TWO CONTROVERSIAL VOTES FACE COUNCIL

Cape Girardeau city councilmen will decide tonight whether to allow smaller lot sizes in a northside development and whether politically active citizens can put candidates' signs near the street.

The first issue will impact landowners near the corner of Bertling and Sprigg streets. Dallas businessman Harold Holigan plans to develop 145 lots in Forest Hills Subdivision, where homes would cost between $95,000 and $135,000.

His subdivision currently is zoned R-1, which requires lots to be at least 10,000 square feet. Holigan wants an R-2 zoning so his lots can be as small at 7,000 feet, keeping new home costs down.

Even with the lesser zoning, most lots would be larger than the minimum, he said.

The idea met with considerable opposition at the Planning and Zoning Commission level in September. Two adjoining landowners and several neighbors came to object to the rezoning. They argued that the zoning should stay what it was when Holigan bought the property.

Several other Cape Girardeau residents, including industrial recruiter Mitch Robinson, spoke on Holigan's behalf. Robinson said the availability of new, affordable housing is a big issue when trying to attract industry to Cape Girardeau.

Holigan told Planning and Zoning commissioners that the same issue soon may apply to his own employees. He plans to build a plant to produce components for factory-built homes. It would employ 300 people -- people who need affordable housing, he said.

Planning and Zoning commissioners voted 5-to-1 to recommend the council grant the rezoning request.

Holigan said Sunday he won't attend tonight's council meeting but hopes the council will take the commission's recommendation. As for the plant, the choices have been narrowed to Cape Girardeau, Jackson or Sikeston, he said, and a decision will be made within 30 days.

Sikeston has an existing building ready, Holigan said, but Cape Girardeau and Jackson also have benefits to offer.

Councilmen J.J. Williamson, Richard Eggimann and Tom Neumeyer all said Sunday that they plan to vote for the rezoning regardless of whether the plant comes to Cape Girardeau.

"As far as I'm concerned, if Planning and Zoning recommends it I'll go with it," Williamson said. "We have a lot of building going on, but it is out of the price range of most people. We need something affordable."

However, the councilmen differ on an ordinance that would keep political signs off city right-of-way.

Neumeyer proposed the ordinance at the Sept. 16 council meeting. It would prohibit the posting of signs on public property and within 10 feet of existing streets. It also would limit the amount of time a sign could be posted to 90 days before an election and seven days afterward.

Police would be responsible for warning candidates if their signs were in violation of the law.

Neumeyer said Sunday he proposed the ordinance after receiving "quite a few" calls from concerned citizens.

If passed, the law could affect signs posted for the November general election. It goes into effect 10 days after passage, and final passage would be Oct. 21. But depending on legal interpretation, signs already posted when the law passed may not be in violation, Neumeyer said.

He will face opposition from at least two councilmen. Williamson and Eggimann both plan to vote against the ordinance.

"I have a lot of questions about this," Eggimann said. "Who will do the citing? The police? Will we hire another 10 people? We are somewhat undermanned as it is. Who will do the measuring to be sure it is 10 feet?

"We have other things to worry about."

The council will meet at 7:30 p.m. at City Hall.