Bolthole Index

Pottawatomie County, Kansas

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in St. George, Kansas

Inside St. George, Kansas, the city's own zoning ordinance applies and a building permit is required before you erect any structure1. The city's zoning administrator issues building permits2. The ordinance also requires a separate permit and inspection for sewage systems on 5 acres or less3. Land outside city limits falls under Pottawatomie County's rules instead4.

At a glance

Zoning
Yes: city zoning ordinance covers all incorporated land5
Building permit
Required, issued by the zoning administrator; $25 fee1
Septic
Separate permit and inspection for systems on 5 acres or less3
RV living
Occupied RVs permitted in the RV district under 30 consecutive days6
Minimum lot (R-1)
5,000 sq ft, 50 ft wide, 100 ft deep7
Max height (R-1)
35 ft8
Floodplain
Separate floodplain permit; $20 application fee9

Who to call

Building permits

City of St. George Zoning Administrator

Zoning administration, building permits with a site plan, and inspections inside St. George city limits

Septic permits

Pottawatomie County Environmental Health

Private wastewater and water-disposal systems and private water-supply systems

785-457-3397

612 E. Campbell St., Westmoreland, KS 66549

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 23, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Does St. George, Kansas have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, lot size and setbacks?

St. George has its own zoning. The city's zoning ordinance applies throughout all incorporated land in St. George5, and the district list runs from residential (R-1, R-2, R-3) to agricultural (AG), RV park, commercial, industrial and floodplain overlay districts, with the zoning map on file with the city clerk10.

In the R-1 single-family district, lots need at least 5,000 sq ft, 50 ft of width and 100 ft of depth unless clustered under an approved plan7. Side yards are 8 ft and rear yards 8 ft (5 ft from an alley)11. Buildings in R-1 may not exceed 35 ft8, and main structures plus accessories may cover no more than 45 percent of the lot12. In the AG district, single-family dwellings are permitted on 2 or more acres13.

RVs: occupied recreational vehicles and campers are permitted in the RV park district when on the property for less than 30 consecutive days6. Rules for living in an RV on an ordinary residential lot were not confirmed; ask the zoning administrator. Campgrounds in the AG district are a conditional use that needs a Board of Zoning Appeals hearing14. Tiny homes are not addressed in the ordinance sections we reviewed, so ask the city before buying.

Do you need a building permit in St. George, and who issues it?

Yes. St. George's ordinance makes it unlawful to erect any structure without a valid building permit1. The zoning administrator issues building permits and accepts a site plan with the application215. The building permit fee is $25, with an additional $25 late charge if construction starts first16.

Some structures are exempt from the zoning rules but still need a no-fee building permit: accessory storage buildings of 150 sq ft or less, pools, driveways, patios, remodeling that does not add square footage, agricultural structures (excluding farm dwellings), and accessory dwellings or garages1. A zone change, variance or conditional use costs $25 to apply for16. Building on land inside a mapped floodplain overlay also requires a separate floodplain permit, with a $20 application fee on top of other fees9.

We could not confirm whether the city has adopted a building code such as the IRC, or what inspections beyond the zoning administrator's apply15. Ask the city before you design.

How do septic permits work inside St. George?

The city's ordinance requires that sewage go only to the public system or an approved private system17. For sewage systems on 5 acres or less, the ordinance requires a separate building permit and an inspection before the system operates3. Skipping the inspection is a violation and can require uncovering the system18.

The ordinance does not address larger parcels, and we could not confirm what role the county or the state health agency plays inside city limits19. Pottawatomie County Environmental Health runs the county's septic permits, with a $150 health permit for new construction2021. Call that office to confirm whether a county health permit is also needed for a lot in St. George. Private wells inside the city are also unconfirmed.

Building a home in St. George: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the lot's zoning district with the city clerk, who keeps the zoning map10.
  2. Check lot size, setbacks and height for that district against the ordinance11.
  3. Check the floodplain overlay before you design9.
  4. Submit a site plan to the zoning administrator with your building permit application2.
  5. If the home will use a private sewage system, get the separate permit and inspection3 and confirm the county's requirements with Environmental Health21.

What stays with Pottawatomie County, and what to check before you buy

Land outside St. George city limits is governed by the county. Pottawatomie County's Unified Development Regulations cover unincorporated land4, and the county planning office, not the city, handles building permits there22. See the Pottawatomie County page for those answers. Do not apply the county's rules to a lot inside St. George, or the reverse.

Pottawatomie County's effective property tax rate is 1.1 percent23. Only 1.2 percent of county soils rate as not limited for a conventional septic drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system24. The ordinance is dated 2023 and later fee or accessory-use changes were not checked16, so confirm current fees with the city.

Watch-outs

  • The city's accessory-dwelling rules were amended after the 2023 ordinance and we did not review that change, so confirm accessory dwellings with the zoning administrator before you plan one25.
  • Accessory dwelling units in R-1 are a conditional use needing Board of Zoning Appeals approval25.
  • The ordinance is dated 2023 and later fee changes were not checked16.

Sources

  1. Zoning Ordinance for the City of Saint George, Ordinance 2023-04 (St. George), quoted and re-checked
  2. Zoning Ordinance for the City of Saint George, Ordinance 2023-04 (St. George), quoted and re-checked
  3. Zoning Ordinance for the City of Saint George, Ordinance 2023-04 (St. George), quoted and re-checked
  4. Frequently Asked Questions - Planning & Zoning, quoted and re-checked
  5. Zoning Ordinance for the City of Saint George, Ordinance 2023-04 (St. George), quoted and re-checked
  6. Zoning Ordinance for the City of Saint George, Ordinance 2023-04 (St. George), quoted and re-checked
  7. Zoning Ordinance for the City of Saint George, Ordinance 2023-04 (St. George), quoted and re-checked
  8. Zoning Ordinance for the City of Saint George, Ordinance 2023-04 (St. George), quoted and re-checked
  9. Zoning Ordinance for the City of Saint George, Ordinance 2023-04 (St. George), quoted and re-checked
  10. Zoning Ordinance for the City of Saint George, Ordinance 2023-04 (St. George), quoted and re-checked
  11. Zoning Ordinance for the City of Saint George, Ordinance 2023-04 (St. George), quoted and re-checked
  12. Zoning Ordinance for the City of Saint George, Ordinance 2023-04 (St. George), quoted and re-checked
  13. Zoning Ordinance for the City of Saint George, Ordinance 2023-04 (St. George), quoted and re-checked
  14. Zoning Ordinance for the City of Saint George, Ordinance 2023-04 (St. George), quoted and re-checked
  15. City of St. George Zoning Administrator (stgeorgeks.gov)
  16. Zoning Ordinance for the City of Saint George, Ordinance 2023-04 (St. George), quoted and re-checked
  17. Zoning Ordinance for the City of Saint George, Ordinance 2023-04 (St. George), quoted and re-checked
  18. Zoning Ordinance for the City of Saint George, Ordinance 2023-04 (St. George), quoted and re-checked
  19. Zoning Ordinance for the City of Saint George, Ordinance 2023-04 (St. George), quoted and re-checked
  20. Health Permit Application — Request for Installation of Private Sewage System, quoted and re-checked
  21. Pottawatomie County Environmental Health (pottcounty.org)
  22. pottcounty.org, quoted and re-checked
  23. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  24. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  25. Zoning Ordinance for the City of Saint George, Ordinance 2023-04 (St. George), quoted and re-checked

Written October 23, 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 St. George

St. George’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Erecting structures inside St. George city

    • Permit issued by zoning administrator with site plan
    • Some structures are exempt from the zoning rules but still need a no-fee building permit: accessory storage buildings of 150 sq ft max, pools, driveways, patios, remodeling not increasing square footage, agricultural structures excluding farm dwellings, accessory dwellings or garages
    • Additional $25 late charge if construction starts before the permit

    building permit fee: 25 USD (no fee for exempt structures listed in Art. IV Sec. 1(5))

    “it shall be unlawful hereafter to erect any structure without a valid building permit.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    All incorporated land inside St. George city

    • Ordinance 2023-04 repeals ordinance 3471 of 1984 and amendments
    “this ordinance shall be effective throughout all portions of incorporated areas of the city of saint george, kansas”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    All districts inside St. George city

    • Districts: R-1, R-2, R-3, MH-1, MH-2, RV, C-1, C-2, C-3, P-1, P-2, AG, AB, I-1, I-2, I-3, MU, FP, PUD
    • Zoning map is on file with the city clerk
    “copies of the zoning map are properly attested and are on file with the city clerk of saint george, kansas.”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    R-1 single-family residential district inside St. George city

    • Unless units are clustered per approved plan

    minimum lot size: >= 5000 sq ft (clustered plan) · minimum lot width: >= 50 ft · minimum lot depth: >= 100 ft

    “b. minimum lot width: fifty (50) feet. c. minimum lot depth: one hundred (100) feet.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • SetbacksSpecified

    R-1 single-family residential district inside St. George city

    • Lots on main arterials need 20 ft front yard
    • Rear yard 5 ft from alley
    • Recorded plat setbacks greater than these govern

    front yard: >= 15 ft (20 ft on main arterials) · rear yard: >= 8 ft (5 ft from alley) · side yard: >= 8 ft

    “b. minimum rear yard: eight (8) feet from the lot line or five (5) feet from the alley. c. minimum side yard: eight (8) feet from the lot line.”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    R-1 single-family residential district inside St. George city

    • Unless lots are clustered per approved plan

    maximum lot coverage: <= 45 percent (clustered plan)

    “d. maximum lot coverage for main structures and accessories: forty-five (45) percent unless the lots are clustered according to an approved plan.”
  • Building heightSpecified

    R-1 single-family residential district inside St. George city

    • R-3 allows 45 ft
    • Height measured from base ground elevation to top of roofline

    maximum height: <= 35 ft

    “5. height requirements a. no building shall exceed thirty-five (35) feet in height.”
  • Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

    Occupied RVs in the RV park (RV) district inside St. George city

    • RV park needs development plan, storm shelter and annual license fee for more than 3 units
    • Mobile homes may not be parked in an RV park
    • Residential-district occupancy rules not located

    max stay: < 30 consecutive days

    “occupied recreational vehicles and campers are permitted if on property for less than 30 consecutive days.”
  • Camping on your landLimited

    Campgrounds in the Agricultural (AG) district inside St. George city

    • Conditional use requiring Board of Zoning Appeals hearing
    • Also see RV district 30-day limit
    “4. conditional uses a. cemeteries b. campgrounds c. commercial development of natural resources”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Manufactured housing in MH-2 (permitted) and R-1 (conditional use) districts inside St. George city

    • Must be residential design on permanent foundation
    • Single-wide mobile homes and RVs excluded
    • Mobile home parks allowed in MH-1 district
    “residential design manufactured housing attached to permanent foundations, but this will not include single wide mobile homes or recreational vehicles.”
  • Accessory dwellingsLimited

    R-1 single-family residential district inside St. George city

    • Conditional use requiring Board of Zoning Appeals approval
    • Accessory-use rules were amended by resolution Z2024-01, not reviewed
    “d. funeral homes. e. accessory dwelling units.”
  • Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

    Private sewage systems on 5 acres or less inside St. George city

    • Larger parcels not addressed in this passage
    • County or KDHE role not verified

    parcel size threshold: <= 5 acres

    “b. all sewage systems on five (5) acres or less shall require a separate building permit and inspection prior to operation.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Sewage systems on 5 acres or less inside St. George city

    • Separate building permit required
    • Additional fee for construction started before permit
    “b. all sewage systems on five (5) acres or less shall require a separate building permit and inspection prior to operation.”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    Sewage systems on 5 acres or less inside St. George city

    • Failure to obtain inspection is a violation requiring the system be uncovered
    “failure to obtain the required inspection shall constitute a violation and require the uncovering of the system.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Sewage disposal inside St. George city

    • Only public system or approved private system; permit and inspection for systems on 5 acres or less
    “it shall be unlawful to discharge sewage except into the public system or an approved private system.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupConditional

    Structures with indoor plumbing inside St. George city

    • May connect to an approved private sewage disposal system instead of public sewer
    • No distance or availability rule found
    • Water connection rule not found
    “shall be connected to a municipal type, public benefit, or approved private sewage disposal system.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Land in the floodplain overlay (FP) district inside St. George city

    • Floodplain overlay standards in Article XI Section 2 not fully reviewed
    • Fee in addition to other fees

    flood plain application fee: 20 USD

    “no person, firm or corporation shall initiate any development or substantially improve any existing structure without first obtaining a separate “floodplain” permit for each development or structure.”
  • Permit feesPublished

    Zoning and building permit fees inside St. George city

    • Ordinance dated 2023; later fee changes not checked
    • Governing body may waive any fee
    • Does not include mailing or publication costs

    building permit: 25 USD · late charge: 25 USD · zone change, variance or conditional use: 25 USD · flood plain application: 20 USD (in addition to other fees)

    “application for a zone change, variance or conditional use a fee of twenty-five ($25) dollars. flood plain application permit a fee of twenty ($20) dollars.”
  • Permit processPartial

    Building permits inside St. George city

    • Zoning administrator issues permits; only lots of record qualify as of right
    • Appeals to Board of Zoning Appeals
    “b. the applicant shall provide the zoning administrator a site plan for the building permit.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask St. George or Pottawatomie County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside St. George city
  • Building code adopted — Building code adoption inside St. George city
  • Inspections — General building inspections inside St. George city
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy inside St. George city
  • Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings in R-1 and AG districts inside St. George city
6 more unanswered
  • Tiny homes
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Short-term rentals

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 St. George publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Pottawatomie County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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