Penn State and the Centre Region Council of Governments know that two heads are better than one.
The University and COG -- a voluntary association consisting of representatives from College, Ferguson, Halfmoon, Harris and Patton townships and State College Borough --have been working together to ensure that Penn State and the municipalities surrounding it remain good neighbors.
"I've had a lot of cooperation from the University," said Jim Steff, executive director of COG, adding that Penn State tries to be a good community member.
COG was formed in 1969 to provide member municipalities with a forum to discuss various issues of concern, such as code enforcement and parks and recreation programs. COG and the University have had good relations for the last five or six years, Steff said.
The University and COG recently have worked together more on issues such as local zoning regulations, Steff said. Last year, the two groups renewed an agreement that applies municipal building codes to University buildings.
Until about two years ago, the University had its own set of building codes to regulate safety, said Gary Schultz, associate vice president of finance and University representative to COG. The shift to the COG building regulations was not a major change because the idea behind the codes is basically the same, he said.
"The work with the building codes was a preamble to the work that is going on now with zoning," Schultz said.
The University is working with the the borough and Ferguson, Patton and College townships on an agreement to make zoning for University lands consistent in the municipalities, Schultz said.
Items covered under zoning ordinances range from building height restrictions to the size of parking stalls, he said.
"Each of the municipalities have typical zoning ordinances, but they are not uniform," Schultz said.
The municipalities and the University are planning to require permits for University lands in the future, said Charles Brueggebors, a University architect and director of facilities planning.
"The process just formalizes it all; it's another step that we will have to take," Brueggebors said.
Because University students and local residents have to share the community, it only makes sense for the University to cooperate with COG, said David Zehngut, Office of Physical Plant architect and facilities planner, adding that resolutions to problems are achieved by working together.
"Through cooperation we create a better environment for the municipalities and the University," Zehngut said.
University representatives serve on COG committees and council representatives sit on University committees, Brueggebors said.
