Teresa Bolingweider, a Lee's Summit resident, told the Planning Commission on Sept. 25 that she is seeing repeated mistakes in rezoning cases where small parcels are treated as if they retain agricultural status when they do not.

Bolingweider said she spent about five minutes searching deeds and found that a contested parcel had been divided in 2010, after the city's Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) went into effect, and therefore did not qualify to remain in the agricultural zone. “This is happening both directions. These are blunders,” she said.

Planning staff answered during public comment that the agricultural zone has a 10-acre minimum lot size and that exceptions exist only when a parcel can prove it was legally platted or subdivided prior to annexation or prior to adoption of the UDO. A staff member explained that unplatted parcels typically must show a historic legal status to qualify for agricultural build rights.

Commission members and staff discussed other technical limits the city relies on. Commissioners noted septic rules and other county requirements can limit residential division on smaller parcels even when zoning is changed. A staff member clarified the county requires roughly a 3-acre minimum for septic system placement, making multiple residences on a 4–5 acre lot impractical without specific approvals.

Bolingweider urged the commission to check deed histories and platting records more routinely before recommending or approving rezoning. She said the specific parcel she referenced had been divided in 2010 and contrasted that year with the UDO’s effective date in 2001.

The exchange occurred during the public comment portion of the Planning Commission meeting; no formal action or vote on the specific parcel was taken during the meeting. Staff indicated they would rely on existing UDO provisions and platting records when processing rezoning or building permit requests.

Why it matters: lot-division history and UDO eligibility affect whether property owners can obtain building permits or require rezoning; such administrative errors can change permitted uses, setbacks and whether new residences are allowed on small lots.

What the commission heard: residents pressing for consistent record checks; staff explaining the 10-acre agricultural minimum and exceptions for pre-existing platted parcels; commissioners asking staff to verify plats and septic constraints where relevant.

The commission moved on to scheduled agenda items after public comment; no new policy or ordinance change was proposed at the meeting to change how these verifications are handled.