and 900 square feet for other structures, excluding the garage, which rules out most tiny-home footprints7. The planning commission can grant exceptions through site plan review6.

Do you need a building permit in Fairway, KS, and who issues it?

Yes. Fairway, Kansas requires a building permit for construction inside the city, and the city's own Building & Planning staff issue it1. Work without a permit brings a stop work order and triple the permit fee1. Fairway applications go through an online portal, payment comes after approval, and the printed permit card must be posted at the property11.

New homes, additions and exception requests need Planning Commission approval first, and variances go to the Board of Zoning Appeals1. Applications for either body are due at least 30 days before the meeting1. Fairway builds under the 2012 I-code series and the 2011 National Electrical Code, with local amendments to the 2012 International Residential Code, so confirm the current edition with City Hall5. Contractors generally need a Johnson County contractor license8. Inspections are requested through the portal with 24 hours' notice12. Johnson County Building Codes does not issue permits inside Fairway; its permits cover unincorporated land13.

How do septic permits work in Fairway, Kansas?

We could not confirm whether any Fairway property relies on a septic system, or whether the city sets its own septic rules. Call Fairway City Hall to ask which sewer serves a specific address8.

For a property that has no public wastewater connection, Johnson County's Residential On-Site Program issues the septic permit3. The process involves applications, fees, soil analysis and inspections14. The county lists an installation permit at $48015. A septic buyer should also know that Johnson County requires a resale inspection within the first 60 days after purchase in areas covered by its sanitary code16. Contact the17 before you plan a system.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Fairway?

We could not confirm whether Fairway allows RV living or temporary camping on a residential lot; the city's rules on those uses were not located. Ask Fairway City Hall at the number above before you plan either one8.

Tiny homes face a clear hurdle on R-1 lots: the district's minimum ground floor area is 1,800 square feet for a one-story home and 900 square feet for other structures7. Manufactured-home placement rules inside the city were also not confirmed.

Building a home in Fairway: the steps, in order

  1. Call Fairway City Hall to confirm the zoning district, setbacks and any floodplain or right-of-way issues for the lot8.
  2. Check the R-1 lot, setback and height limits before you design9.
  3. File the Planning Commission application at least 30 days before its meeting; new homes need its approval1.
  4. Hire a contractor licensed through the Johnson County contractor licensing program8.
  5. Submit the building permit application through the city's online portal, pay after approval, and post the permit card at the property11.
  6. Request inspections through the portal with 24 hours' notice12.
  7. If the lot has no public sewer, contact the Johnson County17 about a septic permit3.

What stays with Johnson County, and what to check before you buy in Fairway?

Johnson County's building, zoning and entrance rules apply to unincorporated land, not to addresses inside Fairway city limits; for land outside the city, see the Johnson County page18. Septic permits and the septic resale inspection come from the county3. A household well needs a Johnson County permit costing $6519.

Property costs are measured countywide: Johnson County's effective property tax rate is 1.2%20, and the typical home value is $468,65121. Ask Fairway City Hall about floodplain, drainage and right-of-way rules for a specific lot before you close8.

Watch-outs

  • Fairway's published building code edition may lag newer adoptions, so confirm the current edition with City Hall before designing5.
  • Fairway has no agricultural zoning district, so barns, livestock and similar rural uses are not listed anywhere in the city's districts4.
  • Septic rules, RV or camping rules, owner-builder exemptions and permit fees inside Fairway were not confirmed; ask Fairway City Hall and the Johnson County Environmental Division17.

Sources

  1. City of Fairway - Building Permits (Fairway), quoted and re-checked
  2. Fairway, KS Code of Ordinances, Chapter 15 - Zoning and Land Development (Fairway Development Ordinances) (Fairway), quoted and re-checked
  3. Septic Systems, quoted and re-checked
  4. Fairway, KS Code of Ordinances, Chapter 15 - Zoning and Land Development (Fairway Development Ordinances) (Fairway), quoted and re-checked
  5. City of Fairway - Building Code Amendments (Fairway), quoted and re-checked
  6. Fairway, KS Code of Ordinances, Chapter 15 - Zoning and Land Development (Fairway Development Ordinances) (Fairway), quoted and re-checked
  7. Fairway, KS Code of Ordinances, Chapter 15 - Zoning and Land Development (Fairway Development Ordinances) (Fairway), quoted and re-checked
  8. City of Fairway, Building & Planning (City Hall) (fairwaykansas.org)
  9. Fairway, KS Code of Ordinances, Chapter 15 - Zoning and Land Development (Fairway Development Ordinances) (Fairway), quoted and re-checked
  10. Fairway, KS Code of Ordinances, Chapter 15 - Zoning and Land Development (Fairway Development Ordinances) (Fairway), quoted and re-checked
  11. City of Fairway - Building Permits (Fairway), quoted and re-checked
  12. City of Fairway - Building Permits (Fairway), quoted and re-checked
  13. Permits and Licenses Guide, quoted and re-checked
  14. Residential Systems, quoted and re-checked
  15. Forms and Fees, quoted and re-checked
  16. Septic Systems, quoted and re-checked
  17. Johnson County Environmental Division (Department of Health and Environment) (jocogov.org)
  18. Unincorporated Area, quoted and re-checked
  19. Water Well County Permits, quoted and re-checked
  20. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  21. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data

Written October 24, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Fairway

Fairway’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Construction projects inside Fairway city

    • New homes, additions, and exception requests require planning commission approval; variances go to the board of zoning appeals.
    • Applications to the planning commission or board of zoning appeals must be submitted at least 30 days before the meeting.
    • Contractors must be licensed through the Johnson county contractor licensing program for most projects.

    penalty for work without permit: stop work order and triple the permit fee

    “no work is to take place without an issued building permit card posted at the property. work without a permit will result in a stop work order and triple the permit fee.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Construction inside Fairway city

    • The 2012 IRC has local amendments published by the city.
    • City page may lag newer adoptions; verify the current edition.

    codes: 2012 I-code series; 2011 National Electrical Code (2012 IRC amended locally)

    “fairway is now using the 2012 i-code series and the 2011 national electrical code. the 2012 irc has several amendments.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Permitted construction inside Fairway city

    • Inspections are requested through the online portal.
    • The page lists a misc. permit guidelines & inspections guide; its contents were not reviewed.

    inspection notice: 24 hours; request by 3:00pm for next-day inspection

    “inspections completed through the portal 24 hours notice required (must be requested by 3:00pm for next day inspections)”
  • Local zoningPresent

    All land inside Fairway city limits

    • Zoning is part of Chapter 15, the Fairway development ordinances, administered with a planning commission and board of zoning appeals.
    “it is organized according to generally applicable provisions (article i), planning provisions (article ii), land division provisions (article iii), zoning provisions (article iv), and building provisions (article v).”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts inside Fairway city

    • Districts: R-1 single-family residential, R-2P planned residential, B-1 neighborhood business, B-2 office, B-3P planned business/mixed use.
    • No agricultural district is listed.
    “the following zoning districts are established according to the use of land and buildings and the intensity of such use and the governing body may divide the city into these districts in order to bring about the general purpose of this chapter.”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    R-1 single-family residential district inside Fairway city

    • Planning commission may grant exceptions to dimension standards through site plan process.

    minimum ground floor area, one-story: >= 1800 sq ft (excluding garage) · minimum ground floor area, other structures: >= 900 sq ft (excluding garage)

    “minimum ground floor area (excluding garage) • 1,800 square feet for one-story structures • 900 square feet for all other structures”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    R-1 single-family residential district inside Fairway city

    • Planning commission may grant exceptions to dimension standards through site plan process.

    minimum lot area: >= 6000 sq ft · minimum lot width: >= 60 ft

    “lot minimum area 6,000 square feet minimum width 60 feet minimum front setback 40 feet a minimum side setback”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    R-1 single-family residential district inside Fairway city

    • Planning commission may grant exceptions through the site plan process.
    • Intersection (corner) lots and accessory buildings have separate setback rules in Sec. 15-296.

    front setback: >= 40 ft · rear setback: >= 25 ft · side setback by lot width: 6 ft (<80 ft wide); 8 ft (80-100 ft); 10% of width (>100 ft)

    “minimum front setback 40 feet a minimum side setback • less than 80-foot lot width = 6 feet • 80—100-foot lot width = 8 feet • more than 100-foot lot width = 10% of lot width minimum rear setback 25 feet”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Principal dwelling in R-1 single-family residential district inside Fairway city

    • Height measured above the lesser of previous-structure finished grade at previous threshold or current finished grade at current threshold.
    • Accessory buildings have a separate, lower height limit (1½ stories or a related limit; text not fully reviewed).
    • Planning commission may grant exceptions.

    maximum height: 2½ stories, max 30 feet

    “principal building (dwelling unit) maximum height 2½ stories with a maximum of 30 feet above the lesser of: finished grade of previous structure measured at previous threshold or current finished grade measured at current threshold”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Land division inside Fairway city

    • Details of Article III land division provisions not reviewed.
    “it is organized according to generally applicable provisions (article i), planning provisions (article ii), land division provisions (article iii), zoning provisions (article iv), and building provisions (article v).”
  • Permit processPublished

    Building permit applications inside Fairway city

    • Applications are submitted through an online portal; payment is made after approval; permit card must be posted at the property.
    • New homes, additions and exception requests need planning commission approval; variances go to the board of zoning appeals.
    “applications must be completed in full including total construction value and all contact information including sub-contractors with license numbers.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Fairway city
  • Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of new buildings inside Fairway city
  • Lot coverage — R-1 district inside Fairway city
  • Living in an RV — RV occupancy inside Fairway city
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping inside Fairway city
12 more unanswered
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees

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.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Fairway publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Johnson County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Johnson County: county rules, score and offices