EROSION POLICIES REVIEWED; COUNCIL TO COMPLY WITH EPA MANDATE

The Cape Girardeau City Council Wednesday will consider amendments to the city's storm water regulations that will enable local developers to comply with new federal erosion guidelines at no additional cost.

On Oct. 1, new Environmental Protection Agency regulations go into effect that require a storm-water discharge permit from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources for among other activities new construction or development on sites of five acres or more.

In a letter to council members, City Engineer J. Kensey Russell said the cost of the permits can be as high as $1,500 for some types of idustry. But city officials hope to enter the city under the EPA's less costly "general permit" program.

"The general permit would allow for a streamlined permit submittal and reduced review time and a cost of about $150," Russell said.

The amendments, and new construction standards for various erosion control measures, will have to be approved by the DNR and might be subject to further revision, he added.

"The amendments do not add any further municipal permits or costs to the developer," Russell said. "All the erosion and sedimentation control plans can be incorporated within the storm-water plan that is now required."

The new EPA regulations are the result of a series of lawsuits filed against the agency since Congress in 1972 passed the Clean Water Act, which made it illegal to discharge contaminated water without a permit.

Environmental groups wanting storm-water runoff included in the Clean Water Act requirements challenged the EPA, and the act subsequently was amended in 1987 to include measures to require permits for storm-water erosion.

The changes were supposed to take effect last year, but were delayed until Oct. 1.

Exceptions to the EPA rules include storm-water runoff from farm land and gardens. Also exempted are those whose entire storm-water drainage flows into a city-operated storm and sanitary sewer system.

In other business, the council will consider adding handicapped parking spaces in the 400-800 blocks of Broadway and the 600 block of Merriwether, adjacent to the Cape Girardeau Police Station.

Earlier this summer, City Manager J. Ronald Fischer said there was a lack of handicapped parking zones along Broadway. The police department selected several proposed locations, which were turned over to Russell to verify that they complied with city and state regulations.

Capt. Steve Strong of the Cape Girardeau Police Department recommended the council establish the parking zones in the 400, 500, 600 and 800 blocks of Broadway, and in the 600 block of Merriwether.

Also included in the proposal are off-street handicapped parking in the 700 block and 1100 block of Broadway.

"The city engineer has approved all of our proposed handicapped parking zones," Strong said in a letter to Police Chief Howard "Butch" Boyd. "It is both Kensey's opinion and my own that where there are off-street parking lots available, it is better and safer to not have handicapped parking on the street.

"If the handicapped zones I have recommended are accepted, there would then be at least one handicapped parking zone in the 1100, 800, 700, 600, 500, 400, 300 and 200 blocks of Broadway," Strong added.

The council Wednesday also will consider a resolution of necessity for the North Sprigg Street extension from Bertling to the proposed Lexington Avenue arterial.

If the resolution is approved, a public hearing on the project will be held Sept. 21, and a maximum construction cost of $25 per front foot will be assessed to abutting property owners.

The arterial street will run north from Bertling, splitting property owned by the Cape Girardeau School District, veer east slightly and intersect with Lexington just east of Melody Lane South.

Also included in Wednesday's agenda are:

A public hearing on the request of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. to rezone a tract of land on the south side of the Wal-Mart Supercenter from single family residential to commercial.

A public hearing regarding the request of the Historic Preservation Commission to designate Old Lorimier Cemetery at 500 N. Fountain an historic landmark.

A public hearing regarding amendments to the city's fence regulations and to city laws relating to family day care homes.

A law relating to plumbing code requirements for backfill.

A law establishing no parking on Independence Street between Minnesota and Caruthers.

A resolution that would earmark funds assessed as court costs for victims of domestic violence for the Safe House for Women Inc.

A resolution authorizing second-year funding for a Community Development Block Grant Program for housing rehabilitation and sewer improvements in the College-Jefferson Neighborhoods.