Lawrence/Douglas County Planning & Development Services (joint office)

Rezoning, Conditional Use Permit and Site Plan Approval (unincorporated Douglas County)

A business site in unincorporated Douglas County may need zoning approval before it is built or changes use. Under the Zoning Regulations, a site plan approval (§12-307-3) is required whenever development other than a single-dwelling residence is proposed, when a use is altered or intensified so that parking or outside storage needs increase, for building additions and for changes to parking areas or circulation. A use marked "C" in the permitted use table needs a conditional use permit after a public hearing (§12-307-2), and a property owner can apply to rezone a property (§12-307-4). The county's Planning page states that the joint Lawrence/Douglas County Planning Department processes these applications and presents them to the Planning Commission and the Board of County Commissioners; applications go to Planning & Development Services, 1 Riverfront Plaza, Suite 320, Lawrence (785-832-7700). Section 12-307-1 provides that applications are accompanied by the fee established by the Board of County Commissioners, that fee schedules are available in the office accepting applications, and that application fees are non-refundable; the amounts are not published in Chapter 12.