Development Review Committee

Prior to Submitting

If an applicant has questions for the DRC, it is recommended to request a DRC Pre-Application Meeting before applying. This allows you to meet with city representatives to discuss your project, identify potential issues, and receive assistance in assuring that submittals include the necessary items to be reviewed by the city. Pre-Application meetings are not required, but recommended, and are advisory only. To schedule a meeting, please fill out the DRC Pre-Application Meeting Request Form linked below. Once you have completed the form, submit it to EDR@wycokck.org and our DRC Coordinator will reach out to you to set up a meeting. Please note that these meetings are held virtually through Microsoft Teams.

Submittal Requirements

Submit a completed DRC Building Permit Application and digital (PDF) set of combined, complete plans to EDR@wycokck.org or provided on a flash drive to the DRC Coordinator at the Neighborhood Resource Center. Hard copies of plans are not accepted for commercial construction plan review. Your application will be processed, and plan review fee invoiced based on the project value.

Please review the Planning Engineering Guidance(PDF, 209KB) document on the Planning Engineering page before submittal. All plan sheets must be sealed by a Kansas licensed design professional or they will not be accepted.

Projects with commercial pools, septic systems, and pre-package food are required to be reviewed by the UG Health Department. Projects involving food service establishments, taverns, private clubs, nursing homes, childcare, schools, or hospitals are required to be reviewed by the State of Kansas Department of Agriculture. The applicant is responsible for providing the required plans to these departments.

Projects will not be distributed for departmental review until plan review fees are paid. Projects are processed and distributed in the order received. The Unified Government does not offer a way to expedite reviews on building permits.

Plan Review

Once plan review fees are paid, submissions are distributed to applicable departments for review.

Plan review comments are targeted to be provided within 10 business days of new submissions and resubmittals. While this is the targeted turnaround time, review timelines can vary based on the volume and scope of submissions under review.

Departmental Requirement and Recommendation forms (plan review comments) will be emailed to the project’s point of contact.

NOTE: Resubmittals with significant design changes from previously reviewed plans or those with a lack of effort to address departmental comments may be subjected to additional plan review fees before proceeding with additional review iterations.

NOTE: Addendums to approved plans that require significant re-review may be subjected to additional plan review fees before proceeding with review/approval.

Resubmittals must adhere to the Plan Intake Checklist(PDF, 102KB), must have updated seals on revised sheets, and must include a revision memo addressing departmental comments.

Single sheet revisions are accepted during the review process, however a full set of approved drawings (both digital and hard copy) must be provided at the time of permit issuance to be stamped by Building Inspection and kept on the work site.

Issuance of the Building Permit

Sitework, Grading, and Footing and Foundation permits may be requested (prior to the full building permit), but are subjected to the review and approval of the DRC. If land disturbance is over one acre or a 1000 square foot roof structure is being built, a Land Disturbance permit must be acquired before any site work may begin.

Approval from all reviewing departments is required for a building permit to be issued. At the time of issuance, the Department Requirement and Recommendation forms are required to be signed and returned, and the building permit fee paid. Additional permits and fees may be required by other reviewing departments.

A general contractor must be chosen and must have a current license to operate in Wyandotte County prior to issuance of the permit.

An additional fee of $200 is required with the issuance of a separate Footing and Foundation permit and the project must comply with any required inspections.

Inspections

Throughout the construction process, multiple departments may require inspections. It is the responsibility of the contractor to schedule required UG inspections with the Building Inspections department and provide 3rd party inspections, as needed.

Upon the completion of construction, DRC members from each department will conduct final inspections to ensure that all requirements have been met, construction has been completed to the design of the plans, and ordinances complied with.

Closing Out Projects

A Certificate of Occupancy will be issued for new developments and building expansions when all departments have approved final inspections. A Temporary Certificate of Occupancy can be requested if no departments have unaddressed life safety comments.

If the project does not include a new structure, expansion to an existing structure, or change of occupancy, a new Certificate of Occupancy may not be issued. Once all inspections have been approved, you will receive confirmation that your permit is being closed out and that the building can be occupied.

Bond Procedure

Please see the document below for procedures regarding landscaping bonds.

The following items should be included on all plan sets submitted for DRC approval unless otherwise inapplicable to the project.

General Plan Requirements

To be included on cover sheet and other sheets where applicable:

• Project name and address
• Name, address, and phone number of developer, owner, and design professionals
• Legal description of the development site and vicinity map
• Building use and occupancy class
• North arrow & scale at 1”=20’ minimum
• Flood zone information when applicable
• Total parcel or project area
• Total area of land disturbed
• Net increase or decrease in impervious area
• Net cut and fill quantities in cubic yards

To be included on Site Plan:

• All property lines, all existing and proposed utility and utility easement(s), project benchmark, and right of way
• Structure(s) to be demolished
• Proposed and/or existing setbacks
• Proposed and/or existing curb cuts
• Proposed and/or existing drives and walks (indicate type of material)
• Proposed and/or existing grades
• Proposed and/or existing off street parking including compliance with ADA
• Proposed and/or existing landscaping (specific type, size and location)
• Proposed and/or existing trash container, bin or dumpster location and screening information
• Storm sewer inlets and any associated piping
• Location and size of water main serving lot
• Elevations:
  • Finish curb or crown of street at points of extension of lot lines
  • Location and existing elevation of sanitary sewer stub to be utilized by the lot shown including UG node number
  • Location and existing elevations of upstream and downstream manholes including UG node number
  • Top of foundation to be utilized by the sanitary sewer
    
    

Building Inspection Division

• Complete structural plans, including floor layout, building elevations, and electrical, plumbing, and HVAC plan/details
• If any new easements are required the site must be platted (Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas Ordinance No. 51425, Section 42-4(1))
• Detailed and complete code summary including but not limited to construction type, occupancy load, egress plan, and area increase data
  
  

Fire Prevention

• Fire exits
• Fire escapes
• Sprinkler systems (when applicable)
• Smoke towers (when applicable to high rise structures)
• Stand pipes (when applicable)
• Fire alarm system
• Fire control and detection equipment
• Fire pumps (when applicable)
• Shaft-ways
• Fire walls and stops
• Hose wells
• Smoke detectors
  
  

Health Department

Note: If below requirements are applicable to the project, they should be submitted directly to the Health Department (ehs@wycokck.org) after plan review fee has been paid and reference the assigned DRC permit number.

• Supply plans and specifications of kitchen/meat room equipment, building materials and the location, size and type such equipment and facilities for:
  • Grocery and Convenience Stores
  • Nursing homes and child care centers
• Plans and specifications of all private sewage disposal (septic) systems
• Plans and specifications of all public swimming pools
• Food service establishments, taverns, private clubs, nursing homes, child care, schools, or hospitals must submit one (1) set of complete plans to the Kansas Department of Agriculture. Establishment must be inspected and approved before opening.
  • Kansas Department of Agriculture
    109 SW 9th Street, 3rd Floor, Topeka, Kansas 66612
    (785) 296-5600
    
    

Department of Air Quality

State and local air pollution regulations require the registration and prior approval of all new or modified sources of air contaminant emissions with the Department of Air Quality (DAQ). The DAQ will supply the necessary application forms, conduct any necessary evaluation and issue appropriate construction permits or approvals. Assistance is available to any source operator in applying for necessary air permits/approvals and in understanding and complying with all local, state and federal air pollution regulations by calling (913) 573-6700.

Major sources of air emissions must also apply for and receive an operating permit from DAQ.

Public Works Engineering Division

Note: For projects involving public improvements, a separate Public Improvement plan set must be submitted to Public Works for approval. Please contact the Public Works department to submit these plans.

• Method of sewage disposal
• Are sanitary sewers available? If private sewage systems, detailed plans and specifications are required (Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas Ordinance, Article V, Section 32-75-86)
• Projected daily sewage load (gallons)
• Plans and specifications showing location, size, and type (sanitary, process, or storm) of all discharge lines into the municipal sewer system and the service proposed from the street water main to the control valve in the building
• Plans and specifications pertaining to the connection of roof, areaway, garage, or foundation drains, sanitary and process sewer lines into the municipal sewer system. By ordinance no surface water or water from roof and foundation drains may be discharged to a sanitary sewer
• Meter and meter pit location, meter pit pipe and meter pit details for water not provided by the Board of Public Utilities of Kansas City, Kansas, which is discharged into the municipal sewer system
• Plans and specifications of all pretreatment systems designed for pollutant removal from wastewater
• Number of each type of water fixtures to be supplied
• Plans and specifications for surface water runoff including construction phase erosion control.
• Method of electrical power, telephone service, and cable television shall be provided by underground wiring for all new wiring provided as required: Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas Ordinance 27-708. See Ordinance for exceptions
• The Public Works Department also needs to be supplied with the projected number of employees, the projected number of persons to be served by the project, and the projected growth rate
  
  

Planning Engineering Division

Requirements and check lists for sanitary sewers, storm drainage, streets, erosion control, and land disturbance are available on the Planning Engineering website. Please review these documents and include their requirements in plan submissions.

Board of Public Utilities – Water and Electrical Distribution Division

• Water Main – Is a water main available and adequate to supply the proposed project? If water mains are not available at site, a main extension may be required to be constructed at developer’s expense
• Proposed electrical power including:
  • Electrical one-line or riser drawings,
  • Proposed panel board schedules, indicating electrical load in kVA, if known.
  • Equipment lists calling out other major equipment that will require electrical power, to include electrical load, when known.
• If the project is to be built in phases, one overall or final plan is required. Two sets of plans are required:
• Site plan
• Mechanical plans including:
  • Dedicated public right of way, roads, property lines and easements
  • Number and type of units and water fixtures to be supplied
  • Size, type of pipe and type of service proposed from water main to service control valve in building
  • Proposed location of meter and/or meter pit, meter pit piping detail, meter pit detail
  • Specifications and plans shall include the following statement; “The plumber shall comply with the rules and regulations of the Board of Public Utilities."

There are two fees associated with permits reviewed by the DRC: the DRC Plan Review fee and the Building Permit fee. The plan review fee is based on the total project valuation, including all trade (mechanical, electrical, and plumbing) work. The building permit fee is calculated using the building cost (minus the trade work). A review fee of $550.00 from the Board of Public Utilities is added to the plan review fee.

Calculation formulas for Plan Review and Building Permit fees:

• Project Valuation = $0.00 through $30,000
  30 + (Valuation / 100 * 0.75) = Permit Fee
  
  
• Project Valuation = $30,001 through $1,000,000
  255 + [(Valuation - 30,000) / 100 * 0.50] = Permit Fee
  
  
• Project Valuation = Over $1,000,001
  5,105 + [(Valuation - 1,000,000) / 100 * 0.40] = Permit Fee
  
  

NOTE: These formulas include the cost of trade work in the permit fee, but the Building Permit fee that is paid at the time of issuance only includes the general contractor's building cost. Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing permit fees are paid for by the individual contractors doing the work when they pull their separate permits.

NOTE: The plan review fee is paid after the application at the time of application before reviews begin. This fee is half of the building permit fee noted above. Please do not pay the fee until an invoice is created and sent to you.

NOTE: The Public Works department may have additional fees, such as Land Disturbance or Right of Way, that must be paid before the building permit can be issued. A list of the fees will be provided during the plan review process.

An example of the fees that would be paid on a project costing $500,000 is below:

• 255 + [(500,000 - 30,000) / 100 * 0.50] = $2,350.00 Cost of DRC Building Permits (General Building Permit plus Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing permits)
• (2,350 / 2) + 550 = $1,725.00 Cost of DRC Plan Review fee

Additional Contacts

Health Department
619 Ann Ave., Kansas City, KS 66101
(913) 321-4803

Kansas Department of Agriculture
109 SW 9th St, 3rd Floor, Topeka, KS 66612
(785) 296-5600
F: (785) 296-0673

Planning + Urban Design

Planning Entitlements: Certain projects may require planning entitlements such as a Change of Zone, Special Use Permit, Preliminary or Final Plan Review, Zoning Variance, or Subdivisions. Find Planning Land Entitlement Applications.

Sign Permits: All signage requires a separate permit and review through the Planning + Urban Design department. For more information about sign permits, including the Sign Ordinance and Sign Permit Applications, please visit our Sign Ordinance and Permits Applications.

Public Works

To apply for a Hauling or Right-of-Way permit, please visit our online Right-of-Way Application Portal.

Fire Prevention

Please see our Fire Sprinkler Permit application below to apply for a Fire Sprinkler Permit.