Neighbors crowd council chambers to oppose Habitat project

More than 80 people who live near a wooded site Habitat for Humanity wants to develop as a residential subdivision in Cape Girardeau voiced opposition to the project Thursday.

The standing-room-only crowd in the city council chambers told Al Stoverink, executive director of the local Habitat for Humanity chapter, they don’t want a 40-lot subdivision constructed in their neighborhood.

Opponents cited stormwater and traffic problems and concerns it would lead to lower property values as reasons they object to the project.

Neighbors said extending Clark Avenue would create traffic problems.

At the end of a two-hour meeting, which also was attended by councilmen Victor Gunn and Bob Fox and two members of the city staff, Stoverink said he would sit down with his board to look at all options, including looking to see whether other sites would be feasible for the project.

Stoverink said the owner of this site is offering to donate the land in return for tax credits. The land is valued at $750,000, Stoverink told the crowd.

“The board has to decide as to what will serve the community the best,” he said. “I sincerely believe this will be an enhancement to the community as a whole.”

Stoverink said those in the audience made their feelings clear. “You want the project to go away.”

Some in the audience suggested the Habitat board should look elsewhere in the city to build such a subdivision or continue with the current practice of building houses on individual lots scattered throughout the city.

Dawn Clark, who lives near the proposed subdivision, objected to developing an entire subdivision for low-income residents.

Clark said she is not against construction of Habitat houses, “just don’t put them all together.”

Stoverink said he understands some neighbors in the area are concerned the development will lead to increased crimes and Habitat residents will not maintain their homes.

But Stoverink said Habitat clients are hard-working individuals or people who live on disability benefits who don’t have the income to obtain conventional loans to buy homes.

They have to pay 25-year mortgages, which are offered interest-free, he said.

Stoverink said there is a Habitat subdivision in Springfield, Missouri.

But Becki Essner, who lives on Stoddard Street and whose property abuts the proposed development, said the Springfield subdivision was built in an economically depressed area of the city.

Many in the audience said their neighborhood already has serious storm drainage problems the city has not addressed. Destroying the woods and building Habitat homes only will add to the water problems, they said.

Kathy Payne, who lives on Jean Anne Drive, said the city can’t take care of the stormwater problems that exist now.

“I have fought the water ever since I have been here,” she said.

Neighbors repeatedly said they believe the subdivision would lower their property values. Stoverink disagreed.

John Boyd, who lives on Howell Street, objected to building a subdivision that will herd low-income residents into one area.

“You are ghettoizing people,” he told Stoverink.

Jeff Long, who serves on the Habitat board of directors, attended the meeting. He said the board will review the matter.

“We can’t operate without good will,” he said.

The proposed development would require council approval of setback variances to proceed as currently planned.

If the council doesn’t approve the plan, Stoverink said another option would be to develop a standard subdivision on the residentially zoned site with no variances or green space.

“It is something that the city council would legally be bound to approve,” he said.

mbliss@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3641

Pertinent address:

Clark Avenue and Lombardo Drive, Cape Girardeau, Mo.