Planning commission approves PUD amendment to allow medical offices in Cerner Campus 2701 building

The North Kansas City Planning Commission voted to approve a resolution amending the Cerner Campus PUD to permit medical-office and ambulatory uses in the two-story 2701 building, staff said.

Staff member (S4) told commissioners the 2701 building at the southwest corner of the Cerner Campus PUD is two stories, about 35 feet tall and roughly 42,000 square feet, and that the applicant’s request was reviewed against the controlling ordinance (referred to in the record as ordinance 7544) and local zoning section 17.08.0.02. “We believe they meet the minimum code requirement, and staff will recommend approval of the proposal resolution,” the staff member said.

The amendment affects only the listed use for the 2701 building; staff emphasized that all other controlling-plan requirements for the PUD remain in effect and that the approval does not exempt the applicant from obtaining a building permit or a certificate of occupancy for a tenant finish. The staff presentation also said planning would direct staff to file the amended controlling plan with the Clay County Recorder of Deeds to keep the PUD record current.

Commissioners asked whether the 2701 building had been previously used for a particular function; staff said it had served administrative and office uses under the former Cerner campus but that the PUD controlling plan did not always specify detailed uses for each building. Staff characterized the proposed use as similar enough to the prior office uses that it qualified as a minor amendment under the former PUD process (the city now uses MPD terminology) and therefore was appropriate for Planning Commission action.

Commissioner (S3) moved to approve PC 2026-0701 with conditions described by staff; the motion was seconded and carried in the Planning Commission vote. Staff recorded that the amendment remains subject to subsequent building-permit review and will be recorded with Clay County as part of the controlling-plan update.

What happens next: Planning staff will file the amended controlling plan with the county and the applicant must pursue standard building permits and tenant-finish approvals before occupying the space for medical-office or ambulatory services.