P&Z RECOMMENDS ZONING FOR RESIDENTIAL CARE FACILITY

The Cape Girardeau Planning and Zoning Commission Wednesday recommended the city council approve rezoning of a tract of property on Bloomfield Road for a residential care facility.

The commission also approved recommendations in favor of plans for a church facility on Lexington and Route W, and luxury duplexes along Mt. Auburn Road.

The commission last month tabled the rezoning request for the facility at 2200 Bloomfield Road because of questions regarding parking requirements at the site.

Emil and Mabel Dewrock, Peggy St. Cin and Jeffrey L. Pickle sought the zoning change, from single-family to multiple-family residential.

Pickle told the commission Wednesday that the group plans to convert the home into a care facility for those elderly who need 24-hour supervision but are able to perform most of their daily activities.

Commissioners questioned whether the five parking spaces at the house would be adequate for the facility, which could house up to 16 people and two employees.

City Planner Kent Bratton said the city's zoning law requires that such a facility have a parking space for every six beds.

"Five spaces would be adequate for that specific use," said commissioner Dennis Vollink. But, he added, if the tract was rezoned, it could be used for other purposes that would need additional spaces.

Commissioner Tom Mogelnicki said: "Your concept's great, but the parking's a concern." He said that if half the 16 residents had visitors at once, parking would be insufficient.

But other commissioners said that if the parking meets the zoning law requirements, the commission can't really oppose the rezoning request on those grounds.

"If it's a reasonable use and it's not going to hurt the neighborhood, I don't know that we could really vote against it," said Vollink.

When the commission tabled the request last month, they also asked the developers to research state requirements for such facilities to be certain they wanted to proceed with the proposal.

St. Cin said she was certain the group could meet any requirements imposed by the Missouri Division on Aging, the agency that governs such facilities.

The commission also unanimously approved a recommendation that a special use permit be granted to the Cape LaCroix United Methodist Church for a church facility at the corner of Route W and Lexington Avenue.

Stephen Strom, a member of the congregation, said the church now uses a house on the site as a parsonage. He said the church plans to convert the home for church administration and other activities while it continues to conduct Sunday worship services at West Park Mall.

In other business, the commission approved rezoning of five lots along Mt. Auburn Road from commercial to two-family residential for the purpose of constructing "luxury" duplexes.

Keith Deimund requested the change, and commissioner Harry Rediger said the duplexes would be a "natural buffer" between commercial and residential development in the area.