Council debates restrictions

By ANGELA J. GATES
Collegian Staff Writer

Building heights will be limited to 45 feet, or four stories, in parts of downtown, but discussion of height restrictions with incentive zoning will continue despite disagreement among some members of the State College Borough Council.

The council passed a motion at its meeting last night to announce its intent to enact a zoning ordinance limiting building height in an area bordered by College Avenue, Burrowes and Sowers streets, and the north side of Beaver Avenue.

However, council member Donald Hahn said the council should wait to vote on the remaining area of the commercial district zoned for height restrictions with incentives.

Much of the area the council is considering is "rich in nostalgia for alumni and students of the university," Hahn said.

Height restrictions with incentives should not extend past Highland Avenue because people don't consider Foster Avenue, the originally proposed boundary, when they think of Penn State, he said.

Hahn said the council should allow more time to review the area.

While council member James Meyer agreed further review of the ordinance was needed, he did not agree 45 feet was a reasonable height limit.

Restricting building height to 45 feet is aimed solely at student housing redevelopment, Meyer said.

"I'm not so sure 45 feet is the magic number," he said.

Buildings used for office and retail space may need to be higher, Meyer said.

The Planning Commission and Design Review Board also need time to study the economic impact of a 45-foot height restriction, he added.

Instead of limiting height to 45 feet, the council could vote for a four-story limit with no height restriction, Council President Jean McManis suggested.

But council member Elizabeth Goreham said no height limit would dramatically change the character of the town.

Many factors would need to be considered in the future, McManis said. But the council already had discussed building height limits for some time and needed to make a decision, she said.

All members of the council except Meyer and Richard McCarl voted to limit heights to 45 feet in parts of downtown. Discussion of height limits with incentive zoning will continue at the council's April 30 work session.

"We can't just keep arguing and talking about this," Goreham said. "We have to do something."