Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Goodland, Kansas

Goodland’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Goodland city limits

  • Zoning is Chapter 19 of the Goodland municipal code; rezonings and plats go through the planning commission and building inspector.

  “an ordinance changing the zoning classifications or districts of certain lands located in the city of goodland, kansas, under the authority granted by the city of goodland, kansas zoning regulations”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  R-1 residential single-family and two-family district inside Goodland city

  • Except as modified by Article VI.

  minimum lot area: >= 7000 sq ft · minimum lot width: >= 50 ft

  “except as modified by the provisions of article vi: minimum lot area 7,000 square feet minimum lot width fifty (50) feet”

• SetbacksSpecified

  R-1 district principal structures inside Goodland city

  • Side yard 6 ft (1 story), 10 ft (2 story), 14 ft (3 story); accessory structures have separate yard rules; except as modified by Article VI.

  front yard: >= 20 ft (or average distance from curb to neighboring properties on the block) · rear yard: >= 10 ft

  “front yard: 20 feet from the property line, or the average distance measured from the curb to the neighboring properties on the block.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  R-1 district inside Goodland city

  • Principal plus accessory structures combined.

  maximum lot coverage: <= 50 percent

  “lot coverage the combined area of the principal structure and accessory structures shall not cover more than 50% the total lot area.”

• Building heightSpecified

  R-1 district inside Goodland city

  • Garages/carports limited to 20 ft to peak.

  maximum structure height: <= 35 ft

  “height regulations: maximum structure height: 35 feet.”

• Manufactured homesAllowed (with conditions)

  R-1 single-family and two-family district inside Goodland city

  • Must meet R-1 design standards (change in plane, articulation, permanent ground set foundation).

  “single family dwellings including manufactured and modular homes, duplexes, group home limited (1-8)”

• Accessory dwellingsAllowed

  R-1 district inside Goodland city

  • Must be subordinate to the principal structure or the maximum allowable lot coverage.

  “permitted accessory uses by right: accessory dwelling units subordinate to the principal structure or the maximum allowable lot coverage;”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision plats and re-plats inside Goodland city limits

  • Standards not read.

  “this department also handles applications for home occupation permits, re-zoning applications and sub-division plats and re-plats as well as board appeals.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Goodland city
• Building code adopted — Goodland city
• Certificate of occupancy — Goodland city
• Minimum dwelling size — Goodland city
• Living in an RV — Goodland 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.

Off-grid gear

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

• Water Crystal Quest Filter any source — well, rain, or creek — to drinking-clean.
• Power Bluetti Solar generators and home battery backup for living off the grid.
• Septic Soil percolation test kit Run your own perc test before paying an engineer — the first thing a septic office asks about.
• Water Well water test kit Bacteria, nitrates, hardness — know what the well on a parcel is really pumping.

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