Spring Break
City considers residence limits
Student government opposes plan to curb the number of roommates in College Station homes
By: Amanda Grosgebauer
Issue date: 2/27/08 Section: News
Nonstudent residents of College Station are speaking up to place pressure on the College Station City Council to pass an ordinance that would allow only two unrelated individuals living in one residence.
In November 2007, Councilman John Crompton, who is also a distinguished professor of recreation, park and tourism sciences at Texas A&M, proposed that an ordinance be written that would permit two unrelated persons to live in one residence, said Darreck Ferrell, chairman of the external affairs committee of the Student Senate.
Crompton's motion did not receive a second, so no ordinance was directed to be written, Ferrell said. But the council did decide to consult stakeholders - students, landlords, property owners and city staff - to determine the necessary steps in providing a solution to the problems presented by residents.
The council hired a consultant who presented information Feb. 4 and Saturday. The first meeting was for the city staff to meet with each group of stakeholders, and the second combined the groups. The results of the meetings will be compiled by the consultant and presented at City Hall on March 27, Ferrell said.
Robert S. Cowell, the director of planning and development services for the City of College Station, said the meetings were in the listening stage. "There is no ordinance or proposal but simply discussion on neighborhood issues," he said.
Neighborhood issues including but not limited to the complaints brought up by nonstudent residents such as loud parties, parking problems and poor yard maintenance, Cowell said.
The City of Bryan passed a similar ordinance about two years ago, but Ferrell said it has yet to solve the problems about which the residents originally complained. Bryan's ordinance allows each homeowner's association to determine whether the two unrelated rule stands.
He said if a family has two adults and two teenage children, that residence would pose the same parking problem as four student renters, therefore the ordinance does not solve parking.
In November 2007, Councilman John Crompton, who is also a distinguished professor of recreation, park and tourism sciences at Texas A&M, proposed that an ordinance be written that would permit two unrelated persons to live in one residence, said Darreck Ferrell, chairman of the external affairs committee of the Student Senate.
Crompton's motion did not receive a second, so no ordinance was directed to be written, Ferrell said. But the council did decide to consult stakeholders - students, landlords, property owners and city staff - to determine the necessary steps in providing a solution to the problems presented by residents.
The council hired a consultant who presented information Feb. 4 and Saturday. The first meeting was for the city staff to meet with each group of stakeholders, and the second combined the groups. The results of the meetings will be compiled by the consultant and presented at City Hall on March 27, Ferrell said.
Robert S. Cowell, the director of planning and development services for the City of College Station, said the meetings were in the listening stage. "There is no ordinance or proposal but simply discussion on neighborhood issues," he said.
Neighborhood issues including but not limited to the complaints brought up by nonstudent residents such as loud parties, parking problems and poor yard maintenance, Cowell said.
The City of Bryan passed a similar ordinance about two years ago, but Ferrell said it has yet to solve the problems about which the residents originally complained. Bryan's ordinance allows each homeowner's association to determine whether the two unrelated rule stands.
He said if a family has two adults and two teenage children, that residence would pose the same parking problem as four student renters, therefore the ordinance does not solve parking.
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