MOBILE HOMES ON P&Z AGENDA

At its meeting tonight, the Cape Girardeau Planning and Zoning Commission could recommend allowing double-wide mobile homes in residential neighborhoods under certain circumstances and requiring sidewalks in all subdivisions with homes on lots of less than three acres.

Tonight's meeting is at 7 in the City Council chambers.

Under the current Cape Girardeau city code, individuals may put any kind of mobile home in any zoning if they can convince the city council to grant them a special-use permit. The council can deny a special-use permit if it would, in their judgment, "adversely affect the character of the neighborhood" or "adversely affect the general welfare of the community," according to the city code.

R.J. McKinney, chairman of the Planning and Zoning Commission, said at a commission meeting last month that he would always vote against placing a mobile home in any residential area. He said he would like to tighten up the language in the ordinance to discourage people from applying for special-use permits they won't get. He also called for very specific definitions of mobile home and modular home.

At a work session two weeks ago, the commission discussed possible changes to the city code and recommended that the city staff write a suggested ordinance.

It does include definitions of both and would allow modular homes in all residential neighborhoods provided they meet all city building codes. Mobile homes, which are generally transported to the home site in one or two pieces, would be allowed provided they conform to federal codes and they had special-use permits.

The ordinance the staff submitted would allow special-use permits only for double-wide mobile homes in residential homes and only if:

-- They are at least 24 feet long and 42 feet wide.

-- All wheels, axles, lights and towing apparatus are removed.

-- It is permanently installed on a foundation that meets building codes for permanent houses.

-- Its roof is pitched and "is covered with material that is residential in appearance. That provision specifically excludes metal or corrugated fiberglass roofs.

-- It has exterior siding and steps that look like those on a conventional home.

-- Its placement, including setbacks and orientation, conforms to zoning for conventional homes in the area.

Melvin Dockins, a member of the commission, said that those conditions sound good to him but he might need to study them more.

"I would have no objection to having it in my neighborhood if it was in conformity with the rest of the neighborhood," Dockins said. He said the staff's conditions seem to be in line with his ideas.

Another commission member, Tom Mogelnicki, said he would only favor allowing double-wide mobile homes in an area where the conventionally built homes were of comparable value. He said placing a mobile home in an area of $300,000 homes would adversely affect the resale value of the existing homes.

He said that continuing to require a special-use permit for mobile homes would allow the commission and the city council to pick and choose where to place mobile homes.

The proposed sidewalk ordinance would require sidewalks to be installed before issuing occupancy permits for any homes on lots smaller than three acres. It would also allow sidewalks at the rear of lots or adjacent to streams.

If a sidewalk wouldn't connect to any other sidewalks, developers could, if they apply for it, get permission from the city council to not install sidewalks. This would mostly affect subdivisions that have already been partially built and occupied without sidewalks, and where the newest homes would be isolated from outside streets.