P&Z commission shaping Cape's future

The meetings aren't long, but they're meaningful.

The monthly gathering of the Cape Girardeau Planning and Zoning Commission -- which is made up of architects, contractors, landlords, laborers, developers and ordinary residents -- generally last no longer than an hour.

But the 11-person board doesn't waste time when it meets the second Wednesday of each month, whether listening to a developer describe his new apartment complex or neighbors grouse about how a new shop would drive property values into the ground.

"It's always interesting to hear about things that are happening in the city," said commission chairman Charles Haubold, a contractor for 33 years. "None of us would be doing this if it wasn't."

Closely listened to

The commission does more than pay attention. As an advisory board that the Cape Girardeau City Council listens to closely, the commission is instrumental in determining which new residential and commercial projects get done.

By forming zoning ordinances and designing street plans -- all with the help of the city's Planning Services Division -- the group also shapes future growth and helps determine what the city will look like for years to come.

"We hope we have an impact," said commissioner Tom Holshouser, an architect. "We take our role very seriously and try to be diligent about what we're doing."

During the meetings, after listening to presentations from project developers, the council-appointed commission uses its vast amount of collective knowledge and votes on projects.

That's not the last word, however, as the project carries that recommendation on to the city council for a final thumbs up or down.

"Our job is to weed out problems before it gets to the council," Haubold said. "We also let them know how we feel about it, and they can take it for what it's worth."

The commission's advice is apparently is worth quite a bit, considering that Haubold estimates that the council follows the commission's recommendation 90-95 percent of the time.

Councilman Butch Eggimann agreed that the council relies heavily on the commission's recommendations.

"The guys we've had on there have been the cream of the crop over the years," Eggimann said. "They've stepped up and done a lot of work with very little recognition. We would have a terrible time without them."

Switching sides

Like the city council, the Planning and Zoning Commission has term limits, meaning the group is a revolving door for those interested in community service.

At a recent meeting, the council appointed two new members: Scott Rhodes, vice president of Plaza Tire Service Inc., and Greg Williams, who is the executive director of the Regional Commerce and Growth Association.

Another new member will have to be appointed to replace Sue Anne Rademaker, who plans to resign before the next meeting because of health concerns.

Rhodes said he joined because he's been on the other side of the table. Rhodes' family-owned business also is a development company dealing in real-estate development.

"So I know what it's like to be in front of the commission," Rhodes said. "And I bring the experience of a developer."

Rhodes said one thing he's noticed is that there seems to be a lot of red tape in the development process. He said he hopes to look at ways to expedite decisions.

If he brings the experience of a developer, he said he also hopes to bring a developer's perspective.

"I understand how a $1,000 change that the commission wants you to make makes a difference," Rhodes said. "I want to make sure that we're not adding costs to projects that aren't necessary."

Williams said he believes his experience as director of RCGA and as president of Old Town Cape, a group that represents downtown business interests, would benefit the commission.

"I want to be involved with the community and that's why you put your name in," he said. "Being on the commission also will give a better feel of what can or can't be done in Old Town Cape."

Commissioners who have been on the board for a while had various reasons for joining, though they all said they did so in part because they wanted to give something back to the city.

"I've lived in Cape Girardeau since 1950," said commissioner R.J. McKinney, who is retired from Jim Wilson Wholesale Auto Supply. "I joined because I saw it as a way to do some good for a city that's been good to me."

Vice chairman Ray Buhs said he believes being involved in your community is the right thing to do.

"I've belonged to a number of organizations and I've always felt you owe something to your community, your lodge and your church," he said. "I get some satisfaction from helping the city get things done."

Testing tempers

But Haubold said being on the commission is not always pleasant.

"Sometimes we're seen as being not very nice people because of the decisions we have to make," he said. "When we vote down a proposal, it makes some people angry. When you delay a project because something needs to be changed, it sometimes makes people unhappy. Not everybody leaves the meetings a happy camper."

The commission's role extends beyond new projects in town. City planner Kent Bratton, the city government's liaison to the commission, said that having a non-paid commission of volunteers is necessary to establish zoning and subdivision regulations.

Subdivision regulations dictate, among other things, the width of streets and lot sizes when a commercial or residential subdivision is developed. Zoning ordinances control what uses are allowed after those lots are subdivided by developers, whether it be commercial, industrial or residential.

In addition to preparing the zoning and subdivision ordinances -- all subject to final council approval -- the commission is also charged with developing a comprehensive plan for the city, Bratton said.

They design a future land-use plan, which is a guide of what zoning is likely to go where. They also design a major street plan, which outlines where the new streets are going to go. They do that without council approval, although the streets won't actually be built until the council says so.

Bratton said one of the accomplishments the commission has been most integral in is the establishment of the Transportation Trust Fund, which is generated by a half-cent sales tax.

Orderly and organized

The commission works on a schedule of road improvements that are spread out over five years.

"Without that funding, we'd do one or two streets at best," Bratton said.

Haubold boils it down like this: "The P and Z does one thing: Make sure that the city grows in an orderly and organized fashion," he said. "That's basically it."

To do that takes knowledge and an understanding of how the system works, Bratton said. But Bratton said the most important quality a commissioner should have is civic-mindedness.

"They need to have a deep interest in the community," Bratton said. "It takes quite a lot of dedication."

smoyers@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 137