Kansas Statutes § 19-2961 Regulations concerning subdivision of land in unincorporated area of county, procedure; reservation of land for open space or recreation; notice; hearing; amendment of regulations; fees; platting of subdivision, approval; building permits; naming and numbering streets.

19-2961. Regulations concerning subdivision of land in unincorporated area of county, procedure; reservation of land for open space or recreation; notice; hearing; amendment of regulations; fees; platting of subdivision, approval; building permits; naming and numbering streets. (a) The board of county commissioners, after the adoption of a comprehensive plan, may provide for the adoption, or amendment, of regulations governing the subdivision of land located within the unincorporated portion of the county in the manner, and for the purposes, provided by this act. Such regulations may provide for the harmonious development of the county, including the proper location and width of streets, and for building lines, open spaces, safety and recreational facilities, flood protection and floodplain regulations and for the avoidance of congestion of population, including minimum width, depth and area of lots and compatibility of design. Such regulations also may provide for the reservation or dedication of land for open space for either public recreational use or for the future use of the owners or occupants of subdivisions in order to insure a reasonable balance of use or design and to avoid the overcrowding of land. Such reservation or dedication shall be determined by the geometric design of the streets, lots, blocks or other natural features of the subdivision but such reservation or dedication shall not exceed 10% of the tract being subdivided, exclusive of streets, alleys, easements or other public ways. No owner of a tract being subdivided shall be prevented from offering more than 10% of such tract for such reservation or dedication nor shall the board of county commissioners be prevented from accepting such offering. The subdivision regulations, as a condition to the approval of any plat, also may require and fix the extent to which and the manner in which streets shall be improved and water, sewer, drainage and other utility mains and piping or connections or other physical improvements shall be installed. Such regulations may provide that in lieu of the completion of such work or improvements prior to the final approval of the plat, the board of county commissioners may accept a completion bond, cashier's check, escrow account or other like security in an amount to be fixed by the board of county commissioners and conditioned upon the actual completion of such work or improvements within a specified period, in accordance with such regulations, and the board of county commissioners may enforce such bond, check or other like security by all equitable and legal remedies. In addition, the board of county commissioners may require a maintenance bond, cashier's check, escrow account or other like security in a reasonable amount to be in force for a period of one year following final county approval of such work or improvements. (b) Before the board of county commissioners creates any regulations governing the subdivision of land located in the unincorporated portion of the county, the board shall require the planning commission to recommend to the board of county commissioners the regulations or restrictions. The notice, hearing and voting procedures for adoption of the subdivision regulations shall be the same as that required for adoption of the comprehensive plan as provided by K.S.A. 19-2958. After adoption of the subdivision resolution, the regulations, restrictions or requirements contained therein may from time to time be supplemented, changed or generally revised by amendment. A proposal for such amendment may be initiated by the board of county commissioners, the planning commission, any zoning board or upon application of the owner of property affected. The board of county commissioners may establish reasonable fees to be paid in advance by the owner of any property at the time of making application for any amendment. All such proposed amendments to the subdivision resolution shall first be submitted to the planning commission for recommendation. All notice, hearing and voting procedures for consideration of proposed amendments to the subdivision resolution shall be the same as that required for amendments, extensions or additions to the comprehensive plan as provided by K.S.A. 19-2958. (c) Whenever any such regulations governing the subdivision of land under the provisions of this act are adopted, the owner or owners of any land located within the area governed by such regulations who: (1) subdivides the same into lots and blocks or tracts or parcels, for the purpose of laying out any subdivisions, suburban lots, building lots, tracts or parcels or (2) establishes any street, alley, park or public way intended to be dedicated for public use or for the use of purchasers or owners of lots, tracts or parcels of land fronting thereon or adjacent thereto, shall cause a plat to be made which shall accurately describe the subdivision, lots, tracts or parcels of land giving the location and dimensions thereof, or the location and dimensions of all streets, alleys, parks or other properties intended to be dedicated to public use or for the use of purchasers or owners of lots, tracts or parcels of land fronting thereon or adjacent thereto, and every such plat shall be duly acknowledged by the owner or owners thereof. All such plats shall be submitted to the zoning board for that township in which such land is located for its consideration and, within 60 days thereafter, unless the regulations provide otherwise, its recommendation shall be submitted to the board of county commissioners for its official consideration and action. No such plat or replat or dedication of street, alley, park or public way shall be effective until filed with the register of deeds of such county as provided by law and no such plat, replat or dedication shall be filed with the register of deeds until such plat or replat or dedication shall have endorsed thereon the fact that it has been submitted to the zoning board and approved by the board of county commissioners, and that any land dedicated for public purposes has been accepted by the board of county commissioners. The board of county commissioners may establish a scale of reasonable fees to be paid in advance to the secretary of the zoning board by the applicant for each plat filed with the zoning board. No building authorization shall be granted for the construction of any structure upon any lot, tract or parcel of land located within the area governed by the subdivision regulations that has been subdivided, resubdivided or replatted after the date of the adoption of such regulations by the board of county commissioners but which has not been approved in the manner provided by this act. Any regulations adopted by the board of county commissioners with reference to subdividing lots shall provide for the issuance of building permits on lots divided into not more than two tracts without having to replat such lot, provided that the resulting tracts shall not again be divided without replatting, except as may otherwise be provided. Such regulations shall contain procedures for issuance of building permits on such divided lots which take into account zoning regulations, the need for adequate street rights-of-way, easements and improvement of public facilities, shall provide for a procedure which shall specify a time limit within which action shall be taken and also may provide for the final decision on the issuance of such building permit to be made by the board of county commissioners, except as may be provided by law. Any regulations adopted by the board of county commissioners may provide additional or alternative review methods if a proposed plat is located in two or more townships. (d) The board of county commissioners is hereby authorized to name or rename streets and to number and renumber business and residence addresses in the unincorporated portion of the county. History: L. 1984, ch. 96, § 6; May 3.