Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

An existing vested residential parcel with less than the minimum acreage required in the Douglas County Zoning Regulations may be eligible to be sold as a residential parcel if the Douglas County sanitation requirements are met. Specific properties should be discussed with the county sanitarian…

Each building lot is required to have it's own driveway and meet the county road classification standards for road frontage. Sharing a driveway would constitute a private road, which is no longer permitted.

All buildings/accessory buildings require a building permit.

The only structures exempt from this process are:

  • Any building or structure erected and used strictly for agricultural purposes, would be exempt from building permit requirements by meeting the Ag Exemption…

Click this link for a guide that will help you locate and utilize the Douglas County Property Viewer. Would you…

Vendors may apply for a fireworks permit by submitting a site plan, proof of sales tax, legal description and property owner's name to the County Zoning & Codes Department. The sale of fireworks or use of fireworks is allowed on July 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th of each year only. 

Addresses are not assigned to vacant parcels.  Addresses are assigned by the Zoning and Codes Department when a landowner applies for a residential or commercial building permit.  Addresses are typically based on the location where the entrance meets the public road. Note that an…

Building Permit fees are determined by the valuation. For example, the permit for a $100,000 residence would be $993.75. Please click this link for all Zoning and Codes fees. For more information, contact the Zoning & Codes Department at 3755 E 25th Street, Lawrence, KS 66044, Phone:…

If the property is outside the city limits, property owners or realtors may call the County Zoning Department to determine whether property is in the floodplain. Additionally, you may utilize the Public Property Viewer to view current floodplain maps.

Setbacks will vary by the type of structure and type of road frontage classification and zoning.  Here is a breakdown for typical building construction in the agricultural district of Douglas County. 

For Residential…

  1.       Footing (Prior to Pouring Concrete)

  2.       Foundation (Prior to Pouring Concrete)

  3.       Temporary Power Poles

  4.    …

With the assistance of the Zoning office to confirm that your parcel is buildable, these are the typical items we need to obtain a building permit.  Depending on the structure (residential, accessory building, shed, swimming pools, etc.), some items may not be necessary for…

The County adopted the Public Road Access Management Standard on October 25, 2006, where all the County roads are now classified with different road frontage requirements for each road classification.

Please view the…

The size of lot requirement has changed throughout the years.  We recommend calling the Zoning & Codes Department for land buildability.  You can contact us by phone:  785.331.1343 or by email: zoning@dgcoks.gov .  Our office is located at 3755 E 25th…

Homeowners may do their own electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work.  If they do not have a Licensed Master Electrician/Plumber/Mechanic reviewing and taking responsibility for their work, they will need to submit applicable wiring, plumbing, or HVAC diagrams and details for review.

Conditional Use Permits allow certain uses in a permitted Zoning District without changing the Zoning. To begin the procedure, a site plan and application must be submitted to the Planning & Development Services Department. You can contact the Planning and Development Services department by…

One mill is $1.00 per 1,000 of assessed valuation.  For a home that is valued at $200,000, the assessed value would be 11.5% or $23,000.  One mill would be $23 in tax dollars.

It is a tax based on value, or property tax. 

This is the taxable value of a property.  The rates used are set in the State Constitution.  For residential property it is 11.5%, commercial property is 25% and state assessed properties are 33.0%.

The county voters passed a 1.0% countywide sales tax in 1994.  The countywide sales tax goes to the county and cities based on formulas.  The main purpose of this tax for the county was to build a new jail and health facility, and to reduce ad valorem taxes.

The county follows a calendar year, January to December.

It is reserved as a carry-over to the next year.

The annual budget provides the county with expenditure authority and authority to levy taxes to finance the expenditures.  It provides a financial plan on how the expenditures will be spent, including personnel, contractual services, and capital expenditures. 

Please follow this link for more information: http://www.kansasjudicialcouncil.org/legal-forms/guardianship-conservatorship

There are two types of expungements: Adult and Juvenile. To view a complete list of the steps needed for acquiring an expungement, please visit the Getting an Expungement page.

The District Court Trustee is located on the main floor of the Judicial Building at 111 E. 11th Street, Lawrence, Kansas 66044. The office is accessible in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and the office…