Residents of Cape Girardeau mobile home park evicted to make way for rezoning project

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KFVS) - Moving day is most days at Cape Girardeau's Star Vue Mobile Home Park.

That's because the owner of the land wants to bring something different to the city.

The owner of the Star Vue Mobile home park says rezoning the land for a new development would be an improvement to Cape Girardeau.

Residents got a letter back in July telling them it's time to go to make way for a new development.

Resident Guy Cook says he doesn't want to go nor can he afford to leave.

"I thought I'd found a place where I could be for the rest of my days. Didn't work out that way," Cook said.

That's because property owner, Bradley Schlosser, wants to rezone this land from mobile to residential. Saying he wants "a nice development that would be an improvement of the existing development."

Cook and other tenants got a letter from Bertrand Law Firm saying if they are gone by October 1st - they would give them $500.

"Had no idea. Totally blindsided," Cook said.

Cook says moving his trailer would cost around $3,000.

"I don't think that's fair. I don't think that's a very good way to do business. I don't think it's ethical for one thing," Cook said.

Trae Bertrand owns Bertrand Law Firm and is the Chairman of Cape Girardeau's Planning and Zoning Commission.

They will decide if Schlosser can have his property rezoned.

According to meeting minutes from August, Bertrand recused himself, meaning he didn't talk about it and didn't vote.

In the meantime, Guy Cook just wants the ability to get out of their way.

"It's going to be a heavy loss. I'll have to try to borrow the money somewhere and I don't know if I've got good enough credit to do that or not," Cook said.

Cook says even though the process is legal - it doesn't feel right.

"I'm not real happy about it, but they've conformed to the letter of the law, so there's nothing I can do but go," Cook said.

Cape Girardeau's City Attorney Eric Cunningham says it is legal for Bertrand to manage the eviction process for Star Vue Residents, but not anything involving the planning and zoning of that property.

The mobile home park is located at 1927 N Kingshighway St.

Bertrand tells KFVS he will continue to remove himself from discussions or voting on the topic.

The topic of rezoning the property was tabled at the last planning and zoning commission meeting, meaning no vote was taken.

Their next meeting is set for Wednesday, October 11.

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