City Council favors new permit for housing
Ryan Del Campo
Issue date: 11/21/08 Section: Campus News
The Milledgeville City Council pushed off a vote on a zoning ordinance concerning the historic housing, on Oct. 28.
Despite the GCSU students' overwhelming support for a Special Use Permit, the city council was not moved to discuss the issue.
Many non-student community members spoke against the zoning bill, angry at the recurring noise complaints and other grievances, which happen at select houses occupied by rowdy students. Several students also showed up in October to voice their opinion and separate themselves from those who actually cause the problems.
The Special Use Permit, if passed, would allow for more than three unrelated occupants to live in single-family housing in the historic district if they are deemed to have enough parking for each occupant. Offenders of this statute would have to pay $1,000 each day until they moved out, based upon complaints received by the city.
On Tuesday, the City Council surprised many students and other members of the Milledgeville community by passing the controversial bill. The vote was surprisingly strong in favor of the permit, with four council members in support of allowing the permit and two against.
The process of obtaining the Special Use Permit is not a short one. The permit will be given to households after the Historic Preservation Society deems that the necessary parking regulations are met. Also, the residents appear before both the Zoning and Planning Board and then the City Council. The fire department also must survey the house to check for any safety concerns before the application is granted and each following year.
"Just because you meet all the criteria for the application," SGA Senator Evan Karanovich said, "Doesn't necessarily mean that you can get it. It ultimately comes down to the city's decision, and they have to manage all aspects of the issue."
Karanovich was on the forefront of the student fight for the Special Use Permit. He mentioned, even though the students have gotten their wishes from the city council in this instance that "biggest thing I want to push forward is that both members of the city and students need to foster a healthy relationship. We need to coexist. Those few students who caused the original concern by the community misrepresent the student body in general."
Jenny Webster, alumni and ZTA Local Housing Association president, was happy with this decision.
"I am very glad and thankful that the city council is willing to give the people living in large houses the opportunity to live in their homes," Webster said. "The ZTA house is a large home, and it is being sustained by the girls who live there."
So, students living in the historic district can breathe a sigh of relief as they apply for their permit to continue living in their homes. Continued compromise with the City Council and the community certainly only serve to help the students. "If we have a strong positive voice," Karanovich said, "positive results will happen."
Despite the GCSU students' overwhelming support for a Special Use Permit, the city council was not moved to discuss the issue.
Many non-student community members spoke against the zoning bill, angry at the recurring noise complaints and other grievances, which happen at select houses occupied by rowdy students. Several students also showed up in October to voice their opinion and separate themselves from those who actually cause the problems.
The Special Use Permit, if passed, would allow for more than three unrelated occupants to live in single-family housing in the historic district if they are deemed to have enough parking for each occupant. Offenders of this statute would have to pay $1,000 each day until they moved out, based upon complaints received by the city.
On Tuesday, the City Council surprised many students and other members of the Milledgeville community by passing the controversial bill. The vote was surprisingly strong in favor of the permit, with four council members in support of allowing the permit and two against.
The process of obtaining the Special Use Permit is not a short one. The permit will be given to households after the Historic Preservation Society deems that the necessary parking regulations are met. Also, the residents appear before both the Zoning and Planning Board and then the City Council. The fire department also must survey the house to check for any safety concerns before the application is granted and each following year.
"Just because you meet all the criteria for the application," SGA Senator Evan Karanovich said, "Doesn't necessarily mean that you can get it. It ultimately comes down to the city's decision, and they have to manage all aspects of the issue."
Karanovich was on the forefront of the student fight for the Special Use Permit. He mentioned, even though the students have gotten their wishes from the city council in this instance that "biggest thing I want to push forward is that both members of the city and students need to foster a healthy relationship. We need to coexist. Those few students who caused the original concern by the community misrepresent the student body in general."
Jenny Webster, alumni and ZTA Local Housing Association president, was happy with this decision.
"I am very glad and thankful that the city council is willing to give the people living in large houses the opportunity to live in their homes," Webster said. "The ZTA house is a large home, and it is being sustained by the girls who live there."
So, students living in the historic district can breathe a sigh of relief as they apply for their permit to continue living in their homes. Continued compromise with the City Council and the community certainly only serve to help the students. "If we have a strong positive voice," Karanovich said, "positive results will happen."
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