By 2011 voters could have the opportunity to approve a planning commission that would recommend countywide subdivision regulations.

But before that could happen, members of the Cape Girardeau-Jackson Joint Subdivision Advisory Committee plan to develop a draft of recommended regulations that it would present to the Cape Girardeau County Commission.

During its meeting Wednesday at Jackson City Hall, four committee members and three Jackson and Cape Girardeau city employees met to look at summaries of existing subdivision regulations of first-class counties. Committee chairwoman Mary Miller said committee members will study the full regulations and adopt those would work best for Cape Girardeau County.

"We're not reinventing the wheel," said Miller, who also serves on Jackson's planning and zoning commission. "We're asking, 'What can we use that would best fit our situation?'"

Bill Hinckley, chairman of Cape Girardeau's planning and zoning commission, was among those who suggested a series of public hearings should be held so as many residents as possible could voice comments on the draft. Two county residents appeared at Wednesday's meeting.

"Anybody who is ignored and feels like they're having something jammed down their throat gets mad," Hinckley said.

It could take up to 18 months to complete a proposed set of regulations to present to county commissioners. The commissioners will then decide whether to place the formation of a county planning commission on a ballot. The planning commission would serve as a recommending body to the county commission, which ultimately would approve the subdivision regulations.

Cape Girardeau assistant city manager Ken Eftink said countywide subdivision regulations are needed for when homeowners voluntarily annex property into city limits so the property's infrastructure would be comparable to the cities' and prevent maintenance that would otherwise be required if the regulations were not adopted.

Cape Girardeau County District 1 Commissioner Paul Koeper said homeowners living in the county subdivisions should understand that the regulations would be for their benefit.

"We're on the right path," Koeper said. "We have to get the word out to people and get people talking about it."

The meeting was the second for the committee, which was formed after an Oct. 28 joint meeting of the Cape Girardeau and Jackson planning and zoning commissions. During that meeting Miller requested members join a committee to explore the matter further. The first meeting was held Feb. 3.

The next meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. April 12, tentatively at the Osage Community Centre.

bblackwell@semissourian.com

388-3628

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101 Court St., Jackson, MO