COUNCIL TO STUDY LIQUOR LICENSE LAW

Residents living near new bars and liquor stores in Cape Girardeau will have more input into whether the city grants liquor licenses if a proposed amendment gets adopted.

The Cape Girardeau City Council discussed an amendment Monday to its existing liquor license ordinance that will give greater weight to complaints lodged by residents living near businesses that propose to sell liquor.

Councilman Frank Stoffregen had suggested the proposed changes several weeks ago.

"It gives our citizens a little more say into what we do," he said.

The proposed amendment would not affect existing liquor license holders but would apply only to new businesses and license applicants.

Existing businesses would be grandfathered in if the ordinance is adopted.

The amendment would allow property owners within 200 feet of an establishment requesting a liquor license to have input on whether a license is granted.

The license would require approval of two-thirds of the council.

Currently, the ordinance grants exceptions for passage if churches or schools are within 200 feet of the liquor business. Measurements are now taken from lot to lot not building to building, as was suggested in the amendment.

The issue of citizen input came to the council's attention earlier this year when several residents spoke against granting a liquor license to Show-Me's at Independence and Caruthers during public hearings.

While resident input won't be the sole basis for the council's consideration, "it is a guideline," Stoffregen said.

"I think it's a good thing to get citizen input," he added.

The ordinance change "empowers the neighborhood," said Councilman Tom Neumeyer.

The council unanimously voted to consider the amendment at the Sept. 5 meeting.

In other business, the council denied a request for rezoning at 327 S. Lorimier St.

Larry W. Stone had requested rezoning and a special-use permit to build mini-storage units on the site.

However, the council denied the request based on a recommendation by the Planning and Zoning Commission.

Stone said two weeks ago the council wasn't looking at the proper building design, so the council tabled the ordinance. Stone submitted an updated version of his plans to the planning department and planning and zoning commission.

The updated plans show the lot as being too small for the construction, said Charles Haubold, planning commission chairman.

"It's just the wrong location," he said. "It's too little room and too much building."

The planning commission had denied similar requests for storage units because of small, narrow lots.

CAPE GIRARDEAU CITY COUNCIL ACTIONS TAKEN

Monday, Aug. 21, at 7:30 p.m.

City Hall, 401 Independence

Consent ordinances

(Second and third readings)

• Adopted ordinance approving the record plat of Kammann Randol Subdivision.
• Adopted ordinance readopting Sections 2-76 to 2-83 of City Code relating to conflicts of interest.
• Adopted ordinance amending Chapter 30 of Code of Ordinances by changing zoning of Lots 1, 2 and 3 of Mount Auburn Subdivision No. 7 from R-2 to R-3.
• Adopted ordinance amending Chapter 30 of Code of Ordinances by changing the zoning of 1925 Broadway from R-2 to C-1.
• Adopted ordinance granting a special-use permit to Douglas J. and Elizabeth Hileman for a home-based business at 1744 Luce St.
• Adopted ordinance vacating the city's interest in a portion of a utility, sewer and drainage easement in Twin Lakes Subdivision.
• Adopted ordinance reaffirming the action of the city council declaring it necessary to improve, providing for the improvement, directing the city manager to enter into a contract to do the work and providing for the manner of payment of the work of Timon Way from Big Bend Road to Dumais Drive; DePaul Lane from Country Club Drive to driveway; Donna Lane from Timon Way to the dead end; North Lorimier Street from Mill Street to Pearl Street; Pearl Street from North Lorimier Street to Fountain Street; Hunters Lane from Boulder Crest Drive to the dead end; Collins Street from Mount Auburn Road to Hunze Drive; Hunze Drive from Hopper Road to Collins Street; and Hill Street (Riverview Drive) from Rand Street to Johnson Street, known as the 200-1 4-inch asphalt pavement program of the Transportation Trust Fund program.
• Adopted ordinance accepting general warranty deeds, permanent drainage easements and a temporary construction easement from D & D Cape Investments, L.P., Armstrong Heritage Inc. and Wilver W. and Dolores H. Wessel for the Mount Auburn South project.
• Adopted ordinance providing for the levying of the annual city revenue tax; library fund tax; public health tax's debt service fund tax; Special Business District No. 2 tax for the fiscal year ending next June 30.
• Adopted ordinance accepting a permanent sanitary sewer and utilities easement from Cape Retirement Community for a sanitary sewer extension and water main extension to serve the Chateau Girardeau retirement complex.

New ordinances

(First reading)

• Rejected ordinance amending Chapter 30 of Code of Ordinances by changing the zoning at 327 S. Lorimier St. from R-4 to C-2. Ordinance granting a special-use permit to Larry W. Stone for purposes of constructing, maintaining and operating mini-storage units at 327 S. Lorimier St.
• Adopted ordinance accepting a storm drainage easement from Kidd II Inc., for relocation of a storm sewer line at 103 N. Kingshighway.
• Adopted ordinance accepting permanent and temporary easements from Greater Cape Girardeau Area Benevolent Association and BioKyowa Inc. for right of way to construct and maintain a rail spur in the Nash Road Industrial Park.

Resolutions

(Reading and passage)

• Passed resolution authorizing the city manager to execute amendment No. 7 to the professional services agreement with Sverdrup Civil Inc. for the sanitary sewer improvement program.
• Passed resolution authorizing the city manager to execute an agreement with ASA Asphalt Inc. for the 2000-1 4-inch pavement program.
• Passed resolution authorizing the city manager to execute an agreement with Am Rail Construction Inc. for the BioKyowa rail spur extension project Phase I.
• Passed resolution authorizing the city manager to execute an agreement with Brotcke Well and Pump Inc. for the Cape Rock water treatment plant expansion and alluvial well field construction, well drilling Phase I.

Appointments

• Appointed Julie Kolb to Historic Preservation Commission.
• Appointed Mark Strickland to Board of Appeals.
• Appointed Donald Sherwood to Parks and Recreation Advisory Board.

Other

• Made motion approving the revised sanitary sewer improvement plans for the relocation of a sanitary sewer to serve Rhodes 101 Convenience Store on North Sprigg Street.
• Made motion changing the meeting times of the Cape Girardeau City Council from 7:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. beginning with the first meeting in October.
• Held discussion regarding proposed liquor license ordinance to be considered for first reading at next council meeting.