PLANNING-ZONING ANSWERS ARE OUT THERE

A proposal on the Nov. 7 general-election ballot that would enable Cape Girardeau County to adopt countywide planning and zoning deserves every voter's attention.

You owe it to yourself to know what will happen if the proposal passes.

The answers are available, but you have to seek them out. And the simplest way to do that is to obtain copies of the proposed planning and zoning regulations.

Countywide planning and zoning has been a controversial issue in this county for almost three decades. Countywide planning was approved by voters in 1972 and remained in force until they voted it out in 1992. In doing so, voters also threw out the county's subdivision and mobile home park regulations, which had been adopted by a county commission in 1975, and voided the county's master plan, which was used to guide land development in unincorporated areas.

Determined to give voters another shot at the issue, the County Commission in 1996 appointed a temporary planning commission and contracted with the Southeast Missouri Regional Planning and Economic Development Commission to help draw up a set of planning and zoning regulations for the county.

The issue on the ballot is whether county planning should be established. A simple majority is needed for passage. If it passes, the County Commission would appoint a permanent eight-member planning commission, which would propose planning and zoning regulations. The County Commission would have the final say on the regulations, and public hearings would be required before anything goes into effect.

County officials are trying to inform voters about planning and zoning through a series of public meetings around the county. The meetings, however, have been attended mostly by those opposed to planning and zoning. Few who are undecided about planning and zoning or are looking for information to help them decide.

The large segment of voters who are undecided should go to the county administrative building in Jackson and buy a copy of the proposed master plan, the subdivision and mobile-home-park regulations, and the zoning regulations. They can be purchased for $5 each or $10 for all three.

These documents are the basis for planning and zoning and provide the answers to any questions anyone might have. Buy the copies, study and discuss them, and share them with friends. Then go to the polls on Nov. 7 armed with information on this important issue.