The Lee's Summit Planning Commission voted on Sept. 25 to recommend approval of proposed Unified Development Ordinance amendments intended to streamline and temporarily adjust regulations for special events tied to the World Cup matches expected at GEH Field in 2026.

Shannon McGuire, planning manager, explained staff reviewed the UDO to anticipate a large influx of visitors for FIFA events and proposed temporary changes in six areas: temporary signage, food trucks and carts, fireworks shows, hours of operation in the central business district, sidewalk food carts, and special-event permit process. The amendments would apply on a temporary basis between June and July 31, 2026, McGuire said.

Key provisions described by staff include a temporary moratorium on new large fireworks special-event permits (legacy/longstanding fireworks and city- or FIFA-sponsored fireworks may be considered), limiting permitted food trucks to private property unless associated with city- or FIFA-sponsored events and prohibiting food carts on sidewalks to keep pedestrian routes clear, and suspending the numerical cap on temporary signs while not requiring a temporary-sign permit during the specified period to free staff time for field enforcement.

Commissioners raised questions about enforcement, First Amendment content neutrality and how to handle offensive or obscene signage. McGuire said sign review must be content-neutral (staff cannot preapprove or deny based on message), and staff noted typical permit turnaround is under 24 hours; Deputy Director of Development Amy Nasif added that the city plans internal cross-training so planners and project managers can act as code-enforcement officers in the field during the event period.

A commissioner suggested an automatic-approval-without-objection approach (submit and auto-approve after 48–72 hours) rather than removing the permit requirement entirely; staff responded that receiving and reviewing submissions still consumes staff time, and said they would consider the suggestion while keeping the proposed temporary approach to reduce permit-processing load.

The motion to recommend approval passed on a roll-call vote with all members voting yes.

Why it matters: the changes are temporary and intended to speed business participation and clear pedestrian circulation during a predictable surge of visitors for major sporting events, while balancing enforcement capacity and constitutional limits on regulating sign content.

What’s next: The Planning Commission’s recommendation advances the amendments to the decision-making body for final adoption; staff said they will finalize language and implementation details, including enforcement staffing and whether any automatic‑approval mechanism is appropriate.