ST. ANDREW CHURCH WINS P & G REQUEST

Despite concerns from neighboring property owners, members of the city's Planning and Zoning Commission couldn't find any reason to deny a rezoning request from St. Andrew Lutheran Church.

The commission unanimously approved the church's request for rezoning as a commercial property during its meeting Wednesday night.

If the church ever decided to sell the property, the first thing the commission would see is a rezoning request for commercial use, said Hugh White. Property across the street and on either side of the property is already zoned for commercial use so it wouldn't be a case of approving spot zoning, said Harry Rediger.

It is likely the first time that such a request from a church came before the commission, said Chairman R.J. McKinney. "We've had some special-use permits but not anything like this," he said.

St. Andrew Church was seeking the zoning change so it can become the temporary location for Saxony Lutheran High School when it opens in fall 2000.

The church, at 804 N. Cape Rock Drive, sits at one of the city's busier intersections. Neighbors voiced concerns about added traffic and the possibility of an expansion.

But Fred Younghouse, chairman of the Board of Regents for Saxony School, said it's unlikely that the school will have a large enrollment in its beginning year. Estimated enrollment is about 40 students, with plans to add classes each year."We are already looking at property north of Cape Girardeau," he said.

Eighteen area Missouri-Synod Lutheran congregations have formed the Saxony High School Association. A ceremony celebrating the official dedication of the school will be held at 2:30 p.m. Sunday at Trinity Lutheran Church. A change in zoning can be very detrimental to the property value of neighboring homes, said Susan Gentry who lives on Jurie Street behind the church. Neighboring property owners aren't as much concerned about why the church needed to change its zoning as they are about how the zoning will affect future use of the property. Dick Gentry said he's not so much opposed to the church using its property for the school, but that the commission approved the rezoning request. As a commercial property, that location could one day become a drive-through restaurant, bowling alley, car lot or even a radio station. The site is likely to remain a church even if the St. Andrew congregation were to relocate sometime in the future because that is its ideal use, said Charles Haubold. "It would probably be a smaller church looking for a new home," Rediger said. Haubold agreed since there are plenty of churches looking for permanent homes. In other business, the commission:* Approved in a 5-2 vote a request from Peter J. Gordon to rezone 1104, 1108 and 1110 William Street and 131 S. Hanover St. from local commercial to two-family residential district.* Approved the record plats for Gammon Subdivision, Thomas Drive Subdivision, Giboney Woods 3rd Subdivision and Chalet Trace Second Subdivision.