Building Permits

To obtain a building permit, complete a building permit application and submit it to City Hall with the necessary photographs, construction drawings, or surveys, depending on the scope of project. Plan review may take at least one week or up to three weeks for substantial construction projects. Exterior changes will require Architectural Review Board approval. Contact City Hall at 913-362-9620 to discuss the project with the City Architect or another member of City staff.

If the project consists of interior work only, the Codes Inspector will review your plans for building code and zoning regulations and approve your project. All applicable fees must be paid.

Architectural Review Board Process

1. Complete a building permit application.
2. Submit required materials for the proposed project: construction drawings, elevations, photographs, boundary pin survey, etc. See the ARB Checklist for more information.
3. Once all of the necessary information has been received, applicants will be assigned a meeting date. See the ARB Schedule for upcoming meeting dates.
4. The City will notify an applicant’s immediate neighbors of the proposed project via letter. Residents are allowed to view plans prior to the meeting.
5. On the day of the ARB meeting, the applicant or his or her representative must present the project before the Board. Anyone else determined to have appropriate interest in the matter at the meeting is allowed to submit comments.
6. If the ARB approves the project and no variance is needed, the applicant must submit accurate construction documents before a building permit can be issued. Plan review may take at least one week or up to three weeks for substantial construction projects. Only after documents have been reviewed and fees paid can a permit be issued and construction commenced.
7. If a variance is needed (for example, because the project encroaches upon property setbacks), the applicant must be granted one from the Board of Zoning Appeals at a later meeting before obtaining a permit.  The applicant must submit the variance request form and the $65 legal publication to City Hall to be scheduled for the next available meeting.

Construction Hours

Heavy construction noise is allowed from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday only. Working outside of these hours or on holidays is against City code and can result in a citation.

Contractor Licensing

As of January 1, 2005, Mission Hills requires all contractors to possess an occupational license. The cost for an occupational license is $60 annually. To obtain a license, complete the occupational license form and return it to City Hall with the required fee. The City does not participate in the Johnson County Contractor Licensing Program. The City Council does not regulate or determine whether those undertaking the construction, alteration, repair, or demolition of structures are qualified to perform such services.

Permit Fees

Permit fees are based on the square footage of the project or the value of the construction project. Inspections are $60 each.

What is a Boundary Pin Survey?

A boundary pin survey will physically locate the boundaries of your property in the ground. The surveyor must carefully measure the proper distances in the field and confirm where the corners of your property should be and verify that a pin is already there or set a pin in the ground. This is the only proper way of locating your land. Anything less is only guess work and can perpetuate errors property owners have made over the years.

NOTE: The City has some boundary pin surveys on file from previous building projects.

What is a Mortgage Survey?

A mortgage survey is not a legal survey. It is a relatively inexpensive method for title companies and lending institutions to show if there are any encroachments onto your property at the time of the mortgage closing. No one should attempt to add improvements to their property using this drawing.