Development Review

The Development Review Division administers and interprets the land use regulations of the city. This responsibility ranges from assisting the public, business interests, developers, and consultants with understanding the application of land use regulations as applied to property and the various land use processes.

How to Get Started with Development Review

Depending on which stage your potential development project is in, you will proceed with one of the following three options.

Option 1. Request a Discovery Meeting (Early Stage)

If you are a potential or current property owner wanting to understand if your idea works with the Manhattan Development Code (MDC).

• e-mail Planning & Development
• Phone: 785-587-2412

Option 2. Schedule a Pre-Application Meeting (Medium Stage)

If your idea is further along with a conceptual plat or site plan and your professional team is assembled, you will want to schedule a 30-minute meeting. A Pre-Application Meeting is a preliminary discussion to familiarize the applicant with the development review process and provide considerations and requirements related to planning, zoning, engineering, and risk reduction.

• Request and schedule a Pre-Application Meeting

Pre-Application Meetings are held on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month, with four half-hour blocks from 9:30 to 11:30 am. The deadline for scheduling a meeting request is 11 days prior. There is a non-refundable $50 administrative fee per meeting.

The information conveyed by City staff at the pre-application meeting and in the meeting summary report is preliminary and in response to information submitted by the applicant. Any change of plans or incorrect or incomplete information may change or invalidate the information conveyed. City staff cannot and does not provide any approvals, guarantees, or legal advice during the pre-application process.

Option 3.  Submit for a Site Plan Pre-Check

A NEW review process is available to receive comments from City staff on a site plan. Now you can submit a draft site plan for a Site Plan Pre-Check to receive preliminary feedback from each City department before formally submitting a land use application or building permit. While this review does not provide formal approval, it will highlight any deficiencies with the site plan or issues that may be raised during the review of a formal application.

• Apply for a Site Plan Pre-Check

A cover memo with the City staff contact information and a marked-up site plan will be returned two weeks after receiving the application. There is a non-refundable $150 administrative fee per submittal.

Final Step: Apply for a Land Use Action

Now you are ready to review the information below and then apply for a Land Use Action. Development Review utilized review cycles to manage rounds of comments and revisions between City staff and the applicant.

Development Review Procedures at-a-Glance

Staff administers and supports development review through 4 procedure types, I, II, III, and consent; resulting in recommendations and actions taken by the Zoning Administrator, the Manhattan Urban Area Planning Board, the Board of Zoning Appeals, and the City Commission. To learn more about the general procedures see Division 26-8B of the Manhattan Development Code (MDC).

The following tabs show the common steps the hearing bodies require. They may vary based on land use action types and your case specifics. More information on each step can be found on the applications page.