About 70 residents voiced concerns about increased conflict with students in the Holmes-Foster neighborhood at the State College Planning Commission meeting last night.

"Who wants to live near drunks?" said one resident.

Residents contend the encroachment of the university and its students is detrimental to the historic neighborhood.

"West campus expansion is the single biggest threat to our neighborhood in the next 20 years," said another resident.

The meeting was held at Corl Street Elementary School to facilitate resident participation in discussion about ordinances and zoning near their homes.

The commission discussed prohibiting student housing, high-rises and the construction of additional structures on existing lots.

"There will be no loss of student housing, but there will not be an addition," said Borough Planning Director Carl Hess.

No students or developers spoke at the meeting.

Most permanent residents in attendance felt that too much heed has been paid to developers and students, while their concerns are being ignored however.

The planning commission has been trying to meet the needs of both students and permanent residents, Hess said.

It would be easier if students played an active role, he added.

"If students want their needs to be met, they need to have their voices heard which means coming to meetings and talking with us," he said.

Long-time residents also were interested in issues such as the enforcement of parking violations, as well as noise and traffic ordinances.

The university, as well as the municipal government, should address street congestion and parking problems, resident Matt Jackson said.

Encouraging bike use and pedestrian traffic would help ease the parking and driving problems in the area, he added.

"As we talk about these car problems, I think it makes sense for the board to encourage the university to encourage bike use for students," he said.

About six residents found the students responsible for most traffic and parking troubles.

Penn State professor Karl Mueller said students should be seen as part of the community rather than part of the problem, however.

"Very few students give the impression that they are a bad lot," Mueller said.

Both students and permanent residents should work together to build a good rapport, he added.

"We have a number of student neighbors that we actually like a lot -- and even invite to our parties," Mueller said.

It's sometimes difficult to balance the concerns of both groups, Borough Council Liaison Janet Knauer said.

"I think the students were very underrepresented tonight," she said. "The neighborhood is heterogeneous."

Students tend to take an active role only after their interests have already been threatened, she added.

"When something is directly going against students is when they tend to show up and scream," Knauer said.

No plans for the neighborhood are definitive yet, and students still have an opportunity to add their ideas, she said.