Citizens want area to remain residential

By RACHEL HOGAN
Collegian Staff Writer

A fired-up crowd lingered in the Church of Christ, 405 Hillcrest Ave., after the State College Planning Commission's work session last night.

The session focused on the College Heights plan, the third of a series of neighborhood plans designed to reduce residential out-migration. And after two hours of debate, the crowd of about one hundred people still had more to say.

"We've lived here about seventeen years and I'd like to see (College Heights) remain residential," said Jean Hawk of 556 Westview Ave.

And so she voted against the highway transitional overlay proposed by Bill Davison as a way to reduce rental housing along parts of Atherton Street and Park Avenue. Davison is a member of the Pennsylvania Service Corps serving as a community planner for the State College borough.

Davison said that a survey sent out to College Heights residents in November showed that they felt noise and traffic along these streets prevent the economic viability of single-family houses.

But the overlay, which would allow businesses to enter the area under several provisions, was voted against almost unanimously by the fifty or so residents remaining at the end of the meeting.

The College Heights area --north of the University, east and south of Ferguson Township, and west of College Township -- has high-traffic areas, especially in the eastern section, and the residents are concerned, Davison said.

Several solutions to the traffic problems on North Allen Street and North Atherton Street were presented at the meeting, but some residents just wanted to see current laws enforced.

Davison proposed traffic problem solutions such as lowering speed limits; supporting an inner Loop -- a bus that would run within College Heights; creating a pedestrian bike path and adding a third lane to Park Avenue. He also presented a "chicane," which is a narrowed section of a road designed to slow traffic. The chicane would be applied to North Allen Street.

Although residents offered more ideas to reduce traffic, most were concerned with an immediate solution. When one woman offered her preventative plan, the audience clapped in agreement.

"Don't let West College Heights become an area of thru-traffic, too," she said.

Parking was also presented as a problem because rental units have more automobiles than single-family houses. After discussing how to handle the problem, one woman wanted to see residents take personal responsibility.

Lyn Jackson of 422 E. Mitchell Ave. said she was tired of College Heights serving as a "parking lot for the University," and she wanted to see residents forced to call the police to register guests.

Personal responsibility resurfaced when Carl Hess, planning director, started a discussion on zoning regulations and rental housing. The crowd expressed its desire to see landlords and the University take more responsibility.

Dave Christy of 808 N. Allen St. said he wants the maintenance standards for rental properties increased. He said it's "too inexpensive to be a landlord," not only monetarily but emotionally.