ARKANSAS CITY, Kan. — The Arkansas City Commission has approved changes to zoning regulations that will allow some homeowners to build front-yard carports under specific conditions.
The amendments were adopted Dec. 2 and come in response to the severe June hailstorm, which left many residents looking for permitted options to protect their vehicles.
Principal Planner Josh White told commissioners that several neighborhoods without rear-alley access had limited options under the previous rules. The new standards create a narrow exception for single-family and two-family homes on those lots.
Under the updated regulations, carports:
Carports may be used only for vehicles.
They must remain open on three sides.
They cannot exceed 18 feet in width.
They must maintain at least a 5-foot setback from the front property line.
They must use materials compatible with the home.
They must be placed over a paved driveway and cannot be used for storage or inoperable vehicles.
The changes apply only to properties without platted rear-alley access. All other properties must continue to follow the existing rules.
