A new Cape Girardeau initiative aims at making neighborhoods more self-sufficient.
The Neighborhood Development Initiative, or NDI, focuses on helping neighborhoods become more self-sufficient in aspects such as crime prevention and general property maintenance. To achieve this goal, the Comprehensive Plan Oversight Committee hopes to create neighborhood-specific task forces, who will meet with the Committee to help improve the city.
City planner Ryan Shrimplin says these plans will empower neighborhoods.
“They’re being formulated as a direct result of the citizen’s survey that was recently completed,” Shrimplin said. “And in looking at the results of that survey, there were particular issues that were identified that were of great importance to the citizens.”
Shrimplin says the Committee hopes to bring a healthy balance of commercial and residential neighborhoods.
“I think in general there are a lot of businesses that see Cape as a great place to set up shop. There are a lot of advantages to a community of this size, and in this location, being in this region, and being near the river, and the diversity that we have here. Those are all strengths,” Shrimplin said.
Shrimplin says the NDI should make Cape Girardeau a more attractive place for both residents and businesses. If all goes according to plan, the Initiative will be showing results later this year.