ORDERLY ANNEXATION IS NEW POLICY'S GOAL

The city of Cape Girardeau has adopted a new annexation policy. The policy not only targets potential areas for growth, but it outlines how city services will be extended to these areas.

This plan of action streamlines the annexation process. It's a sensible and realistic approach to orderly growth.

Some people embrace any annexation as a way to encourage growth in general, but specifically increases in the city's population. But growth comes at a cost that the city must weigh.

Services such as water, sewer, police and fire protection must accompany annexation within a certain time frame. Extending those services could prove very costly to all taxpayers. When it comes to annexation, the city seems cognizant of the old adage: Don't bite off more than you can chew.

The policy also wisely promotes voluntary annexation over forced growth. The latter often proves very time-consuming and expensive.

The City Council has targeted eight areas of potential growth. These are the areas targeted as priorities by the city's Planning and Zoning Commission in 1994:

-- The Dry Detention Basin Area near Route W and County Road 618. The detention basin is part of the overall flood-control project that has been under construction for several years.

-- An area extending from County Farm Park to Boutin Drive.

-- The corridor north of Lexington Road, from Big Bend Road to Old Sprigg Street.

-- The Cape Rock Village-Tanglewood Estates area.

-- The area south of Twin Lakes.

-- The area west of Cape West Business Park between Route K and Bloomfield Road.

-- The area south of Bloomfield Road and west of Interstate 55.

The policy recommends that water and sewer services not be hooked up until the city annexes or is in the process of annexing the property. Growth of land area or people certainly should be the payoff for the cost of extending services.

The policy also requires developers outside the city limits to build to code if they expect their subdivisions to one day be annexed. In the past, the city has had its share of headaches when annexing land with too narrow streets or inadequate water and sewer.

Annexation is typically not a money-making proposition for cities. The cost of extending city services typically exceeds any additional tax revenues.

Planning and growth takes vision and common-sense. This new annexation policy will help the city of Cape Girardeau grow in an orderly and cost-effective manner.