Overland Park Zoning & Land Use Guide
Key Zoning Facts
Overland Park Zoning Overview
Overland Park is the second-largest city in Kansas and the largest city in Johnson County, situated in the Kansas City metropolitan area. The city's zoning code reflects its character as a predominately suburban community with well-planned residential neighborhoods, significant corporate and commercial corridors along Metcalf Avenue and US-69, and ongoing development in the southern portion of the city. Overland Park's planning approach emphasizes neighborhood protection, high-quality commercial development, and orderly growth management.
The city uses a planned development approach for much of its newer growth, requiring detailed site plans for commercial and multi-family projects. This process gives the city considerable control over design quality and land use compatibility. Overland Park's established neighborhoods in the northern part of the city feature traditional single-family zoning, while newer developments in the south incorporate more contemporary mixed-use concepts.
Key Zoning Districts
Overland Park's zoning ordinance includes residential districts ranging from R-1 (large-lot single-family) through R-4 (high-density multi-family), commercial districts (C-1 through C-3) of increasing intensity, and industrial districts. The city also uses planned development (PD) overlay classifications extensively, allowing flexible site-specific regulations for larger projects. The downtown area has specialized zoning provisions encouraging mixed-use development and urban revitalization.
ADU Regulations
Overland Park does not currently have provisions allowing accessory dwelling units in its zoning code. Kansas has no state-level ADU mandate, so the city retains full discretion over whether to allow secondary dwelling units. Residents interested in ADU development should monitor city planning discussions, as housing policy continues to evolve in the Kansas City metro area.
Development Process
The development process in Overland Park begins with a pre-application conference with Planning & Development Services staff. Residential subdivisions, commercial projects, and multi-family developments generally require site plan approval through the Planning Commission. Rezoning requests follow a public hearing process before the Planning Commission with final action by the City Council. Building permits are issued after site plan approval and plan review.
Regulatory Layers That Apply in Overland Park
Your property is subject to ALL of these regulatory layers. Each one can impose additional requirements beyond the others.
Federal
- FEMA Flood Zones: Applicable
- View FEMA Flood Map
State — Kansas
- Building Code: No mandatory statewide code; locally adopted 2018 IBC
County — Johnson County
- Role: Property records, tax assessment, unincorporated area planning
City / Municipal
The city's zoning ordinance, building codes, and local permits form the primary layer of land-use regulation for your property.
Overlay Districts
No overlay districts identified.
Private Restrictions
- HOA / CC&Rs common: Yes
- Check HOA CC&Rs for additional restrictions.
Primary Zoning Districts
- Min Lot
- 10,000 sq ft
- Max Height
- 35 ft
- Front Setback
- 30 ft
- Side Setback
- 8 ft
- Rear Setback
- 30 ft
- Min Lot
- 6,000 sq ft
- Max Height
- 45 ft
- Front Setback
- 30 ft
- Side Setback
- 10 ft
- Rear Setback
- 25 ft
- Min Lot
- None
- Max Height
- 45 ft
- Front Setback
- 30 ft
- Side Setback
- 10 ft
- Rear Setback
- 20 ft
ADU Rules in Overland Park
- Max Size
- N/A
- Max Height
- N/A
- Rear Setback
- N/A
- Side Setback
- N/A
- Parking
- N/A
- Owner Occupancy
- N/A
- Permit Timeline
- N/A
Permit Costs & Timelines
Permit Costs & Timelines
Specific permit fee schedules for Overland Park are available from the local planning department. Fees vary based on project type, scope, and valuation.
Check Overland Park permit fees →