VOTERS WILL NEED LOTS OF DATA ON COUNTY PLANNING

Cape Girardeau County officials this week will conduct the first of a series of informational meetings on countywide planning and zoning in preparation for a Nov. 7 vote on whether the county should adopt countywide planning. If approved, the County Commission could establish countywide zoning as well.

The first informational meeting will be held at the Millersville School at 7 p.m. Tuesday. Meetings are scheduled for Sept. 21 at the Cape Girardeau County Administration Building in Jackson, Sept. 26 at a location yet to be announced in Cape Girardeau, Sept. 28 at Delta High School and Oct. 3 at Oak Ridge High School. All meetings begin at 7 p.m.

Thus far, few specifics about what county planning would entail have been given, and without that information it is difficult for anyone to make an informed decision on planning and zoning. Even a rather vocal group opposed to planning and zoning is in the dark about what passage of the issue would mean.

County officials will be doing voters a favor by outlining specifics of the plan and how it would affect property owners. Only then can voters decide whether Cape Girardeau County needs planning and zoning.