1-101.        These regulations, including the zoning district maps incorporated herein, shall be known and cited as the “Zoning Regulations for Kearny County, Kansas, the City of Lakin, Kansas, and the City of Deerfield, Kansas.”

1-201.        These zoning regulations, adopted pursuant to Kansas law, are enacted for the purpose and intent of:

a.     Promoting and serving the public health, safety, morals, comfort and general welfare of the citizens of Kearny County.

b.     Preserving and protecting property values.

c.     Lessening congestion on the streets.

d.     Preventing overcrowding of land.

e.     Regulating and restricting location and use of buildings and land.

f.      Creating a variety of zoning districts sensitive to the peculiarities of the various permitted and conditional uses and designed to protect and enhance the values inherent in each zoning district.

g.     Regulating and restricting: the height, number of stories, and size of buildings; the percentage of lots that may be occupied by buildings and other structures; and the size of yards, courts, and other open spaces.

h.     Avoiding the undue concentration of populations and preventing overcrowding in the use of land and community facilities.

i.      Providing adequate notice of future changes to these regulations and an opportunity for interested parties to be heard.

j.      Facilitating the adequate provision of transportation, water, sewage, schools, parks, and other public improvements and services, and to carry out the goals and objectives as set forth in applicable laws of the State of Kansas.

k.     Informing the public regarding future development thereby providing a basis for wise decisions with respect to such development. 

1-301.        These Zoning Regulations are intended to apply uniformly across the jurisdictional areas of the three entities adopting these Regulations, except where the text expressly provides otherwise.  Use of the phrase, “City or County…as appropriate,” and similar phrases, informs the reader that the subject regulation may apply to either incorporated or unincorporated land and the “appropriate” unit of government depends upon whether the land lies within: (1) the corporate city limits of either Deerfield or Lakin plus any unincorporated area lawfully subject to a city’s extraterritorial zoning regulation, whether pursuant to K.S.A. 12-715b or by Interlocal Agreement with Kearny County; or (2) in the unincorporated area subject to zoning regulation by the Kearny County Board of County Commissioners.  Unless expressly provided for otherwise, these regulations shall apply to property owned by Kearny County, the City of Lakin and the City of Deerfield.