Olathe, KS Zoning Overlays & Bonuses: Downtown Design Guide (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- UDO § 18.20.210(C)
- Entrance rule
- Must face street, not parking lot
- Facade design
- Base, middle, and top required
- Material standard
- 80% Class 1 materials on street wall
- Parking minimum
- None required in D District
Summary
Olathe's Downtown (D) District requires street-facing building entrances, three-part facades, and Class 1 materials on 80% of street walls under Unified Development Ordinance § 18.20.210. Johnson County, Kansas.
1. Primary entrances to buildings at ground level must face street rights-of-way rather than parking lots. 2. Primary building entrances must be oriented towards streets, parks or pedestrian plazas. 3. Each block face must have multiple building entries. A building occupying an entire city block must include more than one (1) building entrance along each block face. 4. The building façade must have three (3) vertical divisions: base, middle, and top.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 26-39, passed July 21, 2026).
Full Breakdown
The Downtown (D) District covers Olathe's historic core and requires buildings to orient primary entrances toward streets, parks, or plazas rather than parking lots, with multiple entries required on any building spanning a full block face. Facades must show three vertical divisions, base, middle, and top, and at least 80% of any street-facing wall (excluding windows and doors) must use Class 1 materials under UDO Chapter 18.15. Retail glazing must be clear, not tinted or highly reflective at ground level. Off-street parking is not required in the D District, but surface lots must sit behind or beside buildings and be screened by 3-4 foot hedges or walls.
Violations & Fines
Olathe can withhold or revoke building permits and site plan approvals, stop work, and sue to force compliance; a conviction carries up to a $500 fine or six months in jail per offense, with each day counted as a separate violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does downtown Olathe require off-street parking?
What materials must downtown building facades use?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Olathe
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