Home
Contact Us

Annual Meeting
Monthly Meeting
Board Members

Working with Leawood

Deeds Request Form
Dues Information
Waste & Recycling
Recent Newsletters
Mailbox Information

Google Aerial Photos
USGS Aerial Photos
Hazardous Material

Links of Interest

Homeowners are consistently doing their part through home renovations, exterior maintenance on their homes, and improvements in their yard/landscape areas. However, due to the depressed housing market and economic recession, the LSHA Board has experienced an increase in the number of calls associated with homes that are either vacant and deteriorating, or have become rentals, again showing evidence that the properties are not being properly maintained.

These issues have led the Board to seek further clarification as to the responsibility of the City of Leawood and its’ Code Enforcement Department vs. LSHA Board and its’ responsibility under the Deed restrictions and Covenants that form a part of each deed of ownership in Leawood South. This article is Part 1 in an attempt to clarify those responsibilities and will deal first with the City of Leawood. Part 2, which will be published in the next newsletter, will clarify the Board’s role and responsibility.

Listed below are some of the more common complaint areas that should be taken directly to the City of Leawood Codes Enforcement Office (not to the LSHA Board) by any adjacent and affected homeowners (call 913-339-6700 x 176; M-F 8AM to 5PM):

• Weed and Grass – any weed or grass in excess of 12” in height is classified as a nuisance (MC Code 8-201(e) and 8-202). The City will contact the property owner and if no action is taken, the City will abate the nuisance and assess the costs to the property owner.

• Trees and Shrubbery – trees and shrubbery that are not maintained by the property owner as free of disease, decay, and overgrowth is classified as a nuisance (MC Code 8-521). The City will notify the property owner and if no corrective action is taken within 30 days, the City will abate the nuisance and assess the costs to the property owner.

• Accumulation of Debris and Trash – large amounts of debris and trash stored outdoors on the property can be classified as a nuisance (Code MC-8-521). The City will contact the homeowner and if no action is taken, the City will abate the nuisance and assess the costs to the property owner.

• Paint(*) – exterior surfaces of homes must be maintained in a uniform appearance in color, maintain a cohesive look, and not be allowed to deteriorate (MC 8-528). The City Code Enforcement office can be contacted to assess such a situation.

• Deck and Deck Repair(*) – any increase in size, modification, replacement, or building a new deck that involves any structural item (floor joists, structural beams, or columns) as noted in (DO Code 16-1-3). Such work requires submittal of plans to the City for review, which includes the approval of the contractor (must be licensed in Johnson County and City of Leawood) and then is issued a building permit.

• Fences and Walls(*) – any fences over 3 ft in height, walls over 4 ft in height, and retaining walls over 4 ft in height, require the submittal of plans with sufficient detail to the City of Leawood for review and approval of the contractor and plans and then is issued a building permit (DO Code 16-4-9.2). Swimming pools, spas and hot tubs also require issuance of a building permit. (Note that the LSHA Deeds and Covenants places special requirements on any fences and walls on the side or back of any property that has a property line abutting the Leawood South Country Club Golf Course – this will be detailed in Part 2 in the next newsletter).

• Roofing(*) – any re-roofing project requires the approval of the plan and materials, as well as the contractor, by the City of Leawood.

• Inoperative and Abandoned Vehicles – the City will contact the property owner to insure that such vehicles will be removed from the property (MC Code 8-303).

• Autos, Recreational Vehicles, Trucks, and Motorcycles – any such vehicles may not be parked on the public street, rather they must be parked in the driveway or on a hard pad (concrete or asphalt) on the property. In cases of uncertainty, or where the RV may pose a nuisance, the City’s Neighborhood Service Administrator should be contacted to review the situation (DO Code 16-4-5).

MC denotes Maintenance Code and DO denotes Development Ordinance

(*) Will also be covered in Part 2 – LSHA responsibility

The LSHA Board is made up of volunteers. . We are trying to do the best job we can to maintain a community that is consistent with the Deed Restrictions and Covenants that formed the original vision of this community. It is through teamwork and partnership that we will continue to make Leawood South a beautiful place to live.

For more information, see the City of Leawood web page at www.leawood.org and click on Community Development. You may even submit your request on-line at www.leawood.org/actioncenter