PLANNING AND ZONING PANEL CONTINUES TO WORK

It appears that for the second time this decade, Cape Girardeau County voters will get another crack at the controversial notion of countywide planning and zoning. In 1992, voters went to the polls and threw out the 20-year-old planning commission by an overwhelming 2-1 margin. This might be understood as a variety of populist uprising against what was perceived -- with some justification -- as a meddlesome bureaucracy seeking to tell private landowners what they can and can't do with their own property.

In January 1997, Cape County achieved status as a first-class county under Missouri statutes. First-class counties possess the power to enact county ordinances. The county commission appointed a 10-member planning commission that has been meeting since December 1996. This commission will present proposals to the public and to the county commission, which will then hold public hearings. Presiding Commissioner Gerald Jones says an election is likely next April.

Recently, instances continue to crop up wherein landowners in unincorporated areas of the county awaken to a neighboring land use to which they have strong objections, but about which they can do nothing in the absence of planning and zoning. Proponents of the planning process nonetheless have their work cut out for them, in view of the voters' most recent, unambiguous statement on the matter. This will be a hot topic over the next year, as the planning process unfolds.