PLANS HAVE NEIGHBORS AT ODDS WITH CHURCH

Pastor Gary Brothers of the First Assembly of God Church of Cape Girardeau envisions an impressive and visually appealing worship and recreation complex amid 53.7 acres of currently open fields and rolling hills along Old Hopper Road.

In addition to a new church, the complex would feature a day care center, ball fields, a 1,000-seat amphitheater, walking trails and a 3-acre lake.

"The actual development we have laid out for the property is a park-like setting," Brothers said.

However, neighbors of the property predict heavy traffic, increased pollution and intolerable noise fostered by such a development would destroy what is currently a peaceful residential area.

"We are talking about a complex that is larger than the Show Me Center," said Drake Kambitch of 3606 Old Hopper Road.

The church is asking for a special use permit so it can move forward with it plans for property it owns in the 3700 block of Old Hopper. The Cape Girardeau Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a public hearing on the proposal at 7 p.m. tonight at City Hall.

Up in arms'

"I don't have any idea how the commission is going to act," said member R.J. McKinney. "I do know residents are up in arms about it all over the neighborhood."

The commission has received a dozen letters of opposition to the proposal. Kambitch said more than 100 nearby property owners are mobilized to fight the church's plans. Kambitch said the property, which is zoned for single-family residential use, should remain such.

"A special use permit would virtually allow them to do what they wish," Kambitch said.

James Keen said that when he purchased his home at 3630 Old Hopper Road five years ago, he thought he would be living in a strictly residential area.

"I bought into a nice, quiet neighborhood and they want to destroy it," Keen said. "If I had known this was going to be there, I never would have moved here."

Keen said if the development is allowed to move forward, the church should buy his property.

"It should be a residential neighborhood," Keen said. "Nothing more, nothing less."

Brothers said the opposition is being fueled by misinformation, with emotions overriding facts. He hopes to dispel any concerns during tonight's meeting.

"It is really a matter of convincing them what is actually going on," Brothers said. "I really don't think this group understands fully what we are doing."

The current First Assembly of God Church at 750 N. Mt. Auburn Road is not far from the proposed site. Brothers said approximately 2,000 people attend services at the church each weekend.

Two-phase project

The Old Hopper Road property, which Brothers said the church purchased for $1 million, would be developed in two phases over 10 years. Brothers said the first phase, which would begin in 2002 or 2003, would cost between $5 million and $6 million.

Brothers said development of the property is inevitable. If the church's plans fail to move forward, Brothers said the land would be converted into subdivisions. Such use would destroy any green space on the property and result in even greater noise and traffic problems than those opponents fear from the church's plans.

"We will develop it in the most pleasant way in which it can be developed and still maintain the aesthetics of the property," Brothers said.

Steve LeGrand of 3618 Old Hopper Road disagrees, given the scope of the church's proposal. He predicted it would damage area property values, among other negative effects.

"This is not a typical church," LeGrand said. "We have no opposition whatsoever to the church. What is being proposed is more equivalent to a commercial business."

In the 11 years LeGrand has lived in the neighborhood, he has seen immense changes as more and more homes have been built in what was once an almost rural setting. Local roads have been unable to handle the increased traffic, though problems were alleviated some by the completion of the Hopper Road extension, he said.

More study asked

LeGrand said legal action is an option for residents should the Planning and Zoning Commission and then the City Council allow the project to proceed, but is quick to say it's too early to talk about that.

"We are not making threats," LeGrand said. "We don't even want to be viewed as making threats."

Van Ayers of 1006 Oak Ridge Court in the nearby Ashland Hills subdivision said the development "could potentially be a plus for the neighborhood." However, he's concerned that paving of the property to accommodate 1,200 parking spaces and other elements of the development could create water runoff problems when it rains, potentially causing flooding in his basement and those of his neighbors. He wants his questions satisfactorily answered before the project is allowed to proceed.

"I think they need to do an environmental assessment, address everybody's issues and then move on," Ayers.

Several residents suggested that the church look elsewhere to build. Brothers said that isn't an option.

"We want to be within the city limits, and this is one of the last existing pieces of property big enough to do what we want to do," Brothers said.