COUNCIL DISCUSSES PROPERTY CODES

Members of the Cape Girardeau City Council recognize there are problems with enforcing property maintenance codes, but they haven't reached a conclusion on how to solve those problems.

The council discussed the city's minimum property maintenance code for nearly 45 minutes Tuesday during a study session that ended just 45 minutes before the meeting. During the regular session, council members voted to present a proposed ordinance at next month's meeting.

The proposed ordinance would change the City Code to allow residents to file a complaint about run-down property. Currently, people filing complaints must live within 200 feet of the property in question.

About 25 people, representing various community groups, like the Community Pride Coalition, Downtown Merchants Association and Downtown Neighborhood Association, attended the meeting in support of the proposal.

The groups have worked on the issue for nearly two years now.

"Our common ground is improving the quality of life in Cape Girardeau," said Jim Maginel, chairman of the Community Pride Coalition.

While there are a lot of people who are dedicated to the cleanliness and beauty of the city, there are also people who need to be more accountable for their property, said Councilman Melvin Gateley.

Mayor Al Spradling III questioned whether the change would really address the true problem or create more concerns for the city because complaints could be filed by vindictive neighbors or people with a grudge against the city.

When the council first considered the changes to the property code ordinances nearly seven years ago, much of the discussion centered on who could enforce the code and who could make complaints.

"We tried to keep it as a local neighborhood issue," Spradling said.

By requiring people to live within 200 feet of the property, it keeps people from one area of the city from coming in to file a complaint against another neighborhood, he said.

The ordinance keeps "an outside neighborhood from forcing its standards on another," said City Manager Michael Miller.

Councilman Richard "Butch" Eggimann said he doesn't disagree with the proposed ordinance, but he would like to reconsider the issue in the context of the entire building and property codes.

In other business, the council:

* Approved on first reading an ordinance that would prohibit smoking in all places where fireworks are sold and prohibit discharging fireworks within 300 feet of a retail sales location; prohibit selling or discharging fireworks within 600 feet of any church, hospital and school building; prohibit the sale, distribution and discharge of bottle rockets within the city limits after Dec. 31; decrease fireworks sales period to 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. from June 27-July 3 and until midnight July 4; and prohibit smoking within 50 feet of all places where fireworks are sold or displayed.

Laura Johnston can be contacted by phone at 335-6611, ext. 126 or by e-mail at ljohnston@semissourian.com