Committee moves World Cup-related temporary UDO changes on to planning commission and council for hearings
August 13, 2025 | Lee's Summit, Jackson County, Missouri
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The Community and Economic Development Committee agreed Wednesday to forward a package of temporary Unified Development Ordinance changes meant to prepare Lee’s Summit for the 2026 FIFA World Cup events in the Kansas City region.
Shannon Barber, the city’s planning manager, walked the committee through six categories of potential temporary adjustments: temporary signs, food trucks and food carts, fireworks, commercial special events, entertainment special events and athletic special events. “We know there’s projected to be up to 600,000 people coming to the KC Metro Area,” Barber said, citing regional projections staff used for planning.
Key recommendations in the draft UDO amendments include temporarily increasing allowed temporary signage (staff proposed removing the numerical cap for the World Cup period), limiting mobile food carts on sidewalks and public parking areas (while allowing food trucks on private property or for city/FIFA-sponsored events), and imposing a short-term moratorium on approval of large fireworks displays and large commercial special events except for city-sponsored, FIFA or long-standing legacy events such as Raintree Lake and Lakewood productions.
Staff said the changes would be temporary (the draft uses a June 1–July 31 window) and are intended to free city staff from time-consuming enforcement tasks so they can focus resources on larger event needs. “Do you want us worrying about chasing down, hey, you had five signs or you had six signs?” Deputy Director Amy (Deputy Director role referenced) said, explaining resource tradeoffs for enforcement.
Committee members expressed concerns about the visual impact of removing the sign cap but generally gave consensus to move the draft amendments to the Planning Commission for public hearing and then to City Council. Chair Hodges declared a general consensus to move the items forward.
Next steps: staff will take the draft UDO amendments to the Planning Commission for public hearings, followed by City Council consideration. If council adopts them they would be in effect only for the temporary window in the ordinance draft.
Shannon Barber, the city’s planning manager, walked the committee through six categories of potential temporary adjustments: temporary signs, food trucks and food carts, fireworks, commercial special events, entertainment special events and athletic special events. “We know there’s projected to be up to 600,000 people coming to the KC Metro Area,” Barber said, citing regional projections staff used for planning.
Key recommendations in the draft UDO amendments include temporarily increasing allowed temporary signage (staff proposed removing the numerical cap for the World Cup period), limiting mobile food carts on sidewalks and public parking areas (while allowing food trucks on private property or for city/FIFA-sponsored events), and imposing a short-term moratorium on approval of large fireworks displays and large commercial special events except for city-sponsored, FIFA or long-standing legacy events such as Raintree Lake and Lakewood productions.
Staff said the changes would be temporary (the draft uses a June 1–July 31 window) and are intended to free city staff from time-consuming enforcement tasks so they can focus resources on larger event needs. “Do you want us worrying about chasing down, hey, you had five signs or you had six signs?” Deputy Director Amy (Deputy Director role referenced) said, explaining resource tradeoffs for enforcement.
Committee members expressed concerns about the visual impact of removing the sign cap but generally gave consensus to move the draft amendments to the Planning Commission for public hearing and then to City Council. Chair Hodges declared a general consensus to move the items forward.
Next steps: staff will take the draft UDO amendments to the Planning Commission for public hearings, followed by City Council consideration. If council adopts them they would be in effect only for the temporary window in the ordinance draft.
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