City Council zones out students
Approved by the City Council, the Ordinance 0-0609-205, otherwise known as the amendments to “The Land Development Code of the City of Milledgeville, Georgia”, places constraint on the number of unrelated persons allowed to reside in houses zoned for single-family use. A significant amount of these houses inhabit the surrounding area of GCSU campus property.
Joel Graham, a junior SGA Senator who attended the Oct. 6 City Council meeting, expresses serious concern for the implementation of this ordinance.
“I’m afraid (this ordinance) may do more to amplify differences between the students and the community instead of actually addressing the residents’ grievances,” Graham said.
This ordinance was adopted back in 2006 and has been contested by participating students since. However, many community members desiring “quiet neighborhoods” continue to fight for the ordinance.
John Alton, a Milledgeville resident living on Liberty Street, supports the ordinance.
“The ’3-unrelated-person-ordinance’ was passed for the entire city and will be beneficial for the entire city,” Alton said. “It demonstrates the city’s commitment to the preservation of its older structures and its older single-family neighborhoods.”
At the Oct. 6 City Council meeting, a new amendment was requested “to amend the Land Development Code to allow group residence as a special use within SFR and SFR1 districts within the historic district.” SFR and SFR1 districts imply the area around GCSU campus.
Less than five students attended the meeting, perhaps contributing to the denial of the amendment by City Council 3-2. Most of the supporters for the new amendment allowing “special use” were realtors that owned homes in the downtown historic district that were occupied predominantly by GCSU students.
One of these voices that fought in support of the amendment was Robert Binion, the owner of the affected Zeta House on McIntosh Street He disapproves of the ordinance, and thinks the amendment will help the situation tremendously.
“I don’t think what City Hall is doing with (Ordinance 0-0609-205) is fair at all. I am going to have 13 homeless girls on my hands,” Binion said. “I feel like we should be grandfathered in, considering the girls have had the house two years before the ordinance was ever presented.”
Likewise, Debbie Thompson sympathizes with Binion’s dilemma. An independent realtor with property in the affected district, Thompson is staunchly opposed to Ordinance 0-0609-205 and is still unsatisfied with the proposed amendment.
“This ordinance will only make matters worse for the community. What they need to enforce is ordinances that they already have on the books concerning noise, house maintenance and trash,” Thompson said. “I don’t think this ordinance has a right to tell us what we can do in our own house. It’s just not right.”
Kelly Truitt, a senior at GCSU and resident in one of the affected houses, agrees with Thompson.
“As long as things remain pretty on the outside, I see no reason why (Milledgeville) should bother dictating (who) our household should consist of,” Truitt said.
As established under “Design Guidelines MSection5″ of the Milledgeville Historic Preservation Commission, historic residences are expected to meet certain standards and appearances externally. Until this ordinance, Milledgeville never had control over the number of residents living inside the house.
Yet, Alton and many other community members hold their ground.
“The current attempt to pass a follow-up ordinance that would allow ‘special group use’ in approximately 13 single-family zoned blocks of the historic district would, over a very short period of time, destroy what few single-family neighborhoods remain in the historic district,” Alton said. “This action would be disastrous to neighborhoods, tourist trade and overall beauty of the city. (It) would rob future generations of their heritage.”
Mervin Graham, the zoning administrator for Milledgeville, is preparing letters to send out to affected houses. Mervin asserts that even before this ordinance, sorority and fraternity houses were not allowed. Alpha Delta Pi, the only “legal” sorority house, was registered with the city over a decade ago. It resides on the corner of McIntosh and Clark Street.
Thompson says with proper management and respect the larger houses could be rented to sororities.
“Sororities do a great job with the houses. They are good for them,” Thompson said.
Binion is proud of how ZETA takes care of their house.
“The ZETA girls keep their house in good condition. ZETA’s national chapter requires them to maintain high levels of maintenance as well,” Binion said.
Still, community members maintain that there are many other living arrangements available, such as apartments and condominiums.
“The recent growth in available housing in and around the historic district has been unbelievable,” Alton said. “Therefore, there appears to be no need to destroy what few single-family neighborhoods we have left by allowing ‘special group use’ in the historic district.”
SGA Senator Joel Graham says the ordinance will add tension between students and the community.
“I think this will effectively eradicate any feelings of involvement or responsibility students may feel toward the downtown community,” Graham said. “I would even fear a possible rise in vandalism cases due to the increased foot traffic to and from outlying apartment complexes.”
As the discussion for and against the amendment continues, the November deadline for affected houses to comply looms on the horizon.
There is little students can do, but pack their bags. Yet, not all hope is gone.
On Oct. 28 at 7:30 p.m. in City Hall, the amendment to the ordinance will be presented again, perhaps for the last time, in front of Mayor Richard Bentley and Mayor Council.
Joel Graham hopes more students will show up.
“Like with any civic issue, students who have opinions about this can and should do all they can to express themselves,” Joel said. “Specifically, you can go to City Council meetings, Zoning Committee meetings, email your city officials, and talk with them to help convey your ideas. As SGA, we will be doing all that we can to help make your voice heard and relay your ideas to our civic leaders.”
Even with the deadline being incredibly close to students’ finals, Mervin Graham will begin enforcing this ordinance come November.
However, she says she will wait to send letters to see what happens when the requested amendment to the ordinance goes before Mayor Council on Oct. 28.
Under the ordinance section 4.4.4 “Prima Facie Proof” the evidence of breaking this law will be “four or more vehicles with registration to persons having different surnames and addresses were parked overnight at the dwelling unit a majority of nights in any 21-day period.”
The penalties for breaking this law can include a fine reaching up to $1,000 for the renter or individual inhabitant per night. The person/s convicted of the crime could even be assigned an imprisonment term or public service by local officials.
“I can promise you this – the ordinance passed will be enforced,” Mervin Graham said.
Brad Christopher, a junior majoring in community health, reflects the common reaction of many students.
“I think this law is not right because this town is a college town,” Christopher said. “Many students live in the historical district, and living situations are such a vital part of education and the season of life many college students are in.”
Posted by Colonnade Archives
on Oct 17 2008. Filed under News.
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