Mission Hills is the smallest, most carefully governed city in the Kansas City metro and the home of some of its finest estates. The Architectural Review Board, the greenspace minimums, the Tree Protection Plan, and the stormwater drainage study mean a Mission Hills build is the most paperwork-heavy project in the metro by a wide margin. That is not a bug. It is what keeps Mission Hills looking the way it does. This is what we have learned in ten years of building here.
Why hardscaping in Mission Hills is not the same as hardscaping anywhere else.
The defining fact of every Mission Hills project is that the city is involved in your design before it is involved in your permit. Three specific city rules shape every build.
The Architectural Review Board approves your project before a permit issues.
The ARB is a five-resident panel that meets every two weeks. Every exterior alteration in Mission Hills needs ARB approval, with limited delegated authority for routine items like fence replacements and like-for-like patio replacements. For substantial projects, defined as a new home, an addition of 3,000 square feet or more, or an outdoor recreational facility of any size, the project also goes through the Professional Review Panel before the ARB sees it. Substantial submittals are due five weeks before the ARB meeting. Skip the process and the permit does not issue. There is no quiet path around it.
Greenspace minimums by lot size.
Mission Hills Design Guidelines recommend that a certain percentage of every lot remain greenspace. The percentage scales with lot size:
- Lots up to 19,999 square feet: 60 percent greenspace.
- Lots 20,000 to 43,559 square feet: 65 percent greenspace.
- Lots 43,560 square feet (one acre) and above: 70 percent greenspace.
Hardscape counts against greenspace. A 1,200 square foot paver patio on an 18,000 square foot lot can put you past the line. The ARB weighs the greenspace impact when it reviews your project, and any project that drops a lot below the recommended percentage triggers a required stormwater drainage study. Design for the greenspace number first, then size the hardscape to fit.
Tree protection is the strictest in the metro.
A Tree Protection Plan, certified by a landscape architect or ISA-certified arborist, is required for any project that adds more than 600 square feet to a building footprint, any new principal building or detached accessory building, any substantial exterior demolition, any project that tears down more than 10 percent of an existing building, or any outdoor recreational facility requiring footing excavation. Anyone pruning or removing trees in Mission Hills must hold an Urban Forestry License from the city. Removing a tree without ARB approval triggers a fine equal to the appraised value of the tree under the trunk formula method, plus a stop work order. For the longer list of ways a hardscape fails when trees are not properly accounted for, see our avoiding failure guide.
Our signature Mission Hills project.
Mission Hills is a tiny city, so our featured Mission Hills project is exactly what it sounds like: the one we are proudest of. We build regularly in the surrounding suburbs as well, and the full portfolio is the best window into our broader work.
Fireplace, Pavilion & Pergola
A custom fireplace anchored to a pavilion with wrapped columns, a grill alcove, and a paver patio that ties the structures together. Designed through the ARB process from the first sketch.
Real hardscape ranges for Mission Hills projects.
The ranges below are the starting points from our service pages and apply across the metro. Mission Hills projects typically land at the top of the range, both because the ticket profile is the highest in the metro and because the paperwork side adds real line items to the budget.
Where the Mission Hills paperwork shows up in the price.
The city's process means a Mission Hills build carries more line items on the front end than the same project in any other suburb. The fees are real and they belong in the budget from day one.
- Permit administration: $1,450. Our flat fee to prepare the ARB submittal package, the city permit application, the city-required drawings, the ViewPoint Cloud submittal, and to manage the inspection sequence.
- City of Mission Hills permit fee: varies. Paid directly to the city, based on project scope and valuation. Inspections cost $75 each, also paid to the city.
- ARB Plan Review fee: lesser of $250 or 50 percent of the building permit fee. Paid as part of the ARB submittal.
- Engineered structural plans: $2,500. Required for most structures with footings (pergolas, pavilions, outdoor fireplaces, retaining walls over four feet, anything tied to the house).
- Stormwater Drainage Study: typically $1,500 to $3,500. Required for any project that adds 1,000 or more square feet of impervious surface, or that drops the lot's greenspace below the recommended minimum. Performed by a licensed engineer.
- Tree Protection Plan: typically $500 to $1,500. Certified by a landscape architect or ISA arborist. Required for most projects above the 600-square-foot footprint trigger.
- Dumpster: required to be sized and located so debris stays inside the dumpster walls. Mission Hills inspectors enforce this aggressively.
For a more specific number on your project, the cost calculator walks through the variables and gives a real range before you ever talk to us. To see what your space could look like before you commit, the patio visualizer renders a design from a photo. We also offer financing options on most builds. For a deeper read on paver patio pricing specifically, see our paver patio cost guide.
How a Mission Hills hardscape project actually moves.
The Mission Hills timeline is different from anywhere else in the metro. The ARB cycle and the substantial-project review window mean the paperwork side runs in parallel with design, not after it.
Step 1: Pre-application.
We pull the plat, check setbacks and lot coverage, calculate the greenspace number for the lot size, and confirm whether the project will trigger Professional Review Panel review (new home, 3,000-square-foot-or-more addition, or outdoor recreational facility) or whether it can move directly to the ARB.
Step 2: ARB submittal.
For substantial projects, the submittal is due five weeks before the ARB meeting. We prepare the package: site plan, elevations, product spec sheets, construction drawings, project bid, photos, and any required stormwater drainage study or Tree Protection Plan. Letters go to the property owner and surrounding neighbors before the meeting.
Step 3: ARB hearing.
You attend and present the project. The ARB approves, approves with conditions, or denies. Conditional approvals are common; outright denials are rare for well-prepared submittals.
Step 4: Permit issuance and inspections.
With ARB approval in hand, the building permit issues. From there the inspection sequence is the standard Mission Hills cadence: footings after rebar before pour, framing before close-up, and final at completion. Each inspection costs $75 and gets scheduled with City Hall at least 24 hours in advance.
Step 5: Construction within the city's noise hours.
Mission Hills enforces construction noise hours: Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., heavy construction Monday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. only, and nothing on Sundays or legal holidays. Our crew schedules accordingly so we never lose a day to a noise complaint.
The Mission Hills paperwork is not the cost of doing business. It is the reason the city looks the way it does.
Five-star reviews from Mission Hills homeowners.
Real homeowners, real projects, real words. More reviews from across the Kansas City metro are on our testimonials page.
★★★★★"The entire Kansas City Hardscapes team is amazing. They brought our very rough ideas to life, giving us the backyard of our dreams."
Mary SlossMission Hills, KS
★★★★★"They replaced our old brick patio with beautiful pavers, BBQ, and a pergola. Everyone involved in the project was a joy."
Terri BauerMission Hills, KS
★★★★★"We engaged Kansas City Hardscapes to redo our patio. The patio came out fantastic. It is absolutely gorgeous."
William HoffmanMission Hills, KS
Frequently asked about Mission Hills hardscape projects.
Do I need a permit for a patio or pergola in Mission Hills?
Yes. Mission Hills requires a permit for almost every exterior project, including patios, decks, pergolas, pavilions, outdoor fireplaces, fences, and walls. Only purely cosmetic work like painting, flooring, and tiling is exempt. Every exterior alteration must also be approved by the Architectural Review Board before the permit issues, although the City Planner has delegated authority for some routine items. Permits are submitted through the ViewPoint Cloud portal on the city website.
How does the Architectural Review Board process work?
The ARB is a five-resident panel that meets every two weeks. Substantial projects (new homes, additions of 3,000 square feet or more, outdoor recreational facilities, or pools deeper than 2 feet) also go through the Professional Review Panel first. Submittal deadlines for substantial projects are 5 weeks before the next ARB meeting. The ARB Plan Review fee is the lesser of $250 or 50 percent of the building permit fee. New homes and substantial additions also pay a $2,000 Professional Review Panel fee and a $400 Substantial Construction Drawings Review fee.
How much do permits and engineered plans cost in Mission Hills?
Our flat permit administration fee is $1,450, which covers preparing the ARB submittal package, the city permit application, the city-required drawings, the ViewPoint Cloud submittal, and managing the inspection sequence. The city permit fee itself is separate and varies by project. Inspections cost $75 each, paid to the city. ARB Plan Review is the lesser of $250 or 50 percent of the building permit fee. Engineered structural plans are $2,500. A stormwater drainage study, required when a project adds 1,000+ square feet of impervious surface, typically runs $1,500 to $3,500. A Tree Protection Plan, required above the 600-square-foot footprint trigger, typically runs $500 to $1,500.
What are Mission Hills' greenspace requirements?
Mission Hills Design Guidelines recommend a minimum percentage of every lot remain greenspace, scaled by lot size. Lots up to 19,999 square feet have a 60 percent greenspace recommendation. Lots between 20,000 and 43,559 square feet have a 65 percent recommendation. Lots of 43,560 square feet (one acre) and above have a 70 percent recommendation. Hardscape counts against greenspace, so the patio size is sometimes constrained by the lot. Projects that drop the lot below its recommended greenspace trigger a required stormwater drainage study.
What are Mission Hills' tree protection rules?
The strictest in the metro. A Tree Protection Plan certified by a landscape architect or ISA-certified arborist is required for any project that adds more than 600 square feet to a building footprint, any new principal building or detached accessory building, any substantial exterior demolition, or any outdoor recreational facility requiring footing excavation. Anyone pruning or removing trees must hold an Urban Forestry License from the city. Removing a tree without ARB approval triggers a fine equal to the appraised tree value under the trunk formula method, plus a stop work order.
How long do hardscape projects in Mission Hills take from contract to finish?
Simple patios run a few days of build time once we are on site. Larger builds with a pergola, fireplace, or outdoor kitchen run up to three or four weeks. Total time from signed contract to finished project is longer in Mission Hills than in any other suburb because of the ARB submittal window (substantial projects must be submitted five weeks before the next ARB meeting) and our build schedule, which runs three to four months out at any given time. Plan on an additional six to ten weeks for paperwork before construction can begin on most Mission Hills builds.
What should I ask a contractor before signing in Mission Hills?
Four questions surface most of what matters in Mission Hills specifically:
- How many projects have you taken through the Mission Hills ARB and Professional Review Panel?
- Who handles the building permit, ARB submittal, stormwater drainage study, and Tree Protection Plan?
- How are you protecting the existing trees and meeting the greenspace recommendation for my lot size?
- How is drainage handled to comply with the city's stormwater rules?
A good contractor answers all four without hesitation. A bad one gives different answers at the second meeting than the first.
Building across Mission Hills and the Kansas City metro.
Our shop sits east of the river in Kansas City, Missouri. We build across Mission Hills and the surrounding Johnson County suburbs every season. The map below shows the area we cover most often.
The shameless plug.
You made it this far. We respect that. So here it is:
- Family-owned. Ten years building across the Mission Hills area.
- We have walked the ARB process more than once. We know the format.
- Same crew quotes it and builds it.
- Plat before layout. Drainage before patio. Tree plan before excavation.
- We do not sub the build. 10-year warranty on our scope of work.
We hope you consider us.