Cape Girardeau City Council weighing endorsement of countywide subdivision regs

Minimum standards for the construction of streets, sewers, water mains and other utilities and infrastructure for new subdivisions in Cape Girardeau County would first require the creation of a county planning commission.

And that, according to a joint Cape Girardeau-Jackson advisory committee, would require a vote of the people.

The Joint Subdivision Advisory Committee made a presentation to the Cape Girardeau City Council Monday night, asking for its members to study the proposed regulations and consider endorsing them before the committee asks the same of the Jackson Board of Aldermen next month.

The endorsement will be on the agenda for the council's Nov. 15 meeting.

Then in January the committee will take the proposal to the Cape Girardeau County Commission, with a new presiding commissioner in place, to ask commissioners to take the issue to voters, possibly as early as April but more likely next November.

The members of the committee, along with council members, stressed what they believe are two crucial points -- that subdivision regulations are not the same as overall county zoning and that they do not conflict with city leaders' desire for peripheral zoning.

"I don't think it has to be one or the other -- peripheral zoning or subdivision regulations," council member John Voss said. "I think both can exist in harmony. These are not in conflict. We need to set the record straight on that."

Peripheral zoning, currently being considered by commissioners, would give the council some jurisdiction over growth for two miles beyond the city's borders.

Subdivision regulations would be countywide regulations only for new subdivisions, said committee co-chair Mary Miller. A packet she provided to the council said that by ensuring that the infrastructure is built to standards and inspected during construction would mean fewer costs incurred by Cape Girardeau and Jackson city governments when substandard subdivisions are voluntarily annexed.

"Ultimately, what people don't understand is if we don't have something like this, it costs everyone else who pays for mistakes the developers make," council member Loretta Schneider said.

Miller also stressed that subdivision regulations are not zoning. The proposed regulations do not address lot sizes, building setbacks or other limitations that are typically considered zoning issues.

Miller said it's a good plan that is worthy of consideration.

"I would rather somebody not develop unless they do it the right way," she said. "We think we've come up with a good solid plan. It's progressive, and it's the right thing to do."

The proposal comes after about a year of study. The subcommittee was formed in October 2009.

The proposed regulations are 10 pages long and do things like set minimum width for street shoulders, maximum block lengths and cul-de-sac lengths. Also in the guidelines are requirements for paving, entrances, water systems, sanitary sewers and storm-water management.

Before the meeting, Miller said that in the year before a vote, it would allow time to educate the public as to the need for subdivision regulations. A county planning commission would be made up of two representatives from Cape Girardeau, two from Jackson and two from the county, she said.

"We would hold public hearings and explain to people why it's important," she said.

Two votes postponed

In other action, the council removed ordinances that would allow chickens to be kept in the city limits and changes to a proposed development code that would regulate signs, billboards, landscaping, etc.

At least four votes would be needed for the chicken issue to pass. Councilman Mark Lanzotti was absent from the meeting. With the last vote being a split vote, Voss said it would not be "the will of the council" to have a final vote without him and have the measure fail on a 3-3 vote.

The council also asked for clarification on the development code issue. Mayor Harry Rediger said both issues would be voted on at a later date.

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