Spring Break
Student concern, involvement spikes after housing ordinance proposal
By: Amanda Grosgebauer
Issue date: 3/27/08 Section: News
A housing ordinance proposal that would allow only two unrelated persons to live in one residence was made in November by City Councilman and Texas A&M's Distinguished Professor John Crompton. The motion did not receive a second, after which non-student residents became more vocal in support of such a proposal.
College Station city council will hold a workshop to reveal the report of consultants hired to evaluate the concerns of city residents Thursday at the Barbara Bush Conference center.
To address these concerns, the city of College Station hired a consultant to meet with stakeholders - students, landlords and residents - to evaluate all sides of the matter. The findings of the stakeholder meetings will be announced at Thursday's workshop and will decide whether the city council will pursue the ordinance into writing.
The Bryan-College Station Eagle published a letter Tuesday from a College Station resident who expressed her concerns about maintaining neighborhood integrity with regards to the student population. She said students had started a petition against the city council and invited residents to the workshop to stand opposed to the students initiatives.
In response, Student Body President Conner Prochaska said the residents in support of an ordinance have good reason to be, but that city codes are already in place to meet these concerns.
"Stabilized property values, multiple vehicles parked up and down the street, getting a decent nights sleep, beer bottles; these are obviously all problems. The reality is that the solution doesn't lie in an ordinance, but in existing codes we already have but are not being enforced," Prochaska said.
"The bottom line is: unrelated ordinances don't solve problems," Prochaska said. "Citizens can write letters and encourage people to let their voice be heard at a workshop session that isn't even a public hearing, or they can follow the example of the students who have come up with alternative plans, rational solutions and all-inclusive strategies for preserving neighborhood integrity."
College Station city council will hold a workshop to reveal the report of consultants hired to evaluate the concerns of city residents Thursday at the Barbara Bush Conference center.
To address these concerns, the city of College Station hired a consultant to meet with stakeholders - students, landlords and residents - to evaluate all sides of the matter. The findings of the stakeholder meetings will be announced at Thursday's workshop and will decide whether the city council will pursue the ordinance into writing.
The Bryan-College Station Eagle published a letter Tuesday from a College Station resident who expressed her concerns about maintaining neighborhood integrity with regards to the student population. She said students had started a petition against the city council and invited residents to the workshop to stand opposed to the students initiatives.
In response, Student Body President Conner Prochaska said the residents in support of an ordinance have good reason to be, but that city codes are already in place to meet these concerns.
"Stabilized property values, multiple vehicles parked up and down the street, getting a decent nights sleep, beer bottles; these are obviously all problems. The reality is that the solution doesn't lie in an ordinance, but in existing codes we already have but are not being enforced," Prochaska said.
"The bottom line is: unrelated ordinances don't solve problems," Prochaska said. "Citizens can write letters and encourage people to let their voice be heard at a workshop session that isn't even a public hearing, or they can follow the example of the students who have come up with alternative plans, rational solutions and all-inclusive strategies for preserving neighborhood integrity."
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