Planning commission recommends approvals for four zoning items; council to review contested Bartlett and Sanchez requests

The Planning and Zoning Commission reported to the Cape Girardeau City Council on May 19 that it recommended approval of four applications from its May 14 meeting and recommended denial of a Bartlett Street rezoning, setting the stage for council review at a future meeting.

The commission recommended approval, by votes of 7-0, of a rezoning at 215 Northwestern Boulevard from a high-density single-family residential district (R-3) to neighborhood commercial for use as an art school; a special-use permit at 24 South Minnesota Avenue to allow a long-term shipping-container storage use for telecommunications materials (7-0); and a rezoning at 524 North Silver Springs Road from a medium-density multifamily residential district (R-4) to neighborhood commercial, with the commission noting revised plans and new construction (7-0). The commission recommended denial of a rezoning request for 7.2 Bartlett Street (Christ Church of the Heartland property), voting 0 in favor, 6 opposed and 1 abstention. The commission also approved (7-0) a minor subdivision plat for Steven Roberts to split a lot near Kings Highway and Thema Street.

The commission presentation, given by Dr. Haskin of the Planning and Zoning Commission, included vote counts and indicated the commission had 100% support for some items where applicants submitted construction plans. A council member raised concerns about the Sanchez rezoning on Northwestern Boulevard, asking how a newly submitted plan would reduce commercial impacts such as traffic and water runoff for nearby residents. Dr. Haskin said the later submission of concrete plans and limited public opposition at the commission meeting reinforced the commission’s recommendation for approval.

Council members noted that some nearby properties already carry commercial zoning and said the Sanchez matter will be taken up by the City Council at its next meeting so council members can examine plans and hear additional public comment. The council did not take final action on any of the rezoning recommendations during the May 19 meeting; the Planning and Zoning Commission’s votes are advisory and were submitted to council for consideration.

The commission’s votes and the issues raised — traffic, runoff, neighborhood character and the presence of adjacent commercially zoned lots — are likely to figure into the council’s deliberations when the items appear on a future agenda.