Kansas City, MO Landscaping Rules: Native Plants (2026)

Kansas City revised Chapter 48 to protect native landscaping after complaints that the 10-inch weed rule was being used to cite homeowners with prairie-style and pollinator gardens. The ordinance now distinguishes intentionally cultivated vegetation (including native grasses, wildflowers, prairie restoration, and pollinator plantings) from neglected overgrowth. Owners should maintain a mowed border at the property line, keep gardens free from invasive species listed by Missouri DNR, and document the planting with a site plan. Milkweed, switchgrass, big bluestem, coneflower, and other native plants of the Missouri prairie are specifically allowed. Monarch Waystation, Xerces Society, and Bridging The Gap can provide certification documentation that helps resolve code enforcement disputes. Native plantings also qualify for stormwater credits through KC Water. Front yard native gardens remain subject to aesthetic complaints but are no longer automatically treated as weeds. HOAs may still impose private restrictions stricter than city rules.