Annexation policy outlines eight areas for Cape growth

By Benjamin Israel

If the Cape Girardeau City Council adopts an annexation policy at its meeting tonight, it will probably contain eight areas to be considered for annexation.

But Mayor Al Spradling III said that doesn't mean the city will aggressively pursue annexation of any areas.

"Involuntary annexations are not the way to grow," Spradling said. He said the process is difficult and expensive -- it involves going to court, submitting studies and paying for an election.

What the proposed policy does say is that when the City Council evaluates a proposed parcel for annexation, it will consider whether the parcel lies within one of the eight areas that the city's Planning and Zoning Commission recommended as priority areas in 1994.

Those areas are:

-- The Dry Detention Basin Area near Route W and County Road 618.

-- An area extending from County Farm Park to Boutin Drive.

-- The corridor north of Lexington Road from Big Bend Road to Old Sprigg Street.

-- The Cape Rock Village-Tanglewood Estates area.

-- The area south of Twin Lakes.

-- The area west of Cape West Business Park between Route K and Bloomfield Road.

-- The area south Bloomfield Road and west of Interstate 55.

-- The industrial area off Nash Road north of the airport.

Most of the rest of the proposed policy covers city services and how feasible serving the area would be. For example, before annexing, the site of the new Notre Dame High School, the city staff would study the costs of supplying it with water, sewers and fire protection.

In addition, the proposed policy states that the city wouldn't hook up new water and sewer services to any subdivisions outside the city limits unless the developers submitted a petition for annexation and agreed to build everything to conform with city codes. The city would inspect the property while it is under construction just as if it were part of the city, while city planners review the use to see whether it conforms to the comprehensive plan.

Water and sewer service would not be hooked up until the city annexes the property.

Councilman Melvin Gateley had initially objected to the city's annexation policy. Gateley and Councilman Richard Eggimann asked the city staff to include potential areas for annexation in the policy.

Gateley said he wanted to be sure that the annexation policy would not override any agreements the city may have already made with developers.

Coincidentally, owners of two tracts of land in one of the areas mentioned have applied for annexation. The County Commission has asked the council to annex a portion of North County Park that it purchased last year, while Bruce Watkins has asked the council to annex a small triangle of land almost surrounded by the park. Together, the tracts cover 39 acres.

The council could schedule a public hearing about the annexation Aug. 4.