Housing limit catches landlord off guard

By RACHEL HOGAN
Collegian Staff Writer

Dr. Gregory Radio has plans for his future. He wants to retire from his career as an obstetrician in Allentown and move to State College.

His house at 303 W. Park Ave. is a symbol of that peace of retirement -- or at least it was.

Now, rumored complaints from neighbors about the number of cars in the driveway have spurred him to find out what the trouble is, he said.

And the trouble is that Radio was not aware of the rule in State College allowing no more than three-unrelated people to live in one house. Radio's house violates the ordinance, but the problems did not end when he was made aware of this.

He said he thinks the three-unrelated rule is "very discriminatory to a specific group of people." And because he is being accused of lowering property values, Radio planned to appear before the Zoning Hearing Board Monday morning. He said he wants to settle the matter or at least learn that his complaints are unfounded.

"My concern is for the legality of it," he said. "I may have no foundation for anything. I don't know."

But not until late did he learn that the board was not an adjudicating board.

"I thought the appeal was to make some decisions. It's the wrong place to do it," Radio said.

And so in front of a large audience at the Monday hearing, Radio's attorney, Steven Hurvitz, told the board that Radio was complying with zoning ordinances. But Radio plans to bring the case before the State College Borough Council in the future, Hurvitz said.

Council member Janet Knauer said the delay will mean that "everyone will breathe a sigh of relief."

"No one was quite sure with what basis he was coming for or what he was asking for," she said.

Knauer questioned whether he was going to challenge the constitutionality of the law, or if he just wanted a variance for his property.

"It was all a mystery," she said. The council must now wait.

Knauer said she supports the three-unrelated rule and thinks the majority of other council members do as well.

"If he brings it before us, we'll have to wait and see what he is bringing," she said.

But his son, Scott Radio (junior-administration of justice), who lives in the West Park Avenue home, said he does not see any trouble.

"We keep it clean. We cut the grass. We haven't done anything to entice any complaints," Scott Radio said. He admitted he has not gotten involved in the case at all, but said all he can figure is that the cars in the driveway made the neighbors angry.

His roommates would not comment.

Although Gregory Radio said he has to turn his focus back to his work, in the back of his mind is still the lingering anger over being accused of lax maintenance. He said he wants the property maintained not only for his children but also for his own retirement.

"I don't want to be a slumlord," he said.