State College Borough Council will discuss establishing a historical district in State College during its meeting Monday night.

If the proposal for a historic district is accepted, a historical review board will be established. If property owners would want to tear down a historic building, they first would have to seek permission from the review board, then from the council.

Borough Council Monday, Jan. 14, 2002, 7:30p.m. Municipal Building

Council member Elizabeth Goreham favors the proposal, but sees problems with such a suggestion.

"The essential issue is how we can preserve State College without invading property rights," she said.

Enacting such a proposal would benefit State College by preserving its history and increasing property value, Goreham said. Property value would rise because people would have the assurance that the neighborhood property will be preserved, she added.

The council does need to do something to preserve State College's history, Goreham said. Bellefonte enacted a similar but more rigid policy, which has enhanced the town, she added.

"To protect our history, we must put something into it," Goreham said.

There are many people in State College who are opposed to the proposal, and Monday's discussion should be a heated one, she said, adding that it's not an easy issue for State College.

"Some people would like it no matter what; some people will hate it no matter what," Goreham said.

Council member Tom Daubert also supports the proposal, though he believes that several small changes are needed.

"There's a lot of work to be done, but I think we should go ahead with it," Daubert said.

One concern with creating a historical district in State College is some buildings that should not be considered historical are being considered so, Daubert said. He also recognized that there are many opposed to the proposal and that there will be much debating at Monday's meeting.

"Who knows what's going to happen?" Daubert said.

Council member Jim Meyer, however, is on the opposite side of the debate. The problem with the proposal, he said, is that if a person who owns a historical home wants to revise the facade, the person must go before a committee, then before the council.

"(Borough Council) is not here for that; we're here to create policy," he said.

People should be able to do what they want with their homes, without having to get approval from a committee, Meyer said.

"(The proposal) gives the building more rights than the property owner," he added.

Meyer said he agrees with Daubert's statement that some homes are being considered historical when they should not be. Many of these homes are being turned into student housing, when they should be torn down, he said.

"There's disagreement on what should be saved and what shouldn't," Meyer added.

There are 1,000 buildings in State College that are registered historical landmarks. These buildings are located primarily in College Heights and Holmes-Foster-Highlands neighborhood.