City of Shawnee

Starting a New Business

Welcome to Shawnee! We are excited you have chosen our community to start your business. Shawnee is a growing community in the Kansas City Metro and offers multiple benefits and opportunities for business owners. Please visit the Shawnee Chamber of Commerce to learn more about growing your business in Shawnee.

There are multiple steps to starting a new business. Having a good business plan and adequate financing are at the top of the list and should be early considerations. When you are ready to work with the City of Shawnee, one of your first steps should be to consult our zoning map to determine what the property is zoned and then checking our use regulations to understand what kinds of businesses are allowed where.


You should also understand that there are rules and regulations about construction. These requirements are designed to make sure your customers are safe and stay safe in the event of an emergency. Almost every construction project requires an architect, engineers and a licensed general contractor. Be sure to figure those professional services costs into your business plan.

We encourage you to contact the Community Development Department to help define a custom road map to meet your development needs. 
  • Contact Info
  • Deputy Community Development DirectorLauren Grashoff 
  • Address11110 Johnson Drive Shawnee, Kansas 66203 
  • Telephone(913) 742-6226 
  • Email
  • Hours8am-5pm