Jackson aldermen approve rezoning request in split vote

The Jackson Board of Aldermen voted 6-2 Monday night to approve rezoning of nearly four acres along the west side of South Old Orchard Road, clearing the way for construction of a dozen duplexes on the property.

The rezoning request from R-2, single-family residential, to R-3, single and two-family residential, from Mastercraft Development LLC was tabled at the board's last meeting two weeks ago after several residents on the east side of South Old Orchard Road, in an R-2 district, voiced objection to the rezoning.

But at Monday night's meeting it was noted much of the land surrounding the R-2 district was zoned C-2, general commercial, which is a less restrictive zone than an R-3 district would be.

"They (residents in the subdivision on the east side of Old Orchard Road) have bigger problems than having this area zoned R-3," commented Alderman Dave Hitt. He and five other board members voted to changing the zoning while two members, Joe Bob Baker and Wanda Young, voted "no."

Board appointments

Also on Monday night's agenda were several appointments by Mayor Dwain Hahs to boards and committees.

New and reappointed members to those panels were:

• Harry Dryer to the Jackson Planning & Zoning Commission for a four-year term ending in 2025.
• Ennis Hinkebein, Rodney Ladreiter and David Seabaugh to the Jackson Park Board for terms ending in 2024 and Shana Williams to a term on the park board ending in 2023.
• Craig Milde to the Jackson Historic Preservation Commission for a three-year term ending in 2024.
• Alynda Smithey, Rick Murray and Andrea Talley to three-year terms on the Community Outreach Board ending in 2024.
• Kevin Schaper to a five-year term on the Jackson Zoning Board of Adjustment ending in 2026.

The board also approved the appointment of Michelle Spooler to the office of municipal judge of the 32nd Judicial Circuit Court.

Because it was the Board of Aldermen's first meeting since the April 6 municipal election, the mayor and aldermen accepted the election results as certified by Cape Girardeau County Clerk Kara Clark Summers and took the oath of office for their new terms.

Other agenda items

In other action Monday night, the Jackson aldermen:

• Approved a change order with Jokerst Inc. of Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, related to a completion delay in connection with the second phase of the city's water system facility plan implementation project that will result in a $17,500 cost reduction for the city.
• Passed an ordinance approving a quitclaim deed of release to Altenthal-Jorens Post 158 of the American Legion in connection with a tract of land at the intersection of North High and East Mary streets.
• Received and approved a memorandum of understanding with Rockhill & Sons of Jackson in connection with concession stand operations in Jackson City Park.

The board also set 6 p.m. May 17 as the time and date for public hearings on several matters, including:

• An amendment to the city's ordinances related to application fees for rezoning, special-use permits and variances, as submitted by the City of Jackson.
• An amendment to the city's code of ordinances related to the term lengths for alternate members of the Jackson Zoning Board of Adjustment, as submitted by the City of Jackson.
• A request for a special-use permit for a 160-square-foot oversized attached sign and a 108-square-foot oversized monument sign in a C-2 (general commercial) district at 2130 E. Jackson Blvd., as submitted by Saint Francis Medical Center.

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