Independence, Missouri

The city owns its own electric, water and wastewater utilities: Independence Power & Light handles electricity and the Water Division supplies water from the Courtney Bend treatment plant. Start, stop or transfer service through the city at 816-325-7930.

No. The city does not provide residential trash collection, so homeowners contract with a licensed private hauler such as Republic/Allied, GFL Environmental or Waste Management. The city does run a residents-only bulky item and brush drop-off on the second Saturday of each month from April through October.

Only if the fence will be taller than 6 feet; the maximum is 8 feet in most cases. Fences in front yards are limited to 36 inches and must be at least half see-through.

Yes, with a Short-Term Rental Permit approved by the Planning Commission. A new rental cannot be within 500 feet of an existing one, so call 816-325-7823 to check an address before buying with that plan in mind.

Independence School District 30 serves the city, with its office at 201 N. Forest Ave. Confirm the assigned district for a specific address, since district lines and city limits do not always match.

Independence School District 30 serves Independence, with its district office at 201 N. Forest Ave. Some outer parts of the city may be served by neighboring districts, so buyers should confirm the assigned district for a specific address.

The city links to its Code of Ordinances and Unified Development Ordinance (Chapter 14) on Municode from independencemo.gov. The official version is kept by the City Clerk’s Office at 816-325-7010.

A moratorium on new data center and battery storage applications runs through Jan. 2, 2027. Rules adopted in October 2026 require council approval for major data centers and a 1,000-foot setback from homes.

Independence Animal Services handles pets, lost and found animals and adoptions. Call 816-325-7207.

The city estimates the average annual property tax impact of the up to $19.9 million historic sites bond at about $17.71 on a $100,000 home, $35.43 on a $200,000 home, $53.14 on a $300,000 home and $70.86 on a $400,000 home. It would be repaid through a property tax levy and takes effect only if voters approve it on Nov. 3, 2026.

City capital projects include the Noland Road Multimodal Corridor (1.7 miles from US 24 Highway to Fair Street, estimated at $13.5 million with a $10.16 million federal RAISE grant), Winner Road Complete Streets (US 24 Highway to the Englewood Arts District, $5.5 million in federal funding), 24 Highway Complete Streets, the Square Streetscape and citywide pavement maintenance.

A revised Schedule of Water Rates, effective Jan. 1, 2027, was adopted 6-0 by the City Council on Nov. 2, 2026 (Ordinance No. 19863). Check with Independence Water for the new rate amounts.

Yes. The City Council voted to repeal the city’s pit bull ban, and the repeal took effect Aug. 4, 2023. Any dog that is declared dangerous or vicious under City Code Sections 3.03.008 and 3.03.009 still faces strict requirements.

The city’s City Code page sends garage sale questions to the Independence Police Department at 816-325-7300. The city code is on Municode, and the official version is available from the City Clerk’s Office at City Hall.

The City Council meets on the first three Mondays of each month. The first and third Mondays are regular meetings, and the second is a study session. Agendas and minutes are posted on the city’s CivicClerk portal (independencemo.portal.civicclerk.com). Planning Commission meetings are held at the Independence Municipal Commons, 20201 E. Jackson Drive.

The nonprofit Friends of Englewood Theater bought the theater on Winner Road in 2025. It had been vacant since closing in 2007. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2026, and the first phase of renovations (lobby, mezzanine offices and the neon sign) is slated to begin in early 2027.

No, not for now. On July 6, 2026, the City Council approved a 180-day moratorium on new applications, permits and licenses for data centers and battery energy storage facilities. The moratorium runs through Jan. 2, 2027, and can be extended. Projects the city had already received or approved, including the Nebius data center, are exempt.

The city held a series of budget town halls in October and early November 2026, ending with a Nov. 4 session at the Truman High School auditorium, 3301 S. Noland Road. Residents can still share views through the city’s online community survey, which the city lists as open through Nov. 30, and by speaking during public comment at City Council meetings.

Independence takes part in the regional household hazardous waste program. Residents can use the Kansas City facility at 4707 Deramus Street (Thursday and Friday 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m.-4 p.m.), the Lee’s Summit facility (Monday-Wednesday, 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m.), or mobile collection events held April through October (bring proof of residency). Accepted items include paint, used oil, antifreeze, batteries, pesticides, pool chemicals and solvents. Electronics, tires, appliances and business waste are not accepted. Call 816-701-8226 or visit recyclespot.org for details.

Yes, a replacement is planned. The bridge has been closed since 2019. Independence authorized design work using funds from the property-tax increase voters approved in April 2025, and $1.2 million in federal funding has been secured. On Nov. 2, 2026, the City Council annexed the bridge lots from Kansas City, Mo., and repairs are expected to begin in 2027.

Yes. Three fire station projects are paid for by the Fire Protection Sales Tax that voters approved in November 2021. Fire Station 8 in the northern part of the city (built in 1964) is being rebuilt with a new storage and training facility next to it, and its groundbreaking was held in spring 2026. Fire Station 5 (built in 1980) will be rebuilt on its current site, with construction scheduled to begin in fall 2026. Fire Station 11 will be a new station near Centerpoint Medical Center, and no construction start date has been announced.

Current agendas and minutes for the City Council, Planning Commission and other boards are posted on the city’s CivicClerk portal at independencemo.portal.civicclerk.com. Council agendas and minutes from before April 23, 2024 are in the older archive at independence.novusagenda.com/agendapublic.

The Planning Commission meets at 6 p.m. on the first floor of the Independence Municipal Commons, 20201 E. Jackson Drive. Its next scheduled meeting is Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2026, and the agenda is posted at least 24 hours in advance.

Yes, plans are moving forward. On Oct. 5, 2026, the City Council approved rezoning the former JCPenney building at Bolger Square to general commercial so Phillips Edison Group can open a Dillons with a pharmacy drive-through, online order pickup and a fuel station. An opening date has not been announced.

Patmos has proposed a data center at the EastGate Commerce Center, 2500 South Little Blue Parkway, a city-owned industrial site leased to NorthPoint Development. Patmos applied in June 2026 for a permit for a 100-megawatt, 285,000-square-foot building and plans to start with a 17.5-megawatt facility. The council postponed the related lease-assignment vote on Oct. 19 and again on Nov. 2, 2026, and it is now set for the Nov. 16, 2026 regular council meeting.

No. In September 2026 the city removed planned on-street bike lanes from the Noland Road Multimodal Corridor project after updated federal guidance. The project still plans a 10-foot shared-use path on the west side from US-24 to Fair Street, plus sidewalk, pedestrian-signal and street-lighting upgrades.

Yes. The city streams City Council meetings live on its YouTube channel, and past Council meetings and study sessions are posted there in separate replay playlists, linked from the City7 City Council Meetings page on independencemo.gov.

The survey is online only through links on independencemo.gov (run with Polco’s National Community Survey). It asks about city services, utilities, roads, parks and priorities. The city lists Nov. 30 as the closing date, though one passage on its page says Nov. 25, so finishing by Nov. 25 avoids missing the deadline. The city expects the final report by Dec. 18.

A resolution directing the City Manager to review and take administrative action on truck traffic on Bly Road is on the City Council’s Nov. 9, 2026 study session agenda. It does not yet set specific restrictions.

No. Patmos applied for a building permit in June 2026, before the city’s data center moratorium, so its project at 2500 S. Little Blue Parkway in the EastGate Commerce Center is grandfathered and not subject to the new data center zoning rules. Patmos proposes a 100-megawatt, 285,000-square-foot data center, starting with a 17.5-megawatt first phase, and it needs City Council approval of a lease assignment from NorthPoint Development to move forward.

The Nebius project is under a Chapter 100 tax abatement that the City Council approved 5-2 on March 2, 2026. Instead of full property taxes, the company makes payments in lieu of taxes (PILOTs) for a portion of the taxes it would otherwise owe. The city projects these payments at tens of millions of dollars a year to the City and IPL, plus payments to other taxing jurisdictions, including the Independence and Fort Osage school districts.

According to the city’s Nebius FAQ, the campus will use a closed-loop cooling system. It needs a one-time fill of about 1 million gallons for each 200-megawatt building, and recurring use at full buildout is estimated at 400,000 to 640,000 gallons a year.

The council postponed the vote on Oct. 19, 2026, and again on Nov. 2, 2026. The resolution approving the lease assignment at 2500 South Little Blue Parkway is now set for the Nov. 16, 2026 regular council meeting.

Yes. Unofficial results on election night, Nov. 3, 2026, showed about 69% of voters approving the up-to-$19.9 million bond, above the 60% it needed. It funds repairs at the Bingham-Waggoner Estate, Vaile Mansion, Truman Memorial Building, Old Fire Station One and the 1827 Log Courthouse. The city says it will share project timelines as plans develop.

Not yet. On Nov. 4, 2026, the city announced that staff will present recommendations at the Nov. 9 City Council study session, including modernized business licensing, streamlined reviews and inspections, and possible building permit fee waivers and expedited plan reviews for qualifying residential infill projects. The city calls them a starting point, not approved changes.

Yes. The city has a Nebius Community Advisory Board that holds public meetings with project updates and a public comment period. It met Nov. 5, 2026, and its agendas, packets and minutes are posted on the city’s CivicClerk portal at independencemo.portal.civicclerk.com.

Yes, for a limited time. On a single-family lot, a portable storage container can stay up to 30 total days in any six-month period. It must be on the driveway or another paved surface, be no larger than 260 square feet and 8.5 feet tall, and stay off sidewalks and out of required setbacks (UDO Sec. 14-400-07).

The city’s website describes a Temporary Building Permit Fee Waiver Program (Resolution No. 6815) that waives building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permit fees for new single-family homes and substantial rehabilitation of single-family homes inside mapped program boundaries. Substantial rehabilitation means work on two or more major building components costing more than 50% of the Jackson County market value. Water tap and temporary electrical service fees are not waived. The page lists no end date, so confirm the program is still active and the address is inside the boundary with Community Development at the Independence Municipal Commons, 20201 E. Jackson Drive.

Bly Road reopened to local traffic only on Nov. 6, 2026, while NorthPoint finishes signals, sidewalks, markings and signage. The city says the developer’s schedule targets reopening to all traffic in early December 2026, depending on weather, construction progress and required inspections.

The city’s 2026 holiday guide lists the Mayor’s Tree Lighting for Friday, Dec. 4, at 5 p.m. at Hiram Young Park. Check the city’s holiday events guide for any updates before attending.

Yes. The city has a capital project to replace the water main along the Winner Road corridor. Municipal Services is holding a resident open house on Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026, at 4 p.m. at Englewood Arts, and posted an online map of the project area. Questions go to the city’s Municipal Services Engineering staff.

The Board of Adjustment next meets Thursday, Nov. 19, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. in Room 149 (Santa Fe) on the lower level of the Independence Municipal Commons, 20201 E. Jackson Drive. The city posts the agenda at least 24 hours before the meeting on its agendas page.

No. The City of Independence closed Adventure Oasis Water Park permanently, citing operating losses of more than $435,000 a year since 2019 and about $8.4 million in needed capital improvements. A $122,000 demolition purchase order is on the Nov. 16, 2026 City Council agenda.

The city plows in three levels. Major and minor arterials come first and are kept substantially open during a storm; neighborhood collector roads have a goal of substantial clearing within 12 hours after precipitation ends; and local streets, including cul-de-sacs and dead ends, have a goal of being cleared or inspected within 36 hours. The city calls these goals, not guarantees. Snow questions go to 816-325-SNOW (7669).

The property owner. The City of Independence says snow plowed into driveway entrances is the property owner’s responsibility to remove.

Most city departments are now together at Independence Municipal Commons, 20201 E. Jackson Drive, Independence, MO 64057, which opened in May 2026. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The former City Hall site on the Independence Square is being demolished, and Mid-Continent Public Library plans to build its headquarters there, according to the city.