WILLIAM STREET ZONING HEARING IS TONIGHT

The Cape Girardeau Planning and Zoning Commission tonight will conduct an informational hearing to garner citizen input on a proposal to rezone a section of William Street from residential to commercial.

Residents who live within the William Street corridor between Sprigg and Sheridan Drive, which includes property 350 feet north and south of the route, are invited to attend the meeting and voice their opinions concerning the strip zoning proposal.

City Planner Kent Bratton will present a report on commercial development of the section of William Street since the city adopted its zoning laws in 1968.

Bratton said Monday that since 1968, 17 tracts have been rezoned to C-1 or C-2 commercial, and nine special use permits have been issued for property along the corridor.

Bratton said he's in the process of "field checking" the rezoned properties to determine which zoning changes or special use permits actually resulted in new businesses. He said the bulk of the corridor remains zoned residential and is in residential use.

The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended nearly two years ago that the city staff study a proposal to rezone William from Sprigg to West End Boulevard, and last month the commission asked that a public hearing be held on the matter.

Some commissioners have said commercial development on the arterial street is inevitable.

Because the street is zoned residential, the commissioners and council members have complained that they have been forced to consider several requests for special commercial uses and rezoning, which often amounts to "spot zoning," which by charter the city opposes.

Concerns expressed by city officials about the strip zoning proposal include:

Continued approval of special-use permits for commercial development while the area remains zoned as residential likely will lower residential property values on the street, while still hindering commercial development.

Rezoning of property fronting on William Street also would affect residential properties that abut the rear of the William Street tracts. The streets north and south of William also are zoned residential.

Development along the new Mississippi River Bridge route that's scheduled to be built in about five years could diminish the need for commercial development on William Street, now the city's primary east-west arterial.

The new bridge route, a five-lane, limited access expressway, is expected to relieve some of the traffic congestion and commercial traffic now on William.

Although the idea of rezoning William as commercial first was suggested in 1976, there has since been little commercial development to justify acceptance of the notion that the entire street eventually will be developed for businesses.

The public hearing will be held at City Hall as part of the Planning and Zoning Commission's regular May meeting.