Where Maize sits
Maize is about 10 miles northwest of downtown Wichita, straight-line from the city's coordinates. It lies on the west side of Big Slough Creek, roughly 3 miles southwest of the Arkansas River, at about 1,348 ft.
Hail: Maize was in the 2010 track
On September 15, 2010, the National Weather Service tracked the largest supercell over Cheney Lake "before taking a right turn and moving southeast across Maize, Goddard and Western Wichita." In its words, "baseball to softball and even larger sized hail damaged homes, vehicles, lawns and everything else in its way." The 7.75-inch, 1.1-lb stone that NWS said may set a Kansas record fell near Pawnee and 119th in southwest Wichita.
That was not a one-off. Stormersite counts 333 hail reports within 10 miles of central Wichita since 2004, with 50 in 2012 and 40 in 2016; the largest in that list is 4.25 inches, so the 2010 giant stone isn't among them. Maize sits just inside that 10-mile circle.
For a year-round greenhouse here, that points to twin- or triple-wall polycarbonate. Our hail-resistant glazing guide covers impact ratings, warranty fine print and insurance on detached structures. The polycarbonate vs. glass page compares light, R-value and cost.
What soil is under a Maize greenhouse?
We sampled a nine-point grid across Maize, spaced about a mile apart, in NRCS Soil Data Access (Sedgwick County survey, KS173). Maize is the most varied of our three location pages.
| Soil (NRCS map unit) | Points | Foundation notes |
|---|---|---|
| Nalim-Shellabarger sandy loams; Nalim loam; Shellabarger sandy loam | 4 of 9 | Well drained; low to moderate shrink-swell (linear extensibility 2.6–4.5%) |
| Blanket silt loam | 1 of 9 | Well drained, but subsoil clay up to 42% and moderate-to-high shrink-swell (6.0%) |
| Pratt loamy fine sand | 1 of 9 | Sandy, well drained, very low shrink-swell (0.7%); posts need wider bearing |
| Solvay loamy fine sand | 1 of 9 | Somewhat poorly drained; water table can be about 92 cm (3 ft) down |
| Imano clay loam | 1 of 9 | Occasionally flooded; water table about 92 cm |
| Punkin-Taver complex | 1 of 9 (city center) | Claypan: clay up to 44%, very high shrink-swell (10.7%), group D |
On the sandy loams, posts or a perimeter footing sit well. On Pratt sand, anchors and posts need more bearing area to resist uplift. On the Punkin claypan near the center of town, water perches on the clay and the soil moves with moisture. There, piers below 24 inches and grading water away from the greenhouse matter more than anywhere else in this guide. We confirm soil on site before we design.
Shallow water and the Equus Beds
Maize is in northwest Sedgwick County, the corner of the county tied to the Equus Beds aquifer. USGS places Wichita's Equus Beds well field "in southwestern Harvey County and northwestern Sedgwick County." Wichita's recharge rules bar artificial recharge where water levels are "less than 10 feet below land surface." That rule exists because shallow water is real in this part of the county.
Two consequences for a Maize greenhouse:
- Sunken and earth-sheltered designs. Two of our nine soil points show a water table near 3 ft. Before you dig a pit greenhouse, find the seasonal high water. Our underground greenhouse page explains why shallow-and-wide beats a deep pit.
- Irrigation water. A private well may be practical, but water quality varies. USGS notes saline water from the Arkansas River has moved toward the well field. See our Equus Beds well-water guide.
Do you need a permit for a greenhouse in Maize?
Maize does not run its own building department. Under Ord. 862, the city adopts the Wichita–Sedgwick County Uniform Building and Trade Code and confers jurisdiction on MABCD. Maize is on MABCD's list of contracted small cities, and MABCD says "the permitting process will always start with the small city" (MABCD). The city's permits page says permits are generally required for "accessory structures (garages, sheds, carports)," and its building-permit link points to MABCD's residential application.
On paper, the code puts contract cities like Maize in the "Sedgwick County Jurisdiction," where one-story accessory buildings up to 400 sq ft are exempt from a building permit and no location permit is required (UBTC). That depends on Maize's city class, which we haven't verified, and the city's own page says sheds generally need a permit. So the code and the website point different ways. Start with Maize Planning & Zoning at City Hall, 10100 W. Grady Ave., before you buy a kit. The code's residential hoop-house exclusion (Sec. 2.4.035) comes with it.
Zoning is the other filter. Maize's zoning definitions treat greenhouses "used for wholesale and/or retail purposes" as Agricultural Sales and Service, and nursery greenhouses as a business use. A backyard greenhouse for your own plants is an accessory structure. One you sell from is a different use with its own approvals. Our permit guide compares the rules across the county.
| Item | Maize |
|---|---|
| Building code | Wichita–Sedgwick County Uniform Building and Trade Code (Ord. 862) |
| Permits | Start at Maize City Hall; MABCD enforces the code |
| Small-greenhouse exemption | On paper ≤400 sq ft with no location permit; city says sheds generally need a permit, so ask City Hall |
| Frost depth (unified code) | 24 in. |
| Dec 21 solar noon at 37.78°N | 90 − 37.78 − 23.44 = 28.78°; wall shadow 1.82× height |
| Distance from downtown Wichita | About 10 miles (straight-line) |
Who builds greenhouses in Maize?
Maize is inside our core service area: Sedgwick County and towns within about 30 miles of Wichita. Price depends on footprint, glazing and foundation. One national cost guide puts installed greenhouses at $5 to $30 per sq ft, or about $5,000 to $30,000 for 1,000 sq ft (HomeGuide); we quote your actual build. Valley Center and Park City are on our service area page.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit for a greenhouse in Maize, KS?
Plan on asking. Maize lists accessory structures among projects that generally need a permit, while the county code it adopts would exempt one-story buildings up to 400 sq ft. Check with Maize Planning & Zoning first.
Was Maize hit by the 2010 giant hail?
Yes. NWS says the supercell moved "southeast across Maize, Goddard and Western Wichita," with baseball- to softball-size hail and larger.
Can I build an underground greenhouse in Maize?
Possibly, but check the water table first. Some Maize soils map with water about 3 ft down, and this part of the county overlies the Equus Beds aquifer.
What foundation works on Maize soil?
On sandy loams, posts or a perimeter footing are usually fine. On the claypan near the center of town, use piers below the 24-inch frost depth and drain water away.
Get a quote
Send us your Maize address, the footprint and your glazing preference. We'll check your soil and permit path and price a greenhouse built for this hail.