ZONING BOARD APPROVES CHANGES TO SUBDIVISION REGS

The Cape Girardeau Planning and Zoning Commission voted to recommend approval of changes in the city's subdivision regulations Wednesday night.

The changes, if approved by the city council, would require wider streets, new utility easement requirements and developer installation of street lights in new subdivisions.

Under the proposal, the minimum width of local streets would increase from 20 feet to 24 feet on streets with sidewalks.

City planner Kent Bratton said the 20-foot minimum now in place is too narrow for some equipment, including street sweepers.

Utility easements of at least 10 feet in width would be required adjacent to the right-of-way of all public streets.

The city would also require minimum easements of five feet across the rear property lines of all lots, and the city engineer may require additional five-foot wide utility easements for side lots and adjoining front and rear lot corridors.

Developers will now be required to install street lights and make them part of the improvement plans for new subdivisions.

Developers are already responsible for installing the wiring for the street lights, Bratton said. They will now have to pick up the cost for the light pole and fixture, and show where the lights will be located on preliminary plats.

In other action, the commission:

-- Voted to recommend approval of a request from Meyer Realty and Mary Ewing-Crafton for a special use permit to allow construction of an addition at Hakuna Matata Day Care Center, 833 N. Spanish. The addition will house a nursery for children ages 2 and under. The day care is located in an R-2, single family residential area.

-- Voted to recommend approval of a request from Money time Check Cashers, Inc. for a special use permit to allow the vacant building at 155 S. Park to be used for storage, with the stipulation that no hazardous, toxic or flammable materials be stored at the site. The building is located in an R-3, two-family residential district.

-- Held a public hearing on adoption of the city's annexation policy and plan. No one attended to present comments on the plan.