Johnson County merges zoning boards
A single panel now reviews land use applications for the entire county, a change that took effect in May.
By Bianca Zhao ·
Johnson County now operates a single zoning board.
The East and West Consolidated Zoning Boards merged on May 1, 2026, to form the new Consolidated Zoning Board.
This new body handles zoning, land use, and development matters for all townships in the county.
Previously, separate boards managed different geographic areas. The merger consolidates these functions into one administrative unit.
The board meets in person at the County Administration Building in Olathe.
Specifically, hearings take place in the Board Hearing Room on the third floor of the building at 111 S Cherry St.
Regular sessions are scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each month.
However, the board does not convene if there are no items on the agenda.
Residents can attend these meetings in person or join via Zoom.
Each meeting has a unique Zoom Webinar ID, though the passcode remains 335386 for all listed sessions.
The board reviews site plans for new businesses and requests for rezoning or special uses.
It also considers applications to subdivide land into lots and approves preliminary and final development plans. For example, the June 3, 2026 hearing included seven applications, ranging from accessory dwelling units to final plats for properties in areas like AU, GA, and SP. One applicant requested to continue their Conditional Use Permit application to the August 5, 2026 meeting. Another applicant withdrew an Accessory Dwelling Unit Permit request for a property on W 135th St. during the September 2, 2026 session. The board makes recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners based on these hearings. The Commissioners then vote on these recommendations during their own monthly meetings. For instance, the board's May 6, 2026 hearing led to a Commissioners meeting on June 11, 2026. The September 2, 2026 hearing led to a Commissioners meeting on October 1, 2026. The next scheduled hearing is December 2, 2026, with a corresponding Commissioners meeting on January 7, 2027. People who need special accommodations, such as sign language interpreters, must contact the office at least two business days before the meeting. The office can be reached at 913-715-2200 or by email at planner@jocogov.org. Past meeting records, including agendas and staff reports, are available upon request through the same contact methods.
Source: Johnson County Government
