LAKE: BACKERS OUTLINE PROPOSAL

JACKSON -- Supporters of a Cape Girardeau-Bollinger counties recreational lake outlined their plans before the Cape Girardeau County Commission Thursday.

The commission voiced neither support for nor opposition to a lake project.

Presiding Commissioner Gerald Jones, reading a statement on behalf of the commission, pledged the commission will keep an open mind concerning the proposal and listen to people on all sides of the issue.

Jones said county residents must be aware of a lake's potential impact, both positively and negatively, before being asked whether it should be built and funded.

"It is important that the question of building a lake in Cape and Bollinger counties be determined in an open format," Jones said. "The commission's intent is that everyone be completely informed."

Greg Williams, executive director of the Regional Commerce and Growth Association, and W.B. Sandlin presented the proposal to the commission during its meeting in Jackson. A half-dozen supportive landowners who would be affected by the project also attended.

Sandlin outlined a bill introduced in the Missouri General Assembly by Sen. Peter Kinder, R-Cape Girardeau, that would amend 1990 legislation authorizing the development.

The legislation decreases the amount of power a governing lake authority would have over the ownership and use of property adjacent to the lake and addresses other landowner concerns.

"The lake authority as previously proposed was too strong," Jones said. "It would have had more power than Jackson, Cape and Cape County combined."

A group of landowners who would be affected by the project helped develop the proposed legislative changes.

Jerry Hollis of Fruitland owns 25 acres of property on the Cape Girardeau-Bollinger counties line. The lake would take seven acres of his land.

"I was behind the original plan until I saw what kind of power the lake authority would have," Hollis said. "It was too much and didn't give the landowners anything."

The lake authority would have had control over land within 400 feet of the shoreline and zoning authority within 5,000 feet of the shoreline. Adjacent landowners wouldn't have been allowed lake access.

Landowners would have been denied the right to profit by selling their land to developers, Hollis said.

The revised proposal, Sandlin said, alleviates those concerns. "Profits and opportunities will flow more to adjacent landowners," he said.

As proposed, a lake authority would have control within only 50 feet of the shoreline. Property owners would have open access to the lake and be allowed to build boathouses on the water.

Zoning authority would stretch only 2,000 feet from the shore and current use would be grandfathered in. For example, farmland would remain farmland unless the owner wished to develop it.

Hollis said the landowners group only addressed concerns of property owners and didn't look into other details such as financing.

Sandlin said a sales tax would be needed to fund the project. The tax would be subject to approval of voters in both counties.

The previous law allowed the county commissions to place a lake proposal on the ballot. Neither commission did.

The revised version would allow the question to be placed on the ballot in both counties via initiative petitions.

Jones asked why the legislation doesn't specify the amount of the sales tax. Sandlin said that remains to be determined but expects it will be no more than 1 cent on the dollar.

The amount of tax would depend on the final scope of the project, which is yet to be determined, Sandlin said.

The commission expressed reservations about forcing people opposed to the project to sell their land.

"We are definitely in favor of progress for this area, but we also have a deep feeling for those who may lose their land," Jones said.

Sandlin said if eminent domain must be used proposals are in place to deal fairly with landowners.