Subdivision access causes concern

CHARLESTON - County commissioners will ask a developer to reconsider her choice for access to her new subdivision.

Presiding Commissioner Jim Blumenberg said during the Mississippi County Commission's regular meeting Thursday that he was been contacted by residents of the three homes on Michael Lane, a dead-end road adjacent to the subdivision approved for Ruth Ann Maxwell in July.

The residents of Michael Lane, concerned about the increase in traffic in front of their homes as well as the loss of privacy, don't want their road to connect with and serve as the entrance to the new subdivision.

"I hope to continue to live on a dead-end road," said one of Michael Lane's residents in a letter to commissioners.

Another resident, Bob Munson, said he doesn't even care what they build behind his home, he just doesn't want the dust from passing traffic.

"That's my retirement home," Munson said. "I've saved my whole life." He said he's already lost two or three nights sleep over the matter.

Blumenberg said when he approved the subdivision plat, he thought Maxwell intended to build a road connecting with Miller Road. "I guess maybe I wasn't paying attention to it," he said.

If Maxwell plans to develop her land in that area, "she'll have to put in a road eventually," Blumenberg reasoned.

Commissioner Martin Lucas agreed to speak with Maxwell and "see if she will go another way." He said there is one option that could be designed as a decorative entrance.

Lucas noted that he had advised the developer of Michael Lane not to leave a dead-end "stub street" butted up against the adjacent property owner, and on Maxwell's part there was "nothing wrong with the process."

When a street is "stubbed" like that, it is usually with the expectation that it will be connected to future streets, Lucas said. "Cities always stub to a property line."

Blumenberg agreed "that was a poor layout" for Michael Lane.

Lucas repeated his promise, however, to attempt to "get Ruth Ann to reconsider and change it."

"If she's going to develop it, she needs to put that road in now," Blumenberg said. Although land will have to be set aside for the road, it will not cost the developer as the county is building the roads.

Blumenberg said he will be more careful when approving subdivisions in the future, and Lucas suggested commissioners discuss future subdivision approvals over a period of three meetings to allow time for public comment.

In other Mississippi County business:

* Commissioners discussed with David Brewer, city manager for Charleston, options for rebuilding the ditch crossing behind the old Wal-Mart shopping center.

The shopping center's rear entrance is being re-opened by Charleston city officials for delivery trucks. "They're going to rebuild the street with our assistance," said Commissioner Homer Oliver.

Duckwall ALCO, a Midwestern variety department store chain based in Abilene, Kan., is reportedly going to lease the building formerly occupied by Wal-Mart.

Officials agreed a 20-foot wide crossing will be sufficient. "Our bridges are 20 foot," said Blumenberg.

Brewer said he thinks they need a 60-70 foot long pipe, adding that he would prefer two "so we don't have anything to worry about."

Lucas agreed they need to "be careful we don't bottleneck that water."

* Commissioners reviewed a letter from the Missouri Department of Economic Development advising the county-sponsored grant application by the Susanna Wesley Family Learning Center for a youth opportunity tax credit program for children in areas with pervasive poverty and violence was awarded $204,767.

Dr. Martha Ellen Black, the Center's executive director, explained the program provides for 50 percent of contributions to the Center to be credited as payments toward the donator's income tax bill.

Additionally, the donations may be claimed as deductions for federal taxes.

* Despite predictions his opinion would probably "make some people mad," Blumenberg said he thinks potato trucks are tearing up county roads without contributing any taxes toward their maintenance.

Blumenberg said he believes the potato trucks are using the county's roads because they are overloaded and are trying to avoid state troopers.

Oliver said he didn't think the county could prevent them from using the roads.

* With only 18 votes giving Lucas a victory over his closest challenger in the Aug. 3 primary election, a manual recount for the Democratic candidate for second district county commissioner will be conducted as mandated by state statutes for races with less than one percent of a difference.