Meeting Structure

Public Comments

City Council Meetings

The public comment portion of the council meeting is a time when the public may address the council on any matter listed in the council agenda for the meeting or directly related to the operations of the City of Lee's Summit, except for those matters that are the subject of a public hearing requiring that testimony be sworn.

Each person wishing to provide public comment will be afforded three minutes to speak. Any person wishing to provide handouts or informational materials to the mayor and City Council shall provide the materials to the city clerk, who will then distribute the information to the mayor and council.

Council Committee Meetings

The public comment portion of committee meetings is a time when the public may address the committee on any matter listed in the committee agenda for the meeting or directly related to the operations of the City of Lee's Summit, except for those matters that are the subject of a public hearing requiring that testimony be sworn.

Each person wishing to provide public comment will be afforded three minutes to speak. Any person wishing to provide handouts or informational materials to the committee shall provide the materials to the city clerk or staff, who will then distribute the information to the committee.

Public Hearings

Public hearings are forums for citizens to voice their opinions and are conducted on:

  • applications for rezonings.
  • special use permits.
  • preliminary development plans.
  • vacation of right-of-ways.
  • text changes to the Unified Development Ordinance.
  • other applications requiring public hearings as determined by legal requirements.

Before each meeting, public hearing items and minutes from appropriate committees, and boards and commissions are provided to the City Council in its council packet.

Public Hearing Procedure

Applicants are allowed fifteen minutes to present their proposal and five minutes for response following public testimony.

Those testifying in favor or opposition of an application will be given a total of 20 minutes with time allotted as follows:

  • each individual is allocated three minutes. 
  • an identified spokesperson for a group is allocated 10 minutes. 
  • ​after a public hearing is closed, no further public testimony is permitted.

Council discussions and questions will follow testimony from the applicant and the public. All questions should be addressed to the council, not the applicant.

NOTE: The mayor and councilmembers may request that testimony not be repeated. 

Other Agenda Items

Some agenda items have no scheduled time for public comments. Items such as ordinances have previously been discussed and considered by the council or committees. Any concerns should be directed to councilmembers before the meeting.

Unless determined otherwise by the mayor and council, no new agenda items are considered after 11 p.m. To assist applicants who travel from outside the Kansas City metro area, every effort will be made to hear the application on the scheduled meeting date.