Lee's Summit, MO Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Encroachment Permits (2026)

City Code § 26-131 requires two related approvals for private encroachments into the public right-of-way. Subsection A bars any excavation or work in the right-of-way, as those terms are defined in § 26-101, without a right-of-way permit. Subsection B specifically targets adjoining property owners: no one may construct, maintain or permit any fixed structure, material or object on the portion of right-of-way adjacent to their land without the right-of-way permit and, if the City's encroachment policy calls for it, a separate license.

The application goes to the City Engineer under § 26-132, and at minimum must include proof the applicant is the registered right-of-way user or the adjoining property owner (or an authorized agent), engineering drawings and construction plans showing the project's location and area, certification the design meets the City's engineering standards for support and soundness, a work schedule with start and end dates, and payment of all applicable right-of-way permit fees. Under § 26-134(K), conditional use waivers or license agreements required by the encroachment policy must be obtained before the permit issues, and the City Engineer has 10 business days to comment, deny, or approve that waiver or agreement once a complete application is filed.

Section 26-131(D) directs the City Engineer to issue the permit once satisfied the applicant meets the article's requirements, the encroachment policy, the Code, and all applicable laws. A permit issued this way is good only for the area described in the application: under § 26-136, it is valid for 60 days unless a shorter period is specified, and work outside those boundaries or after expiration requires a new or amended permit. Anyone caught working in the right-of-way without a permit is directed to stop until one is obtained and available on-site, per § 26-131(E).