Nuisance abatement, city development discussed at study session

Officer Ty Metzger reviewed nuisance abatement issues during a special Cape Girardeau City Council study session Monday night.

So far this year, Metzger, two other full-time officers and one part-time worker have responded to more than 2,100 calls. Last year, 7,488 complaints were filed with the Cape Girardeau Police Department over trash, animals, zoning and tall grass.

"Right now my staff are running call-to-call," Metzger said, nuisance abatement supervisor for the Cape Girardeau Police Department. "By the time we get a call, drive there, get back to our office, look up the appraisal, send out the letters, and give the offender time to respond, it's taken a good chunk of our time. It's sometimes hard to keep up."

Metzger said many of the calls he responds to deal with rental properties. He said that if those tenants owned a home, they more than likely would have more pride in maintaining a clean yard and, in turn, his office would receive fewer complaints.

Metzger said people often complain about objects in a yard cluttering the neighborhood.

Cape Girardeau Mayor Jay Knudtson said by enforcing city abatement ordinances, the city is sending a clear message to violators. "You need to take pride in your property or will we come and get you," Knudtson said.

In other business, five area development firms reported on progress of their properties and praised the city for its cooperation in the areas of coordinating meetings with them, flexibility, open dialogue and the hiring of the city manager. The firms also offered suggestions on how the city could improve conditions for developers in the area.

Michael Deimund of Riverwest Partners in Cape Girardeau reported about Walden Park subdivision, currently under construction just north of the city limits on Route W. The subdivision will feature narrower streets to reduce speeding, a diverse range of housing and garages in the rear of each home.

Deimund raised concern about the city's requirement that each development use one uniform streetlight. He explained it is difficult for smaller neighborhoods such as Walden Park to use a large streetlight when a smaller one is a better fit for the asthetic look of the community.

Knudtson said the city could be open to exploring new ideas.

Earl Norman of Benton Hill Investment Co. in Cape Girardeau suggested the city allow new developments to build a sidewalk on one side of the road and a bike trail on the other side. Currently the city ordinance requires new developments to have sidewalks on both sides of the roadway.

Mike Annis of Ashland Land Development Co. in Cape Girar¿deau added that placing the sidewalks on just one part of the roadway instead of both sides could alleviate the financial burden some homebuyers are having to bear.

bblackwell@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 137