Kansas City, MO Landscaping Rules: Rainwater Harvesting (2026)

Under the Zoning and Development Code's setback-encroachment table, rain barrels and cisterns up to 5 feet in height above grade are a listed permitted obstruction allowed to encroach into required front, side, and rear setbacks. That puts them in the same favored category as flagpoles and wheelchair ramps -- ordinary accessory buildings used for domestic storage, like sheds, are barred from all three setback types. No separate permit is listed for the barrel or cistern itself as long as it stays at or under the 5-foot height limit.