City seeks ideas for Cape Vision 2040

Cape Girardeau city officials will seek the public’s input in developing a new comprehensive plan at a “visioning workshop” next month and by offering an “idea booth” at the annual Spaghetti Day event two days later.

The workshop will be at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 7 at Cape Girardeau Central Middle School cafeteria.

On Nov. 9, the public can offer ideas on improving Cape Girardeau at the “idea booth” from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Arena Building.

The events are part of an effort to involve the public in “Cape Vision 2040” planning, city planner Ryan Shrimplin said Wednesday.

There also is an online component with the establishment of a website, capevision2040.org.

According to the website, the online format allows the public to read about the planning effort, answer questions and make suggestions about how to make Cape Girardeau “an even better place to live, work, shop, play and visit.”

Shrimplin said consultants are helping in the planning.

The city council in June voted to spend up to $80,000 to develop a new comprehensive plan. The council hired Teska Associates Inc. of Evanston, Illinois, to help craft the plan. Teska is being assisted by Orion Planning + Design of Boulder, Colorado.

Shrimplin said the current plan is 10 years old and doesn’t reflect many new developments.

The new plan will serve as a “blueprint for future growth of the city,” Shrimplin said.

It will cover everything from streets and parks to public safety and city utilities, he said.

“The foundation of it is land use and development,” Shrimplin said.

While it will be designed as a 20-year plan, it might need to be updated after 10 years, he said.

The November events are part of a series of “public engagement opportunities” that will be part of the planning process, he said.

Shrimplin said the goal is to “get a consensus as to what is the vision of the community.”

He said it will be a “hands-on process as far as the public at large.”

Shrimplin said the public doesn’t have to wait for a scheduled event to offer input.

“People can go to the website now,” he said.

City officials don’t want a generalized plan.

“We want this to be really customized and tailored for our community,” Shrimplin said.

The new plan is scheduled to be completed by May, he said.

mbliss@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3641