Kansas City, Missouri’s Ordinance 230552, codified at § 88-305-15(C)(2), links ADU owner occupancy to a recorded deed restriction. The lot owner must reside in either the principal dwelling or the ADU. This is a local zoning condition; it should not be generalized to other Missouri cities or to short-term-rental rules.
Recordation is due before the ADU certificate
The ordinance requires a deed restriction that limits occupancy of one of the two dwellings to the property owner. Proof that the restriction has been recorded is due before the City issues the ADU certificate of occupancy. The timing matters: a planned covenant, application, or pending recordation is not the same as a completed record in the property chain.
The provision describes ADUs as accessory to a permitted principal use and allows them on lots with a detached dwelling as the principal building, subject to the other zoning standards. It does not explain how every trust, entity, co-owner, or resident arrangement meets the owner test. Nor does the ordinance text decide whether a particular restriction remains in effect, was modified, or was released.
Check the current code and property record
Before building, renting, buying, or transferring an ADU, check the current Chapter 88 text and later amendments. Confirm the applicable permit and certificate-of-occupancy history, identify the owner and resident facts required by the City, and obtain the actual recorded deed restriction from the land records. Review lender, association, title, and other private conditions separately.
The ordinance establishes a local requirement but does not determine whether a particular property qualifies or is ready for occupancy. Ask the City and recording authority to confirm the current process and the status of the parcel’s documents.