Cape council punts container issue back to panel; approves subdivision plan over objections

The Cape Girardeau City Council postponed action Tuesday on a measure to regulate the use of shipping containers as building materials, sending the long-debated issue back to the planning and zoning commission.

At a study session before the regular meeting, council members said there appeared to be some confusion as to what the planning commission recommended.

City planner Ryan Shrimplin said last week the commission in August had recommended regulating shipping containers through special-use permits.

But Ward 4 Councilman Robbie Guard said he spoke with several of the commissioners who viewed the recommendation differently.

“I am certain they didn’t know of the changes,” he said.

Guard said there has been “a huge misconception” of what the commissioners intended.

Shrimplin acknowledged he did not attend the August commission meeting.

Mayor Harry Rediger urged the council to send the matter back to the planning commission.

“I feel we should go about this in an organized manner,” he said.

Rediger, Guard and Ward 5 Councilman Bob Fox said Friday they specifically wanted to ban construction of dwellings using metal shipping containers as building materials.

At the regular meeting, Guard said it was time for council action.

“I think we have discussed it enough,” he said.

But the council voted to kick the issue back to the planning commission.

Deputy city manager Molly Hood said the commission will take up the issue at its meeting Sept. 13.

Council members said they expect to act on the issue later this month.

While there was little discussion of the container issue at the council’s regular meeting, there was plenty of discussion surrounding development plans for Williamsburg Subdivision along Perryville Road.

Neighborhood residents objected to developer Brandon Williams’ plan to build a second entrance or exit that would connect to Autumn Drive.

The amended preliminary plat initially included a request for variances to the city development code. Council members delayed action on the matter last month to allow time for residents to meet with the developer.

But the developer never met with the residents. Rather, he removed the variances from the plan, city officials said.

Council members approved the preliminary plat over the objections of neighbors, saying the development plan met city development requirements.

Neighborhood resident Elliott Williams of Woodland Hills Drive told the council he and other residents had expected the issue to be discussed again by the planning commission.

He and his neighbors questioned the wisdom of putting a road through an area that has served as a detention basin.

Elliott Williams said the subdivision already connects to Perryville Road.

But in an agenda report to the council, Shrimplin, the city planner, said fire codes require two access points for residential subdivisions that are planned for more than 30 dwelling units.

Rediger and other council members said they wished the developer had reached out to neighboring property owners to address concerns.

“I very much encourage all developers in town to visit with neighbors who might be affected,” the mayor said.

But Rediger said the council can’t force developers to meet with concerned residents.

The developer’s decision to remove variance requests from the plan “takes it out of our hands,” Rediger said.

Neighborhood residents questioned why there was no public hearing on the issue. City officials said subdivision plats do not require public hearings.

Rediger told residents, “I empathize with you. I understand you.”

Ward 1 Councilman Joseph Uzoaru said the council had to approve the preliminary plat.

“We have no other options,” he said before the council approved it.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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