LACK OF COUNTY ZONING ISN'T A PROBLEM -- NOW

It's been two years since zoning was abolished in Cape Girardeau County. Dire consequences predicted by some zoning supporters haven't come to pass.

People are tired of too many government regulations. It intrudes in all areas of our lives, even in the most unexpected places. No doubt this anti-regulatory sentiment helped to oust zoning.

The only problem so far is the appearance of mobile homes in areas dominated by single-family homes. But the affected homeowners haven't approached the county commission with any concerns.

Ironically, the loss of zoning not only affects the county but Cape Girardeau city as well. Before county zoning, the city had a say over development within a two-mile buffer area. That ended with the introduction of county zoning, and it didn't resume when county zoning ended. Statutes now say a city must be 65,000 or larger to enforce zoning in that two-mile buffer zone. That means a factory could locate just outside the city limits near a residential area, and the city could do nothing about it.

Zoning can help protects property owners. As long as nothing happens to outrage county residents, it is doubtful anyone will move to reinstate zoning. But it would take only one controversial pairing of commercial and residential areas to bring the whole issue back before the public eye.