Zoning panel votes no on condos, day care

The Cape Girardeau Planning and Zoning Commission Wednesday night turned down a request to construct townhouse apartments on the north side of the city and voted against a church's plan to operate a day care and preschool.

The commission voted 7-0 against a request to construct five two-story townhouse apartments on Hunter's Lane and Boulder Crest Drive. One commissioner, Scott Rhodes, abstained because of a conflict of interest. Nobody spoke on behalf of the project, but five residents of the surrounding area made statements to the commission.

"My largest investment is my home," said Stan Emendorfer of Hunter's Lane. "I take a lot of pride in its appearance, and the fact that I am faced with having apartments in my front yard is disheartening."

Bo Shatz, who owns a house on Hunter's Lane, and the other residents against the project say the property was originally sold to them as residential, then zoned commercial later. Although they did not agree with the rezoning, they said they would rather have office buildings built in the area than apartment buildings.

"We have a landlocked subdivision with one outlet," said Paul James of Boulder Crest Drive. "We already have traffic problems. We don't need more."

The developer's absence from the proceedings made the decision easier for the commission. "It's important for developers to be present to take questions about the project," commission vice president Bill Hinkley said. "It affects neighbors, and we need to know exactly what is happening with developments."

In the second hearing, Zack Strong, pastor of Christ Church of the Heartland on Bertling Street, spoke on behalf of the church's request for a special-use permit to operate a 60-child day care and preschool scheduled to be completed in late August. But after hearing opposition from 10 residents of the area and others, the commission unanimously voted no.

Dr. Donald Jung and several other residents of the area said they believe the church has "lied" and intends to use the new addition as a preschool through eighth-grade school, which would be against regulations of the residential zone.

"Their approach to this project has been build it first and then claim the resources are there, so just rezone it," said Dr. Donald Jung said in a statement to the commission. "It is and always has been the church's intention to operate a school."

Many of the other residents claimed the road was already too dangerous.

"On Sundays and Wednesday nights there is an added amount of traffic that we accept," said Scotts Lane resident Julie Tipton. "However, if you add a 60-child day care to the daily traffic it will be too much."

"We're pushing our space," said commission member Scott McClanahan. "It seems the bigger we get, the more we try to squeeze and push, and it's not good for our neighborhoods."

In other business, the commission approved the Timon Way Subdivision, GM Building Subdivision and GM Building Condominiums while voting to table the Boulder Crest Estates Preliminary Plat.

Projects that are approved will go to Cape Girardeau City Council on July 9. Projects disapproved will be heard by city council Monday.

jsamons@semissourian.com

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