Lee's Summit, MO Historic Preservation: Historic-Cultural Monuments (2026)

Sec. 330 lets the Preservation Commission designate a structure or site, portion of a structure, group of structures, landscape element, object, work of art, or any integrated combination thereof as a local landmark or historic district, evaluated against eight alternative criteria: significant heritage or association with a notable person, exemplifying the City's cultural or historical heritage, representing a distinct architectural era, relating to a park or distinctive planned area, embodying an established visual feature of the neighborhood, holding archaeological research value, embodying a distinctive construction type or master craftsmanship, or being at least 50 years old, or having achieved significance within the past 50 years if the property is of exceptional importance.

Before recommending designation, City staff prepare a written report on the resource's character and significance, and the Commission draws district boundaries to track documented historic boundaries, physical features or recognized neighborhood lines (Sec. 330(C)(2)). Because a designation is processed as a rezoning, it goes through a Planning Commission public hearing and City Council ordinance adoption, with mailed notice sent at least 15 days ahead to every owner within 185 feet of the proposed boundary (Sec. 340). Property owners hold a hard veto at two thresholds under Sec.

350(C): if the owner of a proposed single landmark, or 51 percent or more of the owners inside a proposed historic district, files a written protest affidavit with the City Clerk before the designation ordinance is considered, the designation cannot be approved; and if owners of 30 percent or more of the land within 185 feet of the boundary file a similar protest, City Council can only approve the designation by a two-thirds majority vote.