CITY LOOKS AT REZONING FOR WILLIAM

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- A public hearing is slated for May 8 to gain citizen input on possible rezoning of William Street from Sprigg to Sheridan.

The city's Planning and Zoning Commission recommended nearly two years ago that the city staff study a proposal to rezone William from Sprigg to West End Boulevard, and last month the commission asked that a public hearing be held on the matter.

Much of William Street between Sprigg and Sheridan now is zoned residential, but commissioners have said commercial development on the arterial street is inevitable.

But until the street is rezoned, commissioners and members of the City Council face the dilemma of whether to approve individual commercial rezoning and special-use permit requests along the route. Because that section of the route is largely residential, city officials say, such requests constitute "spot zoning," which, by charter, the city opposes.

City officials have expressed several concerns about the strip zoning proposal. They say:

Continued approval of special-use permits for commercial development while the area remains zoned as residential likely will lower residential property values on the street, while still hindering commercial development.

Rezoning of property fronting on William Street also would affect residential properties that abut the rear of the William Street tracts. The streets north and south of William also are zoned residential.

Development along the new Mississippi River Bridge route that's scheduled to be built in about five years could diminish the need for commercial development on William Street, now the city's primary east-west arterial.

The new bridge route, a five-lane, limited access expressway, is expected to relieve some of the traffic congestion and commercial traffic now on William.

Although the idea of rezoning William as commercial first was suggested in 1976, there has since been little commercial development to justify acceptance of the notion that the entire street eventually will be developed for businesses.

The public hearing will be held as part of the Planning and Zoning Commission's regular May meeting.