County Operations and Government

County Administration

The County Administrator is the county’s chief executive officer, with overall responsibility for efficiently administrating policies determined by the County Commission. The administrator serves at the pleasure of the County Commission and is responsible for implementing their goals. Specific duties include budget preparation, coordinating county operations with other local governments and agencies, and developing proposals to improve county operations. Citizens with any county-related problem should always feel free to call or e-mail the county administrator for assistance

County Appraiser

  • Phone: 785-832-5133
  • Address: Douglas County Courthouse,1100 Massachusetts Street, Lawrence, KS 66044
  • Website: www.dgcoks.gov/appraiser

The County Appraiser’s Office is responsible for the appraisal of all commercial and residential real estate and all personal property in the county. The County=Appraiser’s office is regularly out in the County photographing property.

County Clerk

The County Clerk’s office assists in filling out the Homestead Tax refund forms. As an agent for the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, the County Clerk provides fishing and hunting licenses, park permits, and boat permits. The Clerk’s office is also responsible for all national, state, and local elections conducted in Douglas County. The Real Estate Division maintains current records of real property in Douglas County, including individual parcels by ownership, address, legal description, special assessments, and tax identification number

Douglas County Geoportal

The Interactive Map Portal provides links to interactive web maps, including the Property Viewer, county initiatives, downloadable maps and data, and quick links to popular content.

Elections Office and Voter Information

Voting precinct maps for all elected offices can be found through the County’s interactive map portal Voting Precincts. See Appendix A for a map of County Commission voting districts.

Appendix A

Planning and Zoning

Planning and zoning are two terms often confused when referring to land-use activities in a community. Both are tools local governments use to direct land use, growth, and development within communities. Planning covers a wide range of activities, including transportation, housing, economic development, and environmental sustainability - all included in our County’s comprehensive plan titled Plan 2040.

Zoning is a specific tool used in planning and refers to dividing a municipality or county into different zones to regulate land use. Zoning creates and enforces ordinances or codes that specify what can and cannot be done in each zone. Each parcel of land is placed in a zoning district, and the assigned zoning district dictates allowable land use.

Planning and Development Services manages the City of Lawrence building permits and inspections, code compliance, contractor licensing, and much more in addition to planning. The Planning Division is a joint city/county division within Planning and Development Services. The Planning Division oversees growth and development in the City of Lawrence and unincorporated areas of Douglas County with respect to zoning and land use. The Douglas County Zoning and Codes office exclusively serves the unincorporated areas of Douglas County, including building permits and inspections, code compliance, and contractor licensing. The following table outlines which department acts on specific land-use activities in the unincorporated parts of Douglas County.

Table 1. Government agency responsibilities for land-use activities

Lawrence-Douglas County Planning Division Douglas County Zoning and Codes
Annexation Building Permits
Comprehensive Plan Amendment Floodplain Development Permits
Conditional Use Permit Special Event Permits
Preliminary& Final Plat Temporary Buisness Uses
Rezoning Vacation Rentals
Text Amendment Variances

Other actions handled by the Planning Division with review and comment from Zoning and codes include:

  • Final development plans within the City of Lawrence
  • Final plats (legal documents that show the location of property boundaries and elements on the property, such as natural features and structures)
  • Minor subdivisions
  • Site plan applications

For more detailed information on the Planning Division and County Zoning and Codes see under ‘Lawrence-Douglas County Planning Division’ and ‘Zoning and Codes’ in the alphabetical listing.

Property Viewer

The Property Viewer is an interactive GIS map that allows the viewer to select specific location information on numerous physical and governmental features of Douglas County. For example, use the Property Viewer to find zoning maps, zip codes, fire districts, historic aerial photographs, flood hazard areas, Certificates of Survey, tax parcels, historic trails, and more.

Public Works

The County Public Works Department provides road and bridge maintenance, road signage, roadside mowing and vegetation control, snow and ice removal, and park maintenance. County residents may apply for road dust control with the Public Works Department (see under ROADS). A map identifying responsibility for road maintenance can be found on the Public Works website and Appendix B.

Appendix B

Register of Deeds

The Register of Deeds office serves as a recording and information center for real estate located in Douglas County. If you have ever bought or sold property, you have interacted with a similar office.

Townships

Voters in Kansas townships elect a township trustee, clerk, and treasurer. These three officials form the township board. The township board is also the township auditing board. In this capacity, the board is responsible for the general management and supervision of township finances and is required to make an annual report to the board of county commissioners.

For a map of Township boundaries, see Appendix C. Find a list of currently elected officials on the County Clerk’s webpage.

Appendix C
  • Clinton Township
    • Meets on: 1st Monday of the Month at 7:00 p.m., Clinton Township Hall, 1177 E 604 Rd, Lawrence, KS 66047
  • Eudora Township
    • Meets on: 1st Tuesday of the month at 6:00 p.m., Eudora Township Fire Station, 310 E 20th St, Eudora, KS 66025
  • Grant Township
    • Meets on: 2nd Monday of the month, where the date has two digits, at 6:00 p.m., Grant School (Prairie Moon School) 1853 E 1600 Rd, Lawrence, KS 66044
    • granttownshipkansas@gmail.com
  • Kanwaka Township
    • Meets on: 2nd Tuesday of the month at 7:00 p.m., Township Hall, 776 US-40, Lawrence, KS 66049
  • Lecompton Township
    • Meets on: 3rd Tuesday of the month at 6:00 p.m., 320 E Woodson Ave, Lecompton, KS 66050
  • Marion Township
    • Meets on: 1st Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m., Marion Township Hall, 501 E 300 Rd, Overbrook, KS 66524
  • Palmyra Township
    • Meets on: Last Tuesday of the month at 6:30 p.m., 372 E 1700 Rd, Baldwin City, KS 66006
  • Wakarusa Township
    • Meets on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 4:00 p.m. and the 4th Tuesday of the month at 4:00 p.m., Township Hall Fire Department, 1230 N 1800 Rd, Lawrence, KS 66049
  • Willow Springs Township
    • Meets on: 1st Wednesday of the month at 7:00 p.m., Township Hall, 303 E 1100 Rd, Baldwin City, KS 66006
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